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. 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
  2. lox
    Feb 27, 2013
    8
    Mortal Kombat 9 is awesome. Not only is it a great Mortal Kombat game, it's a great fighting game period. It's extremely rare for a fighting game to have an interesting storyline in its single player, considering fighting games have always been more focused on the fighting, rather than the story. But Mortal Kombat 9 is an exception. This game is basically a nostalgic blast from the past with modern day graphics. The story/plot of Mortal Kombat 9 is a retelling of Mortal Kombat 1, 2, and 3. Having been an MK fan since forever, I was very satisfied with MK9 overall. The only gripe I have is actually a fairly odd one. I am well aware that the MK franchise is mainly known for it's blood and gore, and I will admit, it's one of the many reasons I love the franchise. But, this game seems to get carried away with it. Yes, I said it, for a Mortal Kombat game, it is bloodier then it really needs to be. Usually when I play a Mortal Kombat game and perform a nasty fatality it is simply badass. But with this game, some if not most of the overly done gory fatalities were not very awesome or rad, they were, for lack of a better word, disgusting. That being said, the game overall is an epic and much needed installment in a franchise that has been releasing increasingly poor installments after MK trilogy. If you're a long time Mortal Kombat fan like me, this game is most definitely for you.… Expand
  3. 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
  4. 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 =)
  5. 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!
  6. 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.
  7. LucasTheLegend
    Sep 12, 2012
    2
    Very poor fighting game. It is much to noob-friendly, and the small amount of combos make this a very poor game, not to mention the boring, personality-less character roster. Only play this if you are a MK fan.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. Not_Casual
    May 14, 2012
    5
    This game looks good and is amazingly stimulating and fun. The characters have been reworked nicely and feature interesting balance aspects; the levels are also very nice looking. The one crippling feature of this game is the Xbox controller. At higher difficulties trying to perform at the same speed of the ai is nearly impossible because the controller constantly misunderstands what you are trying to do and is uncomfortable. The controls are as old as the super nintendo and that pad on the xbox is just in a horrid spot. I can't even play the game with a stick, it feels just wrong.… Expand
  11. 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.
  12. 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
  13. Senkimekia
    Mar 31, 2012
    8
    I really like this game because it goes the extra mile to deliver an exceptional Story Mode that ties together all of the characters. The cut-scenes in the game provide some back story to the characters and shows how each character plays differently from one another. It certainly isn't the best Story Mode I've ever played, but it definitely is worth taking a look at. The only gripe I have about this game is how broken the final characters are in the single player Arcade Mode. The characters are so powerful that they really feel broken and it takes the fun out of the game. Even on beginner mode I was having a hard time with the boss battles. This game has a ton of modes to choose from. You've got story mode, arcade mode which includes 1v1, 2v2, Test Your Might, Strike, Luck, and Sight. There is also a challenge room which has over 300+ challenges to complete, and some of them are incredibly hard to complete.
    There are a ton of unlockables in this game too. There are a few hundred items to unlock which include character art, fatalities, alternate costumes, and more. There are so many unlockables that there is always a incentive to keep playing.
    The online modes are really fun. There are 1v1, 2v2, and King of the Hill modes. I've met some really good people online and some really bad ones. There is a lot of trash talking too so be aware of that. Also, for some reason I didn't need to buy a online pass to play online. Overall this game is great but it is a shame the arcade mode is lacking. It does stay true to the traditional Mortal Kombat experience, but in this day and age it is really hard to play it when other fighting games don't have such cheap bosses.    … Expand
  14. whitespider999
    Feb 16, 2012
    6
    Take this into consideration, I don't really like fighting games. They don't mentally stimulate me, and they don't fit into my nature. They are fun with friends at an arcade and that's where it ends. Short bursts, I invest time, and I find them depressing. Because my nature hates competition, and a lack of narrative/purpose. And that's why I like mortal kombat so much. It's story mode is second to none. And while it's cheesy as hell, it's also the right kind of cheesy as hell. So that makes it might favorite fighting game of all time. However it still get's a 7/10 because I have to play a fighting game to GET the story mode. If you are a fighting game fan (in general without a bias towards a certain series) Raise the score by 2 or even 3 over what I have given it. It's the best playing version of mortal kombat, and has an incredible level of value compared it's significantly more bare boned competitors.… Expand
  15. MercilessMonkey
    Feb 11, 2012
    7
    I thought it was pretty well done, but I'm surprised with all of the tens it's getting. I found the story to be pretty short, although there was a lot of content added through the tower. Graphics are really nicely done, and there's a lot of depth in the fighting mechanics. However, a lot of it is overly cheesy, some characters are extremely bad to the point of never using, and their online system does not work very well at all. It's a fun game that's well executed, but I don't think it was anywhere near perfect.… Expand
  16. 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
  17. snacko12
    Feb 5, 2012
    5
    i like it overall but the story is really boring and the same and the challenge tower is fun for like 30 floors. the multiplayer on this game is solid but some people are just such **** about it for no real reason with their gay moves, but if u get a good game with straight people multiplayey really shines
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. Pivot1022
    Dec 28, 2011
    7
    Its fun, it's great. the story mode is awesome, BUT! but they will throw some of the most **** unblanced fights at you (lui kang vs scorpion and quan chi)... and it will piss you off. other then that the game is near perfect. The fighting is fun, the kombos are easy to remebere, but hard to string toghter.
  21. 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
  22. leonlp12
    Oct 27, 2011
    6
    The game was good without a doubt but there are some issues with the game. The main problem I have with the game was how tough the fighters were in single player sometimes you had to fight two people on your own which was quite hard and even harder if you played as someone you can't use. The graphics of the game were fantastic they look like the best graphics I have seen in a while! The fighters on the gamers were good and I'm glad we got a few to pick from.

