Mortal Kombat 11 is heavy on the gore and ruined by greed

Mortal Kombat is still the best brutal fighting game around, turning up the gore and taking full advantage of its R rating. But endless grinding has no place in a AAA title that players have already shelled out $100 for.

“Mortal Kombat would be so much better if they added micro transactions, loot boxes, and endless grinding” — said no one ever.

But let’s get to that in a second.

Mortal Kombat 11, for the most part, is exactly what you expect from a Mortal Kombat game. They’ve somehow managed to get even more gory, really making the most of that R rating with blood gushing at the slightest provocation, and characters taking every opportunity to hit their opponent so hard you can see their bones break.

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Grinding to unlock currencies and gear is something players expect from a free game.

Every word that could start with a K, does, leading you to wonder when the inevitable Kardashian Kombat game is coming.

And the fighting graphics are simply glorious.

However, if you were wanting to play the game and progress offline (particularly key for those in rural areas forgotten by the NBN), you’re going to be disappointed.

The game is always online, even for the single-player modes, and no progress or in-game currency can be earned until you reconnect.

Those wanting to customise their fighters, which was touted as a major feature by Warner Bros, had better be ready to grind and be confused.

There are so many currencies in the game, all of which can be earned in different ways (and some which can be bought if you lack the patience, which is pretty gross for a full-priced title).

And, for the most part, you can’t even select your reward, with the game relying on loot boxes to dispense the majority of prizes.

Once you get the gear, then you have to level it up.

Mortal Kombat 11 somehow managed to get even more gory, taking advantage of its R rating.

Unfun grinding to unlock currencies and gear through loot boxes is something players expect in a free-to-play title that’s trying to bore you into just spending money.

It absolutely has no place in a AAA title that players have already had to shell out $100 for.

Hopefully that’s something that will be fixed in a patch later, but those who made the decision to have it in at launch should be ashamed.

Bottom line: Mortal Kombat is still the best brutal fighting game around. It’s just a shame greed has made it less fun.

Mortal Kombat 11

Overall: 3.5/5

Available now on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch

Price: $99.95

Reviewed on: PS4 Pro

Out now.