Mortal Kombat X has been available for a little under a month now, and its first major DLC is finally available for those who purchased the Kombat Pack (read: season pass). Included is the new playable kombatant Jason Vorhees (of Friday the 13th fame), and three new costumes for already existing fighters are also thrown into the mix. Those who do not have the pack will be able to buy the Horror Pack separately on May 12. So how does the Horror Pack shape up?
It turns out that it’s actually pretty decent, although it is noticeably lacking in some areas. Obviously Jason headlines the Horror Pack but you also get some new horror themed skins as well. You’ve got Vampiress, Pharaoh, and Kraken; for Mileena, Ermac, and Reptile respectively. While the new costumes don’t do anything special for these characters (sorry no damage buffs for the already powerful Ermac), they allow players to dress the part as they become the nightmare their opponents can’t help but dream about.
Of course, although alternate skins are all the rage in modern gaming, it’s the new playable characters that everyone longs for. After almost a month with Mortal Kombat X, people probably have already determined who their favoritate characters are, and have learned the ins and outs of every adversary. As good as Mortal Kombat X may be, it’s normal for fans to want something that shakes up the competition. Jason Vorhees does just that.
Jason is one relentless kombatant, in fact one of his three variations is labeled as such. Possessing a surprising amount of speed, and the strength he has used to slay many on the silver screen, Jason Vorhees is a true force to be reckoned with. Yet it seems as if Netherrealm Studios learned a lesson from their time with Injustice: Gods Among Us. New fighters that were added to that title had a tendency of being over powered and poorly balanced. That’s not the case with Jason in Mortal Kombat X; and that comes as quite the relief, especially since there is a large amount of individuals who currently don’t have access to the new fighter.
What makes Jason’s inclusion even better is the fact that he manages to fit in perfectly with Mortal Kombat X‘s hyper-violent cast. Instead of including Mr. Voorhees as just another slow character with an incredibly high damage output, they built the character around what made him such a great horror movie villain. His three variations (Unstoppable, Slasher, and Relentless) have him cutting, tearing, beating, and pursuing his opponents to no end. There’s a certain sense of dread you get when you see Jason rise after being defeated (yup that’s one of his abilities). It’s kind of funny (and impressive) just how perfectly Jason fits in among the elder gods, ninja clans, and military specialists.
The only major issue with this first DLC pack for Mortal Kombat X is that outside of Jason and the costumes, there is nothing else. Jason’s story in the tower is pretty humorous, but at the end of the day, it is just one new fighter and some costumes. Injustice: Gods Among Us included challenging missions to undertake with each new character that would have been a perfect fit for Mortal Kombat X and its growing roster. It’s not the end of the world, but it does feel like a missed opportunity.
Other than that, Jason and the Horror Pack are must haves for fans of Mortal Kombat X, or slow moving psycho murderers. The inclusion of Jason works even better than the inclusion of Freddy in Mortal Kombat (2011). Excellent balance, a fresh take on an old legend, and awesome looking new skins round out the first DLC pack in good fashion. Here’s hoping that future packs add a bit more content around the new fighters.
