Back in 2023, NetherRealm Studios released the latest installment in the Mortal Kombat series titled Mortal Kombat 1. The ‘1’ in the title indicates that the game is a reboot, and if you’ve played Mortal Kombat 11, you would know that after Liu Kang fought with Shang Tsung and gained access to the hourglass, he restarted the timeline entirely.
This year, PlayStation added Mortal Kombat 1 for free on PlayStation Plus games lineup, which gave me all the more reason to play the game. Being a Latino myself, I found it very useful to play the game in Español. I even had fun playing the game with my Latino fellow players in the United States, and thanks to its resurgence in popularity, I’ve been able to find matches pretty quickly.
I use an Optimum connection for online gaming, and it has been a breeze. For my Latino amigos, I recommend that you reach out to Optimum en Español for a truly excelente online gaming experience. However, for the most part, I played the game in Kampaign mode and had the time of my life.
Here are some reasons why I believe Mortal Kombat 1 was a good game to play this summer.
Great New DLC Characters
Over the years, NetherRealm has introduced a lot of interesting characters to its DLC (downloadable content) roster. Previously, these characters included Kratos and Freddy Krueger in Mortal Kombat (2011), Jason Voorhees, the Predator, and Leatherface in Mortal Kombat X. They also added The Joker, Terminator, and RoboCop in Mortal Kombat 11.
However, Mortal Kombat 1 also has the kind of DLC characters that would make you WANT to buy them, such as Omni-Man from Invincible, DC’s Peacemaker (an interesting touch of John Cena in a Mortal Kombat game), Homelander from The Boys, Ghostface, Conan the Barbarian, and T-1000 from Terminator.
Game Has Great Graphics
Keeping in mind that the game was released on the PlayStation 5, you can rest assured knowing that the game was bound to have great graphics. There is a lot of attention to detail as opposed to the previous entries.
This is something that you can notice every time you strike your opponent, and there is a splatter of blood on the floor.
Plus, everything else, from the lighting to the attention to detail in the background, is enough to tell you that the game is great from a graphical perspective. While the game doesn’t come close to Tekken 8, NetherRealm still did a pretty good job with the game.
Characters Have a Different Look
Many of the characters went through a massive makeover in Mortal Kombat 1, which is another reason why I loved playing the game. Sindel, Kitana, and Mileena were as pretty as they always were, in fact, a little more. Johnny Cage had a more action hero look to him, and Liu Kang looked like a composed warrior seeking peace in the Earthrealm.
However, it was Scorpion and Sub-Zero that really took most of my attention. I remembered their look from Mortal Kombat X and realized how great they look in Mortal Kombat 1. They don’t have their faces concealed anymore, and they look as fierce as they possibly could.
There’s Always a Character Helping You Out
While you play with one character throughout the story, there is always a character beside you who helps you in your grapples and counters. For instance, if you block at the right time to counter an attack, the counter is carried out by the ally.
Similarly, grappling, your opponent sends in your buddy to attack the opponent, causing damage when you can add some damage of your own too. This makes combat very seamless and interesting, since you can make great combinations with your buddy.
It would’ve been great if they added a tag option, but they might in their future titles. Here’s to hoping!
It Has an Interesting Story
Mortal Kombat 1 has the kind of story that keeps you hooked, especially as you try to figure out who the villain is in the entire situation and who the mysterious sorcerer is (which in itself is a great plot twist). The game revolves around the story of Liu Kang, the God of Fire and the Keeper of Time, who resets the timeline and recruits a team of fighters who are meant to help him bring peace to the Earth.
These recruits include Kung Lao, Raiden, Johnny Cage, and Kenshi Takahashi. The team then travels to the Outerworld to take part in the tournament so that they can bring peace to the Earth by working side by side.
The Outerworld is ruled by Sindel and her two daughters, Kitana and Mileena. From then on, the story starts taking an interesting turn.
So yes, Mortal Kombat 1 is definitely worth playing, especially if you have a PlayStation Plus subscription too. It’s the kind of game you shouldn’t miss if you’re into fighting games.
