Ed Boon and the "Mortal Kombat" team over at NetherRealm studios are revisiting the DC Comics universe, this time leaving that other universe out of it completely. The result, according to critics around the web, is a distinctive fighter that takes what it needs from the "Mortal Kombat" legacy while ramping up the insanity of hero-on-villain or even hero-on-hero action.
And while that sentiment might be expected in the game's story, which is surprisingly successful if absurd, it's how those big super-hero moments bleed into the new combat systems that sets "Injustice: Gods Among Us" apart. Read on to get the internet's consensus.
Absurdity Around Every Corner
In what may be a first for many gamers devoted to the fighting genre, the "Injustice: Gods Among Us" single-play story isn't merely an elongated tutorial and a precursor to online play. Many reviewers which, admittedly, aren't likely to have nearly as vested an interest in the game as many players, found the story compelling.
"For its first trick, 'Injustice' does something that few fighting games ever even attempt to do: tell an interesting story. What if Superman lost faith in humanity and, with his near-infinite power, decided it was time to stop protecting and start ruling?" writes IGN's Vince Ingenito.
Without getting too spoillery, dimensions are crossed, villains and heroes are swapping sides and everybody has a good reason to fight basically anybody else. It's great for a fighting game, of course, but the seamless cutscene-to-fight sequences and overall cohesion of tone help make engaging in the single-player more than a chore.
But of course, in the end, it's the fighting and the mechanics that make or break any title of this sort. In a similar way to how the single-player campaign sticks out, so does the nitty-gritty of it all.
"The fights are flashy and full of personality, making the action stand out, and producing a spectacle worth seeing," writes GiantBomb's Jeff Gerstmann. He enjoyed the single-player, laughing off petty excuses for why Harley Quinn might be able to take on Superman and embroiling himself in the game's silliness.
Later on, Gerstmann admits, "for many the main draw will be the game's wild super moves and destructible backgrounds. It's worth taking a break from the fighting for a bit to see Flash run all the way around the world to put a little more oomph into his punch or to see Batman run his opponents over with a remote controlled Batmobile. It gives the game a lot of cool, crazy flavor, even if they do start to get a little stale over time."
Mortal Kombat Was Just The Beginning
Hardcore fighting fans might cringe at Gerstmann's last statement. The super moves are wild and sometimes ridiculous, but not game-breaking. The amount of damage they do is neglidgable overall, and the fighting system has far more nuance to it than building up a meter and winning. Some reviewers were able to pop out exactly what many fighting fans would want to hear, EGM's Ray Carsillo among them:
"I didn't see, but I felt the combos flowing like Aquaman riding the surf, as it was easier than ever to pull off some ridiculously long hit combinations, especially with quicker characters like Harley Quinn or Nightwing."
It's worth noting that as of right now, Carsillo is singing "Injustice's" praises more than any other reviewer. He loves this game and he may even be a little in love with Ed Boon. Gerstmann has a more down-to-earth take on the system overall:
"Parts of the 'Injustice' fighting system feel like they were designed with an eye toward making the game a bit more accessible for people who aren't already well-versed in fighting games. This starts with its three attack buttons of varying strength."
That should sound somewhat similar to "Street Fighter." NetherRealms included a button-configuration for "Street Fighter" fans out there, intelligently widening their potential audience. In addition to your super moves and regular, combo-heavy systems, you've also got the "Clash" system and character-specific powers that lend each fighter an ability akin to passives in MOBAs.
Superman simply buffs his attack power up for a short period of time, Batman enables up to three floating projectiles and the Flash makes himself faster, displayed by actually slowing his opponent down on the field. It's another tactical layer outside of slamming buttons, one that most reviewers found interesting instead of distracting. The clash system, on the other hand, is a little more controversial.
"I can't say I'm too fond of it; it feels like forced mini-game in the middle of a fight, but it does add another strategic layer to a pretty deep fighter," writes LazyGamer's Geoffrey Tim.
At any point in the fight, and only once per player, you can activate a "clash," which quickly asks players to bet a portion of their power meter. He or she who bets the most gains a health or does damage, depending on who initiated the clash. Carsillo found the system particularly effective towards the end of a bout, writing "several times, my opponent and I were down to less than half of our last lifebars when one of us hit a Clash, regained a third of our health, and were able to ride this late boost to victory." For all the positive enhancements and mixtures between "Mortal Kombat" and other fighting franchises, the clash systems seems the most out-of-place.
Any other complaints are mostly small and personal gripes and character balancing at this early stage in the game's life is nearly impossible to judge. Inside Gaming Daily's Brandon Thompson did note a small learning curve when it came to character animations and movement.
"The character animations feel a little stiff and their movement sluggish at first," he writes, "but after a couple of hours the timing and speed of the gameplay becomes more apparent."
There is one other major kick to the formula.
The Stages
Tim puts it well:
"The levels, like the characters themselves, are all splendidly diverse, with an array of geeky fan-service references for those well versed in DC lore; from Superman's Fortress of Solitude to the Bat cave and the bowels of Arkham Asylum. They're also interactive in their own way, with bits of the semi-destructible environment available for use as attacks; like missiles fired from the Batmobile, or steaming hot pipes in Arkham Asylum. There's a distinct thrill in watching the world around you take as much damage as your character."
With the simple click of one context-sensitive button, players can use the environment around them to damage the opponent or maneuver into a combo-happy place. From a spectator's standpoint, it's amazing how fluid a player can go from mid-combo to environmental attack back to a combo. Kicking or punching players into a background object, such as flying helicopter, is delightfully jarring, but the system does pose some problems for more hardcore gamers.
"Now, I'd be lying if I said all the wanton destruction wasn't great fun, because it totally is," writes Ingenito, "I just don't know how balanced it'll prove to be. Environmental attacks are completely unblockable, and either shear off sizable chunks of life or leave you open to eat a full combo - and sometimes both. I've already seen people execute 100% combos on certain stages, and that's potentially gamebreaking for high-level players. NetherRealm appears to be concerned about them as well, since it's included the option to turn them off."
On the other hand Carsillo, enthusiastic as always, called the interactive stages "ingenious," praising the sheer quantity of lightning-fast strategies available in any of the fifteen stages.
As much eye-candy as tactical concern, the stages are by far the biggest differentiating factor in "Injustice: Gods Among Us" from the recent "Mortal Kombat" reboot or any other fighting game for that matter.
Other systems in place are largely positive in their effect on battle strategy and skill, and hardcore fighters out there should find plenty to learn and adjust to in exactly the way a fighter should ask. The plentiful roster of 24 characters, with more DLC to come no doubt, should make "Injustice: Gods Among Us" a worthy investment.