Mortal Kombat 1
Image: NetherRealm Studios, WB Games

It's been a busy month in gaming so far, and now to add to the excitement, we've got the early access launch of Mortal Kombat 1 on Xbox Series X|S.

Firstly, you can expect our Pure Xbox review of Mortal Kombat 1 before the full release on 19th September. In the meantime, here's a round up of what other outlets are saying so far:

VGC (5/5)

"Mortal Kombat 1 is the best Mortal Kombat game to date. It looks stunning, has a brilliant Story mode, its new Invasions mode will keep solo players busy and, above all else, it's an absolute joy to play. Thoroughly essential for die-hards, lapsed fans and newkomers."

Press Start (9.5/10)

"Mortal Kombat 1 is a joyful reinvention of a series that is continually hitting its stride. A strong and varied roster is bolstered by an ingenious Kameo system that offers up a great degree of player flexibility unlike anything else."

VG247 (4/5)

"Mortal Kombat 1 sets the stage for a new era of MK that you can't help but get pumped up for. NetherRealm, like the characters in its ultraviolent universe, is staring right into the face of a brave new world and locking eyes with the future. Keeping those eyes in its head, though, may remain a challenge."

COGconnected (9/10)

"Mortal Kombat 1 refines and improves on its solid foundation to deliver a devastating tag-team blow. The Kameo system opens up new possibilities which allows you to experiment with offensive and defensive maneuvers. In terms of single-player content, the story mode kicks ass and Invasion gives you the incentive to keep playing. With its solid online net code and wonderful tutorial, Mortal Kombat 1 is a flawless victory."

Screen Rant (3.5/5)

"Mortal Kombat 1 is a perfectly adequate but not ideal place to start (that would still be Mortal Kombat 2011). For returning players who just want to see their favorite characters again...this game will be a must-buy. If you were hoping to see The Great Kung Lao of myth, however, or an entirely new cast of characters, Mortal Kombat 1 isn't essential, and brings very few truly new ideas to the table."

As you can see, most of the critic reviews are quite taken with Mortal Kombat 1 so far - with the odd reviewer not quite as blown away by the new entry in the long-running fighting series. If you are interested though in this game, it's definitely worth a look based on these scores. And once again, be on the lookout for our review - coming soon!

Mortal Kombat is available now in early access and will officially launch on 19th September. Will you be checking out this new entry? Tell us below.