It’s just as grim as the original, but this time it actually uses its bleakness to pose a meaningful question: To what end is justice served? Batman and Superman may be working on the same side, but tension lingers, created by the inevitability that Brainiac won’t be a threat forever. While it’s standard comic-book fare, Injustice 2’s story balances it’s many layers of personal and fantastic drama. After destroying Krypton long ago, Brainiac has come for the Man of Steel, forcing the embattled factions of the former Justice League to try and put their grievances aside for the sake of the planet. That threat is Superman’s classic foe, Brainiac. In Injustice 2, Superman has been locked up and depleted of his powers, while Batman and his team help rebuild civilization and keep a watchful eye for the next colossal threat to Earth. The first Injustice, Gods Among Us, sees Superman becomes a totalitarian dictator, prompting a revolt from Batman and Justice League members from multiple versions of the DC Universe. The story of Injustice 2 picks up where the original leaves off. Injustice 2 does something unique by offering a deep, enriching experience for both casual players and seasoned pros. The emphasis on making the game inviting to all comes through in the loot system, which allows you to customize stats and appearance. The campaign offers one of the best DC stories in years, packed with meticulously designed cut scenes filled with a bevy of DC superheroes and villains. Injustice 2 builds on that concept, eclipsing the campaigns of its predecessors, while also adding new systems and modes that specifically target non-competitive play. These campaigns, which NetherRealm introduced, in the rebooted Mortal Kombat (often referred to as MK9), fill a gap left open in most fighting games: A compelling single-player component for players who don’t necessarily have the time to keep up with the devoted competitive players who dominate online.
Injustice 2, the follow-up to Moral Kombat developer NetherRealm’s Justice-League-inspired fighting game, is the studio’s fourth game with a cinematic campaign, which strings together a series of one-on-one fights with extended cutscenes to create a de facto interactive movie.
We claim, probably too frequently, that “you could mistake this for the real thing.” This kind of talk is often hyperbole, often used to impress and excite, rather than to accurately describe them. Fitbit Versa 3Ĭritics and fans tend to overstate the cinematic qualities of video games. For more info on Injustice 2 and the other great games shown at E3 2016, stay tuned to Xbox Wire. Each character felt distinctive – especially Atrocitus, who is accompanied by the wicked Red Lantern housecat Dex-Starr, one of the most tragic, and yet most hilarious, comic characters ever. Each hit brings a feeling of weight appropriate for the super powers of the combatants, and NetherRealm does a great job of keeping the game feeling distinct from the Mortal Kombat series while still using the same basic control scheme. We got to see some of the variations of the higher-level outfits, and the breadth of options is impressive.Īll in all, Injustice 2 feels great.
As you level up, more items become available, allowing you to strengthen your heroes and villains. The more you play, the more items you’ll earn. There are tons of items, each one with their own stats, allowing you to customize your fighters for the play style and aesthetic you prefer.Įarning these items could not be simpler: At the end of every single match you play, you’re awarded one item for the character you use. Deck out your Batman in cybernetic armor. Each battle is a potentially city-destroying clash against what are effectively gods.Įvery character in Injustice 2 is customizable and upgradeable with various armor, clothing, and accessories that boost their stats. You can punch Supergirl through a wall and into a train, and she can respond by flying you into space and laser-eye blasting you down to Earth. The over-the-top cinematic special moves and environmental attacks make a return. At the show we got to see returning faves Batman, Superman, and Aquaman, along with newcomers Supergirl, Gorilla Grodd, and the Red Lantern Atrocitus. The roster for Injustice 2, while not fully confirmed, is going to be far larger than the previous game, according to WB Games. Here at E3 2016, NetherRealm is back, bringing the biggest heroes and villains from the DC Universe together for Injustice 2. Superheroes fighting other superheroes is the new hotness, but before films pitted the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel against each other, there was Injustice: Gods Among Us, a heavy-hitting fighting game from the creators of Mortal Kombat.