Sunday, November 24
Demo
Games

Mortal Kombat 1 Brutality Tier List

By 11 Mins Read

Mortal Kombat 1 happily embraces the series’ appetite for spectacular violence. Among the gore-fests in every game, the Fatality has always been the cream of the crop. However, there is an even more gruesome finisher above Fatalities. Performing a Brutality is one of the most deliciously disrespectful ways a player can end a match, and Mortal Kombat 1 puts this front and center.




It’s no surprise that the series partly responsible for the creation of the ESRB itself would continue its legacy of excessive violence. After all, the blood and gore is one of the main features that currently sets Mortal Kombat apart from other fighting games. While Mortal Kombat is most famous for Fatalities, fans can be sure to get just as much of a kick out of any given Brutality.

Related

Mortal Kombat 1: 10 Best Brutalities

Brutalities end fights in devastatingly graphic ways. Here are the best ones in Mortal Kombat 1.

S-Tier Brutalities in Mortal Kombat 1

  • Johnny Cage
  • Ermac
  • Takeda
  • Geras
  • General Shao
  • Mileena
  • Homelander

Johnny Cage is the cream of the crop when it comes to Brutality. Each finisher in his arsenal makes a great joke out of his status as a movie star, not to mention an arrogant a-hole. To put the cherry on top, Mortal Kombat 1 makes perfect use of the best attack in Johnny Cage’s moveset: the crotch punch.


Ermac’s place in Mortal Kombat 1 truly earns him the title of Brutality. One can only describe Ermac’s Brutalities as bone-chilling. While many characters simply cut to the chase, Ermac’s best Brutality shows the opponent slowly having their limbs bent out of shape one by one. In another, the victim is shrunk and then crushed under Ermac’s boot, showcasing the wide range of his abilities.

Takeda checks every box for a great Brutality, and then some. The best feature that Takeda brings to the table is just how long his go on. Most Brutalities are short but sweet, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, Takeda often leaves his opponent alive and writhing, making the finisher that much more humiliating.

General Shao is the King of Brutality. There isn’t much more to be said than that, and thankfully not much more that needs to be said. His Brutalities are unmatched in terms of how badly he decimates his opponent, and each finisher is befitting of such an imposing villain.


Just when one thinks Mileena is finished with her opponent, she just keeps going. Similarly to General Shao, Mileena makes up for what she lacks with sheer Brutality beyond the rest of the cast. Mileena is most well known for her razor sharp teeth, which she uses to shred her opponent’s face in devastating fashion.

Although the blunt force trauma of Geras’ Brutalities may intiailly appear similar to General Shao, his style more than sets himself apart in Mortal Kombat 1. His Brutalities are certainly unique, and it’s hard to find any moves more brutal than disintegrating opponents into sand.

Homelander makes it into the S-Tier for a simple reason. His finishers are certainly brutal, and lean full-tilt into his similarities with Superman. In addition, Homelander’s Mortal Kombat 1 Brutalities carry over an element of personality that many other characters can’t quite match.

Mortal Kombat Crossover Fighter Tier List

Related

Mortal Kombat Crossover Fighter Tier List

Mortal Kombat is full of crossover fighters that can be ranked by their appearance, gameplay, and immersion into the Mortal Kombat Universe.


A-Tier Brutalities in Mortal Kombat 1

  • Sektor
  • Liu Kang
  • Shang Tsung
  • Nitara
  • Sub-Zero
  • Omni-Man
  • Sindel
  • Quan Chi
  • Havik

Sektor may be new to Mortal Kombat 1, but her Brutalities are already among the best in the game. Sektor far exceeds Cyrax, her counterpart, and even most other characters when it comes to decimating the competition. Sektor certainly has the best decapitation in the game, using one of her robotic appendages to play a crane game with her opponent’s head.

Liu Kang’s newfound godlike power is on full display in Mortal Kombat 1. His Brutalities go far beyond his familiar martial arts prowess, although that is certainly intact as well. In one of the game’s best moments of spectacle, Liu Kang summons a dragon to devour his victim whole.


Shang Tsung uses Brutality to offer gruesome attacks no other character could pull off. Some of his Brutalities even utilize the stage as a weapon, while one flays the opponent’s skin off, and leaves them standing in perhaps the most diabolical Brutality the game has to offer.

Nitara carves out her place in the game thanks to her unique design. Nitara’s vampiric nature grants her a number of traits not shared by the rest of the cast, with her wings beng a particular standout. She often uses them to great effect, creating the perfect blend of gruesome creativity that all great Brutalities should have.

Sub-Zero and Scorpion are undoubtedly the most iconic characters in Mortal Kombat history. Thankfully, Sub-Zero doesn’t disappoint. Sub-Zero freezes and impales his enemies in a number of ways that should be very familiar to veteran fans, which admittedly prevents him from reaching S-Tier. However, Sub-Zero certainly makes use of his massive potential, and charges ahead the rest of the pack.


Omni-Man is a unique character in Mortal Kombat 1, and his Brutalities don’t let this go to waste. Although the game has been both praised and criticized for Omni-Man and Homelander sharing the “Evil Superman” trope, this similarity doesn’t bleed into their Brutalities. In his best Brutality, Omni-Man practically strolls right through his opponent, turning them to paste in the process.

Sindel similarly gets the most out of her arsenal, which goes a long way when measured against other characters in Mortal Kombat 1. Sindel is most well known for her ear-piercing shrieks, which also make up the best of her Brutalities. Still, she mixes in her prehensile hair to strangle and throw her opponent, using everything that makes her a unique character.


