By: Robert Murphy
Hey all you DC Universe fans out there, watch as the comic
book characters and TV show heroes come to life on your gaming systems in
“Injustice: Gods Among Us”. From the guys that brought you “Mortal Kombat” we
are brought into a game that pits these super powered gods against one another
living out some of our biggest what if scenario fights. But this isn’t a one
trick pony we have on our hands, the game brings actual story to this classic
style fighting game and that is what would happen if our protectors became our
oppressors. Superman has gone sour after countless times saving the world and
putting away the bad guys only to have them escape time and time again and hurt
more people that he loves and so he decides to take matters into his own hands
and pass judgment down as judge, jury and executioner. Though fans of shows and
movies of the last few years have seen this alternate reality story before,
this time around we are receiving some new tweaks and surprises which we are
able to live it out first hand.
What happens when you push Superman too far?
Now much of the game plays a lot similar to “Mortal Kombat”
with the characters swip swop with DC characters but that is bound to happen
with the creators of the two games being the same and all but despite the
similar look and feel the game has certain level of differences. For instance
combat features special abilities for each character that are similar to
finishing moves but these can be activated at any time during a battle once the
attack meter is filled in the lower left hand corner. These monumental attacks
can quickly give you the advantage in your battles as they take away a large
chunk of your enemy’s health and activate a very unique cut scene for each
character that displays your super hero or villain’s power. The attack meter
which you fill up through your battles can also be used to upgrade ground, air,
and juggle combos during your battles making good use of your characters powers
or skills that they are known for. Also a new feature to the game play is
“clash” which occurs when two characters challenge each other’s super meters to
gain the edge over the other and it happens very quickly so be players be prepared.
The combat itself is a very straight forward affair and easy to get into and
like any fighting game it becomes easy to gain mastery of each player’s moves
and abilities.
Superman and Solomon Grundy face off
The storyline itself is a little short but for a fighting
game is pretty enjoyable all the same and while those of you unfamiliar with
the DC Universe may have some trouble following along, the basic idea of the
story is fairly straight forward and easy to follow along with. The topsy
turvey world that our heroes are dragged into feature a story where our heroes
other selves are villains and our villains are the good guys. Our heroes are
dragged from their universe are dragged there by the other worlds Batman who
means to put an end to Superman’s reign of terrine over humanity right as the
Joker is about to set off a nuclear explosion which causes this alternate
universe in the first place. And while it all actually sounds confusing, it
becomes far less confusing once you are a part of the action and playing while
it unfolds. Also “Injustice” features Battles and S.T.A.R. Labs missions.
Battles, are themed-survivor type fights, fighting a team of opponents one
after another—some with certain handicaps or modifiers applied. S.T.A.R. Labs
is essentially the Challenge Tower in Mortal Kombat, providing 240 single-player
challenges that force you to complete certain tasks with specific characters to
continue and unlock them all. This adds some replay value to the game play and
features rewards for completing these challenges by getting new character skins
for your favorite super heroes.
Overkill much? A look at Joker’s finishing move
Jumping over to the multiplayer element of the game, the
even pacing of the regular game play seamlessly transitions over to the online
play as players can play 1 on 1 ranked and unranked matches with one another.
Online players also have the option of playing in King of the Hill or Survivor
mode, King of the Hill features an eight player ladder or tournament match up
where players constantly try to move up to the King’s spot or be knocked down
to the bottom and while anyone who is fighting can sit and spectate the
matches. Survivor mode is essentially the same thing but the player in the
King’s position cannot change his character after each match and their health
doesn’t fully return but they simply gain a small level of health after winning
a match making it harder to stay the king.
“Injustice: Gods Among Us” features a great fighting game even
for those of you who aren’t the biggest fans or even know too much about DC
comic books and the heroes that are apart of them. The main issue that myself
and others would have issue with is that while I pointed out the differences of
the game to “Mortal Kombat”, the game is still in many ways similar and lacks
enough differences for it to feel like something unique. But this isn’t a
terrible thing because “Mortal Kombat” is not something terrible to be compared
to. Fans will love this game though as it features many of your favorite super
heroes and villains allowing you all to live out your favorite DC battles and
your all time fantasy fights with you and your friends.
-Great and enjoyable combat even for those who don’t know the
DC Universe
-Unique player moves for each character
-A long story for a fighting game and features close ups for
many of your favorite characters
Bad:
-The similarity between the “Mortal Kombat” style gameplay is
hard to over look
-The story has been done before and probably won’t feel as
fresh to those who know all about the DC Universe
-The games graphics leave something to be desired
Scully Rating: 7.0 out of 10
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