Why ‘Injustice 2’ Is A Hit With Critics

The sequel to 2013’s Injustice: Gods Among Us, Injustice 2, was released on May 16 and has since garnered high praise from various sites, including IGN, Polygon, and Gamespot. Critics have applauded the game’s mesmerizing visuals and its ultra-realistic graphics, while also highlighting the wide array of in-game content.

And even before the official release of Injustice 2, NetherRealm Studios revealed that three DLC characters, namely Red Hood, Sub Zero, and Starfire, would be joining the fray, with more to follow in the near future.

One of the biggest features that NetherRealm Studios added to the sequel is the gear system. Players are now able to unlock various equipment with which they can customize their character’s appearance and abilities. These gear can be unlocked in various modes, and the system ensures that players can create unique versions of their favorite heroes and villains. Overall, the gear system is innovative and a great way to keep players glued to the screen for hours.

More importantly, the gameplay of Injustice 2 has also received wide acclaim, especially for its fast pace and engaging combo system. Injustice: Gods Among Us, while also popular among gamers, was often criticized for being too campy and slow-paced. Its sequel, on the other hand, will have no such issues, thanks to its combative and intense gameplay. In his review, Darry Huskey of IGN emphasized the immensely satisfying combo system of the game.

“For someone like me who enjoys spending time just beating up the training dummy and seeing what sort of insane juggles I can put together, it’s supremely enjoyable,” said Huskey. However, the story mode of the fighting game may not be for everyone. While Huskey wasn’t a fan of “the dark take on DC’s heroes” in both Injustice 2 and its predecessor, Michael McWhertor praised the “engaging story” in his review for Polygon.

Real DC fans, however, will definitely enjoy the compelling narrative of the game, and the what-if storyline is certainly enticing. Moreover, the plot of Injustice 2 is far less convoluted than the one in Injustice: Gods Among Us, as McWhertor points out. In the first game, players were introduced to alternate versions of various heroes and villains, which made things a little confusing at times.

The sequel picks off a couple of years later, with Superman and his Regime still in prison. While Batman and his allies are working on getting the world back on track, Brainiac, the primary antagonist of Injustice 2, invades the world with the intention of capturing Superman and absorbing the entire planet. Thus, the Justice League reunites in an effort to save humanity from the clutches of the nigh-invincible alien. And while the story won’t appeal to everyone, it surely isn’t terrible, especially for a fighting game, according to McWhertor.

For the hardcore fans who want to delve even further into the lore of the game, there’s also the option of purchasing and reading the Injustice 2 comics, which focus on the events leading up to the video game. In the comics, many lesser-known heroes and villains, who don’t appear in Injustice 2, make cameos, which is something many comic book fans will surely appreciate.

As previously mentioned, the overall design and visuals of the game have been a major talking point among critics. The graphics in Injustice 2 are a huge improvement over its predecessor and the facial animation, in particular, stands out. In his review, McWhertor even goes as far as saying that the facial animation is “the most impressive” in any fighting game he’s ever seen.

“Everything looks spectactular. : Injustice 2‘s cut scenes are beautifully lit and feature some of the most impressive facial animation I’ve ever seen in a fighting game.”

The spectacular graphics are also one of the reasons that the story mode is so enjoyable and immersive, according to the reviews.

All in all, critics seem to love Injustice 2. IGN, Polygon, and Gamespot have all given NetherRealm Studios’ latest fighting game a 9 out of 10.

[Featured Image by Warner Bros. Entertainment]