Outside of the Grand Theft Auto series and the Doom series there has always been one series that attracted an enormous amount of media controversy for its over the top, violent portrayal of one on one fighting. That series is Mortal Kombat. The game takes its influences from games like Street Fighter; one on one intense fighting. While Street Fighter is a little more Japanese in its style, Mortal Kombat is, for better or worse, a heavily Western game. Street Fighter sees people KO’d after their health bar reaches zero, Mortal Kombat, however, allows players to perform special moves called fatalities. Thus the criticism was born.

Each character has their own fatality; a move specifically designed to encompass their characteristics. Each more gruesome and over the top than the last. The latest entry, Mortal Kombat X, is no exception. Given that we now have top of the range graphics on our systems the game, and the kills to go with it, are even more gory than ever before. The criticism can certainly be understood; especially given that children have access to these games, and parents are poorly educated, youngsters are getting their hands on the game.