This article reviews modular multilevel inverters (MMIs), focusing on their topologies, modulation, modeling, and control schemes. It highlights the advantages of MMIs in high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems, such as high modularity, scalability, and robustness while also addressing the complexities in design and control. The paper organizes the discussion into four sections covering various aspects and provides comparisons of existing methods, concluding with recommendations for improving MMI systems.