Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Release date: May 16, 2017
Available on: PS4 (reviewed), Xbox One, with companion apps on both Android and iOS devices
Fighting games and comic book superheroes are a natural fit, and Ed Boon, the creator of Mortal Kombat, one of the most popular fighting game franchises, took note. In 2008, he gave us Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe, where the two universes collided, pitting DC icons like Batman and Superman up against Scorpion and Raiden. The game did reasonably well, but was missing some of the extras more associated with the Mortal Kombat franchise, most notably the fatalities the series is known for. In 2013, Boon turned his attention fully on the DC characters and gave us Injustice: Gods Among Us. This game, powered by a solid story by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, delivered, giving both solo and competitive online players plenty to occupy themselves. The game had a full-fledged story mode (something that the subsequent Mortal Kombat titles would adopt more fully) and character specific challenges in the S.T.A.R. Labs, as well as online modes and training modules. Five DLC characters followed, including the cross over character of Scorpion. The game spawned a comic book spin-off by Tom Taylor, which developed into a long running series.
Now, four years later, Injustice 2 picks up from the events in the first game. It takes place in an alternate universe, with Superman locked away in prison by Batman for killing the Joker. Superman’s cohorts have scattered, and Batman tries to keep watch over the other heroes, creating a surveillance device called Brother Eye. Events have caused the Caped Crusader to take on some unlikely allies, including Harley Quinn and Catwoman, while Gorilla Grodd has formed his own society in Gorilla City, with members including Bane, Deadshot, and Cheetah. We get a flashback to the destruction of Krypton by Brainiac, and how Supergirl got separated from Superman. Naturally, events conspire to bring a new menace to Earth, and once enemies must band together for the sake of saving the world.
At times it’s certainly a darker take on the DC universe, but it makes for an interesting Elseworlds tale and remains engaging throughout. As in the first game, there are two endings to the 12 chapter story (doing the alternate scenes unlock an alternate 12th chapter), and both work well. The story mode will take you anywhere from 5-8 hours, depending on your skill level. You’ll play most of the game’s roster during the story (it launches with 28 characters), giving you a wide variety of fighting styles to experience.
For those leery of taking on so many different fighting styles (attacks vary from character to character, so the button presses don’t do the same thing across the board), Injustice 2 does offer a robust training mode, giving you tutorials in both basic and advanced techniques. There is a single fight mode, where you can play around with every character in a single round against an AI opponent. Plus there is a practice mode, where you can perfect particular moves for all of the characters. The game, like the Mortal Kombat franchise it’s modeled on, does require some nimble fingers to pull off the more intricate moves. Fortunately, with an array of difficulty options, even newcomers who get by on just frantically mashing buttons can find plenty to enjoy here.
The game offers a wealth of content for both online and offline play. Veterans will feel right at home, though some newcomers may feel overwhelmed at all there is to learn. I would say newcomers shouldn’t feel scared off. Yes, there is plenty to learn, but playing offline on Easy or Very Easy still allows you to experience a lot that the game has to offer. Playing in online ranked matches may get your head handed to you, but you can opt for private matches with friends, both local and online.
Another way for those of us with less nimble fingers to engage in combat and gain rewards in the Battle mode in multiplayer. This mode has you create two AI teams, one for defense and another to attack. Your defending team will ward off (with any luck) attacking teams from other players, while you can tailor your attack teams to take on other players’ defenders. While online ranked matches put players on equal footing, your AI fighters can be customized with gear to grant certain perks to enhance their stats.
There are four stats for each character- strength, defense, health, and ability. Gear is obtained through Mother Boxes, which are awarded for completing objectives in the game or can be bought using in-game currency (there are microtransactions as well, but most of what you need can be acquired in game over time). Mother Boxes have three different types of gear- equipment, shaders, and abilities. Equipment is level specific and color coded, with gold gear granting higher stat boosts. You’ll need to level the character up to use some of the stronger gear, but you gain experience through every thing you do in the game, even as part of your AI battle team. Shaders can change the costume color for your characters, and you can equip up to two abilities as they’re unlocked. Initially you’ll have three loadouts that you can save for each character. A fourth unlocks at level 10, and a fifth at level 15 (current character level cap is 20). In this way the game offers deep customization, and allows players to make the characters their own.
