Mortal Kombat Xbox 360
User Score
8.4 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 315 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 282 out of 315
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 315
  3. Negative: 19 out of 315

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  1. patthevamp
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    When I first heard that they were making a new Mortal Kombat I wasn't exactly excited. I thought back to the ps2 era MK games and few positive adjectives came to my mind. Add to that the underwhelming MK vs. DC Universe of a few years ago and my hopes were decidedly bottom of the barrel when it came to MK9. But this morning I got a call from my brother this morning at 1:30 saying he had just picked up MK9 and was coming over. Now, you have to understand that I haven't heard from my brother in over a year. To make a long story short, at our parent's funeral in Winter 2010 there was a huge fight. My brother told me and the other siblings he would never speak to us again. It hurt to hear my big brother regard us so harshly and honestly, the last year has been hell for me. So when I heard from him this morning it was quite the shock.

    When he got here we exchanged few words and proceeded to start up the game on my 50" HD TV. I was hesitant at first and refused to play versus mode to start, telling my brother to simply play story mode while I watched. It didn't take us long to realize how magnificent this game truly was. During one of the early cutscenes my brother let out in amazement "it's like they're rewriting my childhood, hell yes." I don't want to spoil anything for you, but the story mode is the most awesomely presented story in fighting game history. I'm not ashamed to say there were a few high fives exchanged amongst us when we finally beat the last bosses. I had to get my hands on all the characters after that. We immediately went into versus and started taking eachother on just like we had in MKII for the SNES. It was one of the best experiences of my life. The gameplay isn't hard to get into and I can tell there's going to be a lot of room to get better. Maybe one day I'll even be able to beat big bro!

    So as 7AM hit us and we decided to get some rest, I realized something. None of the old hardships came back to light. This was fun like My brother and I hadn't experienced in ages. Fun I thought I had lost forever. Through all the gore and friendly competition we both realized what makes us equals as men, but more importantly, what made us equal as brothers. So as the sun rises here, I'm telling you, go out and buy this game.    … Expand
  2. KnowFollowers
    Apr 29, 2011
    10
    They did it right. The best idea in the world is for Raiden to travel back in time to the first Mortal Kombat...My fave part of that brilliance, is that it kills off all ridiculously stupid characters in that...unspoken...era of MK. This game gave me a gamers boner and I haven't quit killing my friends. It made me think back to being 8 years old at a pizza parlor, running out on my parents just so I could kill Korean guys in Mortal Kombat 1...the arcade...Yes,the smell of pizza makes me think of MK. I can't knock this game, they have all the right characters and i'm sure there are a crap ton more on the way! If you aren't a fan of MK, this would be the one and only to try. It's a huge step up and I love it to death.… Expand
  3. tillyho
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    This game is just well to put it shortly, the best fighting game I have ever played. I mean it has a brilliant story mode an excellent way of having a reboot, the actual fighting is as fluid and gory as ever, the challenge tower is full of randomness and well challenge! The fatalitys are some of the most gory i've seen. Man this is definitely in my top 5 games ever!
  4. Mixalis
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. the best fighting game ever.super graphics,very very filled story.sorry for my mistake on the ps3 review.the game is perfect.all gamers must buy this game.Ed Boon congratulations.10!!!… Expand
  5. Victorcs
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    This Game is Really Amazing,When i play,i remember the times of UMK3,This Game is so Epic!
    Balanced Characters,Everyone with 2 or 3 fatalitys,classic costumes,etc.
  6. Tristanirons
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    Hands down the best fighting game out there. The single player campaign is lengthy and comedic that makes for pure enjoyment and the transition from the story mode into gameplay is seamless! I find it hard to put down the controller! The gore factor is phenomenally entertaining, which is backed by impressive "X-ray" attacks and followed up with gut-wrenching Fatalities.
    It will be a long t    ime before another game fairs as well as this Warner Bros. release.
    Hazaa!    … Expand
  7. TheOnlineGamer
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    This is one of the Best Fighting Games of all time! everything from the Graphics to the Gameplay and to the amount of variety is seriously masterful. I can easily recommend this Game to Anyone who has a passion for Games and they might be even more impressed with the result they get in this package! 10/10
  8. Phantom-Tommy
    May 12, 2011
    10
    Mortal kombat can finally stand proud beside Street fighter, while its not as technically sound as that game, it's just as compulsive and fun to play.
  9. yuran85
    Apr 19, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Best Fighting,good as MK3U..............................................................................................................................… Expand
  10. SmashZero
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    Playing the demo convinced me that they had hit a home run with this game. After playing the game some and seeing how cool all the modes are, I think they actually hit the ball over to the next town. The combo system is so simple yet offers so many possibilities and you can easily create your own style depending on what you think looks cool. Just for fun, I actually started listing combos for 1 character, and the number of variations just boggles my mind. The graphics and sound effects are amazing, and so far every single character has intrigued me and I want to play with all of them until I pretty proficient with every fighter.