    However I believe they could of done better with the game and the Krypt monster did scare me at first then scared my friend and it stopped him from playing again.    … Expand
  23. chelano
    Oct 7, 2011
    7
    One thing fixed from previous Mortal Kombat games is that the game is not so tight anymore. It runs smooth and fast like the original. They still have many fun characters and great sound effects. The story line is a little strange but I am glad it was done this way. It was like they rebooted the game. Started back from the beginning. Not only do you have the fun side games that people learned to like, you have the original tower back just like Mortal Kombat 1. So overall a pretty good fighting game compared to the ones they are making now a days.… Expand
  24. 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
  25. 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.
  26. Kotaku
    Sep 9, 2011
    8
    Lots and lots of replay value; impressive graphics; varied online and offline multiplayer support; hilariously cheesy story mode; unlockable content keeps you coming back for more. MK's Challenge Tower is full of inventive, fun missions that really pad the amount of time you'll spend with the game. Relatively small and somewhat unbalanced roster; controls and fighting mechanics are somewhat stiff. Enemy A.I. can get incredibly cheap on boss battles and some random challenges.… Expand
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. karlinel
    Jul 27, 2011
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game was oh so disappointing to me. The kombat itself is repetitive, lacking of any depth and worst of all, actually punishes you for trying anything besides teleport/uppercut/slide, with their preternatural blocking skill and general cheapness. No character is different, they all feel like copy/paste with a different skin. The bosses are beyond a joke, being literally IMPOSSIBLE to do anything else than port uppercut go back due to their inexistent staggering time (they don't care if you are hitting them or not, will keep doing their **** insane damage output and ridiculous hp (hitting twice as hard and having double your life).
    Finally, the kontent...krypt is lame, without any of the fun surprises from DA or Deception. No hidden characters, videos, nothin but hand drawings and fatalities you can check online anyway.
    And the online...kode or no online...i bought it new, redeemed the code, even bought kenshi and skarlet, and now won't let me play online. Which considering the insane lag is not that bad.
    In short: kash-kow    … Expand
  30. 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
  31. Meathook
    Jul 14, 2011
    5
    It's really hard to recommend Mortal Kombat. It can be quite fun, but at the end of the day I want a fighting game with depth...MK9 has little depth. No cross-ups due to the block button. Mix-ups are minimal and basically regulated to what the horrendous "dial-a-combo" system lets you do. The ground game and wake-up game is terrible and limited. X-Ray attacks range from being well thought out to being absurd in priority with wonky hitboxes. Really, I could go further, but lets just say that if you are a serious fan of fighting games, you probably will not enjoy MK9. I'm sorry, but without a solid fighting engine and mechanics, I simply do not care how many thousands of hours of single player content exists in this game. Is it a step in the right direction? Absolutely. But perhaps it really only seems so due to the fact that the last good MK game came out like 15 years ago. Boon stated that MK9 would be a treat for the "hardcore" fighting game fans...but it's more like a muddled attempt at best.… Expand
  32. 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
  33. 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
  34. 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
  35. 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.
  36. 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
  37. 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!
  38. TheQuietGamer
    Jun 12, 2011
    8
    This is the first fighting game and Mortal Kombat game I have played in a long time, and it took me a while but I have finally decided to review it, while I'm still new to the series I can't tell you how much it's changed over the years, this packs a ton of content onto one disc, fun challenge towers, mini-games, arcade ladders, and multiplayer, this will keep you entertained for many hours, and a surprisingly awesome story mode, with tons of cool fights and awesome albeit cheesy story, and it has awesome characters, my only complaints are that there are some lag in the multiplayer matches, and it is frustratingly difficult at times, when it throws two on one fights at you, and the horrible Shao Khan boss battle, so unless you a veteran of the series it will be hard, and will take a while to pull off some of the combos, but it is surprisingly approachable to new comers, in the end it's not my favorite fighting game but it's still great, and old fans will love.… Expand
  39. 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
  40. 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.
  41. NZLDC
