Mortal Kombat 11 Review: Gameplay Impressions, Features and Esports Impact

NetherRealm Studios returns on the heels of a successful Injustice 2 run with another dip into everyone's favorite gory fighting series with Mortal Kombat 11.  

MK11 is more of the same in some ways, which as a follow up to 2015's Mortal Kombat X is nothing close to a bad thing. 

But where MK11 makes strides is in NetherRealm Studios' attempts for it to stand out. It's packed with the expected features, but it promises a deep story, massive roster and new-era customization options to step away from the pack and match heavyweights in other genres.

These new wrinkles make MK11 the most robust release in series history—which puts it in a prime position to stick around for a long time. 

Graphics and Gameplay

Mortal Kombat X wasn't a slouch in the visuals department when it released four years ago, yet MK11 is a noticeable upgrade. 

So goes the benefits a game like MK11 receives for releasing near what is presumably the end of a console generation. The game runs well on any format without a hiccup, enabling the fluid, bloody combat to steal the show. 

Stages are varied, bright and interactive, compelling players to pay close attention or else the opposition could use the stage to their advantage and swing a fight. Among the memorable details, underground caverns have bright candles in the foreground, and an expansive arena has droves of crowds in the background cheering the fighters on as they dance in the sand. 

In the foreground of those stages, gorgeous character models inflict some of the most brutal damage video games have ever seen. Like the Injustice series, models look semi-realistic and move like it, too, with hair and attire flowing naturally with movement. Seeing the game in motion comes close to, if not matches the game's cutscenes, which is about the highest praise a fighting game can receive. 

One of the underrated elements of the visuals that might go overlooked behind the gorgeous backdrops and bloody brutality is the real-time damage characters take. The end-game results showcase the suffering a character took, which is a nice touch in a game clearly striving for the highest visual fidelity possible. Seeing the consequences of the bout is a good way to strive for this. 

Of course, looking good is only half the battle in this genre. But lovers of the series and those new to it can rest easy, as MK11 makes a few small tweaks but otherwise keeps the great formula going. 

The plodding, one-on-one action on the 2D plane returns in all its glory. Fighting styles will vary, but the usual dance of combos, blocking, parries and special maneuvers during and when closing fights remain. 

The shift to two Special meters for attacks or counters is a welcome mixup of the tried and true. Previous games asked players to make tough, on-the-fly decisions about how to deploy these meters, but having two makes life a little easier.

Some might bemoan the alteration, but it isn't a change that will stop the best players from sitting atop ladders, anyway. 

A Flawless Block parry/counter system where skillful timing takes a front seat is more in line with what hardcore fans will want to hear. Time the block right and get rewarded with a strong counter. It sounds simple in practice, but it hasn't overly been a staple of the series. As expected, though, it works well in the confines of Mortal Kombat's, well, combat. 

Fatal Blow is probably the newest addition sure to cause some polarizing reactions. It becomes available to a player when their health is critical, and pulling it off means ripping the fight into a cutscene where the player's character brutalizes the opposition in typical Mortal Kombat fashion.  

Without going into too many details, Fatal Blows are where much of the game's gore and intimate acts of violence unfold. It's a comeback mechanic of sorts that will likely prove divisive, but it seems like it will even the playing field a bit and undoubtedly makes the game even more fun for onlookers watching matches. 

Stage attacks add another layer of depth to these measured bouts, too. Players can drive an opponent's head into a spike or wield a massive scythe they found laying around, though opponents have access to the same devices as well and don't hesitate to deploy them. 

Mortal Kombat 11's variation system is where longevity and experimentation really come into play. Slapping different moves on to a character can completely change how he or she plays. It is here where players might lose themselves in endless hours of toying around with character builds.

Custom loadouts aren't new to gaming by any means, but finally getting a fully-featured option like this in a Mortal Kombat game provides a refreshing spin on the series. 

In reality, little about Mortal Kombat's visuals or gameplay was getting stale. But NetherRealm Studios didn't rest on their laurels in either of these areas, and the result is a good-looking and playing game with just the right amount of shifts to keep old and new players engaged. 

Story and More

MK11 also makes a splash in the singleplayer department in such a way other juggernauts of the genre will likely take notice.

The story is an all-star runout of sorts. It doesn't feel like a full retcon by any means, but the early plot device in place opens up a star-studded cast of characters and interactions after the hands of Father Time get turned back quite a bit. 

Impressively, the narrative does a good job of making players invested in their characters and the action on screen. Newfound graphical prowess from the series and developer helps, especially in the facial-animations department. There are moments of levity with the usual suspects (looking at you, Johnny Cage), but the overall pacing is brisk and close to best-in-class material for the genre. 

How the fights get interwoven into the story's cinematics are brilliant, too. The seamless transition from cutscene to a fight starting speaks both to the expressiveness of the graphics in place and the overall direction from the developers. Fighting games rarely, if ever, transfer from a cinematic movie to actual gameplay in an organic manner like this. 

