Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is an action adventure game that takes place in the same universe as the original Mortal Kombat series. You can choose to play as Liu Kang or Kung Lao, and each time you defeat an opponent, experience points are added to your player's total. Fighting elements include air conflict, juggling, weapons, interactive environments, and an increased amount of fatalities, "mutalities," and brutalities. Additionally, the number of people who die during combat has increased. As you make your way through the Outworld, you will have the opportunity to unlock a variety of iconic Mortal Kombat characters.