Injustice 2, the sequel to Injustice: Gods Among Us, has been out for nearly a month now, and the reviews have been almost universally positive. Available on mobile platforms in addition to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, it was developed by NetherRealm Studios as a cutting edge fighting style game. Below, we’ll touch on what makes it a success.
It was almost a given that Injustice 2 was going to be one of the stronger releases of the first half of 2017. The first version of the game was well received a few years ago, earning a “great” rating at IGN and securing strong feedback across all platforms. NetherRealm would have had to drastically underperform expectations for the sequel to fail. Even so, you never know how good a game will be until you’re actually playing it.
So far Injustice 2 is living up to, and perhaps even exceeding, its lofty expectations. These are some of the highlights as far as we’re concerned.
It’s Silly (In A Good Way)
Taking itself too seriously is an easy trap for a superhero game to fall into. The same can be said for a superhero films, and this is a problem that has plagued the DC universe. There are plenty of fans of movies like Man Of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice, but both are deeply downbeat, lacking the playful quality that has made Marvel projects so successful. Granted, some heroes and sagas are more serious than others, but generally speaking this is a genre of popular entertainment that works best with a more lighthearted touch.
To that point, one interesting review of Injustice 2 pointed out that it makes core characters as ridiculous as they should be, and we’d have to agree. The aesthetic of Injustice 2 (and its story) is very dark—but so much so that you almost can’t help but chuckle at it. Case in point, this game’s story involves Superman killing Lois Lane. It’s almost like a parody at times, and that actually serves it very well.
The Character Collection Is Terrific
This is something DC appears to be working toward in gaming in general. While the Arkham series had a strong array of Batman characters, DC hasn’t been able to match Marvel’s games (mostly via online and mobile platforms) featuring huge collections of heroes and villains. But they’re making moves to change that. It’s been announced that more DC comic branded slots will be making their way to the online gaming community, where Marvel has had slot reels released for most of its characters for years.
With Injustice 2 we get a truly impressive group of heroes and villains to play with in arguably the most enjoyable format for a character mash-up: pure combat. The roster naturally, includes a lot of the classic characters we also played with in the first Injustice game like Batman, Catwoman, Superman, Joker, Harley Quinn, and others. What makes the sequel special is its expanded roster that does well to include some more obscure DC names. Characters like Blue Beetle, Doctor Fate, Firestorm, and Starfire, might not be familiar to more casual fans, but they add depth and creativity to the game—particularly given that Injustice 2 has more ways to upgrade and customize fighters.
The Game Is Deeper
Injustice 2 has a more thorough and interesting story behind it, building off of Gods Among Us but taking place in an alternate reality. It makes for a natural introduction of new characters, and also paves the way for the aforementioned darkly humorous approach. But the actual gameplay is also smoother and faster, adding to the sense that it’s generally a deeper game than its predecessor.
This article is a guest contribution written by Todd Miller,who is a freelance writer and amateur game designer based in Virginia. He hopes to start an indie gaming studio aimed at mobile platforms.