Mortal Kombat 11 Kombat Pack 1 Review Summary

While the new characters are a welcome addition, the excessive grind to unlock them, pricey DLC with underwhelming fighters, and PC technical issues sour the experience, so grab it on sale.

Great character additions: The DLC characters, including guest fighters like Terminator, Spawn, and Joker, are widely praised for being excellent, faithful, and fun to play. Positive mentions highlight their unique movesets and personalities.

Diverse content and customization: The pack includes many exclusive skins, skin sets, gear, and fatalities, providing a large amount of cosmetic content and customization options for characters, enhancing replayability.

Excellent value for money: The Kombat Pack is frequently described as worth its price, especially when purchased on sale, offering better value than buying content separately. It provides six characters and numerous extras compared to typical DLC packs.

Shang Tsung standout character: Shang Tsung is singled out as one of the best characters, celebrated for his soul-stealing transformation abilities and the ability to copy other fighters' Fatalities. His likeness to the film actor is also appreciated.

Spawn highlights for fans: Spawn is highlighted as a major positive, with fans praising his inclusion, animations, fatalities, references, and overall fitting into the Mortal Kombat universe. He was a long-requested guest character.

DLC characters are weak or controversial: Several DLC fighters like Shang Tsung, Sindel, Terminator, and Nightwolf are criticized for being weak, slow, clunky, or having unappealing designs. Specific issues include poor gameplay feel, questionable story changes, and lackluster cosmetics.

DLC pricing considered too high: Reviewers frequently mention that the Kombat Pack and individual DLC characters are overpriced, especially when compared to the base game content. The value proposition is poor, particularly for those not fans of every included character.

Unlock grinding is excessive: Players complain about the extensive grinding required to unlock skins, fatalities, and Krypt items, involving random loot boxes and tiny currency rewards. Getting a specific character's drops is nearly impossible, making progression feel like a chore.

Missing characters from pack: The Kombat Pack is criticized for not including all promised fighters, such as Spawn, Joker, Robocop, Sheeva, and Shao Kahn. Players feel the pack lacks completeness and that specific characters are absent or locked.

Shang Tsung unavailable despite pack: Players report that Shang Tsung is not accessible as expected, even after purchasing the Kombat Pack or pre-ordering the Premium Edition. This includes issues with early access windows, PC version availability, and time zone release timing.

Kombat Pack roster details: The Kombat Pack includes six playable characters: Shang Tsung, Nightwolf, Terminator, Sindel, Joker, and Spawn, with exclusive skins and costumes. These characters are released over time, not all at once.

Characters revealed gradually: New characters are added to the game gradually, approximately monthly, with some released later than others. Players note that not all DLC characters are immediately available, and early access is given to Kombat Pack owners.

Game modes and difficulty: The game features arcade mode and a story mode, with character-specific moves and variations. Some players find the game a bit hard, and tournament variations are included for competitive play.

Character gameplay styles: Each character has a distinct playstyle: Terminator is clumsy and slow, Nightwolf uses an axe and spirits, Spawn focuses on heavy zoning, and Joker uses trickery. This provides variety but may affect balance.

Frost unlock via story: Frost is unlocked by completing chapter 4 of the story campaign. This is a clear progression requirement for players to gain access to the character.

Runs on below-spec GPUs: The game performs well on graphics cards below the minimum requirements, such as GTX 970 and GTX 570. This suggests the game is well-optimized for lower-end hardware.

Smooth performance without lag: The game runs smoothly without noticeable lag, contributing to an enjoyable gameplay experience. This feedback is highlighted in the fourth cluster.

Online connectivity issues: Players report problems with online connectivity, leading to a less stable multiplayer experience. This feedback appears in the first cluster.

Supports 60 FPS: The PC version supports 60 FPS, providing a smooth and responsive experience for players with capable hardware. This is a positive aspect of the port.

Declining port optimization: There is a trend of decreasing optimization in PC ports over time, which may affect performance on certain systems. This concern is raised in the fifth cluster.

Buy on sale only: Many reviewers consistently advise waiting for a sale or discount before purchasing, with some specifying half price or less. This reflects a shared perception that the content is good but not worth its full price.

Avoid full price: A clear consensus exists that the Kombat Pack should not be purchased at full price, as multiple reviewers explicitly advise against this. This is a strong signal that the perceived value is below the asking price.

Worth buying for fans: Reviewers who are active players or fans of Mortal Kombat 11 find the Kombat Pack a worthwhile purchase, emphasizing the value it adds for dedicated players. This is contrasted with casual players who might not get the same value.

Good value with discounts: Reviewers highlight that the pack's value improves significantly when purchased at a discount, making a sale the recommended time to buy. The combination of content and reduced price is seen as a strong deal.

Prefer Ultimate edition: Several reviewers recommend getting the Ultimate Edition instead of buying the Kombat Pack separately, often specifically on sale, to ensure all important content is included. This suggests the pack alone may feel incomplete or less cost-effective.

Community fair range: $15.00 - $30.00.

Fighter Variety Enthusiast: Explores all fighters, focuses on unique abilities and matchups. Motivation: Enjoying diverse character movesets and iconic personalities. Stance: buy.

Value-Driven Discount Seeker: Waits for sales, compares prices, and prioritizes discounts. Motivation: Getting the best price and avoiding overpaying for DLC. Stance: sale.

Casual DLC Skeptic: Plays occasionally, avoids repetitive grinding, seeks immediate gratification. Motivation: Wanting easy access to content without grinding or heavy time investment. Stance: no buy.

Monetization: The reviews focus on complaints about DLC pricing, season pass structure, and pre-order value. All issues revolve around traditional paid DLC and pre-order practices. There is no mention of in-game microtransactions, pay-to-win mechanics, loot boxes, or other predatory monetization. The feedback reflects typical consumer frustration with DLC pricing and value, not with exploitative monetization systems.

DLC bundles and structure: The DLC is sold as bundles like Kombat Pack 1, Kombat Pack 2, and Aftermath Expansion, with options to buy individually. Some bundles include the base game and other add-ons.

Kombat Pack 1 adds six characters: The Kombat Pack 1 includes Shang Tsung, Nightwolf, Sindel, Terminator T-800, Joker, and Spawn. This is the main content of the DLC and is frequently mentioned.

Cheaper than separate purchases: Buying the Kombat Pack is more cost-effective than purchasing each character individually. This is a positive point in favor of the bundle.

Comparisons to other DLC: The Kombat Pack is compared favorably to Mortal Kombat 11's Kombat Pack II, other DLCs with fewer characters, and the Aftermath Expansion. Some consider it the best DLC.

Individual characters sold separately: While the pack is sold as a bundle, each character can also be purchased individually, giving players flexibility.