When you consider how long the series has been going strong for (17 years, god we feel old) it's refreshing to see that NetherRealm are still pushing the genre forward. There is no doubting that Injustice 2 (NetherRealms other fighter) was a stellar fighting game, kicking the shit out of Superman with Batman or vice versa is something every gamer should experience. When the opportunity to get on the Beta for Mortal Kombat 11 came up we had to get involved, and all we had to do was pre-order the game.
Firstly we need to stress, this is a review of the Beta and not the full game, we only had access to 5 players and only for a weekend.
Visuals
The first thing you will notice about MK11 is that it's beautiful, with the help of a new graphics engine Ed Boons will have been very happy with how the game looks. The players look incredible and the audiences are meticulously detailed. There were a few frame rate issues but nothing that wont be fixed before its general release. The Brutality and Fatality sequences are incredible, we cannot wait to see the full roster of sequences if what we have already seen is to go off. The game has come a long way since the early 90's but none of its gory charm has been lost. This will definitely be a title that XBox X and PS4 Pro will show off in all its glory.
Gameplay
Mortal Kombat has always been a bit slower than the likes of Street Fighter and Tekken and things are the same here, the reason you play Mortal Kombat isnt for the flurry of combos and spinning bird kicks instead its for the calculated moments of popping someones eyes out and cackling loudly as you finish someone with a cinematic fatality. NetherRealm have really focused on this fact. The removal of the "X-Ray" attacks (the pros never liked them anyway, lets be honest) is one way that things have been improved. Now we have a "Fatal Blow" mechanic which can help a player fight back from near death and only be used once per match after a players health is below 30%. Its a bit lively and will take a bit of getting used to but it's a breath of fresh air to the genre, not just the game, as it provides some seriously thrilling finales.
Verdict
Based on what we have seen so far the eleventh instalment of this iconic franchise is going to be the go to fighter of 2019. Visually and mechanically NetherRealm have hit the nail on the head. With new and returning fighters (did somebody say Baraka?) and a large level of customisation players will be stuck into this title for quite some time. Online play was seamless and there is also a crazy time hopping story mode to get your teeth into as well. Overall it's bloody brilliant.
Mortal Kombat 11 will feature on Gamer Wager in the near future.
Formats: PlayStation 4 (previewed), Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC
Publisher: WB Games
Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Release Date: 23rd April 2019
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