Though not as strong as past Mortal Kombat expansions, there’s good fun to be had in Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns, as it adds some very enjoyable new characters and features a story that is, at the very least, enjoyably ridiculous.
Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns
Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Price: $50
Platforms: PS5 (reviewed), Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC
MonsterVine was provided with a PS5 code for review
I was a bit underwhelmed by Mortal Kombat 1 at launch, as it felt as though it was missing some of the content that the series thrives on. The new expansion, Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns, hasn’t necessarily fixed those problems, but it does bring a good deal of enjoyable content to the table in its place.
The biggest point of interest is the newly added characters, which are Cyrax, Sektor, and Noob Saibot. Though I’m not huge on Cyrax and Sektor being in Iron Man-esque armor rather than being cyborgs, their actual play styles are quite enjoyable and distinct. Cyrax uses bombs and some sort of expanding gel to great effect, while Sektor has more range with rockets and missiles. I’m glad their helmets are the customizable part as well, as it makes it easier to craft your distinct versions of the suits.
My favorite addition has got to be Noob Saibot though, as his playstyle and aesthetic are just as cool as they’ve ever been. Using his shadow clone, Noob can mess with opponents using all sorts of grabs and hits from a distance, while also being able to quickly teleport around the screen. Plus, his look and voice are badass as always, and the ability to make him look like earlier versions of the character is a big plus.
“There are lots of goofy moments to make up for this, like two Haviks high-fiving with their recently severed arms or WWII Johnny Cage throwing out memorable quips straight from the ‘40s.“
The story of Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns is admittedly a bit lacking. Titan Havik decides to follow up on his appearance from the end of the main game’s story as he seeks to spread chaos across all the timelines. This leads to all sorts of multiversal versions of other characters crossing paths as they try to stop Havik, who isn’t as threatening this time around as I had hoped.
The variations of characters are a highlight, from World War II-era Johnny Cage to goofy mohawk-adorned Khaos Kenshi, but the battles themselves feel a bit thin. The crisis is pretty quickly averted and Havik never poses much of a threat to the crew, making the core crisis feel a bit underwhelming. There are lots of goofy moments to make up for this, like two Haviks high-fiving with their recently severed arms or WWII Johnny Cage throwing out memorable quips straight from the ‘40s.
The added Animalities is also great, with every character having a unique one that suits them as a fighter while also being ridiculously (and expectedly) gory. My favorite has got to be Johnny Cage turning into a shark in a Jaws homage on a film set, but there’s no shortage of excellent ones to view and perform.
The Final Word
Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns is a pleasant enough expansion to the latest Mortal Kombat game. The new characters are a blast to use and the story, while somewhat all over the place, has enough fun moments to be worth a go. If you didn’t dig Mortal Kombat 1 already, this expansion won’t change your mind, but it’s a good time for those who are already into the title.
MonsterVine Rating: 3.5 out of 5 – Fair
