Zero Punctuation Season 9 Episode 17 Mortal Kombat X Test Your Might

Zero Punctuation is a web-series by Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw, where he reviews video games with his distinctive sarcastic and fast-paced style. In the season 9 episode 17, Yahtzee reviews Mortal Kombat X, the sequel to the popular fighting game franchise that first appeared in arcades in 1992.

The episode starts with a brief recap of the Mortal Kombat series' history and its signature gory and over-the-top violence that defined the genre. Yahtzee then jumps right into the game itself, praising its slick presentation and refined gameplay, but also pointing out its flaws and irritations.

One of the first things Yahtzee notices is the game's interface, which he jokes resembles a high-tech dashboard more than a fighting game menu. He jokes that he almost expected the game to ask him to enter his destination coordinates before he could start playing. However, he also notes that the menus are well-organized and offer plenty of customization options, from the character selection screen to the different modes.

Moving on to the gameplay, Yahtzee praises the game's improved and smoother mechanics, which allow for more fluid combos and faster-paced matches. He also discusses the game's use of different fighting styles for each character, which offer deeper and more varied gameplay options. However, he also notes that some of these styles can feel gimmicky or unbalanced, especially in multiplayer matches.

One of the major additions to Mortal Kombat X is the "faction wars" mode, which pits players against each other in global online battles for dominance. Yahtzee appreciates the idea of adding a meta-game layer to the usual fighting gameplay, but he also criticizes the mode's implementation. He notes that the faction wars are heavily weighted towards the factions with more players, which can make it difficult for smaller groups to compete. He also finds the rewards for winning the faction wars to be underwhelming and not worth the effort.

Another new feature in Mortal Kombat X is the "test your might" mini-game, which involves rapidly tapping buttons to break obstacles and defeat opponents. Yahtzee finds this mode to be a fun distraction from the main gameplay, but also notes that it can quickly become repetitive and frustrating. He also jokes that completing the test your might challenges can feel like a workout for one's fingers and wrists.

Moving on to the game's story mode, Yahtzee finds the narrative to be more engaging and coherent than previous Mortal Kombat games, thanks to its focus on a new generation of characters and their relationships. He also enjoys the game's use of quick-time events and scripted sequences to enhance the drama and action of the story. However, he also notes that the story mode can feel too scripted at times, and also lacks the branching paths and multiple endings of other fighting game story modes.

Finally, Yahtzee discusses the game's graphics and sound design. He praises the game's detailed character models and realistic gore effects, joking that he feels both impressed and nauseated at the same time. He also enjoys the game's iconic and memorable music and sound effects, especially the "get over here!" shout from Scorpion. However, he also notes that some of the voice acting can feel wooden or awkward, especially during the story mode's cutscenes.

Overall, Yahtzee gives Mortal Kombat X a positive review, finding it to be a solid and enjoyable fighting game with many improvements over its predecessors. However, he also points out its flaws and frustrations, including some unbalanced gameplay mechanics, tedious mini-games, and underwhelming rewards. He concludes that the game is worth playing for fans of the series or the genre, but also highlights the importance of finding a balance between fun and challenge in any game.