    Over all, regardless of what you think makes a great fighting game gameplay-wise, MK9 offers so much more than any fighting game before that this is enough to give it a great score. As for me, I think the game play is awesome and I can't wait to practice all those combos some more.    … Expand
  11. lokustdreamer
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    I have been playing for non-stop and it's an amazing game!! My first worry was the depth of the fighting engine but it's true that this is closer to tekken than SF, you can be hours trying things, it really is very open-ended, but it's not crazy deep as tekken with hundreds of moves per character, wave dashing, etc. though oki game is there but again not as complex as Tekkens. It's true that you can do 50-60% damage, but the combo breaker system will help stop that kind of damage out of a single kombo so you won't see that kind of damage at high level often. Overall I think it's pretty solid system, though very friendly since all specials are very easy to perform, but long combos can be really tough, which makes the game really addictive so that you won't stop until you nail that combo. Besides, almost all characters look amazing, there's a shoto syndrome where there are too many ninja style characters, but their specials and overall feeling is quite different and unique. Now I'm worried about balance between characters however I don't see NR not patching this game until it's balanced, mostly because the amount of work and love (and money) this game has received. The production values are through the roof, the story mode is mindblowing, and just when you thought it's finished, then you learn you're only halfway through it, amazing, mixing cgi with in game and fighting flawlessly and it lasts for hours. The amount of stages are huge, the detail in everything, characters, animation, fatalities, is staggering, great job. Really you should check this game, there's something here for everyone really, from the fighting scene newbie to the hardcore, there's so much content you won't be dissapointed.… Expand
  12. LongJohnSilver2
    Apr 19, 2011
    9
    Finally, a game that delivers on it's promise of greatness, fun engaging fights, great animation, gorgeous graphics and tons of content. Truly a game made by the fans for the fans.
  13. xxMurdoK
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    I am a fighting game enthusiast to the core, it's my favorite genre and I am EXTREMELY good and play competitively. Simply put, this game is AMAZING and has restored my faith in the series. No need to hesitate on buying this one....
  14. Test369
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    This is the best fighting game I have played since SSF4, It has all the things that immortalised a mortal kombat game, the arcade, the story, the extras and I have one of the better online experience for a fighting game, the king of the hill is what someone expect from an online fighting game where you can watch others people fighting while you're waiting for your turn and doing random stuff. This is maybe the best MK ever made and for sure the best fighting game of the year.… Expand
  15. YourMomIzaHoe
    Apr 22, 2011
    10
    Mortal Kombat 9 is the nest game I have played since the Halo games or Modern Warefare games. I haven't got the game yet but I have played the demo and I must say that it is as amazing as I thought it was going to be. I hope to get the full game soon so I can injoy the game like everyone else.
  16. Lepene
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    Just... Perfect. The new king on fighting games. The challenge tower, arcade ladder, history mode (above 6 hour long), the krypt, the 3 costumes per character, 4 fatalityes each . Capcom: LEARN.
  17. Nero6
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    You can sum up Mortal Kombat in one simple four word sentence - "Game of the Year". The story is the best one yet, the gameplay is even better than Street Fighter (and I love Street Fighter) as it's easily accessible to absolutely anyone who picks up the game. It's almost a shame that it got an M rating preventing younger guys from buying something this awesome. With all the 9.5's and 9.8's this game is getting from major review sites, I can still safely say it's underrated. This is the game MK fans have been waiting for, Mortal Kombat is finally back on top.… Expand
  18. RedXIII
    Apr 20, 2011
    9
    Generally it takes a lot for a video game to impress me, but Mortal Kombat has done it. I picked it up after work yesterday and played from about 8pm-1am straight, disregarding that I had to be up at 6:30am this morning for work because I was hooked. I grew up with the first Mortal Kombats (1&2) and lost interest after that, this game has just enough nostalgia and plenty of new content. It is fully loaded fighter unlike most of the bare bones fighters nowadays (MvC3, SSFIV etc). There are some issues such as some hit detection issues, and balance in single player but nothing has frustrated me yet. But overall this is a complete fighting game with tons of content and replayability not only online but offline as well which is extremely rare to find in fighters. I am casual fighting fan (I get my rear end handed to me online consistently in any fighter) and I love this game, though probably won't play much of the online for that very reason.… Expand
  19. bobbythebrown
    Apr 19, 2011
    9
    This is a brilliant return to form. For over a decade, Mortal Kombat games have struggled to stay relevant after transitioning from 2D to 3D, which included several abysmally bad action-adventure platformers alongside mediocre fighting games that lacked a real identity. Now, with franchises like Tekken and Dead or Alive becoming stagnant, and 2D fighting re-emerging via Street Fighter IV and Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Mortal Kombat has returned to its roots. No more useless sidestepping. No more gimmicky multilevel stages. No new characters awkwardly shoehorned into the storyline. Instead, the graphics and fighting system have been beautifully polished, and the game has been packed with content. The story mode alone puts its competitors to shame. It's in the style of that found in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, but has a more natural flow and is more engagingly cinematic. There's no shortage of nostalgia for old fans of the series. The gameplay is familiar but fresh, with well-executed tag and combo systems. The simplified inputs for Fatalities and "X-Ray" supers make the game's fun more accessible without sacrificing its depth.

    The game isn't flawless, but the flaws seem subjective. A larger character roster would have been nice, but the present one is adequate and well-balanced. The gameplay isn't radically different from the first few games in the series, which may seem like a throwback for people used to the mechanics of other fighting games. Yet, the best thing about the game is that it finally, unrepentantly, has its own uncompromised identity. Overall, this is a fantastic package that exceeds expectations, and is definitely worth checking out.    … Expand
  20. Asterisk73
    Apr 19, 2011
    9
    This game is a fantastic fighting game for both newcomers and hardcore MK fans. If you have played fighting games in the past, this one will not reinvent the genre. However, it does present an incredibly accessible entry that is complex in its own simplicity. Here's a breakdown:

    Mechanics 9/10: The combo system and special moves are a bit easier to pull off than in hardcore fighting games     like Street Fighter and Blazblue, but chaining moves together and perfecting character strategies requires a good deal of practice and fighting know-how. In short, this is a game that anyone can pick up and have fun with, but it is intricate enough that it will satiate the competitive desires of the hardcore crowd.

    Graphics 9/10: The game looks amazing. The character models are polished and detailed, and the blood and violence effects are superb. As the battle progresses, damage inflicted leaves a permanent mark on the character giving the game a whole new level of brutality. The stage backgrounds are the most visually striking portion of the game. Each stage has a beautiful, fully dynamic background with colorful images and characters that adds to the experience of each fight. Replay 8/10: A major problem a majority of fighting games run into is longevity. MK answers this issue with a myriad of "kontent" for the player to enjoy. Most fighting games have turned away from unlockables and bonus content in lieu of DLC, but Mortal Kombat is not one of those games. There are tons of different modes and mini-games to keep you entertained for weeks, including online play. The challenge tower mode alone features over 300 stages of progressing difficulty, assuring that the user will be spending a long time with this game.

    Sound 9/10: MK features all of the old iconic sounds from previous MK games ("FINISH HIM") and a slew of new sounds and music that truly enhance the experience. On my first night of play, I played the game on my sound system with the bass turned up, and each hit and throw was so satisfying. The X-Ray moves feature incredible bone crunching and splintering effects that increase the violent glory the game is intended to exhibit. Overall 9/10: Mortal Kombat is a well-polished, fantastic entry into the fighting genre. If you are not in to fighting games, this one won't change your mind, but if you do enjoy picking up the sticks and throwing down--this one is for you.    … Expand
  21. Tommy758
    Apr 19, 2011
    9
    I have never really been into fighting games. I never really wanted to pick it up and actually sit down for hours learning all the moves and memorizing them. But when I played the Mortal Kombat demo at a friends house I fell in love. The X-ray moves and fatalities were just plain awesome. The story mode is actually my favourite part of it. Johnny Cage is hilarious, Sonya Blade is beautiful and so on. If I can get into this fighting game then I'm sure most people can. I just wish there were more modes. I feel as if it's not really worth the asking price of $69.99.… Expand
  22. didibus
    Apr 21, 2011
    10
    This has to set a standard for content in Fighting Games. Mortal Kombat nailed everything. The gameplay first, is amazing, as good as the original if not better. The story mode is extremely long, and has the deepest story of all fighting games I've ever played. There is over 300 things to unlock in the game. There are special challenge modes and luck modes. You can play up to 4 player, and 2 player co-op tournament. All characters have 4 fatalities. The game design aesthetics is super sexy, gory, and also brutal, perfect for the MK universe. The only thing that could have been better are the volume of voices is a little low, and some of the cut-scenes don't look all so good, but for everything else its got going, this affect in no way the game overall score. The sound of punches and kicks are amazing. The special moves are insane, some of the coolest and most diverse I've ever seen. This game is the best fighting game I've played in over 5 years and one of the best all time. Highly recommended for anyone, fighting games lovers and also those who don't like fighting games.… Expand
  23. MisterMollusk
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    The first fighting game where the single player alone justifies the purchase. This game marks a return of all the best characteristics of MK II and MK III. You're fighting once again on a 2D plane with your favorite characters from back when you used to play in arcades and enjoying the zany violence that has defined the series since its inception.
  24. port500
    Apr 19, 2011
    10
    Reminds me of the good olf mk2 and mk3 days. Brilliant. Must have for every fan of fighting genre, and Absolute Must have for those of us, who flunked many a quizzes, while trying to master noob saibot.
  25. Dizrupt
    Apr 20, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Best MK since UMK3. It's about time MK got brought back into the spotlight, for awhile I thought the franchise to be dead. Sindel killing of half the cast caught me by surprise, but otherwise loved the story, it reminded me of the '95 movie, which is a good thing. Considering how bare bones recent fighters have been, all the bonus content in this game is very much welcomed.… Expand
  26. GameZilla
    Apr 20, 2011
    10
    Mortal Kombat exceeded my expectations in every way. The action is fast and fluid. There is a nice long story mode, tons of playtime in the challenge tower, and enough hysterical Kombat with test your luck. The character count is nice, Fatalities are gory, and the tutorials are complete. The definitive MK.
  27. kr0wbar
    Apr 20, 2011
    10
    With a unique storyline that is elaborate yet simple, this fighting game beats out every other fighter. With an updated graphics engine and even better fatalities, Mortal Kombat has really outdone itself.
  28. ZeydMax
    Apr 20, 2011
    9
    This game is awesome! I've instantly forgot about fail MK. vs. DC. X-Rays are well made. Fatalities very terrifying and bloody. Best fighting for last years.
  29. macbarra
    Apr 21, 2011
    10
    awesome game very much like the old games, but with better features. I highly recommend this game to anyone who loves fighting games and especially to those who are fans of the franchise.
  30. scodavis
    Apr 21, 2011
    9
    Many people on here gave this game a 10/10; while this game is extremely well-done, it is not perfect.

