Review for Mortal Kombat 11. Game for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Google Stadia, the video game was released on 23/04/2019
Version for PlayStation 5 from 17/11/2020
Version for Xbox Series X from 17/11/2020
Version for Google Stadia from 19/11/2019
It's been over 25 years since the first Mortal Kombat crashed into arcades around the world, disrupting the conception of violence in video games. Although it has never been one of the technically best fighting series on the square, its immense charisma made of exaggerated brutality and sci-fi characters filled the gap with more refined titles like Street Fighter, conquering and remaining stable in the popular imagination of generations of gamers. The eternal gap with the Japanese school has been increasingly narrowing, however, since the rebirth from the ashes of NetherRealm Studios, which with passion and dedication has (re) brought the series to be one of the most loved and played by players of all levels in all the world.
Mortal Kombat 11 is the latest step in a continuous evolution that the team led by Ed Boon has taken since the masterful reboot of 2011. A path followed by keeping an ear to fan feedback, but also made up of bold choices that have led the series to grow and mature more and more, culminating today with one of the best chapters ever.
A matter of time
Much of the charm of Mortal Kombat has always been based on its particular setting made up of beings of parallel dimensions, ninjas, undead, gods and so on and so forth.. All sorts of things have happened over the years, but luckily we have summarized the episodes of the whole saga for you. As is now tradition we find once again a full-bodied Story Mode that resumes immediately after the events of Mortal Kombat X.
After the battle against Shinnok Raiden's mind has remained corrupted, making him a dark and despotic god, and so violent that he tortures and decapitates the fallen god to take his head into the Netherrealm as a warning of his wrath: a warning not to dare to threaten the Earthrealm. This turn of events does not please Kronika, the Elder Goddess who rules time, unhappy with how Raiden has changed the course of events by upsetting the balance of history.
The goddess's plan is to rewrite events, but to do so she needs energy and time, and to avoid being hindered by Raiden and his followers she decides to recruit warriors to protect her. Thanks to her powers she it condenses past and present, bringing together the characters of the two historical periods at the same time. Here then come back old acquaintances like Shao Kahn, Baraka and Sektor, ready to support Kronika to alter the events that had seen them defeated.
Strengthened by the progress made by its predecessor, Mortal Kombat 11 also has a cinematic plot divided into various chapters and dedicated to some of the characters in which we will face a handful of fights, progressing gradually towards the epilogue. The rhythm of the previous chapter was quite disorganized due to the continuous flashbacks that led the player's attention to get lost between past and present; this time, however, the narrative flows directly without too much confusion, and compared to MKX (perhaps too focused on Special Forces characters) we find more variety of situations.
The Story Mode of Mortal Kombat 11 from a directorial point of view is certainly above average in its genre, but from the point of view of the script continues to maintain the limits of a story of a fighting game. But after all, his B-movie narrative style (albeit with a profusion of special effects) has always been a characteristic aspect of the series.
Kripta and aesthetic customization
Customization Mode is probably the best we've ever seen in a fighting game so far when it comes to aesthetic customization. It is possible to choose between countless variations of costumes, weapons, masks, but also victory poses and enter the stage in the stages. We are light years from the days when the choice was between different colors of the same costume, so if even the basic design of a character does not inspire you too much, rest assured that you can change it significantly.
The items to choose from will obviously be unlocked through the other Modes, directly or using various more or less rare currencies such as coins, hearts, magical fragments etc. Most of the objects for customization are contained in the Kripta, which in this chapter consists of a sort of walking simulator in a dungeon located on the island of Shang Tsung.
As an anonymous character we will be able to explore the various environments and get our hands on the dozens of treasure chests inside, which contain both the objects for customization and all kinds of collectibles related to the game itself: artwork, preparatory sketches, songs from the soundtrack and much more.
To open the crates of the Kripta, however, we will have to spend various currencies within the game, usually these are gold coins, but some chests require an expenditure of hearts, magical fragments etc.
Gold coins and other trading items can be accumulated in various game modes, including the inevitable Towers. The Classic Towers essentially embody the old Arcade mode, after which we will see a personal ending of the character used. The Towers of Time instead offer challenges in constant rotation that can offer excellent rewards.
Graphics and sound characters.
On the graphic level, the continuous progress of NetherRealm is clearly visible. The amount of detail that characterizes both the character models and the combat stages is impressive, as is the quality of the textures and special effects, from the particles to the light effects of the evocative settings. Beyond the technical result itself, the attention to detail dedicated by the development team to the multiple aspects of the game's visual appearance is perceptible, which we can admire especially in the Customization mode..
Only on one aspect there are still macroscopic uncertainties: the facial expressions of some characters, especially the "simple" humans like Sonya Blade and Cassie Cage, are strange and too generic, giving the impression of having been careless.
The sound sector is also solid and refined, with a soundtrack with compelling tones and accurate and plausible sound effects. It's just a shame that the dubbing isn't exactly exciting, and especially the interpretation of some characters during the story will make you want to change the language of the movies to English, much better.
