[7][8] Total 64 opined that, once mastered, Nightwolf "is one of the brightest stars" of Mortal Kombat Trilogy, as "none of his moves are seemingly useful at the start, but stick[ing] with him [might] get some great results.

"[11] Nightwolf is introduced in Mortal Kombat 3 as a historian and shaman whose patch of tribal land provides a vital protective area for Raiden's chosen Earthrealm defenders during Shao Kahn's invasion.

Ultimately, however, Nightwolf sacrifices himself to destroy Sindel during her second assault, allowing the sorcerer Quan Chi to claim his soul and turn him into one of his underlings.

In his arcade ending, a young Nightwolf -- then known as Grey Cloud -- initially resented his people for selling out to the colonizers and fell in with Kano's Black Dragon crime cartel as a result.

In the DLC story expansion, Aftermath, a past version of Nightwolf joined forces with Shang Tsung and Fujin to retrieve Kronika's Crown of Souls and help Liu Kang restore history.

[27] Complex deemed Nightwolf the top stereotypical character in video games in 2012, describing him as "the epitome of every red-skinned, feather-wearing sports mascot and old cowboy movie serial ... [he] has warpaint on his face, a feather in his hair and the sleeveless vest as if Geronimo himself just gave it up.

Linares noted his "rhino charge" special move in the series as "outdated", as the rhinoceros had been extinct in North America "since the Pliocene epoch".

[29] He additionally compared Nightwolf to T. Hawk from the Street Fighter series in that their "long hair [and] bow and arrows make it hard to distinguish" both characters, "which reinforces the idea of the pan-Indian construct.

"[29] Enacting Videogame Development through Indigenous-Led Creation author Maize Longboat wrote, "His portrayal as a violent tribal warrior with magic powers reproduces harmful stereotypes perpetuated in popular media.

"[30] In How Indigenous Designers are Changing the Landscape of Video Games, Ashlee Bird compared Nightwolf to fellow series character Kotal Kahn: "Why, in a game where men with four arms, necromancers, and people with all kinds of cybernetic enhancements exist, did the only two Native characters still exclusively wear feathers and animal skin and either perform as the noble savage, communing with the spirits and sacrificing themselves for the “greater good” or, the bloodthirsty warrior, sacrificing humans to an unmerciful deity?

"[32] While The Daily Aztec, in 2022, described Nightwolf as embodying "the 'Mystic Warrior' archetype [that] trivializes and exploits many Native beliefs",[33] Mitchell Saltzman of IGN said that "his gear and skins all feel respectfully done and avoid the pitfall of stereotypes.

"[34] Christopher Teuton of Screen Rant said in 2019: "Nightwolf, although many players' personal favorite, has long been considered a somewhat offensive character in the eyes of the public ... although his MK9 reboot gave him a more rounded persona it's still easy to make parallels to Native American tropes.

While it's never a good idea to go around looking for positive representation in a game that features fully-rendered testicular explosions, at least Mortal Kombat 11's Nightwolf seems far less directly offensive than characters like Killer Instinct's Chief Thunder.

"[35] Complex ranked Nightwolf among the most underrated characters in the series, stating that "the fact that he can transform into a wolf and maul you to death should tell you he's nothing to play with.

"[36] IGN praised his "versatile playstyle" in MK11 in that "NetherRealm did a great job of making Nightwolf’s moveset feel unique and fun, despite the fact that many of his signature moves are actually kind of plain.

"[37] Kate Willaert of Game Informer remarked, "Nightwolf delivers the best line in the movie when he tells Liu Kang he must test his courage, and find his Animality.