    To begin, however, it is clear that Netherrealm Studios spent a lot of time giving this game the polish it needed. It is definitely a return to the original series of 2D gameplay, violent special moves, and fatalities that churn the stomach. In addition to the standard Arcade Ladder mo    de that we all know and love, the game packs a lot of extra modes and content.

    The Challenge Tower is the highlight of these events: a massive 300-level tower with a variety of challenges. Beating the final level of the tower earns an achievement and something secret - we'll just have to find out! Returning from some of the previous games is the Krypt, a beautifully-designed area of unlockable content such as music, concept art, costumes, and secret fatality moves, all of which can be viewed in the Necropolis. Test Your Might returns, accompanied by Test Your Strike, Test Your Sight, and Test Your Luck. Test Your Strike is similar to test your might, but requires you to keep your energy level in a certain range before striking. Test Your Sight is the Mortal Kombat version of the spinning cup game. Test Your Luck is a slot machine that determines random elements of a fight and adds a new dimension to the game play. Let us also not forget the all-new X-Ray moves, which give us a bone-crunching look at internal damage caused by blows that deal 30-35% damage when they hit. Babalities have also returned, and are absolutely adorable.

    Fighting games have rarely, if ever, had a compelling storyline. Mortal Kombat breaks this pattern, including not only a storyline that brings the series back to its roots, but creating a Story Mode which leads us through this new story from the eyes of most of the characters. It also include voice acting which, with few exceptions, is extremely well-done. The story is compelling and I found it difficult to stop and turn off the game on several occasions.

    Mortal Kombat can be played locally with 1 or 2 players or, when in tag team mode, up to 4 players, and it works beautifully. Where it falls apart, however, is the online play - this is my reason for this game earning only 9/10. While the King of the Hill mode is a wonderful re-creation of the arcade experience of waiting your turn to beat up the current champion, all of the online modes are riddled with lag. Considering the importance of online play in today's gaming world, having lag of any kind is completely inexcusable, especially since the rest of the game is so polished. Hopefully this will be fixed with a title update.

    Mortal Kombat is an amazing game. For anyone who has played Mortal Kombat 1, 2, or 3, this game brings us all back to the days of inserting far too many quarters into arcade machines in an attempt to show the other kids who was best. The graphics are beautiful, the fatalities are gory, and the music and sound design are top-notch. Only the online experience is preventing this game from getting a perfect 10. Nevertheless, any fighting game fan, especially Mortal Kombat fans, need to make sure that a copy of this game resides on their shelves. It's worth it.    … Expand
  31. FrozenStar90
    Apr 30, 2011
    9
    During the mid 90s, I was a young chap obsessed with my SNES. One of the games I regularly played was the original Mortal Kombat. Granted, I never experienced the game via the reportedly superior arcade counterpart, so I was never a diehard fan, but I loved the game all the same. Somewhere between now and then, I lost interest in the fighting genre entirely. My interests veered into the FPS and the RPG. So it's a pretty big deal when I say that the newest iteration has renewed my interest in the franchise and the fighting genre entirely. It's an amazing game with incredible depth, and I found it very hard to put down after playing it for several hours. Single-player is deep and involving, and the multi-player is, plain and simple, fun as hell. It's a gory return to the series' roots. Do the right thing and get this game.… Expand
  32. Jblack0928
    Apr 22, 2011
    9
    Very good game! This MK takes all of the best characters of the series (exception: Blind Kenshi, although he has been announced as a future downloadable character, which DLC is a HUGE waste of money!) puts them into the best levels of the series and adds a fleshed out story along with Kombat Towers, Kombat chalenges, and online play. This game is a blast, the fatalities are cringe inducing and the Kombos are great. Only complaint is that the cutscene animations are weak. I remember the days when the cutscenes were the jaw dropping animations but now it seems to be vice versa. Heads up Noob Saibot, Kabal, and Smoke kick serious butt.… Expand
  33. TheChaser1985
    Apr 21, 2011
    9
    I love the new story. The graphics are good for a fighting game. Better than Street Fighter. I love the new button layout. The story mode is pretty long and just long enough. It can get tough even on medium difficulty. There are 5 degrees of difficulty. There's also TONS of stuff to do besides the story. The feel of this game is great and the moves are incredibly real loving, despite being fake. Same with the movement. I usually am not a big fan of fighting games, despite being a big fan of Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat when I was a kid. So, the fact that I'm giving this a 9, should mean it's amazing. This game is the best fighting game out right now.… Expand
  34. daemokiller92
    Apr 27, 2011
    9
    Mortal Kombat has always held a special place in the hearts of gamers. Recently, Mortal Kombat games have received very bad scores, and some had given up hope of getting a good old-fashioned Mortal Kombat game with Fatalities, killer moves and gallons of blood (especially after Mortal Kombat VS DC Universe). But, to the joy of many gamers, Mortal Kombat is back, with all the blood, gore and Fatalities the first few (and best) games had. This Mortal Kombat title has some additions as well, with X-Ray moves, tag gameplay modes (two characters per player which switch), the challenge tower (which serves as a tutorial), Krypt (your shop), the classical story mode and the absolutely necessary versus mode, which also has online support. The Mortal Kombat roster is pretty diverse, with classical characters such as Sub Zero, Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Scorpion, etc. I suggest that you don't play online, unless you have mastered at least some of the basics of Mortal Kombat. You should explore every character, and select the one that most suits your gaming personality, if you like to immobilize your opponent, you should play as Sub Zero, if you like to get your opponent closer to you, without you getting closer to them, you should play as Scorpion, etc. The roster has a solid number of fighters, so you should have a pretty wide array of fighter at your disposal... There is only one thing left to tell... Fight... Finish him...… Expand
  35. bhowe116
    Apr 27, 2011
    10
    The newest Mortal Kombat is a true reboot to the series. With an extensive Story mode spanning most of the series (with a 'Greatest Hits' lineup of fighters), newly-revamped Ladder and Tagteam Ladder modes, and a robust online experience, Mortal Kombat has mastered the art of the Fighting genre.
  36. SasquatchFelix
    Apr 24, 2011
    9
    I have not really gotten into any fighting games before this, and am glad i decided to pick mk9 up. This is by far one of the greatest games released this year, all of the user reviews lower than an 8 have no credability. I mean someone gave it a four only because the story ai was challenging. I am a noob to the genre and I beat it on medium with little difficulty, The add the challenge so it doesn;t feel like you fighting the same. guy. over. and. over. again. Seriously this comlpaint can then be used on any game where the enemies might be a little stronger than you.… Expand
  37. Dralen
    Apr 22, 2011
    9
    I'm not usually I fighting game kinda guy, but this game "WOW", it's the best fighting I've ever played. I bought Street Fighter IV because of the reviews, but I found it very difficult to master and I grew tired of it very quickly. Mortal Kombat has all that's been missing from fighting games in recent years; it has gore, it has a story, and the best thing of all the online play is so much fun (King of the Hill is genius!). If you are a gamer, any gamer for that matter, you should buy this game.… Expand
  38. BigDave81
    Apr 23, 2011
    9
    Mortal Kombat is by far the best fighting game I've played in a long while.It has a very good multi-player component and good graphics that you would expect from the unreal engine.now I must admit that the xbox 360 controller Isn't very good with fighting games but it got the job done.I recommend this title to any 1 who enjoys a great game and who is old enough to buy this gory game.
  39. yo_milo
    Apr 22, 2011
    9
    The Controllers are better (more precise with ps3)