    Jun 1, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. 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)… Expand
  42. 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
  43. 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
  44. poily45
    May 25, 2011
    2
    Hands down the WORST Mortal Kombat of the series i mean it's bad bad ! the amount of silliness and VERY repetitive Game play is just awful the crypt is the WORST this is like a shop in the game you go there after earning points to "cash in" on coffins in every coffin is an unlock able the only problem is....... WHAT THE HELL you don't get to see your prize until you pay for it!!!!!! The fatalities are beyond boring and repetitive but hey that's just me… Expand
  45. BingoTrousers14
    May 21, 2011
    8
    Being a hardcore fighting game fan who plays avidly and is trying to play on a pro level, I have to say this game is really nice to play. Offline it is one fun experience, the characters are cool and the moves are fun. The combo system is done well and its fairly easy to learn a good, damaging combo for a character. The problem with the game is the online. The matchmaking for the game is pretty broken unless you join one of the giant rooms in the game. The actual fights online are horrible laggy and virtually unplayable. There are a few balance issues in the game, but this doesn't bother me because Netherrealms are patching these and changing up the damage, etc. There is promise of a netcode fixing patch in the future, but we don't know exactly when this will be.… Expand
  46. 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.
  47. Susano
    May 20, 2011
    8
    Finally, after many weak attempts, they've nailed what makes Mortal Kombat so brutally fantastic. GORE! Mortal Kombat may not be a true tournament fighter, but thats not really the point anyway. Mortal Kombat focuses on what the series has only ever existed for- showers of red, green and whatever it is that comes out of Sektor.
  48. 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!
  49. Sablicious
    May 18, 2011
    6
    Sablcious
    6
    MK2011 is a good game... but not a good FIGHTING GAME. The game promised to cater for hardcore fans but instead introduced a slew of causal orientated features that in fact dumbed the game down even further than its casual roots would have led you to believe would be warranted. Easy, timing devoid dial-a-combos, 'simple mode' super (X-ray) attacks at the mash of a couple of sho    ulder buttons (super moves you only gain access to after being pummelled!), 'secret' finishing moves listed in the game's menu... all make for one of the more casual friendly MKs ever. But the game's less than hardcore game mechanic isn't it's only or even biggest downfall; it's LIES are. Promised were robust offline content but only filler (Krypt) and blatant lies (Tower Challenge reward) were proffered; the AI being some of the worst (spammy / cheap / cheaty) in fight gaming. Intimated was a far more diverse roster; delivered, only cookie cutter teleport and dash attack spammers that even share certain normal attacks and have same-same-y X-rays, and the game's only unique characters, the bosses, inexplicably locked out from player use. Bragged about was the game's new fangled net-code that would make online play a sheer joy; instead you get arguably the worst online lag for a fighting game this console generation! What makes this latter aspect of the game even more of a fail, is the fact that there is an 'online pass' attached to the game's online functionailty. Meaning that if you do not have a valid code, you cannot play online unless you pay and extra $10 for, what in this game's case, is a very dusbious privilege. Thus, if you buy the game pre-ownded, you'll almost certainly be getting an incomplete product... and that's not even touching on the DLC ransoming to come. But that's not to say the game is all bad, as was suggested in this review's preface. The game's story mode is as fleshed out as you will see in a non SNK fighting game, taking around 6 hours to play through. The visuals of the game are quite nice. The backgrounds in particular are very detailed. however, the character animations are still somewhat stiff for a 2011 game. The audio is also top notch also, with every blow resonating powerfully and voice acting that, although corny, is on the mark for game set in MK universe. The 3D (Ps3 only) is a nice 'thought', but due to only the backgrounds being render thusly, and given in a fighting game your attention is solely on the the combat, the 3D effect is virtually completely lost while playing and only serves to strain your eyes. Overall, when you take into account MK2011 is a FIGHTING GAME whose play mechanic, online componentry, character diversity are paramount to its respectability in this genre, MK2011 sadly fails. They should have stuck with the MKvDCU model and refined it (removed the 3D movement) not tried to reinvent the MK wheel. Summation: For causals and completionists, a good buy. For hardcore fight gamers. especially those reared on 90s fighters, I'd steer clear at least until it's half price, if not until the inevitable MK2012 hits… Expand
  50. Sablcious
    May 18, 2011
    6
    MK2011 is a good game... but not a good FIGHTING GAME.

