Mortal Kombat 1: The Best Next Level Game of 2024

Review by Juan Bonilla- Rodriguez. Photo courtesy of Steam.

I recently played Mortal Kombat 1 on PlayStation 5. I have always been a fan of Mortal Kombat since I was 11 years old. Mortal Kombat is one of the best and most vivid fighting games I have ever played. One of the reasons why Mortal Kombat 1 is such a great new game is because it combines new ideas, satisfying kombat mechanics, iconic and diverse characters, a cool and evolving storyline, memorable and brutal finishing moves, and a lasting cultural impact, all while continually adapting to new generations of players with impressive graphics and gameplay innovations. I like the way the animations for attacks and special moves are smooth, making the combat feel more dynamic and intense. I also like the combo challenges and the overall skill progression. The feeling of mastering different characters and their movesets is very satisfying. 

The game revolves around a fierce battle between various realms, where powerful fighters are summoned to compete in a tournament to determine the fate of their worlds. The central conflict involves Earthrealm's warriors defending their realm from the forces of Outworld, led by the tyrannical Emperor Shao Kahn, who seeks to merge and conquer other realms. As the characters fight for survival, they uncover dark secrets and face off against both familiar and new threats, including a dangerous alliance with otherworldly beings.

Things that I like about the DLC (DownLoadable Content) include guest characters from different movie and TV franchises outside of Mortal Kombat like Peacemaker, Homelander, Omni-Man, and Cindy from 2023. It also released more characters in 2024 like scream, Conan and T-1000. You can even download characters from previous versions of the game like Shang Tsung, Ermac, Takkeda, and Noob Saibot. 

What I like about the game is the stunning detail. The graphics are gorgeous. The characters and scenes look more detailed than ever before. The facial animations, in particular, really enhance the emotional weight of cut scenes and victories. Another thing that I like is the “test your might” feature, because they're fun breaks from the main fighting and help add variety to the game. One thing that I don't like about the storyline is although it’s engaging, there are moments when it feels a bit too linear, with some choices not impacting the outcome as much as I would’ve liked. 

One of my favorite characters of all time is Noob Saibot. His moves were insane, because he can create a loop hole where he stretches his arms or legs inside the loop hole to transfer into another loophole, making the other characters confused. It’s like teleportation with his clone inside them. 

I give the game a 10/10 rating. It's the most vivid game I have played in comparison to MK9. It’s available on Amazon for PlayStation, Xbox or Nintendo Switch. 

Juan Bonilla-Rodriguez is a freshman at Friendship Collegiate Academy.