Developer: NetherRealm studios
Publisher: Warner Bros. interactive entertainment
Platform: Wii U, PS3, Xbox360
Injustice: Gods among us – Preview
Injustice: Gods among us is an upcoming fighting game, produced by NetherRealm studios, pitting various known and lesser known DC characters against each other. We at 3rd-strike were fortunate enough to receive an invitation by Warner Bros. interactive to attend a hands-on preview event held in Amsterdam. To top it off we had the honor of not only watching game producer Hector Sanchez demonstrate the features of the game, but also had a 1 on 1 interview with him. So how did it feel watching Batman fight Superman? Read on to find out.
The roster of Injustice: Gods among us is filled with fan favorites and not so known characters. This is a good thing since it introduces lesser know characters to the casual DC fan, while experts will be delighted to finally see their not so known favorite in action. NetherRealm studios strove to include characters that translate well into a fighting game and maybe it’s just me but I could not be happier with the roster (although I would’ve wanted to see Mr.Freeze).
Like every fighting game, there is a story to Injustice. Though unlike its peers, the creative team behind Injustice strove to make the story the pivotal point of Injustice and not just a flimsy hastily concocted extra. Since there were no restrictions placed upon NetherRealm studios regarding the story, we can be sure that it will be a refreshing ride, which will hopefully spawn a complete alternate universe in DC someday.
Next to the story-mode, players are treated to the S.T.A.R Labs mode. In this mode the player goes through 240 missions. Each character in the roster has a certain amount of missions that the player needs to clear. Each mission has certain goals that the player needs to clear before earning a star. Mr. Sanchez explained that each goal also has a tutorial function. So playing the missions also improves the player’s overall level.
While at first most people would have expected Injustice to be just an improved version of Mortal Kombat, it soon becomes apparent that Injustice differentiates itself enough to be seen as a complete different entity. According to Mr. Sanchez, the team was not restricted to the traditional Mortal Kombat formula, this gave them the freedom to implement choices in the game otherwise considered blasphemous if applied to the Mortal Kombat franchise.
Notable differences from the MK-franchise is that the block button has been replaced by the traditional “hold back to block” mechanic. Instead players are treated to a character trait button, intended to reflect said character’s characteristics. Each character receives a different “power-up” up from said button. This not only makes for interesting and fun to watch in-game scenarios, but also makes each character unique. I was especially impressed by Lex Luthor’s character trait button move. By pressing the trait-button, Lex Luthor receives a force field. This force field will remain intact until Lex Is hit by an attack and as force fields tend to do, they will protect Lex from any damage he would have received. Characters also possess a super-bar now, which they can use partially, to enhance special moves or fully, to unleash an ultimate move. The latter is mostly noticeable by the more than average damage output and over the top cinematic. Speaking of over the top cinematic, Injustice offers interactive environments and objects. Objects will interact with your character depending on the character and the environment is usually split into different parts. Smashing your opponent to a different part of the environment is also accompanied by eye-candy and a decent amount of damage.These are aspects that especially advanced players will take note of. But don’t think that Injustice will only be accessible to hardcore or advanced fans of the genre. The character trait button, while appealing to advanced players as an extra option, enables casual players to easily perform special moves with little to no effort. My experience with the game was that moves were indeed easy to execute, aforementioned ultimate moves only need two buttons to be activated, making the game enjoyable for everyone. Add the fact that players can pin input instructions from the movelist and it really becomes hard to imagine that anyone would have difficulties getting into Injustice.
So where does the “advanced “ aspect of the game lie? Well for starters, each character is not only unique in their move-set but also stats-wise. While in other fighting games, character stats are only marginally different from each other, Injustice offers truly differentiated characters. You can’t expect a hit and run character like the Green Arrow to trade blows with a tank like Bane. Neither can you expect Bane to just try to out-combo the Green Arrow. Each character demands a certain mindset and handling to be really successful with. It’s all about using the environment and your characters strong points. Another very intriguing thing is that the movelist of a character comes with frame-rate data for each move, a good thing to remember when it comes to combos and counter-hits.
All in all Injustice: Gods among us does the fighting genre and the DC universe total justice. It would be a crime not to at least take a look at the game. This is definitely a must for every DC fan out there and also for every fighting genre fan. A new storyline combined with iconic characters from the DC universe are surely a good mix. Top it off with years of experience from NetherRealm studios and we have ourselves a winner. I for one am excited and eagerly await its release on April 18.
For more information visit the official site.
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