There is something unsettling about the joy some individuals get when they see bones breaking or extreme gore. The snapping of the tendons, the sound of blood hitting the ground, the shrieks and screams coming from the afflicted individual — all of these things can be a bit much for the average person.

However, for those who are interested in that sort of thing, Netherrealm Studios’ latest entry in the storied “Mortal Kombat” franchise, simply titled “Mortal Kombat X,” delivers all of the punches and all of the bone-breaking that fans have been waiting for.

“Mortal Kombat” has never looked better, and since Netherrealm incorporated many features from its last two titles, “Mortal Kombat 9” and “Injustice: Gods Among Us,” the franchise has never played better.

As far as the game modes go, it has the standard fare for most fighting games these days. Online or offline versus mode, practice mode and multiplayer lobbies all comprise the makeup of the main part of the game.

Where the game really shines is in its story mode, “Living Towers” and “Faction War.” These are three very different components of the new game. Story mode speaks for itself — “Living Towers” features enemies and challenges to beat in succession and “Faction War” works as a meta-game, encouraging players to keep fighting, long after they’ve finished the storyline.

Learning from the successes of “MK9” and “Injustice,” “Mortal Kombat X” has a fairly lengthy story mode, expanding on the rich history of popular characters, while introducing a few newcomers to the arena. The story takes place roughly 25 years after the events of “MK9,” so some veteran characters show their age, whether it be through physical appearance, or the fact that some of them have kids that fight alongside them.

Living Towers is a new mode, utilizing concepts from previous entries in the franchise. Players rise up the tower, fighting combatants and completing special challenges along the way, such as winning a match after jumping 30 times. There are a few different towers, as well, having challenges with varying difficulties and buffs/debuffs to mess with the player along their path to the top of the tower. These towers change hourly, or daily, depending on where players choose to complete.

Faction Wars is another new feature in the game which allows players to choose from one of five factions as soon as they turn on the game. As players complete matches, or reach specific milestones, they earn points toward their faction. At the end of the week, the faction that has the highest point total will earn special bonuses and in-game “koins” as a reward for beating out the other factions. This serves as an extension to the game, enticing players to come back, even several months after the game’s release.

Fights in “Mortal Kombat” have never looked better, as this game really showcases the next gen hardware’s capabilities. When pulling off “X-Ray” moves on opponents, bones are shattered and organs are pierced in amazing detail, with every sinew visibly taking stress from impacts with fists or weapons.

Fatalities have also never been more gruesome, with Netherrealm truly pushing the limits on what gamers can handle. Some finishers to note include a slow motion pull into a spinning fan blade, or organs being pulled from the mouth of a crumpled fighter, just to get thrown on the ground. “Mortal Kombat X” has some jaw-dropping moments that are not for the squeamish or the faint of heart.

Overall, if you’ve played previous entries in the “Mortal Kombat” franchise and you enjoyed them, you will not be disappointed by this one. Definitely worth a purchase for the fighting game fans, “Mortal Kombat” fans, and those who like good ol’ gore, Netherrealm studios’ “Mortal Kombat X” is a bloody good time.