It’s been over a year since NetherRealm Studios released Mortal Kombat 11, a title that cemented the critically acclaimed franchise’s position as the king of fighters. While most studios would start to focus on their next release, Ed Boon and his team continue to release fresh new DLC content to keep fans pleased. Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath is another solid and superb addition to an already great title that gets stronger with every new character it adds.
If there’s one studio that listens to its fans, it’s probably NetherRealm. Perhaps it’s because the creators are fans of the games themselves that they are able to create the perfect fandom freakout with every Mortal Kombat game. We’ve had the xenomorph from Alien, Freddy Krueger from Nightmare on Elm Street and even Kratos, the God of War, join the roster over the years.
In 2020, at the request of fans across the globe, RoboCop, our favourite ’80s cyborg, joins an already long and impressive list of playable fan-favourite characters. If you ever dreamt of a RoboCop vs The Terminator battle, Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath delivers.
However, even if you set the cool characters aside for a moment, there are plenty of other reasons to purchase Aftermath too.
Firstly, it expands on the game’s story by adding five more chapters. Shang Tsung (played by a smug and deliciously evil Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), the main villain of the very first game, is the main focus of the expansion. Here, the sorcerer attempts to unite the various heroes in an attempt to reset the timeline that altered in the first part of the story.
Of course, if you’ve played through any of the previous games, you just know that the soul-stealing warrior can’t be trusted. That same sentiment is felt by the game’s heroes, including Lui Kang and Raiden.
Shang Tsung’s journey takes him on an alternate path during the events of Mortal Kombat 11, where he encounters some of the same bad guys at different stages of the game. Yes, it’s another time-bending narrative that involves a time-travel heist.
Like Part 1’s campaign, however, the cinematic story (which is beautifully rendered and well-choreographed fight scenes) is short (about three hours long) and mostly predictable. That said, the Story Mode (which misses the opportunity to include guest characters) is not the main focus of Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath. Gameplay is. And it’s something that NetherRealm has mastered.
All the fighters have great backstories, martial-arts moves and costumes to match. Special mention must be made of Fujin, the God of Wind and also Raiden’s younger brother. Fujin is easily the most unique of the DLC roster and probably boasts the coolest moves too. He floats and dashes around the screen like a character that probably belongs more in a Capcom game than an MK one.
Again, at the request fans, Mortal Kombat Aftermath sees the return of the friendship finishing move, a favourite from Mortal Kombat II. Introduced as a response to the public controversy surrounding the gruesome Fatality finishing moves from the first game, they haven’t been present in the franchise since.
Of course, they add a lot of fun and lighter moments to the otherwise violent title.
Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath is the epitome of fan service and a great finishing move by NetherRealm Studios. It adds just enough new stuff to the already great title to make it worth purchasing. Everything you’ve grown to love about Mortal Kombat is present – except, maybe Babalities. But let’s not be too greedy.
The Review
Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath
The fanservice is very welcome. Aftermath adds a lot of value to an already great title.
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