Much like Mortal Kombat and Injustice: Gods Among Us, Mortal Kombat X has a season pass to add more fighters to the roster and more costumes for characters that are already on the disc. What's different about the pass is that all players can sample the new characters, whether or not they've purchased them individually or via the pass, providing them with a perfect opportunity to see if the fighters are worth getting. The developers also have doubled up on the cameos, and the first one out of the gate is Freddy Krueger's counterpart, Jason Voorhees.

If you haven't seen the screenshots, the team nailed down Jason's appearance rather well. A bulky character, he comes in with a tattered green jacket, dark shirt and pants, and torn gloves. He's wearing the classic hockey mask with red chevrons, and while the mask isn't sporting dried blood, it has plenty of scratches on it. He comes into the fight with two different introductions. One has him walking in and taking out a knife plunged in his neck, while the other has him dragging in a victim and then pulling the machete from her head. In both cases, he remains silent while his opponents comment on his lack of speech or generally disdain him. His fatalities also stick with his canon, though they've been modified to be more gruesome. One finisher has him hacking away at his foe until he's split in two diagonally, and another has him smashing his opponent into the ground.

If you want a comparison of his fighting style, think Kotal Khan. He can still move, but Jason is less nimble than the rest of the cast and less likely to dish out big, multi-hit combos. Like most big men, he's more of a brawler, and his moves are designed to inflict more damage with fewer hits. Playing as Jason means you'll constantly be on the offensive but will find more success on the ground than in the air, especially since his special moves are executed in close proximity to your enemy. Some of those moves come with temporary defensive buffs, so you're meant to sustain some damage during your attacks as long as you don't let things spiral out of control. This is especially true of a move that gives him some invulnerability at the expense of mobility and leaves him completely open to attack for a second.

Like all of the other fighters, Jason has three different variations, and the differences between them are rather pronounced. The Relentless variation is about mixing some deception into his brawling style. In addition to his basic set of special moves, Jason has one where he can walk away from an opponent in a shroud of mist before immediately appearing behind them. It is similar to Scorpion's teleport move but doesn't immediately end in an attack. Another move at his disposal starts with him cracking his neck and turning the screen red. During that short amount of time, the opponent's controls are reversed, causing some panic against human opponents. The effect isn't as pronounced when playing against the AI, though. His passive ability in this variation is his damage output, which increases when his health gets low.

Jason's Slasher variation makes him play much differently, since he has a machete that affords him more distance when fighting opponents. For example, his ramming punch in other variations is replaced with a shoulder tackle here. The special moves he gains are all machete-related, whether it's an instant three-hit slashing combo or a grab that starts with a neck stab and ends with a kick to the ground. He gains no buffs from this variation, making this the most stable version of the fighter when it comes to damage output and defense. He can hurl his machete at opponents, making this the only time he has a projectile attack.

His final variation is Unstoppable, which most players will gravitate toward because of its advantages. Though he gains no new moves in this variation, all of the changes are centered around temporary buffs. One buff gives him a small health recharge as long as he doesn't get hit while the charge is occurring. Another gives him a slight boost in damage when the chain around his neck glows. The most damaging move in his repertoire occurs at the end of the round. Much like TJ Combo from the recent Killer Instinct reboot, he'll resurrect once he receives a killing blow, and the amount of health received is dependent on how much of his super meter was filled up when he fell. Unlike the TJ Combo, though, this is initiated at the end of every round where Jason would normally lose, so opponents are forced to work a little harder to take him down.

Released alongside Jason are three costumes with a horror motif, and while each is constructed nicely, their overall look varies in terms of wow factor. Ermac's pharaoh costume ranks as the worst of the trio because it doesn't feel as imaginative. With the exception of a gold headdress, he's completely wrapped in bandages, and while it fits the wrapped-up appearance of his default costume, it looks like what he'd wear underneath his normal outfit. It is also the least appealing one in terms of looks, so don't expect too many people to choose it. One the opposite side of the spectrum, Reptile's kraken costume is amazing because it makes him look like a completely different creature. The addition of a starfish-like mask is a nice touch, but the slimy shine of the skin and extra fins make him look just as menacing, if not more. In the middle of that is Mileena's vampiress costume, which looks like a more skintight version of her default costume. While a veil isn't present, her face is still covered and the costume is sleek.

Your decision about adding Jason Voorhees to your roster depends on your preference for slower brawlers in Mortal Kombat X. There are enough differences in his variations to make him an enjoyable fighter, and many may go for his Unstoppable variation to aggravate online players with fake finishes. His move set is brutal enough, and his fatalities, while not as imaginative as the rest of the cast, are still brutal and stay true to character. Unless you don't really care for the cameo, he's worth having in the roster.

Score: 8.0/10