    But the Ps3 will ruin the Klassic experience this game will give you... Such a hard choice... other than that, the best videogame reboot ever.
  40. xXAnthonyXx
    Apr 23, 2011
    9
    Two words:

    Welkome Back..................................................................................................................................................
  41. rhe
    Apr 24, 2011
    9
    With a fantastic amount of content, a deeply smart and well realized fighting system, a story that was actually surprisingly good compared to so many other fighting games, a brilliant amount of secrets, a challenging difficulty that doesn't get too challenging to be aggravating or to easy to become boring and tedious and fatalities coming back to the way that everyone loves them. MK finds itself as a well realized reboot to the classic roots that made MK so addictive in the first place. Unfortunately, this game got a 9 for the main fact that it does very little new to what the old MK games did (1-3). However, with all that said I would still strongly consider this game even for the veteran MK fan since it is filled to the complete brim with content that it may well be the worth the purchase for anyone who even has a passing interest in fighting games.… Expand
  42. BubblegumImp
    Apr 26, 2011
    9
    No other fighting game on the market gives gamers as much value.Mortal Kombat features a fully fleshed-out story mode which puts every other fighting game's core single-player components to shame. Add to that the Challenge Tower (a series of difficult challenges) and a bunch of 'Tests-of' and you have the most solo friendly fighting game ever released. There's also a ton of unlockables to discover in the Krypt including alternate costumes, hidden fatalities, concept art and background stage themes. And once you're done with all that... there's online multiplayer. AMAZING.… Expand
  43. Bryggz
    Apr 28, 2011
    10
    This game brings me back to the wonderful days of Mortal Kombat 3, and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Awesome juggling combos, great string together attacks. This game is **** amazing. If you have been craving for the good ol' days when you could land a 9 hit combo for 30% damage and look awesome doing it, then you must buy this game. This is a required purchase for MK fans.
  44. HaVoK308
    May 2, 2011
    10
    This game is just well to put it shortly, the best fighting game I have ever played. I mean it has a brilliant story mode an excellent way of having a reboot, the actual fighting is as fluid and gory as ever, the challenge tower is full of randomness and well challenge! The fatalitys are some of the most gory i've seen. Man this is definitely in my top 5 games ever!
  45. HeReDiA97
    Jun 3, 2011
    10
    El juego de peleas super sangriento regresa.
    este nuevo mortal kombat es excelente.
    La historia esta bien buena, los desafios de habilidad son muy buenos, el gameplat regresa a sus origenes y los fatalities son muy sangrientos.
    Comprenlo, rentenlo, pidanlo prestado. Da igual pero jueguenlo ya.
  46. rmorgan779
    Apr 27, 2011
    10
    best mortal kombat game ever period packed full of content without shadow of a dout the best ever cant believe it after mk2 then sstreet 4 now this amazing
  47. MJR
    Jul 12, 2011
    10
    I've never been one for fighting games. They just never seemed to hold my interest, but to be fair I didn't play that many. That said I can't seem to put this game aside. I'm absolutely in love! Sure there is a fair bit of cheesiness to the game but its all in good fun. Good fun is also what I would say to describe Mortal Kombat as an overall experience. Sure there's gratuitous gore and violence and cleavage, but hey, I'm totally down for that. Another huge plus is that it has been a long while since i've shared the same couch with friends to play a game and had a total blast! And I would be very wrong not to also mention the shear amount of content there is. A complete storyline, the challenge tower with 300 different scenarios, a different end clip for every single fighter on the arcade ladder once you beat Shao Khan (who is a giant dirty ****bird), and various other little bits of juicy fun. The downside is the unskippable story mode cutscenes. Its quite alright the first time but if you quit a story fight and come back you have to watch it again and that gets quite annoying. Speaking of annoying **** you Shao Khan! He is the worst boss ever. The only way to beat him is by being as cheap as possible and not having fun. I understand the need for a tough boss but...really? Anyway an important note is that you can change the story mode's difficulty in the options. Which you will need to do against Shao Khan unless you really want to spend all that time fighting him. And dying. Over and over and over again. What it all really comes down to is a superb game that is just so much fun; except for Shao Khan. I'd highly recommend this game as turdbird is only one bad element among a great many fantastic ones. PLAY IT!!!… Expand
  48. nbozinator
    Apr 29, 2011
    9
    so much fun although a bit excessively violent i'm in australia so had this shipped to me by a really but i can't c why it was banned the combat is on par with many other games out there and how did this get out but Duke Nukem get in?........ anyway the combat is fun and easy enough (i'm new to the genre so i would know) also the graphics are brilliant and the characters look awesome everything done in this game has a weighty feel to it and i just love the fatalities and the x-ray moves set new holds for absolutely stuffing people up i love it althoug i could do without the one on 2 fights that appear a lot in the campaign… Expand
  49. progamer54
    Apr 22, 2011
    10
    Thank you Ed-Boon!
    I was waiting it for a long time! Great cast, great MK gameplay, great powerful animation, pretty nice visual and a lot of awesome fatality! not to mention a fabulous story mode (6hours)
    I like fighting-game, I was a big MK fan, now MK9 is my favorite fighting-game... and for a long time!
  50. Posternutbag
    Apr 22, 2011
    10
    I usually play FPS or RPG games, and haven't played fighting games since they transitioned from Arcades to consoles. It's safe to say when I put this game in my machine it was like deja vu. Now it's time to run the tables like I used to back in 1992.
  51. Fenrir81
    Apr 22, 2011
    10
    I must say I am amazed at this new version of Mortal Kombat. I got the original when I was a kid on SNES. Must have been in 1993. I've never been a huge fan of the series, but this 2011 re-imagining just changed that. Mortal Kombat is absolutely brilliant in every department and blasts every other HD-era fighting game around. The arenas are numerous (30) and gorgeous... the characters look fantastic, the gameplay is furious and the controls easy enough for average and casual gamers to enjoy. The sound effects? Bone-chillingly good (play and you'll see what I mean). The music? Nice without being exceptional. The violence? Extreme is the word. You have never seen anything like this in a videogame. And this comes from a guy who's played and seen it all (Doom, Soldier of Fortune, Manhunt, Carmageddon and so many others). This is a must-have not only for fighting fans, but for anyone with a thing for graphic violence, martial arts and virtual sexbombs.… Expand
  52. Sqwall
    Apr 26, 2011
    10
    One of the best fighting games. Great fun and most brutal fatalities to date. Despite some Online lags the game is great in the Online aspect too. Great fun to play with friend in team ladder and versus. Huge crypt with many surprises. The controls are easy to learn but the combos still need to be learned. The attention to details and the alternate costumes are wonderful.
  53. KontraKommando
    Apr 26, 2011
    9
    I remember 1992 when Mortal Kombat had first come out, my 7 year old mind was dazzled by the gore. 19 years later, after so many other bloody titles in the subsequent time, this incarnation of MK is impressive to say the least. Aside from the creative violence, MKâ
  54. AlanBoo
    May 2, 2011
    10
    Best Mortal Kombat game ever .. no more. It's what MK should be in 2011. Fast gameplay, nice story concept (better than the old film), many secrects, Toasty!, etc :D Enjoyed a lot in 1 on 1. Many cool ideas and fatalities. Very well designed from the animations, to the music, to the sound, to the general gameplay style.
    The noob can learn to play and enjoy in less than 1 hour, the nerd can     do everything limitless.
    It's MK.    … Expand
  55. JMKPerson
    May 2, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mortal Kombat has reappeared on our shelves, if you ignore the atrocity that was Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe. Kean as ever I got this on the day, went home and acquainted myself with the sofa a bit too long.

