Mortal Kombat 1 Reviews

Mortal Kombat 1 is ranked in the 91st percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
10 / 10.0
Oct 9, 2023

A statement from its creators, that gifts gamers that has followed the series for three decades, from the arcade to a lofty, cinematic gaming juggernaut, cementing its stance as the fighting genre’s best ever. Mortal Kombat 1 is unmissable, and is sure to delight any all gamers that are looking to dive deep into fantastic writing, some mindless combat and delectable bloodlust.

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8.7 / 10.0
Oct 5, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 suits both the veteran and the new player, offering a complete fighting experience. The feel is great and you will be able to range in terms of gameplay variety thanks to its roster. A few software optimisation issues and a slight general balancing problem spoil the overall experience, but it's nothing that can't be fixed with some future updates.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Oct 4, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 is an exceptional addition to NetherRealm's renowned series, which has been expanding over the past three decades. The introduction of the Kameo Fighter system, Invasion, and the upcoming DLC character make MK1 a thrilling experience with abundant replay value for both die-hard fight game fans and casual gamers.

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3.5 / 5.0
Oct 4, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 does a lot right, but it’s missing things that really made NetherRealm’s fighting games stand out in recent years. I hope future patches and additions build the game up to fulfill all of its potential, but the base game here feels a bit too thin on content.

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8.5 / 10.0
Sep 30, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 proves once again that it is without doubt one of the best fighting game licenses. This new opus offers a complete story mode with an artistic direction as successful as ever. Not to mention a reworking of the buttons to make the experience more accessible, without taking away any of the difficulty. The Invasions mode adds a fun experience, but perhaps deserved a little more love. While the microtransactions and numerous virtual currencies may put off some players, the overall experience remains more than interesting.

Review in French | Read full review

90 / 100
Oct 2, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 has seen vast improvements and brings a lot of new features to the table, even though some aren’t entirely necessary. The Story Mode alone brings a whole new beginning for Mortal Kombat as a whole and opens up endless new possibilities for the franchise to grow and expand upon. While there are a few minor drawbacks, like the complexity of Kameos and the strange turn brought in with Invasions, the biggest flop is how online play is handled. Though Story Mode and the visual side of Mortal Kombat 1 more than make up for a good majority of the flaws.

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70 / 100
Sep 29, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 is a solid 2d fighting game offering with lovely assist-based Kameo gameplay that allows for fun competitive expression and kreativity. While it's not up to snuff to past titles like MKX and MK11 in terms of packed single-player kontent, it could have been much more paltry and barebones.

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8.8 / 10.0
Sep 22, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 is one hell of a fighting game, one that I can see myself putting in as many hours as Mortal Kombat 11, if not more, and I’m really excited about its future.

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9 / 10.0
Sep 25, 2023

I’m amazed at the progress in overall design at NetherRealm Studios. They’ve nailed the gameplay, which is the biggest component for succeeding in this genre where the average gamer just wants to jump in and play a couple matched with their buddies. The variety of modes lends itself to the fun; by giving more ways to play, you enjoy movies. Play the story mode; it’s amazing! The invasion mode will be right up your alley! Do you want to be the next EVO champ like SonicFox? The training mode is a big step for you to overcome, but if you do, you’ll be well on your way. The graphics are pretty spectacular on every console (except the Switch), and the framerate holds up pretty well, even during the action. The only downside Mortal Kombat offers is the servers for online play, and even that’s improved a bit since the official launch. Every fan of Mortal Kombat owes it to themselves to check out this game. If you weren’t a fan of the previous games for any reason, Mortal Kombat 1 changes enough to give it another look.

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8.5 / 10.0
Sep 18, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 is a welcome addition to a thriving fighting game landscape. The new systems build on top of the already established foundation created in Mortal Kombat 11 but in a more refined way. It doesn’t shy away from its gorey roots, and thankfully the Kameo system is far better than the voice cameos heard throughout the campaign. Essentially, this is Mortal Kombat done in a way that embraces more powerful hardware and delivers an experience that lives up to the legacy of the series.

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8.4 / 10.0
Sep 27, 2023

NetherRealm Studios plays it safe. The Reboot resets the story via a multiverse approach. From a gameplay perspective MK1 brings a classic Mortal Kombat experience with no experiments. Besides the abyssmal Switch port, there aren't any major hiccups technical wise.

Review in German | Read full review

Sep 27, 2023

If, like me, you’re a Mortal Kombat fan then Mortal Kombat 1 is a no-brainer – it’s as fun as ever with a great roster and an excellent new Kameo system. However, if you’ve found yourself tiring of the MK formula over the past few games and were hoping the timeline reboot would herald a big new change, then MK1 isn’t going to change your mind. It’s a very safe release, and considering how incredibly popular the modern Mortal Kombat games are it’s understandable that Netherealm don’t want to change the formula too much lest it all end in a brutal Fatality.

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Sep 21, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 has proven itself to be continually compelling throughout its early access and launch period, a remarkably refined and confident instalment of a series that had already secured its identity long ago. The story campaign is an entertaining rollercoaster ride, its foundational fighting mechanics remain strong, and the game’s focus on wide-ranging approachability in service of broadening the fighting game community must be applauded.

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8.5 / 10.0
Sep 25, 2023

Although Mortal Kombat 1 may have some flaws, they do little to dampen the expanded toolkit that Kameos add to the highly entertaining and gory combat that will keep fans coming back for more.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 26, 2023

its gameplay is one of the best we've seen in a Mortal Kombat title, changing the rules again, with the addition of additional tools for special maneuvers in battles

Review in Greek | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Sep 23, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 offers a beautiful experience for fans of the series with excellent story and events, thanks to the game engine Unreal Engine 5, the visual effects and details of the game were wonderful and kept in pace with the developments of the story and was able to satisfy all of the fans of the series. Unfortunately, it is suffers from the lack of game modes and some technical problems.

Review in Arabic | Read full review

9 / 10
Sep 21, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 is the best installment in the series. The reboot of the timeline made room for new, but also old chaotic plots that are now gripped a little more steadily. Beginners needn't fear starting off with this installment. Thanks to the cameo fighters, you get something new again. Unfortunately, the interactivity of the arenas has fallen off with this option, but given the dynamics of the combat, that's not entirely a bad thing. The soundtrack in Mortal Kombat is more ambient than some dynamic pumper. The changes from the last installment are many, but I can't say they're detrimental. On the contrary, I really enjoyed this fresh start.

Review in Czech | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Sep 22, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 is a fantastic reboot that reintroduces the fan-favorite MK characters and paints a fresh color on their story and design.

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9 / 10.0
Sep 25, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 is a glorious fighting experience that offers some of the best combat and storytelling seen across the series. The new Kameo system offers a whole new way to approach battles with your foes, whilst the way that the game leans into both the new and old with its overall theming ensures that it manages to feel both fresh and familiar at the same time. The Story Mode remains as excellent as expected, whilst the Invasion mode gives players a creative way to experience the game’s brutal action. There are some disappointing omissions, such as the lack of the Krypt, interactive environments, and new characters, but they don’t stop Mortal Kombat 1 from offering some of the most exciting (and gory) thrills that the series has ever seen.

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8.9 / 10.0
Sep 18, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 is a technically excellent fighting game with galvanizing and violent gameplay that, in keeping with the tradition for the series, cannot live by half measures and can only be loved or hated.

Review in Italian | Read full review