From the makers of "Mortal Kombat", "Injustice: Gods Among Us" is the polished fighter you'd expect, but set in the DC comics multi-verse. Fighters are a genre of game I've never particularly cared for; I only bought this one because of my comic book addiction. However, "Injustice: Gods Among Us"'s enjoyability goes beyond it's superhuman roster. The gameplay is solid, the campaign enjoyable but short, and the playable characters are varied but balanced.
Some of you may have noticed my use of the word "multi-verse" in the opening paragraph. This is because the central premise of the narrative is one of two universe. There is the familiar DC universe where heroes are heroes and villains are villains, mixing with an alternate universe where some heroes have revolted to establish an authoritarian world order, joined by some villains. In most other games, this would seem far-fetched, but this is no more absurd than a standard comic-book plot, and "Injustice" turns it into the fantastic. Individual bouts by certain characters can also seem forced at times through flimsy set-ups. This is worsened by the games seeming insistence of four consecutive fights for each character.
However, the four consecutive fights with characters does provide other benefits to the game. It allows the player to grow comfortable in and sufficiently experience each character by the end of the series, but also keeps it varied enough for the player to find the one best suiting his style. Knowing the campaign is the first mode inexperienced fighter players will turn to, they have made it an easing process into the game. This is important because it is something high-class fighter games so often forget. My previous experience with games such as Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat is one of endless beatings, while struggling to remember and execute painfully long combos. "Injustice" has minimised this problem systematic of fighters. While there are still teething problems for new players, they are small and require relatively little time to work through. "Injustice" is forgiving but not lax in its difficulty gradient.
The gameplay is solid. There are sufficient combos for varied combat, and the combos seem to be able to link together for the more experienced (although first-hand knowledge is lacking!). There is also a good mix of character builds to use, as expected from a roster of 24 playable characters. Players can opt for fast but weak fighters such as The Flash and Catwoman, or strong but slow ones like Bane, and quite a few points inbetween. Initially there seem to be no over-powered characters that dominate, although they may be discovered as players explore each one. As expected of fighter games, each character has a "super-move" unlocked by achieving combos and taking damage. In true DC style, most of these are suitably epic. Whether it be Superman piledriving someone from the upper atmosphere or Batman splattering people with the Batmobile, immense satisfaction is derived each time, as well as massive damage. They could be even more beautiful if the graphics had been brought up to scratch with titles like "Tomb Raider" and "Forza 4."
However, these are not the only quirky elements of the combat. Seemingly innocuous everyday objects can be used to evade your opponent, as throwable objects, or exploding traps. When sets of characters react differently to every object, half of the fun in each map is finding out what there is and how to use it to your advantage. "Injustice" also has a system called clashing, where players can wager portion of their "power bar" to either gain health or deal some extra damage. The gains tend to be small, leaving it feeling more like a gimmick than a game-altering addition. However, there are a few dramatic (and occasionally amusing) dialogues between characters, and a big boom, redeeming it slightly.
A final fun aspect is the multiple layers on maps, that players can "transition" between. Get your opponent to a "transitionable"end of a scene, and you can whack them down (or up) a layer, normally through lots of damaging objects. On one map they can get hit by a train and on another be pushed through a demonic jail. Unfortunately, they are such an innovative and exciting addition to the gameplay that you wish more time had been spent developing them. When the mortal and humble Green Arrow punches Superman a kilometre and through several walls, the sublimely surreal becomes ridiculous. This could easily have been fixed by tailoring the initial part of the sequence to each fighter, but seems to have been left as an oddity. Fortunately, this is a small lapse of detail in a game otherwise superb.
There are also sufficient challenges to stop "Injustice" falling into the repetitive pattern some fighter games can fall into. While the campaign is slightly shorter than most, the S.T.A.R Labs mode place extra criteria on battles and mini-games, creating a fresh challenge for those left hungry. Numerous "Battle" modes also place you against difficult odds, and against strings of opponents. These, combined with the multiplayer, give the game much more variation and play-time than you would initially expect.
Despite the mediocre graphics and occasional ham-written scene, "Injustice: Gods Among Us" is one of the few fighter games I enjoy playing. It is challenging without being harsh, and tries to ease beginners into the genre. It is challenging, quirky, and genuinely fun to play. In a world where high-quality superhero games like "Batman: Arkham City" and "The Amazing Spider-man" are rising, "Injustice" earns its place between them.
Should you play this game? Yes
Score: 8/10.
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