    The game promised to cater for hardcore fans but instead introduced a slew of causal orientated features that in fact dumbed the game down even further than its casual roots would have led you to believe would be warranted. Easy, timing devoid dial-a-combos, 'simple mode' super (X-ray) attacks at the mash of a couple of shoulder butt    ons (super moves you only gain access to after being pummelled!), 'secret' finishing moves listed in the game's menu... all make for one of the more casual friendly MKs ever.

    But the game's less than hardcore game mechanic isn't it's only or even biggest downfall; it's LIES are. Promised were robust offline content but only filler (Krypt) and blatant lies (Tower Challenge reward) were proffered; the AI being some of the worst (spammy / cheap / cheaty) in fight gaming. Intimated was a far more diverse roster; delivered, only cookie cutter teleport and dash attack spammers that even share certain normal attacks and have same-same-y X-rays, and the game's only unique characters, the bosses, inexplicably locked out from player use. Bragged about was the game's new fangled net-code that would make online play a sheer joy; instead you get arguably the worst online lag for a fighting game this console generation!

    What makes this latter aspect of the game even more of a fail, is the fact that there is an 'online pass' attached to the game's online functionailty. Meaning that if you do not have a valid code, you cannot play online unless you pay and extra $10 for, what in this game's case, is a very dusbious privilege. Thus, if you buy the game pre-ownded, you'll almost certainly be getting an incomplete product... and that's not even touching on the DLC ransoming to come.

    But that's not to say the game is all bad, as was suggested in this review's preface. The game's story mode is as fleshed out as you will see in a non SNK fighting game, taking around 6 hours to play through. The visuals of the game are quite nice. The backgrounds in particular are very detailed. however, the character animations are still somewhat stiff for a 2011 game. The audio is also top notch also, with every blow resonating powerfully and voice acting that, although corny, is on the mark for game set in MK universe. The 3D (Ps3 only) is a nice 'thought', but due to only the backgrounds being render thusly, and given in a fighting game your attention is solely on the the combat, the 3D effect is virtually completely lost while playing and only serves to strain your eyes.

    Overall, when you take into account MK2011 is a FIGHTING GAME whose play mechanic, online componentry, character diversity are paramount to its respectability in this genre, MK2011 sadly fails. They should have stuck with the MKvDCU model and refined it (removed the 3D movement) not tried to reinvent the MK wheel.

    Summation:
    For causals and completionists, a good buy. For hardcore fight gamers. especially those reared on 90s fighters, I'd steer clear at least until it's half price, if not until the inevitable MK2012 hits.    … Expand
  51. JayAlanCarter
    May 18, 2011
    8
    a very complete and solid package. whether you're for casuals or hardcore, you'll have a fun time with this game. with hundreds of challenges and an actual progressing story mode, you surely have a lot to do even if you don't have a friend to play with. but speaking have friends, let me reiterate first that having 2 players matches with someone is completely satisfying and exciting however; word of warning: the online play completely sucks! its almost unplayable. finding matches can be a chore. when you're able to start a match, chances are you wont be able to finish it because it would just drop the connection for unknown reasons. even if you are able to find someone to play with online and maintain connection, there is a completely horrible delay that makes characters with quick teleport moves godly because it may be impossible to react on time. while we may all wish that there would eventually be a patch to fix this, lets not hold our breath because face it, there was never a fighting game where online issues were fixed via patch. Its a great game but dont expect to have fun if you were mostly looking forward to the online component.… Expand
  52. MJ4EVA420
    May 18, 2011
    7
    Before reading on, I'd like you to close your eyes and journey with me back to 1992 when a little game called Mortal Kombat hit the arcades. As an wide eyed adolescent I recall my first experience with Mortal Kombat being one of awe. The thunderous sounds of fighters doing combat bellowed from those cabinets drawing crowds of onlookers eager to see the (then) savage fatalities. It's now 2011 (you can open your eyes now) and the latest iteration MK does not disappoint. Now, I am by no means a self-proclaimed fighting virtuoso, my expertise lays more in the dancing game genre, for example, "Michael Jackson The Experience." I must admit I was slightly hesitant at first when it came to picking up this game, as I was devastated when MJ died. But once I slipped on my official Michael Jackson collectors edition glove, and began breaking it down oh so low to 'Billy Jean' I felt Michael was alive again, living through the rhythmic undulations of my pelvis. I especially like the bonus levels, racking up points touching as many prepubescent boys possible while the timer counts down is almost as thrilling as the real thing! Or so I've heard. I've often fallen back onto my sofa, in a sweaty mess after a good 2 hour session of the game just to let my gloved hand do the walking... wink wink. It's almost like Michael is in the room with me. "Michael Jackson The Experience" is a must buy for die hard fans !… Expand
  53. Funbumb
    May 17, 2011
    0
    This game is horrible, do not buy.
  54. MackDaddi
    May 16, 2011
    8
    Mortal Kombat (2011) is a strong fighting game, not quite on the same level of complexity as something like Super street fighter 4, but still with a lot of depth and loads to learn and master.

