Mortal Kombat 11 is a monstrous, value-stuffed offering From the vast range of different currencies, through to augmentations and how they work, it can often be easy to bamboozled early on as you collect all kinds of shines that, initially at least, you have no clue as to what their purpose is. If there is one drawback to Kustom Variations it would be that quite simply, it just isn’t explained all that well. By unlocking items in the Krypt (itself now a less stuffy, free-roaming third-person affair that is much improved over its 2015 iteration) completing towers and modes, players will find themselves being rewarded with currencies, experience points, items and other augmentations that can all be used to improve their Kustom Variation. Providing an insanely deep suite of creative opportunities, Kustom Variations not only allow players to make their favourite fighters their own, but it also embeds itself deeply within the in-game reward infrastructure of the game too. Krypt mode returns as a much larger, more impressive free-roaming third-person loot adventure A feature that allows players to create variations of existing characters and tweak every aspect of their design, from their threads to the very moves they use and the weapons that they take with them into each and every battle, Kustom Variations is a definite value add to the game which assuredly provide it with significant legs going forward. Perhaps the biggest of all the new additions that Mortal Kombat 11 brings to the table is the idea of Kustom Variations. Mortal Kombat 11 is all about that customisation life In short, Mortal Kombat 11 is a superbly tuned fighter and one which the esports community will surely embrace in short order. Mortal Kombat 11 then, strikes the perfect balance between meaningful tweaking and knowing when, well, the wheel isn’t broken. Environmental attacks return with brutal aplomb, as does the charge mechanic which allows you to perform energised, more damaging variations of existing attacks.
MORTAL KOMBAT 11 REVIEW SERIES
New wrinkles to the formula aside, Mortal Kombat 11 retains much of what the series introduced in its 2015 entry when it comes to the brass tacks of its in-game scrappery. Scorpion’s iconic spear move for example, now no longer leaves the enemy stunned after pulling them into close range, as instead he slashes at their spine as they stumble past, meaning veteran players will have to adjust their strategy as a result. A range of smaller, more delicate tweaks have also been made to many of the returning fighters too prompting a re-learning of their various moves and combos. Newcomer Geras is an impressive addition to the rosterĮlsewhere the introduction of Flawless Blocking rewards those players who have a knack for timing, with a perfectly timed block providing a momentary window of opportunity to counterattack and disrupt the offensive rhythm of your opponent. A spontaneous, slow-motion x-ray shot of an uppercut shattering the jaw of the opponent, or a ruinous shattering of the ribcage from a vicious body shot, Krushing Blows really underscore the notion of a critical strike coming from absolutely nowhere to devastate your foe, and feel immensely satisfying to employ as a result. The old X-Ray moves also bleed through into regular combative parlance too, as the new Krushing Blows put a cinematic spin on the idea of dealing a highly damaging critical strike. This adds an extra degree of strategy to using Fatal Blows that wasn’t present before impressing the need to absolutely time them precisely to get the most out of them and fulfil their ‘Hail Mary’ potential. Though Fatal Blows remain hugely damaging attacks that can sap roughly 30% of your opponent’s health, they can now only be used once per match and will only become available once your health drops below a certain point. New name aside, there are functional changes which Fatal Blows bring to the table which serve to separate them from their X-Ray counterparts yet further still. With each Fatal Blow representing a devastatingly satisfying ballet of slow-motion, ultra-violent murder, these stylish sequences of martial nihilism remain a reliable highlight of every fight – Frost’s Fatal Blow really is a sight to see (pun intended). Starting with the showy stuff – X-Ray moves have been rechristened Fatal Blows and here, Netherrealm’s murderous imaginations have truly been allowed to run amok. The devil however, lay in the details as he always does. Mortal Kombat 11 is one of the most visually stunning and technically assured fighters on the market