Jason Savio

What would you do if you got sent to the future and discovered that your future-self turned out to be a jerk and nobody likes you?

That’s the dilemma Raiden (and to a lesser extent some of the other characters) in Mortal Kombat 11 face. One of the all-time great fighting game franchises, Mortal Kombat incorporates a big dose of time travel in its newest story for an interesting twist that lets the gamer inside the mind of many favorite fighters as they come face to face with their past and future selves.

After killing Elder God Shinnok in the opening, a not-so-likeable Raiden gets the attention of Kronika, the keeper of time, who is none too pleased with his actions. A new antagonist in the series, the bald-headed, floating Kronika controls the sands of time and has been keeping the realms in balance, but says that Raiden killing Shinnok has thrown everything out of whack. She plans on wiping everything out and restarting history with a new timeline—one that doesn’t include Raiden in it. How does she plan on doing this? By enlisting all of those who have a mutual hatred for the God of Thunder, namely big baddie Shao Kahn. Part of her plan also ends up sending classic Mortal Kombat fighters from the past to the present, which is the best part of the game and creates interesting sub-stories and confrontations.

When the past fighters arrive, not everything is as they would expect. Allegiances have been broken and new alliances formed in the intervening years. Some of those who were once fighting for the right causes are now corrupt and almost unrecognizable. How will a young Lui Kang and Kung Lao react when they see what Raiden has done to them? How will past-Raiden – who is trying to gather his friends together to stop Kronika – steer the ship knowing the questionable things his future self has been a part of? These are just some of the juicy conflicts that create a compelling story for a game that has now been around for almost 30 years. And with two Johnny Cages in the same room, there’s plenty of humor.

Mortal Kombat 11 takes the time to delve into its most beloved characters. Sure, the fighting is still there, and it’s as violent and gruesome as ever, but that’s to be expected at this point. What isn’t expected are scenes like Jax at home by himself struggling with PTSD. When Kronika comes to him asking for his help by tempting the vulnerable Jax with the opportunity to turn back time and make things right, you almost can’t blame him for taking up the opportunity. This version of Mortal Kombat is as badass as any other, but what makes it better than most is that it has a soul.

Fore more, visit: mortalkombat.com.