‘Injustice 2’: Batman vs. Superman
Warner Bros. superhero movies have been lackluster so far. Its attempt to re-create a phenomenon similar to the Marvel cinematic universe has been hamstrung by poor execution. On the other hand, Warner Bros. Games and Nether-Realm Studio have done a better job at building around the Justice League. In the “Injustice 2” universe, Superman has gone rogue after the Joker tricked him into killing a pregnant Lois Lane and nuking Metropolis. He creates the Regime, a band of superheroes who have no qualms about killing criminals and enacting a strict judicial system.
In the original game, Batman and his allies manage to overthrow Superman and imprison him. The sequel continues that story when Earth is attacked by Brainiac. This puts pressure on the post-Regime world. Faced with an overwhelmingly powerful foe and his organization, called the Society and led by General Grodd, the issue is whether onetime allies — the Dark Knight and Man of Steel — can trust each other to fend off the attack?
The storyline takes place over 12 chapters, with the final scenario decided by the player. Nether-Realm manages to involve players in the narrative while diversifying it. In one chapter, they take control of Black Canary and the Green Arrow, and decide which hero fights a villain. In another episode, it’s Firestorm and Blue Beetle trying to fend off Superman’s allies. The story mode is a way for players to survey the roster and fighting system of “Injustice 2.”
That’s good because the multiplayer and Multiverse mode is where the meat of the game resides. What makes “Injustice 2” special is that it incorporates roleplaying game elements into its fighting system — a revolutionary idea.
After each battle, players earn gear that potentially improves the stats of a character on the roster. The upgrades boost strength, ability, defense or health stats. In addition, some equipment has bonus perks that reduce damage from certain attacks or increase the amount of experience earned. Those who accumulate a full set of gear can also unlock a bonus for equipping them all.
This type of leveling up creates another level of strategy, since rivals will face players who have different builds. Two Green Lanterns may take different approaches. One may focus on defense and health to ensure outlasting an opponent. Another may focus on attack and ability, so the hero deals heavy damage to end fights quickly.
Thanks to these options, the combat system is incredibly deep. It’s accessible so players can perform combos with the right sequence, but at the same time, the gameplay doesn’t necessarily reward skill. Players who dedicate enough time can become better at “Injustice 2” and earn gear to make their hero overpowered. The playing field isn’t necessarily level; those with better gear have an advantage.
NetherRealm does include a tournament mode, which removes progression and equipment so that all the characters are presumably balanced. But even then, “Injustice 2” requires constant tinkering as new characters are introduced. There are also ways to abuse the system.
But that’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. For fighting games to grow, projects like “Injustice 2” — ones that are willing to try new concepts — are essential. This attempt at blending two popular genres works.
Even for players don’t want to battle online — the matchmaking can be slow — there are alternatives. Gamers can challenge the computer in the Multiverse. This is single-player mode, where players battle a series of computer-controlled opponents under various conditions. It’s an excellent way to grind out in-game currencies and earn coin to buy Mother Boxes that hold gear.
Although it’s not perfect, “Injustice 2” is a thoughtful game that breathes new life into a genre in danger of growing stale.