    Graphically this game is beautiful, the models and stages are created with utmost effort, and you cant help but think, how can it progress from here. With a decent range of characters, including the DLC characters that will be released soon.

    In games these days, there's a distinct lack of gore and dismembering, so playing this for the first time was a bit of a shock, a good shock though, nothing like landing a successful xray move, or slicing them into wafer thin ham, a game whereby you'd probably enjoy watching your own character get brutally murdered.

    Nice to see a vast majority of fighting styles, from the 10,000 hit combo characters to the Teleport crazy characters. With this in mind, it is well balanced. certain characters may be easier to use, but perfecting any character will be dangerous to any foe. The selection and uniqueness of each fighters special moves is fantastic, and the ability to sacrifice some of your special bar, to do enhanced special moves is genius.

    Glad to see they have not made it too easy, remember back in the days of MKII after getting all the way to Kintaro, and after much jumping and kicking, the thrill of facing the evil bastard himself Shao Kahn, whilst you get on your best kick and jump maneuvers out, he taunts you, laughs at you, punish every single thing you do, and when you distance yourself from him, after his initial chuckle, out comes the axe, followed by an average of 40 javelins. And when you do finally kill the evil Outworld emperor, watch him explode into spicy giblets!

    The Story mode was excellent, retaking you through the first three Mortal Kombats. The thing I found most impressive wih the Story, was its ability to show you the vastness of all the little details of the MK universe, yet keeping it simple at the same time. Go onto the Mortal Kombat wiki and it has a good 1000 odd pages of information about stories, realms, fighters etc... That is quite a task to compress to one game. But I think it does a good job at this.

    The Fatalities proved to be just as exciting as previously, the thrill when the background fades black, you've already shrieked in anticipation, then @%&# There goes his limbs. Great to see some of the classic fatalities returning, as well as some new ones, and favourite of all the Babalities, given the important yet seemingly impossible task of making these fighters cute. Nothing like watching Sub-Zero wet himself and freeze it, classic.

    As with the past 2 or 3 games that have come out, the extras section is a great read/investment of koins. The Krypt particularly is great, unlocking concept art, renders, fatalities, alternate costumes, that if not in the krypt, would just disappear and never be seen again. Spending money unlocking art and stuff, surely they couldn't have incorporated gore into this?! but no there's a lot of mutilation and exploding bodies, even if a lot of the animations are the same over, who cares its funny.    … Expand
  56. Houteda
    May 16, 2011
    10
    This Game is Really Amazing,When i play,i remember the times of UMK3,This Game is so Epic! Balanced Characters,Everyone with 2 or 3 fatalitys,classic costumes,etc. [2]

    Like "Victorcs" said, this game is awesome!! With lots and lots of extra stuff, an amazing 2D gameplay, and the whole history of MK.
  57. Ali1247
    Sep 21, 2011
    9
    Being a huge fan of the MK games since the original Mortal Kombat in 1992 I must say that this is really the best Mortal Kombat game since UMK 3 and arguably the best in the series. After a series of good yet disappointing titles we finally get a fantastic Mortal Kombat game. I also thought that most of fighting games this Gen were really bland and uninteresting and as huge fan of fighting games that was really heart breaking for me. But the Mortal Kombat 9 came out and made me realize why I am fan of fighting games in the first place. This game brings back all the classic and great characters from the franchise while ditching the new and somewhat uninteresting characters they also made the game 2D again and this was definitely a right move considering Mortal Kombat games did not seem to click perfectly with the 3D style Mortal Kombat 4 is a perfect example of that. This game also has tons of modes and unlockables for a fighting game that you could spend hours and hours without getting bored. There are modes like Arcade mode with a Single Ladder, Tag ladder and test your might, sight and luck challenges. Than there is a challenge tower with around 300 challenges with each of them being different and challenging in their own way. Ofcourse there is a offline versus mode and online multiplayer which is definitely fun as hell however it could get annoying because of spammers but the ranking matches still hold most of my interest and it is really awesome how you can see the your Avatar posing against the avatar of the player you are fighting online. And most importantly this game has a Story mode unlike most fighting games out there that are just aracade with barely any Story this game has an actual story mode which follows the events of the original MK games from 1 to 3 which really provides nostalgia to long time players like myself and the help the new fans get into the story and characters. The story while being mostly fantasy is really well written and interesting. The game also plays well is also very violent and gory, and fatalities are the best I have seen in a MK game in a long time and it is really pleasing to long time MK fans like myself. The game definitely has a learning curve to it but it is really easy to get used to the game's controls, characters and style for both casual and hardcore gamers, unlike games like Street Fighter 4 where it took a long time to adapt. The great thing is the combos are always listed in the start menu and they are really easy to understand and execute. The Crypt also returns in this game with a ton of unlockables. There are some points to be noted however the A.I tends to be cheap at times specially Shao Kahn in the story mode and I think Crypt could have used some unlockable characters and videos instead of so much concept art. And one more major complaint is not with the game but the 360 controller's awful directional makes it really hard to perform combos at times. That being said these problems barely hurt the experience at all and are nothing to what the rest of the game has to offer. As a huge and long time fan of the franchise I am proud to say that Mortal Kombat is a really great accomplishment on the part of Netherealm Studios. 9/10… Expand
  58. FrankDHp
    Nov 22, 2012
    9
    If it aint broken don't fix it... Exactly! While the gameplay remains pretty much the same as the older the games, the added violent x ray attacks make it even so much more fun.

