Mortal Kombat 11
NetherRealm Studios
About This Game
Super ReviewMortal Kombat 11 is a hardcore fighting game defined by its extreme graphic violence, including dismemberment and gore, which cannot be disabled. Players will engage in intense combat and can deeply customize their fighters. While offering creative outlets and competitive online play, it comes with significant social risks due to unmoderated voice chat and potential pressure from in-game purchases. This game is a qualified fit for very mature teens with strict parental oversight.
Super Review
Parent verdict
With a health score of 40, Mortal Kombat 11 is a decent choice only for older, very mature teens and requires clear family rules. Its core gameplay revolves around highly graphic violence and blood, an unavoidable element of every match. The extensive character customization is a strong point, but parents must weigh this against the constant exposure to extreme content and the social risks inherent in online play with voice chat. It's best with clear limits on screen time and social interaction.
What players actually do
- Players engage in one-on-one combat, mastering intricate move sets, special attacks, and highly graphic finishing moves called Fatalities and Brutalities.
- Players customize their chosen fighter's appearance with different skins and gear, and personalize their move sets, intro/victory cinematics, and even AI behavior.
- Players progress through a cinematic story mode, participating in a narrative featuring various characters, or compete against others in online multiplayer matches.
Where it shines
- The game excels in its deep character customization, allowing players to extensively personalize their fighters' aesthetics and combat abilities, fostering creative expression.
- Mortal Kombat 11 offers a robust and challenging fighting system, providing a high skill ceiling and rewarding dedicated players who master its complex mechanics and combos.
Parent watch-outs
- The game features extreme graphic violence, blood, gore, and dismemberment as a constant and unavoidable part of its combat, including dismemberment and X-ray views of bone shattering. There is no option to disable this content.
- Online multiplayer includes voice chat, which exposes players to potential interactions with strangers and unmoderated communities, posing social risks.
- The game includes in-game purchases for cosmetic items and consumables, with some players reporting a perceived grind that encourages microtransactions to unlock content faster.
Family rules worth setting
- Set strict limits on online play, especially regarding voice chat, or disable it entirely to prevent exposure to unmoderated communication with strangers.
- Discuss and agree on spending limits or explicitly disable in-game purchases to prevent unauthorized spending on cosmetic items or 'time savers'.
Talk about this
- Discuss the difference between simulated violence in games and real-world consequences, emphasizing that the game's extreme gore is not reflective of reality.
- Talk about online etiquette and safety, specifically regarding interactions with strangers, the risks of sharing personal information, and how to report inappropriate behavior.
Play style
Mortal Kombat 11 is a challenging fighting game that rewards dedication, with sessions ranging from quick one-off matches to longer story mode progressions or competitive online sessions. It's primarily a solo or competitive multiplayer experience, demanding precision and strategic thinking. Players may need help understanding complex move lists and optimizing character builds, especially when facing skilled online opponents or difficult AI challenges.
Score Breakdown
Positive Aspects
Risk Factors
Why this rating
Educational Value
0/5Mortal Kombat 11 offers minimal to no explicit educational value, as its core focus is on competitive combat mechanics and a cinematic narrative. The M (Mature) rating and graphic content further affirm its unsuitability for younger audiences from an educational standpoint.
Addictive Monetization
3/5The game includes in-game purchases for cosmetic items and consumables, which can be acquired using 'Time Crystals' bought with real money. Initial criticisms highlighted a perceived grind that could encourage microtransactions, earning it a score of 3 for this risk.
Social Risk
4/5Mortal Kombat 11 features online multiplayer modes with voice chat, exposing players to potential interactions with strangers and unmoderated communities. This direct access to unmoderated online social interaction with unknown individuals contributes to a high social risk score of 4.
Content Intensity
4/5The game is saturated with extreme graphic violence, blood, gore, dismemberment, and X-ray views of bones shattering during combat and finishing moves, which are central and unavoidable. This constant, intense visual content results in the highest possible content intensity score of 4.
Creativity
4/5Mortal Kombat 11 offers significant creative value through its extensive 'Custom Character Variation System.' Players can personalize fighter appearance, move sets, intros, fatalities, and even AI behavior, providing a robust outlet for self-expression and earning a score of 4.
Negatives
- •The game contains extreme graphic violence, blood, gore, and dismemberment, which is a constant and unavoidable part of the experience.
- •Online features include voice chat, exposing players to potential interactions with strangers and unmoderated communities.
- •The in-game store offers cosmetic items for purchase with real money, and some players have criticized the game for a perceived grind that encourages microtransactions.
- •Dynamic challenges and timed co-op events in game modes like 'Towers of Time' can create a sense of pressure to log in and play regularly.
Positives
- •Players can extensively customize characters with different skins, gear, abilities, and AI behavior, allowing for creative self-expression.
- •The game features a cinematic story mode that continues the series' epic narrative.
- •Online multiplayer offers competitive and casual play against other players.
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Official Ratings
Age Fit
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