Injustice 2 Review

Despite the boom of superhero movies, the video game industry seems to lack superhero games aside from the occasional Batman or Spider-Man title. Thankfully, 2017’s Injustice 2 is one of the few comic book video games that properly utilizes its intellectual property. Not only does it offer plenty to satisfy fans of DC comics, but it also remains a fun (albeit flawed) arcade fighter.

Story

Injustice 2 improves on its predecessor in every way. Stories in fighting games are rarely selling points, but the single-player campaign of Injustice 2 is fittingly fun and comic-inspired. The previous game told the story of Superman’s evil regime. This one follows Batman rebuilding the world while introducing the evil villain Braniac.

The game also acts as an origin story for Supergirl, the new face of the series. Comic book fans have tons to dig into here. Players unfamiliar with the books will likely enjoy the simplicity of being able to fight against various superheroes.

Characters

The game’s roster has changed since the first. Instead of additional characters joining the fight, many new characters replace old ones. Ares, Doomsday, Shazam, and many others are absent from Injustice 2 (including my personal favorite, Lex Luthor).

The many newcomers include Deadshot, Robin, Darkseid, Firestorm, Doctor Fate, Gorilla Grodd, Cheetah, and Poison Ivy among others. Injustice 2’s roster is equally loaded with fan-favorites, especially for those familiar with the CW’s DC shows.

Downloadable characters are also enticing. B-listers like Red Hood, Starfire, and Black Manta are available for purchase. There are also guests like Hellboy and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.