Injustice 2 stands out as an excellent sequel for the World’s Greatest Heroes

Fighting games that get follow ups and sequels are those kinds of properties that deserve a continuation – as a loyal fanbase develops and the gameplay of the first game prove there’s a lot of potential for the franchise.

When Warner Bros. acquired the assets of the former Midway Games after the studio filed for bankruptcy, they also got the rights to the Mortal Kombat franchise – resulting in a new studio being born in “NetherRealm Studios” and the rebirth of the Mortal Kombat franchise in 2009’s semi-reboot.

Prior to that, both companies worked together for a crossover title called “Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe” that while lukewarm showed a lot of promise for a standalone DC Comics themed fighting game. 2013 saw that dream realized with the release of “Injustice: Gods Among Us” for platforms like the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, showing that the DC Universe had a future in the fighting game genre.

Earning critical acclaim for its story and gameplay mechanics, it was a no brainer for NetherRealm Studios to create a sequel to the game that had a diverse roster of DC heroes and villains, with fan favorites such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Joker, Harley Quinn, and Black Adam all being playable.

After spending four years in development, Injustice 2 has arrived to take its place as a sequel within the new generation of video game systems in the Playstation 4 and Xbox One. Picking up where the last game left off, the sequel sees Batman’s insurgency emerging triumphant following the first game’s battle against a tyrannical Superman’s regime and attempting to restore society back to the way it was.

Unfortunately, the arrival of a coalition of supervillains called “The Society” and the alien Braniac forces Batman, Superman, and their allies to join forces to combat the threat – blurring the lines once more and putting the fate of the world on their shoulders.

Harnessing the same kind of gameplay structure and using an enhanced version of the Unreal Engine 3 that powered the first game, Injustice 2 plays and incorporates similar controls that make it just as playable as any fighting game in the market today.

Players go one on one or against the CPU after selecting their favorite hero or villain from the character select screen, and from there they can fight in a number of stages that have interactive elements to exploit or turn the tide of battle.

Each character comes with their own unique abilities and special moves, so strategy and knowing how to play as a tactician like Batman and mastering the talents of a crazy lady like Harley Quinn is crucial in mastering a game like Injustice 2.

Like all sequels that aim to surpass their predecessors and add new content into the mix, Injustice 2 has a plethora of new modes and interactive elements that make it much more than just a game that uses the same engine and adds new characters into the mix.

The most evident change is the addition of the “Gear System” – a mode that allows players to earn loot in the form of costume pieces and equipment that can be used to customize their favorite characters and add new abilities and properties to them at the same time.

NetherRealm Studios has wanted to add an “RPG element” to their fighters for the longest time, and this is a suitable mechanic for a game like Injustice 2 that has many heroes and villains that fans have seen several versions of in different mediums.

Players can find loot and “Mother Boxes” by playing the game offline and online, thereby making full use of the status altering effects of their customization and tweaking it to their individual tastes.

Besides the regular “Single Player” and “Multiplayer” modes the game offers for its users, Injustice 2 also adds “Multiverse” mode – a unique feature that allows players to travel to different versions of the DC Universe and go through all sorts of battles with established handicaps and goals that reap great rewards in return.

In addition, players can form or join “guilds” that offer daily rewards to compete for or chances to join forces for new kinds of unlockable gear that’s exclusive to guild gameplay only. Also like its predecessor, Injustice 2 has a mobile version that’s free to download for iOS and Android devices, and players who make and interconnect their WB account to the main game will be able to access and transfer exclusive content to both games as they play them and unlock rewards at the same time.

As a game that honors the DC Universe and brings new material to the forefront, Injustice 2 is a worthy and adept sequel that has plenty to offer for DC fans who have embraced the universe Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, DC Entertainment, and NetherRealm Studios have built that features some of the world’s greatest heroes and villains in it.

The story is rich and full of the same capable narrative that DC properties are strong for, and while microtransactions and DLC characters are optional they offer plenty of replay value to go for if you’re not satisfied with the base game.

New DLC fighters like Red Hood, Starfire, and Sub-Zero are on the way and will bring new challenges to this game as time passes by and they are released. As their second offering in the genre, the future of DC Comics themed fighting games is not lost and is assuredly in the right hands with NetherRealm Studios.

Injustice 2 is now available for PS4 and Xbox One. — TJD, GMA News