The release of Predator on Mortal Kombat X signifies a few firsts for the series thus far. This is the first time a game from the main series has received a second guest character for the selectable roster. It's also the first time that the guest character comes from a property that's not under the control of Warner Bros. There's a bit of hype around the ability to play as the intergalactic hunter, and now we can finally find out if the hype is merited.

As far as his appearance goes, he matches up quite well with how he was depicted in the first movie. The hi-tech mask is in place for two of the three variants, while the other removes it so you can see his face and large exterior fangs. The rest of his body is partially covered by pieces of armor and a sash of skulls, while the rest has the wire mesh that's fully visible on his unprotected parts. His fatalities are very different. One has you using plasma blasts to poke a hole in his stomach and dismember his arm before the last one blows away his head, a modified version of what was used in the first film against several of the Special Forces commandos. The other one is more original, since you use your talons to stab your victim in the gut, plunge a smart disc into the forehead, and then drop him/her so the top half of the head cuts away. While the fatalities are nice, they pale in comparison to the regular ending, which mimics that of Injustice: Gods Among Us, where you move away from the battlefield and go to the Predator's ship to add a skull to the collection of other trophies.

Compared to everyone else on the roster, the Predator is a character of average speed. His real highlights come from his special moves, which mimic what he had in the movies. He can go almost invisible like Reptile, but it lasts almost twice as long and without the ability to leave that state if hit by an opponent. His smart discs can be thrown any distance and act as traps since they hover in the air for a while before homing in on the enemy. His other tools that come from normal moves and combos, like the talons and spear, give him some great reach, making him a perfect fighter for those who like area control while being decent with distance and melee fighting.

Compared to the other variations on the rest of the roster, the ones for the Predator feel rather lackluster. This is especially true of the Hish-Qu-Ten variant, which only has one move. This variation gains an extra projectile on the form of the plasma shot that can be fired in the air or on the ground. It also has variable range, so you can aim for the ground at near and far distances, fire straight ahead, or fire in the air without any immediate tells about its intended location. The plasma caster behaves exactly the same way as the plasma shot, except for the fact that you can delay the shot and a laser guide shows why you've suddenly stopped being mobile. For both moves, a regular version only fires one shot while three are fired with an enhanced version.

The Warrior variant suffers from a similar problem in that only two of the three moves are useful. The Yautja strike is more of a powerful backhanded slap while the dread slam has you jumping in the air to pound the opponent into the ground. Both moves can be used at any distance, and both of the enhanced versions allow ground bounces to start a juggle combo. The self-detonate is a nice nod to the movies but too risky to be used in actual combat. When activated, you have to make sure you aren't hit for a few seconds as the move charges up — or else you lose the ability to see it go off. Should you pull it off, the normal version of the move hurts you more, as you take 10% damage while the opponent simply takes 5%. Only the enhanced version makes any sense as the values are reversed, allowing you to inflict more damage than you take.

The final variant, the Hunter, brings the distinct moves down to two, but at least they're fun to check out. The normal variant of the medi-kit allows you to regain 5% of health while the enhanced version gives you 10%. The other move is a slam that is more of a trap that springs when opponents step into it. Like most of the other moves, it can be thrown at any distance in the air and on the ground, further emphasizing area control. The regular version allows you to throw a time-delayed trap while an enhanced version activates immediately. Aside from grabbing the opponent and hoisting them into the air, the tool can also act as a mine that explodes on demand.

Like the other character releases thus far, there's a costume pack released alongside the character, and while it isn't as inventive as the previous packs, they're still charming considering that they match up with the Predator theme. Johnny Cage, for example, is dressed up in a standard commando outfit with a dirty gray tank top, low-cut vest, gray wraps and gray pants. However, match him up against Jax in his new outfit, and you'll get a nice callback to the film during the loading screen. Meanwhile, Jax's costume isn't just an homage to the Carl Weathers character Major Dillon from the movie; it actually is named Carl Weathers. Aside from nailing down the look with the moustache, haircut and military cap, they even got Weathers to voice every line Jax would normally say in the game. It's still just a cosmetic change, but the level of detail is simply amazing and worth checking out.

The final costume in the pack is both cool and odd since you're given an infrared version of Scorpion. It's his default costume but colored as if you're looking through thermal vision goggles to see his heat signatures. The rainbow coloring is all over the character model, so even during fatalities, you'll see colors instead of flesh when he gets killed.

Of all of the DLC characters released so far, the Predator doesn't live up to the hype. The universal special moves are quite good, and the fatalities are at least somewhat accurate, but the regular finish is much more exciting to see. The style-specific special moves fail to excite, and the variations don't make him feel that different, especially when compared to the other fighters. Completionists will want to get him, as will fans of the character. For everyone else, he isn't much of a priority to obtain when compared to what Tanya and Jason can bring to the table.

Score: 7.5/10