Outside of the story, the usual offerings are here. Online is a fun romp as expected, and trainers help players looking to refine their skills. The former features versus, King of the Hill and soon-to-arrive competitive options. Expected functionalities like private matches and lobbies are in and worthwhile. 

Towers are back as well and offer some mixups to the usual gameplay. These are a fun test of skill at some points, though at others they are brutally unforgiving and more akin to banging one's head against a wall.

Some tower tiers in the Towers of Time simply give the player big disadvantages while the opponent's does not suffer them at all, or buffs for the opponent but not for the player. Some of the tiered unlocks are behind requirements that will perhaps get altered in an upcoming balance pass. 

Elsewhere, Klassic Tower is exactly what it sounds like. It slots nicely as the general arcade mode with character specific endings. It's archaic, maybe, but it's great to hop into a mode that feels like the classic arcade machines for a quick romp. 

The Custom Character Variation System is is a fine change of pace from Injustice 2. Here, a good-looking piece of gear can receive an augment as opposed to the gear having a set roll and there being nothing a player can do about it. This does make things a little more complex for the player, but those who aren't interested in fine-tuning gear can simply gloss over it and go for looks—it works for all parties. 

As a whole, customization has an Overwatch-esque feel to it. Players can unlock what seems like endless attire for characters, and it is also both tied to a familiar-feeling rarity system and only certain events.

It gets overwhelming quickly, as something as simple as sunglasses for a character has a huge scrollable wheel of unlocks that are capable of augmentation. But it hardly stops there thanks to many pre- and post-match antics for each character. 

The methods to unlock some of these customizable pieces are iffy, though. On one hand, there is a ton of content to keep players coming back—which is always a good thing. And it's fun to explore the Krypt and pick and choose chests to unlock. On the other, some of the challenges in towers could ask the player to invest tens of hours or more for simple reskins of suits, so enjoyment on this level will come down to a player-by-player basis. 

On the accessibility front, Mortal Kombat 11 does a quality job, as expected. Augments fall under this umbrella as well and by design are largely meant to help with singleplayer content. Mixing and matching augmented abilities to counteract certain tower effects may sound fun on paper, though it doesn't always feel like it provides enough of an equalizer.

Consumables also weave into this conversation as well. While there are varying difficulty modes, it is nice to have earnable consumables that can tailor to a player's specific weakness. Difficulty modes can't catch everything because every player is different, so the items are a succesful attempt to massage this typical problem for the genre. 

The trainer and usual suspects are here, including a Fatality training module. Perhaps most impressive in this area is the ability to log moves on the screen during a fight itself. For players trying to master a character or experience with certain styles, having the inputs right there on the screen to replicate in a live setting is a great idea. 

Esports Impact

MK11 shouldn't have any problems slotting comfortably near the top of the esports scene and staying for a long time. 

After all, the online component of the game already has a competitive ladder on the way. And a $155,000 "Pro Kompetition" with a chance at a finale in 2020 is already set. NetherRealm is supporting the event featuring tournaments held around the globe. 

Call it the proverbial tip of the iceberg. It all really boils down to the gameplay itself. MK11 goes away from its predecessor's relentless, rushdown offensive focused onslaught and reels things in more around the neutral game.

This doesn't it is a zoning-fest game of keep-away that won't be entertaining to watch—the good players will still rip off their offense, but equal opponents will get their parries and punishing counters in, too.

Players who whiff on an attack are more open for punishment than they were before in the last game. While some of the game's changes are meant to make it more accessible for all, the beauty of the system tweaks means more options for the best of the best.

An example:

Other changes help, too. The ability to assign moves to characters creates some interesting scenarios at least on the ladder system online, especially as it means unpredictable mixups and more on a fight-by-fight basis. Some tournaments might go away from this sort of customization for time constraints and other reasons, but the option is at least there. 

Generally speaking, the usual attractions of Mortal Kombat will assure MK11 a healthy audience. Visuals, gore and simply seeing some of the best in the world across multiple generations hammer it out at premier, developer-supported tournaments is going to guarantee longevity on the esports scene. 

Whether MK11 can truly dethrone some of the juggernauts in its field remains to be seen. But it clearly won't be going anywhere, and the changes made have put it in the best position possible to compete. 

Conclusion

It isn't hyperbole to call MK11 the best release in the series, which is an impressive feat given its storied history. 

But as usual, NetherRealm Studios has its finger right on the pulse of what fans want. Perhaps even better, accessibility options and some of the newer-feeling mechanics in the middle of fights bridge a gap between the hardcore player and newcomers looking to get into the series or genre. Even players who only grab it for the singleplayer story will come away happy. 

Splashed with a nice dose of customization options that allow for unique fighting styles and looks instead of restricting a well-known series to its usual looks and movesets, MK11 takes a few bold steps players will appreciate.

The methods to unlocking some of these things aren't perfect at all times, but today's live-updating nature of games offers hope even the sour spots at launch will get smoothed over quickly. 

Sure to be a hit with series veterans and littered with welcoming, open arms for the rest, MK11 is one of the better releases of 2019 and is S Tier among fighters, which is quite the achievement given the renaissance from the genre lately.