This review study presents a comprehensive review of literature available on cracking and mechanisms associated with the asphalt mixtures in asphalt layers and overlays in flexible pavement against fatigue cracks (i.e. bottom-up cracks) and reflection cracking (a kind of bottom-up cracking), which are the most known distresses in the crust of bituminous pavement caused by repetitive traffic loads and environmental factors such as temperature variations. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms driving crack initiation and propagation at a material level is essential for developing effective mitigation strategies. Out of various kinds of cracks which usually develops in the asphalt layers of the pavement, a robust and continuous research has been carried out for solutions against reflective cracking since 1920s by various researchers, where reflection cracking is identified as a main and major mode of distress which is a kind of bottom-up fatigue cracking in asphalt overlays, and the factors responsible for this distress are very diverse in nature. In this paper, the causes and mechanism of reflective cracking, along with the various treatment techniques and methods to retard the rate of fatigue cracking. This critical review examines the mechanical mechanisms of the primary cracking types found in asphalt mixes and evaluates material-scale effective mitigation techniques i.e. reinforcement techniques designed to retard crack growth leading to fracture of the asphalt mixtures. The basic idea of reinforcement in asphalt layers is to mimic the concrete reinforcement in building constructions. For this purpose, Fibers have gained attention for their improved effects, leading researchers to develop fibre-reinforced asphalt concrete (FRAC). The fiber reinforcement is a coin with two sides or of two types: inclusion of fibre direction in random and inclusion of oriented fibrous materials like the Geo-Synthetics Family. This study focuses on use of geosynthetics in pavements as an effective solution, in both economic and technical aspects, proven by various research available in literature. The literature study aims to overview on investigating the reported principal/paramount factors affecting the use of reinforcements in asphalt mixes in literature studies. Lastly the current trends and the technical areas with lack of research in asphalt reinforcement technology are discussed.