Mortal Kombat 1

Mortal Kombat 1 presents a reboot of the series' timeline following the events of the previous entry, Aftermath, in which the god Liu Kang recreated the entire universe in a new image, giving the series a chance at a clean start. The game thus features familiar characters like Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Raiden in new roles and relationships, which creates room for surprising twists even for players intimately familiar with the series' previous mythology, while also allowing easy entry for complete newcomers. The combat system introduces so-called Kameo fighters — a second character summoned during a match for supporting strikes, combos, and rescue maneuvers, adding another layer of tactics beyond the classic one-on-one fights.

The series stays true to its most iconic feature — brutal Fatalities, complemented by new Fatal Blows and interactive arenas full of destructible background animations, which leverage the power of the PS5 for more detailed and fluid character movement. The graphics engine delivers realistic skin and clothing textures and blood effects that are a typical, if long-controversial, hallmark of the series, distinguishing it from competing fighting games. The story mode once again relies on cinematic direction with several hours of cutscenes that tell a cohesive narrative arc full of betrayals, alliances, and surprising fates for well-known characters.

Reception at launch was mixed due to technical problems at release and more aggressive monetization through cosmetic items, but the core of the game — satisfying, brutal combat with a deep combo system — remains essential for fans of the series. Over time, developers fixed many of the criticized issues and expanded the game with the extensive Khaos Reigns expansion, adding further characters and story chapters. Mortal Kombat 1 remains among the most-played fighting games on PS5 to this day, regularly receiving new characters, seasonal content, and balance updates.

Why play it: For fans of the series, Mortal Kombat 1 remains an essential choice thanks to its satisfying, brutal combat with a deep combo system, even though its launch was marred by technical problems and more aggressive monetization.