When it comes to Netherealm you can’t expect anything less than an all-out war, and thankfully, Injustice 2 didn’t disappoint. Injustice 2’s fulfilling story mode mixes in the right amount of novelty and graphic novel grit to appease casual gamers and DC fanatics alike. The single player campaign stands as a complete who’s, who of DC characters just waiting to tear pieces into each other. Injustice 2’s story sees Earth come under attack from Brainiac, a powerful being who travels the universe with one purpose: to destroy cities. In an effort to save humanity, the justice League, Batman, Superman and Co team up to fight against Brainiac and his villainous associates.
From the moment you open the box, the great thing about Injustice 2 is that there’s something for everyone. Everyone can enjoy the balls-to-the-wall action of the story mode, and comic book fans will appreciate the nods to lesser-known superheroes like Firestorm and Captain Fate. The story mode, though not the main feature of the game is well done. When playing the campaign, you can really feel the tension and conflict that characterizes the relationship between Batman and Superman. Yet in spite of their differences, they manage to hold it together against Brainiac and his forces (Well some of the time!).
As is to be expected of a fighting game, the story isn’t too long (Only 5 hours in fact), but the sheer volume of characters and battles is enough to fill out the single player campaign. Yes, there could be more variety in the single player campaign but Injustice isn’t about character development and elaborate storylines, it’s about inter-comic scraps, something this game does very well. The core fighting mechanics are satisfying technical yet accessible, and if you chain your combos well you’ll get the chance to break out a devastating super move with a unique animation. When playing as The Flash you’ll be able to take your opponent back in time to smash them against a T-Rex as part of a devastating special move. It’s moments of garish excess like this where Injustice 2 really shines.
Injustice 2’s superb fighting system mixes hand-to-hand combat in dynamic environments with environmental hazards so that you take down your foes in style. Though most attacks aren’t as slick and smooth as other games, you once notice once you get the timing down. Injustice 2 encourages timing just as much as 12 punch combinations, so whilst you can reel off epic combos, don’t be surprised if you find yourself getting counterpunched! When battling your enemies, you’ll be locked into dynamic environments with environmental hazards so that you can do some additional damage courtesy of the map elements.
Whilst Injustice 2 lacks the complexity of Streetfighter, it’s much friendlier to newcomers who just want to load up a superhero and throw down. The controls don’t vary much from character to character cutting down on the learning curve for new players. This is particularly welcome given it can be very daunting for players to learn different controls for each and every different character. That’s not to say that there is no reward for mastering the abilities of a certain character, but that the controls allow newer players to hit the ground running. Each character has unique move sets and special abilities based on their back-stories and lore. Fan favorites like Harley Quinn have sharper attacks, preferring to pick shots with a pistol than go into an all-out brawl. Players who pick brains over braun are likely to enjoy Batman’s use of technology to combat super strong foes like Superman. Given there’s a playable roster of almost 40 heroes and villains, players can pick from a wealth of well-known faces from DC. Players can play as brutal powerhouses like Bane, all the way to Poison Ivy and Gorilla Grodd.
Once you’ve had enough of the campaign you can throw yourself into the Multiverse, to grind out challenges and obtain new gear. In multiverse, you get randomly generated battled modifiers, which whilst novel for a while, can become increasingly frustrating over time. One challenge will see your screen black out intermittently, which is particularly frustrating. Yet the capacity to grind for new features and break from the standard game is a welcome edition for those looking to play the game long term. Throughout your time on the multiverse you’ll acquire gear and item boxes.
If you’re looking to for superhero on superhero violence then Injustice 2 is for you. If you’re more into technical combat games like the EA UFC series of Streetfighter then you’re unlikely to find the technical meat you’re looking for in this title. If you want an immersive fighting game that puts you into the boots of superman then there’s tons of content to keep you coming back for more. When you’re not ploughing through the single player missions you can grind for more content on the multiverse. If you want to be successful, get your footwork on and float like a butterfly!
