Yes, finally, it’s the promised Injustice 2 review. As usual feel free to watch the video review above or to read it below, the old fashioned way.
Now, I’ll confess that in terms of fighting games I’ve been trapped in the past for a number of years with my last major fighting title owned being Tekken 4. Injustice 2 was quite an eye opener in just how far the genre has come. Gone are the days of only main and alt skins and of being able to print a character’s available combos on just one side of A4, and I certainly won’t be going back.
Injustice 2 has 30 characters on its roster, nearly all famous DC heroes and villains. Each character has a massive list of unique moves and combos to master with even the basic attack combos not being shared across characters. Each character also has a unique special move, some of which are highly entertaining. Due to the depth and complexity of the combo system the game can seem a little daunting to new players but it isn’t hard to pick up. There are basic tutorials for each character and as long as you stick to easy to begin with, trial and error will reveal a number of handy combos.
The graphics and level design are exceptional. Arena’s have multiple areas with fluid transitions. The characters are really well modelled and the lip-sync and facial animations some of the best I’ve seen in any game let alone one of this genre. The game will almost fool you into thinking you’re viewing live action in a couple of places, almost.
Injustice 2 has a number of different modes to play. The main complaints have been regarding the story mode which some have found flat and un-engaging. It’s certainly dark, gritty and prone to some melodrama but I, personally, felt it fulfilled its purpose. The story mode gives the player different characters to control each chapter and by the conclusion has introduced half the cast. There has been some impact on the story, with all this character hopping, but I felt the function achieved made up for it. All in all I found the storyline interesting, if not exciting, and perfect coherent. The storyline will take about two hours to complete and I found it a perfect enjoyable mode to play. Granted, it probably doesn’t have a great amount of replay value despite the promise of alternate endings. However, don’t panic and think you won’t get your money’s worth as there’s plenty more to keep you entertained long term that just the story mode.
As well as the story mode there are also a number of online and offline multiplayer modes and online tournaments, and if PvP isn’t your thing then there is also the multiverse mode. The multiverse, delivers a number of challenges and events with new ones added monthly, weekly, daily and even hourly, delivering an endless supply of single player content. There is also a hefty character development mechanic whereby the characters you use gain EXP and gear as you use them, in any of the modes. There are numerous customisation options from stat boosting armour to cosmetic skins. Each character can be levelled up to level 20 and equip armour of varying rarity and effectiveness, which allows you to tailor a character for fighting a certain opponent. Armour will also change the look of a character. Using in game currencies collected by winning fights and completing events you can also upgrade or alter the look of pieces. So whether you’re a PvPer or a single player type you won’t run out of things to do here.
Overall, this game is, without doubt, right up near the top if it’s genre. It’s pushed the development of fighting games further and deeper than ever before and added a level of longevity that the genre has long needed. I’ve had it a couple of months now, and while I don’t play it all the time, I do go back to it frequently. If you like DC and you like fighting games then this is certain to be your cup of tea. Even if you don’t, it may still surprise you.
