Mortal Kombat 11 came out in 2019 and there is not a follow-up in sight - not even a hint at another title from NetherRealm Studios, who also did the Injustice franchise. This is okay, however, since the game has a huge roster and is one of the tightest fighters around.
The online play also works excellently, which is a must for the genre. If you are just jumping into the game for the first time, here are some things we wish we knew before playing that you might find helpful. To make a long story short, you will be happy to know that Mortal Kombat 11 is still well worth playing in 2022, especially with all the developer has added since then.
7 It Plays Slower Thanks To Mortal Kombat X
The interesting thing about the three Mortal Kombat games since, and including, the 2011 reboot is how different they all feel, despite coming from the same developer. Mortal Kombat 11 feels significantly slower than its predecessor, which is notably fast for the franchise.
The speed of a fighting game is extremely important to its feel and changes everything about how you play. People who honed their skills in Mortal Kombat X will have to get used to the differences in the sequel.
6 Notable Exclusions From The Roster
There are almost one hundred characters throughout the history of Mortal Kombat. With this in mind, it's pretty much impossible to include every character in one entry. The last time the series did this was in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon and it suffered from it because many characters simply felt like copies of each other.
While everyone in MK 11 feels unique, there are some mainstays who sit out this one. Ermac, for example, is completely absent even from the DLC additions. All the guest characters from the prior games are also excluded in favor of different characters from currently existing IPs.
5 What Characters Are And Aren't DLC
In 2022, you can buy Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate for the price of a full PS5 game. This version includes all the DLC characters and the Aftermath Story expansion. If you don't feel like investing that much cash, you should be aware of what characters you are missing out on.
None of the guest characters are included on the original roster and classics like Shang Tsung and Sheeva are only in the Kombat Pack DLCs. We recommend waiting for a sale to get Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate for a good deal.
4 The Krypt Is Weird
The krypt has served as the main way to unlock new content in Mortal Kombat ever since Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance from 2002. In previous titles the unlocks were deliberately placed and players could keep track and share where the unlocks are located. Mortal Kombat 11 changes up the krypt in mostly negative ways.
The setting is Shang Tsung's Island and exploring the environment is a treat for any fan of the franchise. Opening chests is where the problems arise. The rewards are randomized and many of the chests give lackluster rewards that are hardly worth the effort. A major new feature was the ability to customize the characters' looks with unlocks, but they are such a chore to actually find inside the krypt.
3 The Story Mode Takes About Five Hours To Beat
Like all Mortal Kombat games since Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe, the story mode is a series of cutscenes separated by one on one fights. The story continues directly from where Mortal Kombat X leaves off and throws in a time travel twist bringing the young and old versions of the characters together.
All in all, it should only take about five hours to beat, assuming you don't get stuck at any of the fights. There was also a story expansion released in 2020 called Aftermath, which further continues the story of Mortal Kombat 11. This expansion comes in at about two and a half hours.
2 You Have To Always Be Online To Progress
The annoying thing about playing Mortal Kombat 11 is how much of the content relies on being online. You can play the story mode and arcade ladders without a connection to the Internet, but if you want to earn currency and use the krypt you have to be online.
More people are online than ever, but there are still a significant amount of people who either have shoddy service or barely any Internet at all. It might not be a deal breaker to everyone, but it is something people should know.
1 The Gameplay Consists Solely Of Fighting
People who played the games from before the 2011 reboot will remember the bonus extra content like the konquest mode. Mortal Kombat Deception and Armageddon also had a kart racing minigame, a take on Chess, and another game similar to puzzle fighter.
Do not expect any of this from Mortal Kombat 11. Everything you do is based on the one-on-one fights central to the Mortal Kombat experience. There are kombat towers that add modifiers to fights, but the fighting mechanics do not change.