A hot-button issue for a lot of gamers and game reviewers right now is microtransactions. They have such a negative stigma, and rightfully so. They’re essentially a way to get more money for a game post-launch. Many publishers have abused them, taking advantage of gamers who want the latest and greatest items and cosmetics.
It was a little heartbreaking to find out that the highly anticipated Mortal Kombat 11 had them. At the heart, MK11 is a great fighting game. The mechanics have come so far since the first MK game debuted back in 1992. The visuals and story are also pristine. You’d honestly be hard-pressed to find a better fighting game right now. Unfortunately, these strengths are being overshadowed somewhat by the cosmetic grind.
Mortal Kombat games have always been amazing because of the various costumes you can equip to your characters. This game, however, makes costume upgrades quite a difficult feat. To get them, you must collect Time Krystals. They don’t seem like a bad idea on the surface. However, as you start playing the different tower modes, you’ll soon realize how long it takes to actually get a decent amount.
Bypassing this in-game grind involves paying hard-earned money. Alas, here is where the microtransactions controversy comes into play. You would think that NetherRealm Studios would have learned from past mistakes of other games. Thankfully, it appears they’re not completely set in stone.
Ed Boon — the creative director — recently remarked on his team’s plans of adjusting the currency system. He went on to say this via a tweet, ”We have a hot fix/improvements koming to address those super hard Towers of Time, as well as better rewards/economy to be used in the Krypt.”
At least he and his creative team see the issues here. They’re not going to ignore them in exchange for making some change. That’s quite a relief. NetherRealm Studios have never been a company that seems in favor of making a profit over giving gamers truly epic combat experiences.
The patch is expected to come out within the next few weeks. Hopefully, it changes up how many Time Krystals you need to purchase some noteworthy costumes. If they can make this switch, there’s no reason Mortal Kombat 11 can’t be one of the best fighting games of the decade.
Stringing combos with all of the characters just feels right, and in terms of the story, it doesn’t get any better. MK11 came hot out of the gate, and of course, there were going to be issues like most games have at launch. The creators just need to listen to feedback and do what’s right.
