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REVIEW: Injustice: Gods Among Us

Ever feel like there was a game that was swept under the radar and didn’t get enough credit? I’m sure there are plenty of games out there just like that. While everyone is talking about Destiny and Borderlands, there are a few titles that never got the attention they deserved, including a new favorite of mine called Injustice: Gods Among Us.

I remember the first time I watched the trailer for Injustice, and how I was blown away by the visuals as well as the action sequences. It looked like Mortal Kombat but with DC characters, which means that it looked awesome! However, this might have been a cause for concern with some people seeing as Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe was a sub-standard game. But Injustice really knocked it out of the park.

I can’t pinpoint my favorite part of the game. Let’s start with the characters.

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I received the Ultimate Edition of the game for Christmas so I got the whole roster. You start off the game with the more mainstream characters of the DC universe, but after you finish the main storyline, you unlock some lesser-known people like Zatanna and Lobo. You can even unlock Scorpion from Mortal Kombat (although, to be honest, I wasn’t too crazy about playing as him).

There is a tremendous amount of variety amongst the characters, but the game follows a pretty basic formula as to how they fight. You get your punches, your kicks, your blocks, and your special moves. One button is a sort-of grapple where you grab the opponent and attack them in a unique way. For example, Bane picks up his opponent and throws them over his shoulder. Batman places a small bomb on his opponent’s back and blows it up. Aquaman stabs his opponent with his trident and strikes him with lightning. It’s pretty sick.

Also, there is an ultimate move attributed to each hero and villain. When you fill up the meter during a fight, you can activate it to knock a huge chunk off of your opponent’s health. The ultimate moves are often the best parts of any fight. The moment you activate your character’s signature power, the game goes into an awesome cut-scene that is almost movie quality. Every character’s move is fun to watch. The Flash’s ultimate move consists of him running around the world and building up enough momentum to punch his opponent with an incredibly amount of force. The Joker’s ultimate move involves him shooting someone in the head and hitting them with a pie. You can waste so much time just cycling through every character’s ultimate move. I haven’t even seen them all yet.

The stages are just as diverse and entertaining as the characters. You can play in multiple DC locations like the Batcave, Arkham Asylum, the Hall of Justice, or the slums of Gotham City. Scattered throughout the stage are objects that you can use during the fight. If you have a larger character like Bane, you can pick up a nearby car and slam it into your opponent. See that water tower behind you? Wonder Woman can kick out its support beams and cause it to squash her enemy.

What I’m really trying to emphasize is that Injustice puts a lot of work into it’s cinematography. The animation, sound, and overall presentation of the storyline are phenomenal. Even the in-fight sequences are impressive. It’s not just superheroes and villains beating each other up. It’s like you are playing a movie.

The main storyline can be completed fairly quickly, but there is so much more to do. You can play against the computer and practice new moves for your favorite character. You can also check out alternate skins for heroes and villains. Some of these are awesome, like the alternate Nightwing costumes, but then some are just weird, like the Red Son version of Solomon Grundy. Still, it’s fun trying out different combinations of DC heroes and villains.

There are so many challenges to complete aside from the main story. You can partake in regular one-on-one battles, fight against a continuous stream of opponents, or play in higher difficulties to test your might. I’m currently playing through the S.T.A.R. Labs side-missions, where you are scored on your completion of unique challenges. I won’t lie – these tasks can be tough. I’m stuck on this one challenge for Catwoman where you have to lead a cat through security barriers without alerting the guards. It’s harder than it sounds.

I can’t think of any complaints about Injustice: Gods Among Us. It’s an incredible fighting game that deserved as much recognition as Mortal Kombat. There have been rumors of a sequel coming out soon, and I can only hope that we do get to see something in the next few years. There are so many other characters from DC that could make an appearance. The best thing that could happen would be if they made a Marvel version of the game. Or if they decided to do a crossover. Marvel vs. DC? Yes, please!

What did you think of Injustice: Gods Among Us? Did you enjoy it? Do you think it deserved more recognition as well? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!

About the author

Alex Reale

From a young age, Alex knew he was destined to be a writer. He also harbored a deep infatuation with superheroes and comics. Luckily, he was able to combine these two passions through his role with A Place to Hang Your Cape, where he works as Junior Sidekick and Social Media Hero.

When he’s not writing for AP2HYC or working full-time as a content manager for a small business website, Alex is diligently at work on other creative projects including a fantasy novel collection and an independent comic series.

You can find Alex's first book, Dodger's Doorway, on Amazon!