The roster consists of 25 fighters at launch, well varied in style of play and moveset, to which other (for the moment) unknown supporting characters of the saga in the form of DLC will be added. Between old acquaintances and new faces, we can be satisfied with the choice made in the selection of the characters included at launch and we are really curious to find out what the future holds for this interesting cast.
Let's fight!
Strong of a tutorial so clear and advanced that it even successfully explains the advanced dynamics of the fighting game genre to a novice, Mortal Kombat 11 offers countless multiplayer modes both locally and Online, passing through a commendable training mode and a valid and crystal clear frame data.
After completing the story and maybe challenging some friends locally, we will have the opportunity to delve into the universe of online fighting, choosing between random and classified mode. If in the case we will be able to select a custom set of rules and meet opponents compatible with our preferences, in the klassified sets we will necessarily have to give up the statistics of your equipment and the customization of the characters' skillsets.
When the game gets tough we will in fact have only two preset and unchangeable variants for each character, establishing a truly clear separation between the casual player and the more competitive oriented user. Strengthened by a very stable netcode, the online matches will delight the hardcore gamer, who will finally be able to compete in an intelligent ranking, which in order to decree winner and loser requires a series of games at the best of 5 matches, just as happens in most tournaments.. We can say goodbye to the stroke of luck / bad luck during a match, but to bring home the coveted victory we will really have to work hard. Within the competitive modes there is also the Kombat League, which will be available from the end of May, so it would be premature to talk about it.
Mekkanic muscles
Mortal Kombat 11 gameplay is slow and rhythmic, with witty and reasoned rhythms. NetherRealm plays the role of an attentive sommelier, proposing a nectar to be enjoyed calmly, which invites us to prefer reasoned assaults. We are far from the frenzy of rushdown titles like its fast predecessor or even Dragon Ball FighterZ. Every element of the gameplay has in fact been softened and blended to obtain a superfine recipe whose result is able to put all fans of the genre in agreement.
As we have mentioned, the speed of movement compared to its predecessor has decreased significantly, it follows that the most savvy players may fear a strong predominance of zoner characters, or those who prefer to fight at long range, knocking out the opponent with bullets. Especially considering that the chip damage, that is the parade damage that distinguishes the series, has been a really overwhelming element several times in the past.
Do not worry, before dying from chip damage we will have as protection (albeit really exorbitant) the burning of the two bars of the defensive meter to survive. Meters embody the true revolution brought by Ed Boon and his team of specialists to the genre. Forget about bars that can be charged by suffering or doing damage to our opponent: In Mortal Kombat 11 we will have an offensive meter bar and one dedicated to defensive options, both divided into two sections and recharged exclusively through the passage of time.
It follows a clash with rhythmic rhythms where knowing how to sip these options is vital in order to dominate the battlefield. The offensive meter can be trivially used to power up a special move, in most cases to extend a combo, while the defensive one can be used to escape a juggle scenario and to perform some of the iconic scenario interactions. We will even have access to two upward attacks, which can be performed using a section of both bars.
Once our character's life bar is dangerously reduced by around 70%, we will have access to a super move called Fatal Blow, which, assisted by a start with armor (i.e. able to ignore the interruption that we will normally suffer if we are hit during the launch), will delight us with a particularly painful movie for our opponent.
The deterrence produced by this mechanic is of course considerable, but following the philosophy of moderation proposed in this chapter, what could be vulgarly equated to a super becomes a unique strategic element of its kind: the Fatal Blow can be used successfully only once per game, instead of per round. Even the complexity and length of the strings see their complexity reduced to the essentials, for a gameplay that enhances the knowledge and ability to interpret the game at the expense of bare and raw mechanical skills required in other titles.
In addition to the mechanics that can only be performed once per game, the “Crushing Blow” are added, shots that can be executed one-off in particular specific conditions, such as the iconic jab used as a counter move. This wide range of strategic options also boasts the elegant inclusion of the perfect parry within the combat system, already perfectly integrated in titles of the caliber SoulCalibur.
By pressing the parry button in conjunction with the arrival of the opponent's shot, we will perform the perfect parry, able to offer us a pretty good advantage and mastering this technique will be vital to stand out during the most demanding clashes.
In spite of the brutal and bloody dress he loves to wear, the eleventh chapter of the Mortal Kombat saga has been able to prove himself sober, characterized by a cadenced and thoughtful gameplay. The revolutions that it operates in the field of gameplay will certainly leave their mark in the history of fighting games and even the single player sector is able to give a few hours of fun, offering a grotesque story mode with a cinematic taste. The game philosophy, the excellent tutorial and the not too demanding mechanical requirements make Mortal Kombat 11 perfect for those venturing into the maze of fighting titles for the first time and sublime for veterans of the genre.
This review stems from the collaboration between Steven Carollo and Marco Patrizi, who have always been passionate about the vicissitudes of Raiden and his champions.
► Mortal Kombat 11 is a fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Google Stadia, the video game was released on 23/04/2019
Version for PlayStation 5 from 17/11/2020
Version for Xbox Series X from 17/11/2020
Version for Google Stadia from 19/11/2019