    The single player modes are great and excellent value. The story mode is a lot of fun, if a little limited in that it forces you to explore all the game's characters, whether you have any interest i    n them or not, and the challenge tower is quite addictive. The single and tag team options and associated tag moves and combos add yet more depth to the game.

    Th online lobby system and laggy experiences of many players is the biggest complaint i have about this game. Although there is hope that this will be patched later on due to a new type of more agile patching technology which it's developers took great pains to publicise in the runup to it's launch day, as of yet it's pretty poor quality with at least some noticeable lag most of the time if you have any kind of serious experience of online fighting games.Also the button config and special move screens needed more work, particularly considering tournament and tag team play button-changing requirements.

    Very good value, a lot of depth, great single and local multiplayer modes, good pick-up-and-play fighing mechanics, and a lot of other cool stuff make Mortal Kombat easy to recommend. If only the online performance was a little stronger, but even without this it's worth picking up as it's a blast to play, especially if you like to compete locally with some friends on the same system.    … Expand
  55. 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.
  56. 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.
  57. 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.
  58. 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
  59. 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
  60. 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
  61. 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
  62. 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!
  63. 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
  64. 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
  65. 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
  66. 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.… Collapse
  67. 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
  68. 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.
  69. Vinci22
    Apr 28, 2011
    0
    Terrible and lowbrow garbage. Once I heard the line, "If you land a punch, than you owe me lunch", I sighed and repeatedly slammed a frying pan against my head in order to block the memories of the worst, and most hillbilly game ever made.
  70. 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.
  71. 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
  72. 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
  73. 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
  74. 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
  75. 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.
  76. icadaT
    Apr 26, 2011
    8
    Going back to the series roots, Mortal Kombat is a great return to a form for a series that hasn't looked so great the past few years. The gameplay is sick, with great opportunities for combo creating and an ensemble of iconic characters each with diverse movesets and playstyle. The single player experience is a huge step forward in the genre - with story mode alone being worth the admission price. Extremely well told and crafted, it feels like watching a movie at times and is highly enjoyable experience despite the corny plot. Challenge Tower, Fatality Trainer, Test your Luck are amongst other extended modes which makes this a dream for the offline player. The game has a couple of flaws, and notably the online experience seems a bit shortcoming particularly due to crashes and incredibly long matchmaking times. Yet all in all this is a great fighter with lots to do for any beat 'em up fan.… Expand
  77. 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
  78. 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
  79. 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.
  80. xXAnthonyXx
    Apr 23, 2011
    9
    Two words:

    Welkome Back..................................................................................................................................................
  81. AbeBarnes
    Apr 23, 2011
    7
    There is no fancy subtitle, no additional side information, and definitely no superheroes. Mortal Kombat is back, with a vengeance, and it's ready to rip your head off your body with the same vicousness that made our parents faint when it first came out in 1992.

    Fighting games are my nemesis. Even FPS's, I can usually squeak by and be passable at them. But unless a fighting game holds     my hand and has easy button combinations, I am lost and frustrated. Marvel vs Capcom 3 was the example of the one extreme, where it was pretty easy to get done what you wanted to get done. Mortal Kombat is the other extreme in many ways. And yet I still loved it.

    DISCLAIMER:
    Keep your children away from this one. There, I said it, and I mean it. This one should not be sold, or played by, anyone under 18. I'll go into a definitive reason later in the review (and the reason it only received 3 stars), but the disclaimer had to be there. WHen they say M for Mature, they mean it.

