MK1: 4k Cinematic Pack Review Summary

Stunning 4K visuals, enjoyable gameplay, improved fatalities, and a cinematic story mode shine, but the massive download size and lackluster DLC hold it back.

4K visuals praised: Players confirm the 4K pack delivers high-quality visuals, with detailed cinematics and beautiful graphics on 4K TVs. The improvement is significant for optional content and cinematics.

Gameplay is enjoyable: Reviewers find the game fun and engaging, with good gameplay and a higher difficulty than Street Fighter 6 in some instances. The game hooks players and offers long-term replayability.

Fatalities improved: Fatalities look better and are easier to perform, enhancing the signature feature of the series. This improvement is noted positively by players.

Cinematic story mode: The story mode has a cinematic presentation that feels like watching a movie, with lovely storytelling. This immersive narrative is a highlight for reviewers.

Best Mortal Kombat yet: One reviewer considers this the best Mortal Kombat game released so far, highlighting its quality and appeal. This strong endorsement suggests high satisfaction.

Large download size issues: The DLC requires a massive download, often around 45-50GB, which is seen as excessive given the marginal quality difference. Some users also report that the download cannot be stopped or removed, wasting SSD space.

DLC quality is poor: Multiple reviewers report that the DLC content is of low quality and provides little to no meaningful upgrade or difference. The content is often described as unnecessary and not worth the large download size.

Performance and optimization problems: The game suffers from bugs, optimization issues, and stuttering, particularly during story sequences. Some users report crashes on launch and general instability, indicating the game needed more development time.

Cash grab DLC model: The game is perceived as a cash grab due to expansion packs, DLC characters, and a Fortnite-style item store that sells cut content. This makes buying on release day seem not worth it.

4K pack lacks visible difference: The 4K Cinematic Pack does not show a visible difference in quality, yet it consumes a large amount of storage. Users without 4K screens feel the forced download is a waste of SSD space.

Fighting gameplay is solid: The core fighting gameplay is described as very good, with an easy-to-learn but hard-to-master difficulty curve.

Game features multiple modes: Players highlight the presence of online multiplayer, invasion mode, and story mode, indicating a variety of gameplay options.

Fatality mechanic praised: The fatality mechanic is noted as a distinctive feature, adding to the game's appeal.

Performance locked at 30fps: Multiple reviewers report the game is locked to 30fps, even at 4K resolution, and that 60fps is not supported. This is a common complaint affecting overall smoothness.

Stuttering on high-end systems: Stuttering occurs even on top-tier hardware like a 9800X3D and RTX 5090, and during 4K cinematics. This indicates optimization issues beyond hardware limitations.

Resolution scaling performance issues: Performance is laggy at 2K resolution, and there are concerns about lag at 4K. The 4K pack also increases CPU load, suggesting resolution scaling is not optimized.

Large disk space requirement: The game requires a large amount of disk space, with additional content packs taking up almost 50 extra GB. This is a significant storage burden for players.

Cinematics not 60fps: Most content consists of movies and in-game cinematics running at 24/30fps, and cinematics are not 60fps. This affects the visual experience for players expecting smoother playback.

Wait for sale: One reviewer advises waiting for a definitive edition on sale rather than purchasing at full price on release day, suggesting the game may not be worth its initial cost.

Not worth it: One reviewer states the game is not worth purchasing, implying significant drawbacks or lack of value.

DLC and expansions criticized: Players note the game is sold with expansion packs and DLC characters, and some content is listed in the DLC list. This is seen as a negative, with expectations of a definitive edition later.

Large download size: The game requires about 44.1 GB of disk space, and content requires a 45GB download. This is a concern for players with limited storage, especially on Steam Deck.

Content should be day one: Some content should have been a day 1 release, indicating that players feel it was withheld for monetization. This is a negative point.

Comparison to MK11 issues: The reviewer compares the situation to MK11, noting similar issues at launch. This suggests a pattern of problematic releases from the developer.

Defense against backlash: The reviewer defends the game against backlash about being rushed, DLC, and new mechanics. This indicates a divided player opinion.