You need to play the most brutal fighting game on PlayStation Plus Collection ASAP

PlayStation Plus Collection is the closest thing PS5 has to Game Pass, and there’s only one fighting game on it. Thankfully, it’s one of the most brutal of the last decade: Mortal Kombat X. If you haven’t given it a shot yet, you need to check it out ahead of the Mortal Kombat movie’s release in April 2021.

Mortal Kombat X was released for PC, PS4, and Xbox One in 2015. It's the tenth entry in the long-running fighting game series that's infamous for its bloody combat. We've come a long way since a simple blood code, though. While pundits have mostly stopped persecuting games like Mortal Kombat X, the games have continued to get more and more brutal, featuring some vicious and gory fatalities.

Mortal Kombat X is particularly visceral with its X-Ray attacks and the series' trademark Fatalities, even with how over-the-top they are. It definitely pushes that M rating when it comes to violence as it’s less cartoonish than other games in its series.

2019's Mortal Kombat 11 is just as gory, it's also a bit more playful in tone. While Mortal Kombat X jokes about its violence as well, the darker aesthetic and subject matter make this fighting game feel even more brutal than its contemporaries. Every game in the series also changes the mechanics slightly, so having a sequel doesn't immediately invalidate this game.

The game isn't all just violence though. It's very enjoyable to master as a 1v1 fighting game. While you can enjoy the game by button mashing if you're a casual player who just wants to see all the PS Plus Collection has to offer, skilled players can learn the intricacies of combat and as they master the balance of the Energy and Stamina meters to enhance their special moves.

Mortal Kombat X also features a bombastic and entertaining story mode that fully takes advantage of the series’ dense lore. While this is technically the second part of a trilogy, you can still enjoy it as a newcomer as it introduces a new generation of fighters like Cassie Cage, the daughter of classic Mortal Kombat characters Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade.

Players fight the disgraced Elder God Shinnok as his loyal sorcerer Quan Chi as they attempt to invade Earthrealm years after the events of Mortal Kombat 9. Mortal Kombat stories are always over the top and revel in the series' complex and interesting lore, and Mortal Kombat X is no different. You can enjoy it just like you would with any other schlocky action movie, and you can get through it in just about six hours.

It will also prepare you for the Mortal Kombat movie coming to theaters and HBO Max in April. Those that like traditional fighting games and don't mind a bit of gore will find a lot to enjoy with Mortal Kombat X and its short but sweet story mode, and it doesn’t seem like it will leave PlayStation Plus Collection anytime soon.

If you really enjoy the game, you can pick up its DLC. With that you'll gain access to some awesome fighters like Jason Vorhees from Friday the 13th and the Xenomorph from Alien.

Mortal Kombat X is available now as part of the PS Plus Collection.