WB Interactive and NetherRealm have brought Injustice 2 to GDC, and I had the opportunity to try out a sample of the story mode. Just like its predecessor, Injustice 2 is overly dramatic, but still entertaining, and serves as a great way to try out all of the characters on the roster.
Taking place after the events of the first Injustice, the sequel picks up with Batman trying to piece everyone back together after Superman’s rampage. If you haven’t played the original Injustice, there’s an alternate dimension, and two versions of every character. Some get killed, and it’s all over the place. It seems things are a bit more stable in the sequel, but I haven’t played enough to really figure everything out.
While the story is certainly over-the-top, it’s at least enjoyable to watch unfold. Even if you don’t really care about what’s happening, the story mode is still the best way to get introduced to all of Injustice 2’s characters, and get a chance to try each one out.
As for the actual fighting, the action feels as crisp as ever. Each character plays very differently, and button mashing isn’t the best way to go (much to my disappointment). Thankfully, the combos for pulling off cool moves is still easy to learn, and many characters have many of the same button combos.
One huge new addition is the gear. Gear allows players to fine-tune each character and provide additional stat boosts. Each character has five gear slots: head, arms, chest, legs and a unique accessory. For Batman, it’s his utility belt, for Harley Quinn, it’s her guns. Each character can also have their moveset tweaked, with certain moves able to be replaced by others.
While most of the gear offers simple stat boosts to a character’s attributes, some items offer other unique upgrades. For example, one piece of gear may not give out great bonuses to stats, but increases the amount of damage dealt by environmental attacks or allows you to do a level transition easier. These all combine into letting players create the perfect character to use.
My time with Injustice 2 was short, but I’m eagerly awaiting more. I have many fond memories of smacking my friends around with Superman, Green Arrow and more in the original Injustice, so I can’t wait to relive the magic with the sequel, which seems to be bigger and better in just about every way.
Injustice 2 comes to PS4 and Xbox One on May 16.
So what do you think? Are you excited to play Injustice 2 for yourself? Who do you hope gets announced for the roster next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.