MORTAL KOMBAT 1: A NEW ERA WITH OLD HABITS

8.0 of 10 bananas. A fresh timeline, a clever Kameo system, and the best story mode in the genre, dragged down by grind and a pricey DLC road.

By the Alpha. PS5 disc listing. Updated Oct 11 2026.

Honest note: This is not a fresh hands-on playtest. I built this verdict from launch reviews, critic consensus, patch history, and what is known about the game today. If I put real hours in on stream, I will update the score and say so.

Platforms: The PS5 disc is the Amazon button. At my check it was sold by a third-party seller and shipped by Amazon, with low stock. Check the seller and price before you pay. It also runs on Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC on Steam. Reviewers found the Switch version much weaker on visuals and load times, so pick another platform if you can. Online play on PS5 needs PlayStation Plus. Extra fighters and the story expansion cost extra.

Sit with me a moment. I remember when a single fatality could clear a room of young gorillas. Mortal Kombat 1 still lands that gasp. The first time a Kameo partner leapt in to extend my combo, I laughed out loud. Then I opened the Invasions board and felt the grind settle on my shoulders.

What It Wants To Be

NetherRealm's 2023 reboot. Liu Kang, now Fire God, has rebuilt the universe from scratch, so old friends return with new histories. The big mechanical idea is Kameo fighters: a second, smaller character you call in for assists, throws, and breakers. Around that sits a cinematic story mode, classic towers, ranked online, and Invasions, a board game style single-player mode with seasonal rewards.

What Works

The story mode is the best in the genre: funny, colorful, and full of clever twists on characters you thought you knew. Kameos add real creativity to combos without making matches unreadable. The roster is stylish, the animation is crisp, and fatalities are as gory and inventive as ever. For a newcomer, the tutorials explain the basics well.

What Breaks

Listen well. Invasions is a grind with thin rewards. The shop and premium currency feel heavy for a full price game. The DLC road, from Kombat Packs to a paid story expansion, adds up fast. Online play suffered rough patches after launch. And the Switch version looks like it lost a fight before the first round.

Who Should Play

Play if you want a fighting game with a story worth watching and you enjoy flashy, readable combat. Skip if you hate grinding for cosmetics or want the most competitive fighter around. Wait for a sale if you plan to buy the DLC too.

Related: Tekken 8, Street Fighter 6, Doom Eternal.

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