Online ranked matches don’t allow the extra stat buffs, though your character’s look will reflect your customization. You can also play online in unranked matches using your gear. The servers seem to be working fairly well, with four onscreen bars showing the strength of your connection. I’ve only had one fight disconnected, but even at a couple of bars things proceeded smoothly as far as frame rate and control input. I’d advise newcomers to hit up the tutorials in the training and practice modes before heading online outside of the Battle mode.
As with the rest of the game, participating in online matches nets you rewards in the form of Mother Boxes or in game currency. You can also form or join Guilds. Rewards obtained through a Guild benefit all Guild members, and you can call on the Guild’s aid in the Multiverse should you have trouble defeating an enemy there.
And it’s in the Multiverse where you’re going to spend a lot of your time. There are three tutorials that need to be completed to unlock the Multiverse, and from there you can choose where you wish to go. Note that the Multiverse is constantly changing, with some worlds available only for a brief amount of time, while others will be there for days. Each stage will give you objectives to complete, some as simple as just simply completing the stage, others requiring you to pull off certain attacks or even win by not using a certain attack. Some stages will require you to have a character at a specific level to play; others require no particular level for entry. Rewards granted are determined by your score, and you can replay stages for greater rewards. Enemy AI for most stages will match your character’s level. For example, if you use a level 12 Batman, all enemy AI will be at level 12. If you use a level 3 Green Lantern, all AI for that stage will be level 3.
Take note that should you level up during the stage, the AI will level with you. Stages can have modifiers as well, with some dropping aid in health, while others drop environmental hazards like blocks of ice that will freeze you temporarily on contact. It’s an ever changing mode that invites you to log on daily, and adds to the already high replayability of the game.
With so much content, it’s a good thing that the game is a treat for both the ears and the eyes. The character models are all terrifically rendered, with only the Joker feeling slightly off (there’s a reason why he looks as he does considering when he first appears in the story mode, but some may not care for his look, which is more Suicide Squad movie than the classic look from the animated series and the Arkham games). Environments are nicely detailed and varied, and once again allow for some nice transitional stages and have plenty of environmental hazards and items to use against your opponents. The voice acting is top notch, featuring the likes of such talent as Laura Bailey, Jeffrey Combs, C. Thomas Howell, Kevin Conroy, Alan Tudyk, Tara Strong, George Newbern, Susan Eisenberg, and Robert Englund. The music is done well and fits the game nicely, and the dialogue suits each character and makes them feel like their comic book counterparts. We also get a nice range of characters outside of the icons, including Atrocitus, Blue Beetle, Doctor Fate, Gorilla Grodd, and Swamp Thing. Future DLC packs will add an additional 9 fighters, and players should have no issue finding a favorite to fit their chosen playstyle.
In all, Injustice 2 presents a solid package, building upon its predecessor and improving the game in various ways. It has a wealth of single player content–story mode, single battle, and the Multiverse. Daily challenges offer incentive to log in each day, as does the ever changing Multiverse. The online matches perform well for those who like to compete against others. Multiplayer modes allow for some on the couch combat with buddies, and an AI Battle mode for those who are less skilled but want to play against others as well as for vets to just take a break and sit back and watch. Rewards come often, and gear can be used to customize each character to a player’s liking. Some newcomers may feel overwhelmed at all there is to learn, but multiple difficulty options, including a Very Easy mode, should make the game accessible to all skill levels. The game boasts great visuals, terrific voice acting, and a well written story mode that’s worth revisiting at least twice.
Injustice 2 is a joy to play and allows even button mashers to pull off super moves that deliver some over the top cinematic action. This super-powered fighter is well worth your time, especially DC comics fans and those who enjoyed the previous game. Don’t miss this one.
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