Mortal Kombat 1: ASUS ROG Ally Recommended Settings

Mortal Kombat 1 is here but how well does it work on the ASUS ROG Ally? I’ve played the game through to completion and can now give you my thoughts on which settings will get you the best mix of performance and visuals. 

Performance.

Mortal Kombat 1 on the ASUS ROG Ally is a mixed bag. The overall framerate normally always stays well above 30 frames per second, but the complexity of background animations can play a part in how fluid battles feel. 

Let me throw some examples at you. When I played matches with fairly basic backgrounds, Mortal Kombat 1 could run at a smooth 59 frames per second. That’s not quite 60, but one frame off is close enough. I’m fairly confident no one will begrudge a single frame. 

But then we’ve got areas where the backgrounds are full of life. Think moving characters, bustling streets, that sort of thing. It’s these backgrounds that cause the frames to drop. 

How bad are we talking? It depends on the specific level, but expect the previously-mentioned 59 frames per second to fall into the 40 to 50 ballpark. 

That’s why I say it’s a mixed bag. If you’re someone who’s looking to play through the single-player story and play a casual amount of online multiplayer, then playing Mortal Kombat 1 in 1080p at 40 frames per second is a delight. If you’re a pro – someone who needs those extra frames to read inputs more clearly – then I’d advise holding off for the time being, or at least until the game has seen some patches. 

As the graph above shows, one of the biggest things holding Mortal Kombat 1 back is the random lag at the start of matches. Rather than throwing players on a loading screen and then dumping them into matches like it is in previous games, the developer has created a more ‘seamless’ way of loading. Now, you pick your character, they smack talk, and then you load right into the match.

On the ASUS ROG Ally, this new way of loading isn’t seamless at all, and introduces lag as the match loads off-screen and when the round starts. It’s only one or two seconds, but for serious fighting game players, this is enough to be a problem. 

That said, I’d wager most players, especially the more casual ones, will be able to make do. A newly-released AAA game running in 1080p at 40 frames per second, on a handheld device it wasn’t designed for, is still a massive accomplishment. Visually everything looks great and once it gets going, and you’ve adjusted to the framerate, the game feels solid to play. 

Settings.

Ignore what anyone else is saying. I’ve tried multiple different settings and a constant 60 frames per second simply isn’t possible. Some levels will hit that target, others won’t. 

As mentioned, that isn’t an issue unless you’re a pro player. I’ve played through the entire campaign and although there are dips to 40 frames per second, there aren’t massive jumps during combat. If a level will only be able to hit 40 frames per second, the entire level will run like that (rather than it’ll fluctuate between 40 and 60). This means, that despite the drops, gameplay remains smooth for the part. 

My settings below are what I eventually settled on for the best visuals and mostly smooth gameplay. You can gain extra frames and save some battery life by dropping the resolution down to 720p, but the trade-off is muddier visuals. I personally prefer playing in 1080p with a slightly lower framerate than gaining an extra five to 10 frames at the cost of the graphics, but that’s a personal choice. I’d recommend trying both resolutions out. That way you can see the difference and make an informed decision about what works best for you. 

If you want to save even more battery life, changing the ASUS ROG Ally profile in the left control menu from 25 watts to 15 watts is a smart choice. Performance will be slightly affected, but only by a few frames. It’s a manageable loss if you’re not close to an outlet. 

Bugs and Issues.

Bugs aren’t enough of an issue in Mortal Kombat 1, but performance isn’t quite where it needs to be. I’m torn on this as well. On one hand, the game runs well and is very playable. On the other, the lag when you load into matches, how long it takes for a character to render, and the fact your settings can disappear and need to be reapplied – these aren’t issues you should have to suffer in a full-price game.

It’s possible patches could fix all the above and more, but at the moment I suggest if you want to play Mortal Kombat 1, be aware of the issues prior to purchase.

Also, if you’re buying Mortal Kombat 1 via Steam, you have a two-hour window to refund it no questions asked if you find the performance and issues aren’t to your liking. Hint, hint.

Verdict.

There’s no doubt Mortal Kombat 1 could be better. But, what’s available now is still highly entertaining and runs well. I know I’ve moaned about the dips and the random, unexpected lag, but for the most part, Mortal Kombat 1 runs extremely well on the ASUS ROG Ally. 

The visuals pop, the fatalities are still camp horror at its best, and even at the lower framerates, the game feels fluid. 

If you’re a pro player who needs those extra frames, I’d suggest holding off. But if you’re a regular gamer who just loves punching and crunching, you’re going to have a blast with Mortal Kombat 1 on the ASUS ROG Ally.

Disclosure: Review code provided by Epic Games. | Epic Games Store version tested. | All images captured on the ASUS ROG Ally. To find out more about our review policy, click here. Alternatively, click here to learn why you can trust us.