Mortal Kombat is perhaps the most famous fighting game series ever made. With Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate Edition, the flagship series’ latest entry finds its way to the next console generation. We take a closer look at the next-gen version of this monolith...
“FINISH HIM!!!” When hearing these two words, just about every gamer knows exactly the game rotating in the drive. Just in time for the launch of the PlayStation 5, the latest entry to the beloved series returns as a beautiful next-gen upgrade. We’ve played Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate extensively, and in this review, we’ll tell you why you shouldn’t miss this beat-em-up.
- READ MORE: Demon’s Souls on the PS5 Review
Mortal Kombat 11 Takes the Leap to PS5!
If you are a fan of fighting games, chances are that you have already played Mortal Kombat 11 on PS4 and Xbox One. Then, you can get the next-gen upgrade at no extra cost. This is a huge step up, especially from a technical standpoint, and especially for free!!
For all those of you who have left out the current offshoot (what have you been doing with your life?), publisher Warner Bros. Games puts together an incomparable package for the next-gen consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S with the Ultimate Edition.
Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate includes the main game, the Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath DLC (featuring Fujin, Sheeva, and RoboCop), the Kombat Pack 1 (Shang Tsung, Nightwolf, Sindel, The Joker, Terminator T-800, Spawn) and the brand new Kombat Pack 2 (Mileena, Rain and Rambo).
The new edition also includes cross-play between not only consoles, but also across generations, with PS4 and PS5 players being able to play together! This adds even more value, allowing you to still play with friends who may not be able to afford next-gen right now.
Graphical improvements, a 4K resolution and almost no loading times make Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate its most ultimate self, and one of the best fighting games of the last few years. However, the new purchase is only worthwhile if you have not played the game yet.
Get Over Here! MK11 Gameplay...
After discussing the improvements of the PS5 version we tested, we’re now ready to get down to business. Even away from the excessive displays of violence, Mortal Kombat 11 scores with first-class combat, and a gigantic scope.
Series veterans immediately feel at home in the stylish 2.5-D arenas. Here, you string together various punch and kick attacks, typical of the genre, to form powerful combos. These combos form the best way to batter your opponent's health down low enough to activate the game's signature finishers.
In comparison to the previous entry to the series, Mortal Kombat 10, the developers have lowered the speed of the game a bit, so that beginners will find it easier to get into. In order to get the really massive (and bloody) special maneuvers off the pile, however, you still want to learn extensive key combinations by heart – a good thing that a move list can even be displayed during the running game if desired.
Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate is easy to learn, but its combat system offers more than enough tactical depth to challenge even seasoned professionals time and again. A successful mixture that, thanks to the brutal fatalities and fatal blows, even we as newcomers are always captivated by the gameplay.
Here, it’s time for a confession: we are really not beat-em-up experts. This is even despite having made fists fly since the SNES era! Nevertheless, after about 20 hours with Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, we come to the conclusion: it’s really bloody fun!
SO MUCH CONTENT! We Don't Have Time For it All!
The fact that Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate is so much fun is not only due to the successful combat system, but also to the varied characters and the really impressive technology.
In terms of scope, no one can hold a candle to this genre veteran. The story mode alone offers almost six to eight hours of content, which can even keep up with current Hollywood blockbusters in terms of plot and staging.
Additional long-term motivation is also provided by the Towers of Time, within which you face a changing group of enemies, and even compete against a boss opponent.
Through playing these different modes, you not only get new outfits or in-game coins, but also useful advantages with which you can meet the ever-increasing challenges that the game poses. It is fresh and extremely motivating, because the game is constantly changing – something that you can’t say about many Fighting Games!
Most unlockable items and moves can be found in the crypt. Since the items are distributed randomly this time, this can be quite a bit annoying – especially with special boxes requiring hearts! They are hard to get, and it takes hours of play until you have collected 50 brutalities.
Anyway: In the meantime, the grind has been reduced to a bearable level by extensive game updates. So one of the biggest criticisms of the original version is gone.
Final Verdict for Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate!
I’m not really a beat-em-up professional, but I have played my fair share! From Mortal Kombat X, to Street Fighter V, to Injustice 2, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate ranks not just amongst the best of them, but perhaps AS the best of them. Perhaps this could be because it was more fun to play than any of the games mentioned!
This is due to several points that distinguish the game from its competition. The story is captivating, impressively staged, and choc-a-block full of gameplay variety.
The biggest strength of Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, however, is its excellent combat system. Beginners quickly celebrate their first successes, while professionals get enough tactical depth thanks to complex combos.
Keeping it simple: Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate completely lives up to its name on the PS5 and Xbox Series X. All of its collective successes make it no less than one of the best fighting games of recent years, if not of all time!
READ MORE:
- PlayStation 5: The DualSense Controller Presented in Detail
- 10 Reasons to Choose PlayStation 5 As Your Next Console
- PS5 vs PS5 Digital: Which Version to Buy?
For more on Mortal Kombat 11 and PlayStation 5, stick to EarlyGame. Have you played Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate yet? Let us know what you thought on Twitter or Facebook!
Original review by EarlyGame's Philipp Briel.