    Based on how i feel, Mortal Kombat isn't 'perfect', but still back to the roots and better than ever for both story and gameplay department!
  59. Higher_Standard
    Nov 7, 2011
    9
    Better than the last.. 8. Good graphics, gameplay, and story mode. Lots of ways to adjust the battle to make unique combat. My biggest complaint so far is that the AI is overly block happy, and massive barrages of complicated attacks can be blocked by them with ease. I've been playing this game since it's came out, and I have attacks that still have yet to EVER hit anyone because the AI seems to have an autoblock when I use it, which has rendered one of the very few moves the character gets useless. My biggest complaints are the crappyness of modern day controllers that don't allow the game to be played as it should be and the stupid combos that allow someone to play air ball with you for half your health bar. The big reason, however that this isn't getting a ten is because it loses six points for not giving Xbox an exclusive like the playstation got. Edit: Freddy Krueger is totaly awesome and redeems some of the fail of no xbox exclusive character. In fact, it's what keeps it from having a ten.… Expand
  60. DelTorro
    May 20, 2011
    10
    Couldn't ask for more from a Mortal Kombat revival! If you grew up in the 90s, get some friends over and play the 4 player tag mode with a few beers. It is properly fun. You can complain the game is not very techinical, but Mortal Kombat was never originally about elaborate combos or systems. It was about bashing your friends brains in and then setting him on fire!
  61. Heroicpotatoe
    May 31, 2011
    9
    This is the first Mortal Kombat I have played and I was suprised how easy it was to grasp the basic Kombos. Some though are quite difficult and you need to press the buttons really quick to do them. There is lot of content and it is all very fun. The Krypt is amazing, it is the place where you unlock extras, it is very uniquely presented. I would give the game a 10 but as I said it can get complicated.… Expand
  62. pelusa423
    May 4, 2011
    9
    Mortal Kombat, I was looking forward to this game for a while, and the wait paid off. So the game was awesome, the game gave a great way of introducing the characters, the story itself was pretty clear, Raiden sends his memories to the past him to change the future were they lose. It had a great beginning and through the hole game makes you wonder how to change the future. The combos and special attacks were easy to do, which is a good thing because before for new players it took a while to get the hang of it, but then comes the characters that just make the fights ANNOYING, in my opinion of course Noob Saibot is the cheapest character in the game, most of his attacks are able to hurt you while being on the other side of the screen. Then comes the boss fights, now this is kind of a spoiler if you care about difficulty, If you do consider this a spoiler, SKIP the rest of this paragraph. If you don't mind then continue. Shao Kahn's fight is one of those fights where you just have to be CHEAP, no fair fight, no trying to show off will get anywhere. It had to play at the cheapest level I could to defeat him. Other than that the campaign is great.

    The game has some other minor flaws that ruin sometimes the fun, like the AI will block most of your attacks, and I understand is so you make some attack variety, but it can ruin your moment of kicking a** or getting a flawless victory. Besides the gameplay the only thing that bothered me was that the ps3 gets Kratos for exclusive but the xbox360 get no character, I have a ps3 so I did get an extra character, but it just being fair for all players you know?

    Overall I give this game a 9/10 it had great story and gameplay, the small flaws didn't make me hate this game, many people say this but, it was money well spend

    Thank you reading my review, and I hope you enjoyed it.    … Expand
  63. frugal_frogger
    Jun 14, 2011
    10
    10/10. Fatalities are breathtaking. Buy this game or regret the biggest mistake of your life. I can't really stresss this enough. MUST PLAY THIS GAME!
  64. Xiphus200
    May 13, 2011
    9
    Mortal Kombat returns to its roots in this iteration. The combat is easy to pick up but there is enough nuance to keep fighting pros busy. I loved the story mode, it's rare to find a fighting game that offers a full length story, and even better when the story mode is fun to play *cought*Tekken 6*cough*. If you loved old school Mortal Kombat this game will not disapoint.
  65. CircaNOW73
    May 11, 2011
    10
    LOVE IT!! It is simply a solid game that you should by and never trade in, something reliable to have on the shelf. It brings to mind that DEAD SPACE 2 slogan, "Your Mom Will Hate This Game". Well kids Mortal Kombat was the first game "Moms Hated" circa early 90s. It's as good as the original with all of the modern video game development finesse. A must have.....unless you are the "girly man sissy non warrior type".… Expand
  66. Sceptic
    May 9, 2011
    9
    Mortal Kombat returns to the top of the fighting genre with this game.However,as a massive fan of the original,I was hoping there be more of a return to the seriousness of the first game.That means no cheesy one-liners,babalities or any of that nonsense that turned MK into a joke for nearly 20 years.
    When it comes to the actual Kombat,the audio,visuals and brutal nature of it far surpass     any annoyances I have with the studio.When it was banned in Australia I was dismayed,then angry.I hate censorship with all my being,but this game toes the line between poor taste and awesome gaming.Buy it if you can.… Expand
  67. CPB
    May 21, 2011
    9
    Really like the game, the combat is brilliant, all the characters that matter, and it looks pretty good. My only complaint is the REALLY tough boss fights in the story mode.
  68. Slate
    Jun 29, 2011
    9
    Old school Mortal Kombat all over again, I loved this game as a child when I played it on SNES. Using unreal technology was a plus the game looks fantastic, its still hold many secrets and unlockables as other MK's. Its fast paced game play like always and takes a lot of practice and requires skill not just button mashing. It has a descent long story mode, featuring a range of challenges and a place to practice your fatalities. Its smooth clean game play all the way through.… Expand
  69. usernumberx
    Apr 22, 2011
    10
    Hey Patthevamp, that was one of the most awesome reviews I've ever read on anything. I like this game, too, but now I'm even more excited to get into it.
  70. dancrum
    May 10, 2011
    10
    I haven't really played many Mortal Kombat games. I played the first 3, and MK vs DCU, but that's about it. I tried a few of the others, but they were just so bad that I never played more than a couple fights. I was a bit nervous about how this game would turn out, but... it is amazing. This game turned out to be so much more than I had expected. It returns to the roots of the MK franchise and brings back the playing style of 2 and 3, along with the actual levels from those game. This game could not have turned out better.… Expand
  71. rufio6050
    May 26, 2011
    10
    Lets get one thing straight im not a fighting game fan, ever since MK4 Ive HATED FIGHTING GAMES especially the Mk series i lost complete faith after release and release of disappointments....the reason i had bought it was because my friends pushed me into it..and boy was it the best kind of peer pressure... i loved every bit of this game from the fighting to the 2.5d arenas nothing like old school merged with something new and fresh, fatalities never stop amusing me and the multilayer some of the best i had seen in any fighting game (what other game lets you play 4 players without having to pass on the controller).... hands down Mortal Kombat really kicks ass! even if youre not much of a fan its a keeper!!!… Expand
  72. NZLDC
    Jun 1, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers. This game, is tribute to all the fans and all the calls, from yesterday) I say, this is second best game ever about MK (The Winner is, of course, MK II)… Collapse
  73. Verser
    Jun 8, 2011
    10
    Easily the best MK game to date. While the story is a redo of the first 3 games with a cheesy set of voice actors and premises, the gameplay is very well balanced, good pace, and easy to pick up. The unlocking of new content system is less annoying than previous methods, but still very exhaustive. Overall if you like fighting games give this one a go, just be careful of the extreme blood and gore, my roommate was very reactive to some of the organ ripping scenes… Expand
  74. CertifiedTaco
    Jun 17, 2011
    9
    Mortal Kombat is an amazingly gory intense fighting game! I am and forever will be an Xbox player so I was pretty dissapointed by the inclusion of Kratos from the God of War franchise to be purely exclusive to PS3 owners! However I digress, The Only reason apart from the PS3 exclusive player was the repetition in character animation. At the beginning of the game hearing Scorpion say "Vengeance Will Be Mine" is pretty heart pumping but after a various amount of fights the saying starts to get a little boring! Even the inclusion of a different animation when fighting a female opponent would be nice. The graphics are awesome great character looks and you can see that and equal amount of effort has gone into the various other costumes and fatalities available from the krypt. The Krypt is an altogether different level of frustration. I'd rather have Shao Khan smash me in the face with his hammer on the highest difficulty than spend endless amounts of time and Kombat Koins on finding something truly worth getting from that place! A little help from the internet is advised! The Campaign without giving any spoilers links extremely well between each fighter and the reasons why they are at the competition. An equal amount to play as each character is offered to you although the actual plot itself lacks a little. Another good feature in this game is little mini-games IE: Test Your luck, test your might and test your skill. Most of the levels however have to be earned through challenge tower levels. All 300 of them! Fatalities return even better and more graphic than ever with a mixture of amazing animations. The return of Babalities is also appreciated although you may have to search the web to find out how to accomplish them, They are most enjoyable! So Overall A must buy and even better if you can share it with a friend in a fight. FATALITY!… Expand
  75. Gamer10442
    Jun 20, 2011
    9
    Best fighting game to play with someone at your house but not so good over the internet. The game has horrible lag for both the x box and ps3 system. I love how they used so many things from past games. Hidden battles are cool just all around good game.
  76. beast05
    Jun 25, 2011
    9
    I love this game! It takes me back to the days when I used to play it on the Arcade, and the graphics and gameplay are a sight to behold. I love the responsiveness of the game, and how it is not entirely combo related like MK: Deadly Alliance. I was never good at performing long combo strings, so it was refreshing to see this. I also enjoy the many game modes offered to keep the experience fresh.