Quan Chi’s Brutalities are as creative as they are impressive, which keeps him firmly in good graces. His best Brutality showcases Quan Chi tossing his opponent through a portal, only to see them come out the other side as a mangled mess. They could be more gruesome, but they absolutely set themselves apart from any given martial character.

Havik is the last of the A-Tiers, but certainly not the least. Havik may seem to be a simple brawler, which occasionally holds him back from seeming all that creative. However, Havik more than makes up for this in wanton bloodshed. In fact, Havik even knocks his own head clean off during some of his best Brutalities.

B-Tier Brutalities in Mortal Kombat 1

  • Cyrax
  • Reiko
  • Smoke
  • Noob Saibot
  • Li Mei
  • Kenshi
  • Peacemaker
  • Raiden
  • Kitana


Cyrax is another character new to Mortal Kombat 1, and her Brutalities pack an explosive punch. The best feature of her Brutalities is the diversity between each one, definitely showing off the benefits of being a DLC character. Likewise, her voice lines mix in a firm dose of personality that is sure to twist the knife.

​​​​​

Reiko has some of the most brutal finishing moves in the game. Despite most involving simple grappling, Reiko’s Brutalities are all fun to behold. Anyone with a soft spot for wrestling will be sure to enjoy his finishing moves.

If Mortal Kombat fans want less creativity and more straightforward Brutality, they wouldn’t go wrong with Smoke. Armed with a small blade, Smoke never fails to make his opponents into mincemeat. Although there isn’t a ton of variation between his Brutalities, it’s hard to say that Smoke doesn’t carry his own weight.


Some of Noob Saibot’s Brutalities are simple displays of hand-to-hand decimation. However, Noob Saibot’s best Mortal Kombat 1 Brutality uses a portal as a blender and is sure to be a great show of force against an opponent.

Li Mei’s finishers may be straightforward, but they’re certainly brutal. She occasionally floats her opponent’s head off with a lantern, which creates a Brutality that is more than a little fun to close out a match with.

Kenshi proves that any given character can do a lot with a little. Despite a relative lack of variation, Kenshi’s use of his katana and Ancestral Assist put most other blade-wielding characters to shame. Considering there are many more characters that use a similar weapon, it’s rather significant that Kenshi manages to stand above most of them.

As far as guest characters go, Peacemaker brings a lot to Mortal Kombat 1. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t always explore his full potential, and most of his Brutalities are simple decapitations. Thankfully, he makes up for it with his explosive arsenal. He even torpedoes through his opponent with his helmet, which is a creative way to get some mileage out of a unique feature.


Raiden is one of the most iconic characters in Mortal Kombat, so it’s a good thing his Brutalities don’t disappoint. In his standout Brutality, Raiden dives into his opponent in the form of a lightning bolt. Then, he blows them up from the inside out. The others are somewhat homogenous, but that doesn’t detract from his best.

Kitana proves her place as one of Mortal Kombat‘s leading ladies. Kitana’s fan is undoubtedly her most iconic trait, and she wastes no time dicing up her opponents in each Brutality. Although a fan may seem unassuming as a weapon, the carnage she accomplishes makes her Brutalities worthy of the name.

mortal-kombat-deception-shujinko-scorpion-sub-zero

Related

20 Years Later, Mortal Kombat: Deception’s Konquest Mode Still Stands Out as a Triumph in Fighting Game Storytelling

While the story modes of Mortal Kombat have been praised for their cinematic nature, Deception took its own approach to great success generations ago.

C-Tier Brutalities in Mortal Kombat 1

  • Rain
  • Tanya
  • Baraka
  • Reptile


Rain puts on a good show with each Brutality, and his unique arsenal helps to stop him from falling completely behind. Between drowning his opponent in a bubble, or simply blowing their limbs clean off, Rain manages to land solidly in the middle of the pack.

Tanya’s Brutalities are relatively simple, but that doesn’t mean she has no stand-outs. There are many blade-wielding characters that perform similar shows of force, but Tanya’s more unique weapon allows for a rather unique fighting style. Even if her Brutalities aren’t the most gruesome or creative, they’re certainly still fun to watch

Baraka’s Brutalities can most accurately described as “visceral”, which is a perfect way to use the character’s bladed arms. They’re mostly a straightforward dicing up of the opponent, which is unfortunately outmatched by a large portion of the game’s cast.


Reptile’s slate of Brutalities isn’t all that impressive, which is a bit of a shame considering Reptile’s overall glow-up in Mortal Kombat 1. Thankfully, his reptilian form still keeps him from the bottom. The character’s best Brutalities rely on his literal reptilian form, but others that showcase his invisibility are much less exciting.

D-Tier Brutalities in Mortal Kombat 1

Ashrah slashes her opponents into pieces with her blade. Unfortunately, there isn’t much more one can say beyond that. Some of them are brutal, but none are particular stand-outs. Mortal Kombat 1 has plenty of swords to go around, so a Kombatant would need much more in order to show their mettle.


Unfortunately, Scorpion’s Brutalities aren’t very interesting or exciting. Very few make the most of his best abilities, and those that do don’t tend to use them for anything all that creative. Most importantly, they’re hardly distinct from Fatalities in terms of the carnage Scorpion inflicts on his opponent. Mortal Kombat 1‘s version of Scorpion is a great and fresh take overall, but this rarely bleeds into his Brutalities.

Kung Lao isn’t exactly the king of spectacle, although his Brutalities do bring a bit of fun to the table. Each one is a good showcase of his abilities, even if they don’t always earn the title of Brutality. At the end of the day, he doesn’t necessarily have anything that impressive to show off.

Share.

Related News