Is Mortal Kombat 11 worth it for single player? My friend, absolutely yes.

ByNelson Ayers

If you love fighting games mainly for solo play like story mode, unlocking skins, or perfecting moves in training, Mortal Kombat 11 is absolutely worth picking up. With dozens of hours of content, polished cinematics, and endless challenge towers, MK11 sets the new bar for single-player fighting games.

As a longtime fan since the arcade days, I‘ve played them all. And MK11 has some of the most robust and rewarding solo experiences I‘ve seen. While the game isn‘t perfect, the depth and variety give tremendous bang for your buck.

In this post, I‘ll give you an in-depth tour of all the single-player options. By the end, you‘ll see why MK11 is a must-buy if immersive solo play is your fighting game priority.

Cinematic story mode spans 5-8 hours

Mortal Kombat always impressed me with its lore and worldbuilding compared to other fighters. MK11 takes it a step further with production values rivaling a Hollywood movie.

The cinematic story mode features actual actors performing extensively as their characters. Cutscenes have clear passion and budget behind them, with slick choreography and effects.

Fully-voiced dialogue scenes run between fights to tell a time travel-based plot. Multiple chapters let you control and experience perspectives of fan favorites like Scorpion, Raiden, and Johnny Cage.

Overall MK11‘s story spans 5-8 hours depending on skill level. For comparison, that‘s nearly 4 times longer than Street Fighter V‘s story lasting under 2 hours. Other fighting games like Tekken 7 and Blazblue Cross Tag have story runtimes of 3-4 hours.

Story progress saves between chapters, so you can take breaks or skip ahead if stuck. Responsive controls and epic staging make brawling with demons and sorcerers even more brutal and cinematic.

As someone who knows Mortal Kombat‘s lore inside and out, MK11 does an amazing job weaving together plot threads and character backgrounds that reference the entire franchise. If you love the MK universe, this story mode is incredible fanservice.

Hundreds of Towers with dynamic modifiers

Arcade-style challenge towers have been a staple in Mortal Kombat games, but they‘ve never been as robust as the Towers of Time in MK11.

There are over 250 towers with different stipulations and modifiers to add variety. Towers have multiple stages, including:

  • Beginner -around 5 stages

  • Intermediate – around 7 stages

  • Advanced – over 10 stages

Stages feature unique conditions that alter rules of the fight. Examples include:

  • Floor hazards that damage you

  • Power-ups that buff the opponent

  • Modifiers that disable certain moves

  • Allies that assist your enemy

There are also Tag Team Towers where you can swap between characters. Completing Towers earns rewards like:

  • Alternate character costumes and gear
  • New taunts, brutalities, and fatalities
  • Profile icons, concept art

Towers change and update daily and weekly with new rewards. Premier Towers have the rarest loot but cost premium currency to attempt – though they can be completed through pure skill.

With so many Towers of Time, each playthrough feels fresh. You need to adapt strategies and master new challenges. It hugely expands the solo content beyond standard matches.

The intricate Krypt rewards exploration

Another great side activity is exploring the Krypt, an expansive dungeon with treasure chests containing unlockable rewards.

Navigation is in first-person, with some light platforming and puzzle-solving to reach new areas. Each chest you open requires Koins earned from playing the game modes.

The massive Krypt has over 600 chests to locate and unlock. These contain:

  • New gear sets and skins to customize character appearance
  • Concept art and music from the series
  • Consumables to assist in Towers
  • Fatalities and Brutalities for moves and finishers

I loved seeking out hidden secrets and earning enough Koins to open that one epic chest with a rare reward. Finding lore items provides cool background on the series.

Completing the entire Krypt can take over 20 hours. It gives huge incentive to keep playing to access new zones and unlock costumes and gear for your favorite fighters.

Best fighting game tutorial ever

MK11 has set the gold standard for fighting game tutorials. There are lessons tailored for players of all backgrounds:

  • Beginner basics – movement, attacks, blocking, specials
  • Intermediate mechanics – combos, cancels, meter use
  • Advanced systems – frame data, fatals, krushing blows

Helpful demonstrations play side-by-side for every lesson. Challenges test retention of concepts. I can‘t think of any fighter with more comprehensive training.

The Practice mode is also extremely flexible for drills. You can display frame data, input history, hitboxes, and much more. Recording dummy routines helps lab out punishes and responses.

As someone who trains new players regularly, MK11 has become my go-to for getting fighting game newcomers up to speed thanks to its unrivaled tutorial tools.

Satisfying progression with AI Battles

Even when you aren‘t playing, you can make progress with AI Battles. This creative mode lets you draft and customize AI teams with items earned through the game.

You assemble a roster then set up teams of 3 fighters. When not playing, they battle opponents offline earning you rewards like currency and gear.

The strategic element comes from building your ideal AI teams, upgrading them with loot, and balancing their strengths. It incentivizes you to keep improving your squad.

Seeing your fighters progress through offline tournaments and receiving victory rewards feels great. It‘s a clever asynchronous system that keeps you engaged.

Verdict – MK11 is a must-buy for solo players

For players who enjoy solo experiences like story, challenges, and collectibles, Mortal Kombat 11 is easily worth purchasing, especially at its discounted price now.

The stellar story mode, endless Towers, sprawling Krypt, and unmatched tutorials provide hundreds of hours of content. And that‘s before considering the local versus fighting and other modes you can also enjoy.

As someone who has played every Mortal Kombat entry extensively over the decades, MK11 sets a new benchmark for solo play. The variety, polish, and depth are hard to match in any fighter.

So if you love solo fighting game content, don‘t hesitate to pick up MK11 and appreciate the insane amount of quality material NetherRealm packed in. You‘ll be mastering challenges and unlocking new rewards for a long time.

In my opinion, this is the best Mortal Kombat ever made. And easily one of the deepest solo fighting experiences out there. Give it a shot and prepare to get hooked exploring all there is to offer.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

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