Mortal Kombat 1 Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs
6. The Story Mode Is Phenomenal
With the timeline reset, Mortal Kombat 1 had the difficult task of recapturing the essence of the original without feeling like a retread. This was extra challenging, since MK1 is the second time the franchise has been rebooted.
Luckily, the latest outing in this gory beat 'em up knocks it out of the park, crafting a saga that's epic, emotional, and innovative. The narrative feels self-contained, while tying up loose ends and successfully interweaving lore from previous entries.
Key moments from Deadly Alliance, Deception, Armageddon and Aftermath are seamlessly integrated into the overarching saga, without coming across as forced. (Also, some fan-service shots are sure to tug on the hearts of long-time fans.)
Everything unfolds formulaically at first, but it isn't long before the curveballs start popping up. By the time the final act has been reached, the narrative has gone in a direction nobody could've predicted in a million years. The story has a definitive end, but there are plenty of subplots brewing to get fans excited for the inevitable follow-up.
With that said, Mortal Kombat 13 can't get here fast enough.