Mortal Kombat is back, but is it better than ever? That is, of course, up to personal taste, but I think it's up there. The upgraded combat system, featuring two gauge bars for offense (horizontal) and defense (vertical) which are constantly filling back up upon being used makes for interesting and even gameplay, which could most certainly lure newcomers to the series. X-ray moves, in which were introduced in Mortal Kombat 9 and continued into Mortal Kombat X haven't so much been removed, but overhauled, and now don't require a full gauge bar to use. These now "krushing blows" require a player to perform a certain move under certain circumstances in order to see cracking bones in slow motion, with devastating effect to an opponents health bar. This may seem awkward to some, but the requirements to hit a krushing blow are relatively simple, and most could be landed by accident. It is also worth noting that one specific krushing blow can only be landed once per game, and cannot be executed again until you face the next kombatant. For example, you could counter a high attack with an uppercut, a krushing blow universal to all kharacters, in one match, but if you counter a high attack with an uppercut again, the krushing blow will not trigger. The last addition to the kombat system in Mortal Kombat 11 are the fatal blows, a comeback mechanic which becomes active once a kombtant reaches 30% health. These do massive damage upon landing, but depending on an opponents health bar, aren't guaranteed to end the match. These can only be hit once per match, similar to the krushing blows. However, if a fatal blow is blocked, it will be available again after a short cool-down period.
All pretty cool right? Well... loot-boxes have found their way to Mortal Kombat ladies and gentlemen. If you are new to the concept of loot-boxes, quite frankly, just make sure you avoid them. They'll require you to spend even more of your hard-earned money on something that will ultimately lead to not much more than a cosmetic change. It's by far my least favourite aspect of the game, and continues the trend of greed put on display by Warner Brothers.
All in all, if you're a fan of Mortal Kombat, or just fighting games in general, I'd highly recommend this game to you. It's not for the faint of heart however, the fatalities, brutalities, krushing, and fatal blows will leave newcomers, and even veterans, gasping in amazement and/or horror.