Mortal Kombat X
Overview -
After Midway’s bankruptcy in 2009, Warner Brothers acquired the 'Mortal Kombat' IP and rebranded the studio as NetherRealm. One of the game’s two creators, Ed Boon, is still employed at NetherRealm. The franchise was rebooted with 2011’s 'Mortal Kombat', distilling and recooking nearly twenty years of in-game lore. Now we have 'Mortal Kombat X', which continues the rebooted story from the previous game.
Video Review
'Mortal Kombat X' looks pretty nice on the Xbox One. The camera is fluid and cinematic, moving up close for quick shots without breaking the flow of combat. The backgrounds for most of the stages are well done. Lighting and other visual effects are vivid. The textures could use some work, especially on some of the character models during cutscenes (Johnny Cage, for instance). Loading screens are frequent but short-lived.
Audio Review
The game’s music was done by Black Mass and has a dark, bassy feel to it. It’s not unlike a sci-fi movie soundtrack - lots of percussion and pensive segments leading to strong crescendos. Sound effects are thick and heavy, especially in the x-ray attacks and fatalities where they lend an almost sickening realism. The voice acting is good but, with the dialogue the way it is, can come off as hammy.
Final Thoughts
The latest 'Mortal Kombat' is a solid entry in the franchise and a great fighting game in its own right. It has much more content than I expected, and the huge roster and addition of stances for each character give it long legs. The microtransactions are real, but manage to keep to the shadows enough to not spoil the hard work that NetherRealms has been doing. Fighter fans will find a lot to like about 'Mortal Kombat X'.