Mortal Kombat 11 is a fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Running on a heavily modified version of Unreal Engine 3, it is the eleventh main installment in the Mortal Kombat series and a sequel to 2015’s Mortal Kombat X. Announced at The Game Awards 2018, the game was released in North America and Europe on April 23, 2019 for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One — with the exception of Europe’s Switch version which was released on May 10, 2019. The game was released on the Stadia on November 19, 2019.
Upon release, the console versions of Mortal Kombat 11 received generally favorable reviews, which praised the gameplay, story, graphics, and improved netcode, but it received criticism for the presence of microtransactions, and over-reliance on grinding. An expansion for the game was released on May 26, 2020, entitled Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath. This expansion includes an additional story mode, three new characters, new stages, and the return of stage fatalities and the friendship finishing move. An enhanced version of the game containing all downloadable content up to that point, titled Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate Edition, was released for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 17, 2020.
Gameplay
Like the previous three games in the series, including MK Mobile, Mortal Kombat 11 is a 2.5D fighting game. Alongside the returning Fatalities, Brutalities, Stage Fatalities, Friendships and Quitalities, new gameplay features are introduced, such as Fatal Blows and Krushing Blows. Fatal Blows are special moves similar to the X-ray moves in Mortal Kombat X. Like X-ray moves, Fatal Blows deal a large amount of damage, but unlike them, they only become available when a player’s health drops below 30%, and can only be performed once per match. Krushing Blows are a special cinematic variation of a given special move, triggered when certain requirements are met, like most Brutalities in the previous game.[10] Also new to the series is a Flawless Block mechanic, which allows for a comeback window after blocking an attack with precise timing.[11] Another returning finisher is Mercy, last seen in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, where the winning player can opt to revive their opponent, giving them a small amount of life.
Mortal Kombat 11 introduces a Custom Variation feature which offers a character customization system similar to the Gear system in NetherRealm Studios’ previous DC Comics fighting game Injustice 2, improving over the Variation system featured in Mortal Kombat X. Each character has an initial set of outfits, weapons and moves, which can be further customized by the player. However, unlike Injustice 2, in Mortal Kombat 11 the characters’ appearance does not determine their abilities, allowing the players to create custom move lists independently of their character’s appearance.
