Mortal Kombat 11 Shang Tsung Review Summary

Shang Tsung shines with an authentic actor portrayal, excellent special moves, and nostalgic movie resemblance, but the content underwhelms for the price and ninja moves are missing online.

Shang Tsung is top-tier: Multiple reviews highlight Shang Tsung as one of the best and most powerful characters in the game. His combat effectiveness and enjoyable gameplay make him a standout fighter.

Authentic actor portrayal praised: Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's performance as Shang Tsung is highly praised, with many noting his faithful likeness and voice acting. This adds to the character's appeal and authenticity.

Nostalgic movie resemblance: The character's appearance closely resembles the actor from the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie, triggering nostalgia among players. His visual design is considered faithful and iconic.

Excellent special moves and combos: Players praise Shang Tsung's special moves, combos, and overall moveset, noting that they are fun to use and reflect his personality. The variety of moves adds depth to his gameplay.

Satisfying fatalities and brutalities: Shang Tsung's fatalities, including turning enemies into old men, and his brutalities are considered excellent and satisfying. These finishing moves add to the character's appeal.

Content not worth price: Multiple reviews indicate that the game's content is not justified by its price. Players feel that the base game and character packs are overpriced for what is offered.

Ninja moves unavailable online: The moves of characters like Reptile, Ermac, and Smoke are not usable in Kombat League ranked modes. This limits gameplay variety for players who favor those styles.

Character balancing issues: Some characters were overpowered at release, but subsequent nerfs made them barely usable in Kombat League. This creates frustration and leads to a stale meta.

Character skins and costumes lacking: Players are unhappy that some outfits are sold separately or are not as good as those in the movie. A character also has fewer costumes than others.

Missing MK9/MK10 characters: Players note that several characters from previous games, such as Robo Sabziro and Shiva, are absent in MK11, resulting in a smaller roster. This is seen as a downgrade from earlier entries.

Morphing core mechanic: Shang Tsung's signature ability to transform into opponents and use their moves, including brutalities, is repeatedly highlighted. This mechanic is central to his identity and gameplay versatility.

Soul steal ability: The soul-stealing mechanic allows copying opponent moves and transforming into the opponent's chosen character during fights. This emphasizes strategic adaptation and mirrors the opponent's playstyle.

Diverse move set: His moves include fireballs, teleport swaps, corpse drops, and various specials, offering a mix of zoning and close-range tools. The addition of new moves like corpse drop and teleport enhances his combat options.

Classic character roster: Shang Tsung can transform into classic ninjas like Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Noob during Fatal Blow, and also brings back Smoke, Reptile, and Ermac. This nod to legacy characters is appreciated by fans.

Game mode content: The game includes AI battles, a story mode, and Kombat League ranked mode, offering varied gameplay experiences. These modes enhance replayability and competitive engagement.

Buy character in bundle: Multiple reviewers recommend purchasing the character as part of a bundle rather than separately to save money and unlock other characters early. This approach is considered more cost-effective.

DLC worth buying: Several reviewers state that the character DLC is an excellent addition and worth purchasing, especially for fans of the Mortal Kombat series. It enhances the roster and gameplay experience.

Must-have for fans: The DLC is described as a must-have for fans of the series and specifically for fans of the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie. It adds significant value for dedicated players.

Prefer Ultimate Edition: Some reviewers advise getting the Ultimate Edition of MK11 instead of the separate DLC, as it likely offers better value and includes more content. This is suggested as a smarter purchase.

Wait for discount: One reviewer suggests getting the bundle on sale, and another advises buying an indie game on discount instead, indicating that the DLC may be overpriced at full price.

Shang Tsung based on 1995 film: Reviews frequently highlight that Shang Tsung's appearance and voice in Mortal Kombat 11 are modeled after Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's portrayal in the 1995 movie. This nostalgic reference is well-received by fans.

Characters sold separately: Some reviews note that Mortal Kombat 11 sells character packs and individual characters separately, which may affect the perceived value. This is a monetization strategy that some players find inconvenient.

Kombat League adds ranked mode: The game has a new online ranked mode called Kombat League, which includes a season system. This provides competitive gameplay opportunities for players.

Ongoing developer support praised: Reviews praise the developers for their ongoing support of Mortal Kombat 11, including updates and additional content. This indicates a positive view of post-launch engagement.

Six additional characters planned: Reviews mention that Mortal Kombat 11 has six additional characters planned, including Nightwolf, Sindel, Spawn, and two guest characters. This indicates ongoing content support for the game.