Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

20 to 40 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Just plain fun"

As an avid gamer, I like to find a a good game with a core gameplay that can be mastered. FPS's began to dominate my time, at the time of the original Modern Warfare, the gameplay was fresh and gave me a reason to master its mechanics. I've grown tired of these games, there has been the occasional game worthy of studiously learning its gameplay (Gears Of War, Demons Souls, MGS4) these sprinkled among the conformist cake of FPS's with slight variations.
I rarely go for a fighting game, the last one I really got into was Soul Calibur IV, I've played alot of old street fighter's, and am not to fond of tekken. Mortal Kombat however, provided me some more sprinkles, the combat is meaty and tense, impact is raw. Arguably it has some balance issues, unblockable skills that can be spammed things of that sort, but with true precision and skill these things can be worked around. The gameplay is simplified so players can focus on timing and precision rather than the 9 button combination they have to press to unleash a flashy move. I plan on spending alot of time with this game, learning all the characters and such.

The graphics and sound do there part to deliver on the bone crackling combat, and the content and unlockables offer much to look forward too. The Story mode is done pretty well and is a good start for new players who want to get to know the characters. It has its minor issues, but this is the first Action game to truly present a full blown story mode.
The game is quick, fierce, and relentlessly bloody, its combat packs a satisfying punch that I have found to be somewhat absent in recent fighters. For all its combat imperfections there are X-Ray moves and gruesome fatalities, though the core gameplay itself is competent enough to run tournaments. MK delivers the main goods of what a fighter should provide, a responsive and satisfying core gameplay, and enough content to compliment it.