    Pros: Graphics, gameplay, storyline, replay value
    Cons: cheesy voiceovers (however, the game itself seems to be a great example of hyperbole anyway)    … Expand
  77. jcop678
    Jul 25, 2011
    9
    This is a great game fun combos, fun online and I personally enjoy the new tag team feature. The graphics look great for such a wide arrangement of places and maps. I love the characters such as scorpion, Jax, and Baraka. and finally its fun to play by yourself and with friends. Overall i love this game the only reason it gets a 9 is the fact it does get boring after awhile but that is only one flaw for such an amazing game.… Expand
  78. DunleerUK
    Jul 31, 2011
    9
    This is the Mortal Kombat game MK fans have been waiting for, for everyone else it is a highly polished technical fighter and a great introduction to the series for new comers. Fatalities are gloriously violent, each character feels unique in how they handle and also in their brilliant chracter designs. The story mode is a nice re-telling of the original first 3 games and for a game that often ends with one kombatant dead, the story mode does well not to include any "Finish Him/Her" mechanics, this means the player isn't killing every person they fight left right and center. The Challenge Tower and Krypt are great additions that pack out the game with lots of "Kontent" and add a real big insentive to replay over and over. It would have been nice to have a "Konquest" mode like in previous games, but this is only a small quibble and doesn't affect the game delivering a knock-out experience. A great purchase for ANYONE who likes fighting games.… Expand
  79. ShadowEXP
    Aug 20, 2011
    10
    Being a mortal kombat fan i decided to get it on launch and to much surprise it's awesome it takes mechanics from the old and updates them and i thought street fighter 4 was good i much prefer mortal kombat. I spent about a solid month on it which in terms of replay if brilliant since they had a story mode put in as well which was an excellent idea it gives you a brief what happened in the old MK games if your new to the series. X-rays made me watch in aw as bones shattered and kidneys burst. What a great month it was thanks MK.… Expand
  80. Jarbas6
    Sep 17, 2011
    9
    This game is awesome. There's plenty to do and the essence of MK series, with blood, savage violence and 2D gameplay is back. The AI is not that good, and X-Ray could take less damage and be harder to do, but Mortal Kombat 9 is fantastic and a must buy for every fighting games fan.
  81. Connor_Monteith
    Jan 10, 2012
    10
    Mortal Kombat has returned, just as original as the first! The game has barely changed, allowing fans to re-play their all time favourite fighting game from the 90's. New features have been added to enhance your experience. This game is fantastic, and definitely one of the best games of the year. Even if you are not a fan of fighting games, this one may change your mind. New multiplayer features have been introduced, and the story mode combines the stories from the first 3 games, but with a few changes. I recommend buying this game as soon as possible. Sales won't drop quickly!… Expand
  82. Armegdon
    Jan 8, 2012
    9
    The grand-master among fighters is back and it dosen't disappoint. It brings new elements to the game and remasters old ones. Its a compliation of all the greatest things MK ever had to offer in one suped up package. To start, the single player is fantastice. It's like acrade nostalgia of trying against all odds to beat Shao Khan at the top with plenty of Kombatants to choose and fight against you won't be left out. The co-op is a great expirence as long as your Kombat buddy isn't greedy in his time before tagging you in. Let's go in-depth a bit. To begin here I'll review the characters. Each Kombatant as they are called is well rendered, well designed and very fun to play as. No two characters are anything like the other though they may have some similar Kombos or special moves but the similiarity there is that they use the same combination. Other than that each character is completly unique and no doubt everyone that plays it will have their favorites picked in no time or already picked as fans of the old game will certainly love this. Next off, the gameplay. The gameplay is smooth and keeps close to the original. The Kombos are the same for many of the characters to give a sense of nostalgia to the older games whilst still adding new ones and more. The Co-Op is great and the Tag-Kombos encourage calling in your buddy to beat the opponent down before they even take control. Online multiplayer can be relentless because if your not skilled enough then they won't hesitate to beat your down and lounge in your blood. That can be the only misleading part about this game but what drives away from multiplayer can be made up in the Co-Op. The controls work well and are very responsive which dosent drive away from the game in a frustrating pit of lag. Next is graphics and design. This game runs the Unreal Engine and it uses everything it has to offer. The graphics are spectatular, the level design takes old maps and reinovates them in a beautiful fully rendered engine and world, and the character damage works very well keeping scars and tears from battle in the location they were recived. The animations are all smooth and I have yet to see any errors with them or the graphics. The art design of this fits what Mortal Kombat has always had, a dark edgy time where the fate of a realm lies in your bloodied hands. The Story mode is most likely the best ever put to a MK game and the art really helps it. The design and graphics create that brutal world where the only kind words you will hear are the sounds of your enemy's defeat. All in all this game is incredible and I more than highly reocomend it. To those who have ever enjoyed an MK game, your chariot awaits.… Expand
  83. infamousmielie
    Feb 7, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What can we say about Mortal Kombat that we don't already know? The new X-Ray moves are brutally satisfying, and the Fatalities are better than ever. There's tons of blood and gore, and hardcore fans rejoice. But more importantly, it's the return of the story that most of us are raving about. Gone is the ridiculousness of the post-MK3 debacle, and the game has gone back to its roots in splendid fashion.