    Let's go over the easy stuff first. Visually the game is stunning, even on the Xbox. Every bit of blood, the X-Ray moves, the smoothness of the animations, it all combines to make for a great experience to watch on screen, and it never leaves you guessing about what comes next. The audio is great as well, with the exception of Liu Kang. Such a high-pitch almost girlish sounding sounds when he does his moves, it is distracting. More then distracting, it's just awful. Everything else, though, seems to fit. (Although I stil hear Christopher Lambert in my head whenever Raiden speaks). The voice acting was great, and suprisingly in-depth for a fighting game.

    Which leads me to the most suprising feature of the game, and the one I will focus on in this review. The story mode. Yes, you read that right. The best part of this game, for me at least, was the story mode.

    I need to give kudo's to the team behind the story of this game. It played out like one long cinematic, with fights at the appropriate points (and for appropriate reasons). Not to mention the story, plot, and dialogue were leaps and bounds ahead of the MK movies. Okay. If I were to review the game based on the Story Mode, Ladder, and even the XBox Live gameplay (hey, just because I suck doesn't mean it's a bad game), this would have been 5 stars. But, I cannot in good conscious give that to a game that glorifies torture in death the way this game does.

    I'm not a prude, and i'm not talking about fatalities. Fatalities, etc, are part of Mortal Kombat. You fight your opponent, you get to do what you want to them. I'm fine with that. I'm talking about the "Krypt".

    In the Krypt, you can spend the points you earn in the game on unlockable items, from new Fatalities and Babalities to concept art and music. Great goals for the game. But to unlock them, you have to navigate the realm and destroy items and people. The first area isn't too bad, it's just tombstones and crypts. But when you move beyond, things get creepy.

    Creepy enough to knock the score down 2 stars.

    Imagine all the old fashioned torture devices. Draw and Quartering machines. The iron maiden. THe Guillotine. The rack. If you want your unlockables, you pick a machine, that has a "live" person/soul/whatever on it, and you kill them. Graphically. Completely unnecessary in an otherwise flawless game, and it left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

    Mortal Kombat is not a game for children, but foradults who want to experience a clean and challenging fighting game, this is the one for you. The story mode is worth the play as well, and suprisngly in-depth. If it wasn't for the Krypt, this would be a perfect game.

    3 bloody gore covered stars.    … Expand
  82. 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.
  83. 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
  84. 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
  85. 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
  86. 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.
  87. 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.
  88. 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.
  89. 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!
  90. 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
  91. 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
  92. 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.
  93. 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
  94. BiggySmalls
    Apr 21, 2011
    4
    It's more of a slap on the back for long time MK fans than a warm embrace. It's like a bad movie that you go to see just for the special effects. Regardless of what anyone says, it feels like UMK3 on training wheels.
  95. MachoHombre
    Apr 21, 2011
    5
    hype, nostalgia, the KKK (Krazy Kombo Kombat) are the things that contribute to MK9's success. The truth however; is that it's not at all as kool as the original arcade games. In fact, it's tainted with nerdiness. It will get your average teenage noob through the weekend, but the truth is it's no way to enjoy your weekend. I am so looking forward to the day the classics are ported to XBLA/ PSN so everyone can see what it's like to have your beer and enjoy it too.… Expand
  96. 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.
  97. 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.
  98. 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.
  99. Arianit
    Apr 20, 2011
    8
    Presentation 7.5
    Graphics 7.5
    Sound 8.5
    Gameplay 8.0
    Lasting Appeal 9.0

    -Overall 8.1 Great The Good
    +Great story
    +Huge amount of content to unlock
    +Fatalities and X-Ray Moves
    +Brutality

    The Bad
    -Occasionally laggy online play
    -Shao Kahn and Goro not playable
  100. Berglynt
    Apr 20, 2011
    6
    This game is a big improvement of the last few iterations. Mortal Kombat fans should pick this game up. The game overall is well done; they put some time and thought into this game. I am disappointed that they did not include an exclusive character for the Xbox 360, and they lead us on until after the game was released. They do not even have the decency to let us know why. Did MS not want one (doubtful)? Did Sony and WB make some sort of agreement? Money was pretty much involved in some way. I would have given the game a 7.5 - 8.0 if it wasn't for them leading us to think that they were going to put in a Xbox exclusive character. Also for coming and saying they wanted to but will not tell us why.… Expand
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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.
    Read full review
  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]
See all critic reviews »