Blood sprays, bone cracks, and the sentence drops in two words we all know.

With 150 duels logged, Mortal Kombat has a sturdier profile than most, and it sketches a balanced fighter that leans toward spectacle. Rediscovery leads the dance, ahead of 81% of games, that thrill of reliving the shock for the first time. The hands-on feel follows close behind, ahead of 71%, with the style and soundtrack right after, near the top of the table. Fun and connection sit in the middle, no more, no less. The per-criterion vote counts are thin, so take it with nuance, but the overall trend is clear: a game you replay for the rush of the senses more than for the intimate bond.

In the fighting arena, this 2011 reboot put the series back at the center of the genre, a marriage of unapologetic violence and grandiose staging. Its strength is impact, not intimacy.

So, who's it for? For you if you love visceral, brutal combat that floors you with its show. Much less if you want the game that touches your heart or that you keep close like a companion.