    The selection of fighters is just about enough, although thanks the inevitable evils of DLC you can extend the pleasure that little bit more, as long as you pay for it. But you're certainly not getting cheated, as most - if not all - the iconic and favourite fighters of the first 3 MK games make their appearance, along with a couple of extra characters that help flesh out the lore. The very faithful recreation of classic and recognisable stages is also fantastic, and any new areas have been well blended so it all seems to fit well.

    Obviously it's a fighting game but it has one of the most fantastic story modes ever seen in a fighting game, bar none. It's not going to win any writing awards, and pretty much takes everything as it happens over the first 3 games and plops them into 3 acts, but this is a good thing. The story, while it jumps around a bit, is very well condensed together into some logical sense, and the progression from character to character is pretty damn good. The humour may not be everybody's cup of tea but I found it wasn't over-used and help bring moments of lightheartedness into a very serious world with a dark storyline.

    Gameplay is also great, with characters feeling very organic (even the robots) and the changes to the control scheme are positive. I found it a bit too easy to accidentally do things I didn't mean to, as if the directional controls are a bit unforgiving, but that may just be my imagination. Needless to say, good timing and reactions are a necessity, but the game never makes you feel like you're not in control of your character, or the game itself.

    Which is more than I can say for the final bossfight. Predictably, Shao Kahn is cheap. He always has been. But to stop there is mere folly; he is nigh on impossible to beat. I figured out how, and I appreciate the need for strategy, but even then I must have fought him (on Medium difficulty) at least 50 times before things managed to scrape by okay. Yes, there is a strategy, and yes, it is relatively simple, in theory. But slip up once and you're likely to find yourself dead within seconds. And besides, you shouldn't have to fight him in a by-numbers style. Yes, it should be tricky, and he should be challenging, but he should be beatable by good, solid and fundamental fighting tactics, not by puzzling out the 'correct' strategy, only to have to execute it perfectly to succeed.

    And because he hits so hard, and because his moves have a tendency to stun you if you get hit, and because he recovers so quickly from them, and because he can absorb your first hit and counter straight away, you will very quickly recognise what you're doing wrong. But correcting it is round after round of anger and frustration and clenched teeth as you "came so close" and "argh if only" - which just isn't fun. It stops being fun 10 or 20 retries in.

    That, however, is the only real blip on the awesomeness of this game, and I won't lower its rating because of it. Go get it, go play it, especially if you're an MK fan. You will love it.    … Expand
  84. JackTheCrazy98
    Apr 23, 2012
    9
    Mortal Kombat is a nice videogame saga (for me). But this game really surprised me: good stroy, good gameplay, awesome fatalies (and babalities) and a lot of new mode.
  85. metalcotc
    Apr 6, 2012
    10
    The game's awesome. Its the old school MK. There are some brutal fatalities, and a mixture of the classic moves from original MK. There are in fact hidden characters. The DLC allows Freddy Kreuger. And PS3 exclusive is Kratos from GoW. You also unlock Cyber Sub-Zero in the later chapters. Shao Kahn after beating the game. And there is XBL and PSN multiplayer match. They hid the difficulty options in the options menu so take a look before you start story mode on the default difficulty. Anyway, blows MK vs DCU outta' the water.… Expand
  86. fatmaster
    May 25, 2012
    9
    The game is great and has a strong story. I think this mortal kombat game is the best out of all of them. Cool and worth playing! But although the game at points can get impossible but that the challenge that true TRUE gamers really want.
  87. Welterweight426
    Jun 20, 2012
    9
    This is the best Mortal Kombat made. The story is pretty good for a fighting game and the gameplay is great. The characters are all unique and fun to play as. There is a load of content and it is probably one of the best fighting games out there.
  88. daffy_designer
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    A triumphant return, I loved the games, specially the fatalities, I missed it since Mortal Kombat 3. Highly recommended. I can't wait for the sequel, the next will the big next thing.
  89. emoney
    Nov 28, 2012
    9
    The best mortal kombat game ever. I made my friends mad in that game and Johnny Cage was so sick to use so pretty much i made my friends quit that game =)
  90. Rox22
    Jan 24, 2013
    9
    As a massive Mortal Kombat fan, and former MK 2 & 3 state champion in the 90s, I have to say that this is a reboot worthy of the Mortal Kombat name. Just a shame they didn't push the envelope a little further and make a few more tweaks to old characters. Hopefully they continue the series along the lines of what they did here, but perhaps this time lose the cheesy one liners and bad puns. Overall: MK is still my favorite fighter series and thank you NetherRealm Studios for bringing fresh life into the MK universe. I really do hope they bring back Nitara & Tanya in the next game.… Expand
  91. WyattTheAwesome
    May 30, 2013
    9
    This is probably my favorite fighter of all time. Amazing gameplay and a lot of stuff to do. You have the challenge tower which offers missions to do and there's 300 of them so you're gonna be doing that for a while, and a nice campaign. You can just fight people in Ladder Kombat and is ever so satisfying. The fatalities and X-rays are all good and a few of them make me cringe. If you can get into a decent lobby, online is fun but you need to practice if you wanna stand up to some of the other Kombatants. The only problem I have is you can't just simply go into a 1v1 with the computer unless you're in training mode and you can't die there. Though it's a minor thing, it would've been nice to have the option. Other than that, there were a lot of over powered characters, but this game deserves all the praise it gets.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 66 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 63 out of 66
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 66
  3. Negative: 0 out of 66
  1. Game Chronicles
    Jun 8, 2011
    88
    I enjoyed this new vision of Mortal Kombat more than any previous edition in the franchise. It has some issues, mostly in the single-player game, but all the hardcore fighters are here for the human-on-human interactions so it probably isn't a deal-breaker. If you love Mortal Kombat or just want to play an uber-violent and bloody fighting game then Mortal Kombat is the reigning champ and definitely worth adding to your collection.
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  2. Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
    May 22, 2011
    79
    Unremarkable, but it's puerile charm makes it more than the sum of its (body) parts. [July 2011, p.87]
  3. X360 Magazine UK
    May 20, 2011
    50
    Borderline broken as a fighter, but, taken on its own meagre merits, a giggle to mess around with. Still, though, it falls a long way short of what could have been. [Issue#72, p.80]
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