Mortal Kombat 1

Mortal Kombat 1 presents a reboot of the series' timeline through the intervention of the fire god Liu Kang, who created a new universe with altered versions of iconic fighters such as Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Raiden. The gameplay builds on the series' established system of special attacks and brutal finishers, along with a newly introduced Kameo mechanic, where the player picks a helper for their main character who can be summoned during a fight to add extra combinations and playstyle options. The story mode again offers a cinematically presented narrative full of twists, while the Invasions mode adds more extensive single-player content with gradual unlocking of cosmetic items. The roster includes both longtime pillars of the series and newly reimagined versions of classic characters, as well as several guest fighters from other franchises.

On Xbox Series X and S the game runs smoothly at high resolution, with fast loading for both local and online matches, underscoring the emphasis on responsive controls that's essential for a competitive fighting game. Visually detailed character models and extremely gory fatalities remain a hallmark of the series, accompanied by intense music and sound design that heightens the impact of every hit. Reviewers praised the inventive handling of the alternate timeline as well as the new Kameo fighter system, which opened up room for new combinations of playstyles, though the scope of microtransactions and the cosmetic item store sparked some discussion.

Mortal Kombat 1 thus continues the series' long tradition as one of the most violent, yet also one of the most mechanically refined fighting games on the market, with subsequent expansions further enriching the roster with additional characters and content. The combination of a nostalgic reboot with an innovative helper system showed that even an established brand can push the genre forward without abandoning what has earned Mortal Kombat its loyal audience since the nineties.

Why play it: Fans of violent yet mechanically refined fighting games will appreciate a nostalgic reboot paired with an innovative helper system and a gradually expanding character roster.