The launch for Linux players has been surprisingly smooth, making this one of the better hero shooter experiences on the platform right now. It is clear that NetEase is committed to Linux support, which is a massive win for the community considering their track record with other recent titles. After putting in twenty hours, the performance feels solid and the core gameplay loop remains entertaining.

The characters are well-designed and the combat is engaging, though the repetitive nature of the current modes means you might want to play in shorter bursts to avoid burnout. My biggest gripe is the massive 100GB install size for what feels like a limited amount of content. It is hard to justify that much storage space compared to other massive shooters that offer significantly more variety.

Despite the heavy file size, this is a polished FPS MOBA that is worth your time if you are looking for a reliable competitive fix on Linux. The gameplay is responsive and the hero variety keeps things fresh enough to recommend the download. If you have the drive space to spare, it is an easy recommendation for anyone tired of jumping through hoops just to get a shooter running.

The game is finally playable (if you use the beta)

The launch was botched, but the devs released a private beta update that completely saves this collection. You have to go to the News section to get the code and type it in to unlock the branch, but it is absolutely worth the effort because they finally added an AI difficulty slider.

This single feature fixes the biggest issue with the classic arcade ports. There is no more BS "input reading" from the CPU, especially in notorious games like MK2. You don't have to use cheap tricks or weird exploits to win anymore; you can just lower the difficulty and actually fight the AI. I didn't buy this at launch, but that specific change made this an instabuy for me.

It is now the definitive way to play MK1, MK2, MK3, UMK3, and Trilogy. I also really appreciate the Fatality training mode which shows you exactly what buttons to press on the screen (including keyboard prompts!). Just keep in mind that online play still has issues, and as for Mortal Kombat 4, I honestly still prefer the GOG version. But for the 2D era, this is now the one to get.

This remaster could have been way better, and I get the complaints about the visuals looking like "AI slop." Honestly, there's a lot to criticize here.

But I'm recommending it anyway for one specific reason: the Steam Deck.

While the original GOTY runs on the Deck, the controls are a pain. You're basically forced to use the touchscreen, trackpads, or mess around with Steam Input macros just to get it working. This version finally adds native controller support. Being able to just pick it up and play with actual joystick and button controls makes a huge difference. If you're on a handheld, that convenience alone is enough justification to grab this over the original.

I only bought this for SFA3 Upper, nuff said