Mortal Kombat Aftermath (Xbox One) Reviewed.

I think it can be safely said that nobody expected Mortal Kombat Aftermath. It’s something that’s never been done before in the history of the series; an expansion pack that adds story.

Previous Mortal Kombat additions have always focused on characters packs, with guest fighters being the main draw. With Aftermath, it’s the best of both worlds; we get new fighters (Sheeva, Robocop and Fujin), plus a new story that picks up after the main game ends.

So, with that in mind, is Mortal Kombat Aftermath worth it?

What is Mortal Kombat Aftermath?

Mortal Kombat Aftermath is an expansion to Mortal Kombat 11. It introduces three new characters; Sheeva, Fujin and RoboCop. On top of that, the expansion also serves as an epilogue, continuing the plot of the main game.

It also introduces new features to the main game, such as Friendship and Stage finishers, along with a handful of new stages.

It’s developed by Netherrealm Games (the developers of Mortal Kombat 11) and published for by WB Games. It’s currently available on PC, PS4, Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch.

In Aftermath, Shang Tsung, Nightwolf and Fujin convince Liu Kang and Raiden that they need to go back in time to steal Kronica’s (the main baddie of Mortal Kombat 11) crown (which Liu Kang’s destroyed in the present) as it’s the only way Liu Kang can safely reshape time.

While initially boring, it quickly picks up the pace as Shang Tsung arranges all the pieces of his plans. It’s a great throwback to the older games, where the sorcerer is always at the center of everything, pulling on the strings like a spider.

Shang Tsung’s return to prominence makes the plot feel more familiar than the war with Kronika, which in turn makes it even more enjoyable. You know the sorcerer is going to betray everybody (hell, everybody in the game knows it too) but it’s the drive to know how he does it that’ll keep you hooked.

It helps massively that the developers used Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa‘s face and voice for Shang Tsung.

Tagawa played the character in the 90s Mortal Kombat movie and fans of the movie will especially love this piece of casting. Tagawa’s sneering face and mocking voice is perfect for Shang Tsung as he schemes and backstabs everybody. Yes, the iconic ‘IT HAS BEGUN!!!” line is in too!

Even better, a couple of Shang Tsung’s lines are copies of Vader’s! So if you’re a Star Wars AND Shang Tsung fan (like me), you’ll get a massive kick out of it.

It’s a damn shame Netherrealm did go all the way and got Christopher Lambert and Robin Shou to do Raiden and Liu Kang too!

The new storyline isn’t that long (around two hours give or take) but I preferred it more than the main storyline from Mortal Kombat 11. Unfortunately, RoboCop doesn’t even appear in it. Yeah, it’s sad but understandable.

Unfortunately, there’s a cliffhanger ending to the whole thing…You have to pick with Shang Tsung or Liu Kang for the final fight, with each fighter having different endings. Shang Tsung’s ending is the best, though Netherrealm’s not said which one’s canon.

Speaking of fighters, the three new additions are awesome.

RoboCop moves and sounds just like his movie counterpart (it certain helps that Peter Weller reprises his role as Alex Murphy). His moves are pretty cool too, though it’s a bit strange seeing him hang around with ED-209. RoboCop’s customization options are a letdown though; there’s only ONE version of hi, that’s without his helmet and there’s no skin referencing his damaged RoboCop 2 look (with the spray paint and all) or even the new RoboCop reboot suit.

Fujin’s pretty decent too though I don’t really like his fighting style. His attacks are impressive to watch but they don’t do as much damage as RoboCop’s or Sheeva’s.

Sheeva on the other hand, I had a ton of fun with. I’ve always loved her since she was introduced in Mortal Kombat 3 and her return in Aftermath is much appreciated.

She’s still as fun as ever, with her grabs and jumps being incredibly damaging AND cool to watch. Sheeva also plays a vital role in the new plot, which is awesome too!

What holds me back from recommending this is that the price seems to be a bit on the high side for what’s on offer. You get 3 different characters, a new expansion story and some cosmetics and you’re charged $54.90 for it.

It’s much more palatable if you don’t have the game, since it’s priced at $84.90 for everything; the main game, the Kombat Pack and the Aftermath expansion.

For early adopters though, it’s a painful lesson. You buy the game at full price, you buy the Kombat Pack at full price and you get to buy the expansion at full price.

On top of that, if you didn’t preorder, you STILL don’t get Shao Kahn as he’s not included in the Kombat Pack or the Aftermath expansion.

Those buying the Komplete Collection get him free though…see what I’m getting at? Netherrealm and WB Games need to really take a look back on how they can make the game an equal value to stalwarts and newcomers.

The Bottom Line.

I enjoyed Mortal Kombat Aftermath more than I honestly thought I would. The plot is much better than I expected, and its focus on Shang Tsung really helps. It also doesn’t hurt that they got Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as the face and voice of the villain too, which makes him all the more awesome.

Of the three new characters, I’m really enjoying Sheeva and RoboCop. Fujin is a meh for me; I’d rather have another character. Hell, I’d even take Bo Rai Cho over Fujin. Still, the characters are decent and fun to use and fit in well with the roster.

The stages introduced in the expansion are also some of the best. I really enjoyed the Soul Chamber and arcade stages. They not only look cool, but in the case of the arcade stage, nostalgic too! It plays the old school Mortal Kombat games intros in the background, which is so damn awesome!

TLDR:

Great expansion but pricey if you’re only getting it. Great value if you’re buying the Komplete edition.