The DC Universe is filled with bombastic characters that are rich with personality, and not many games are able to bring those larger than life personalities to the virtual world as accurately, and as satisfyingly as Injustice 2. The main conflict of the game is set up in the same universe where the first Injustice game took place, but this time around the heroes must band together to defeat Brainiac before he can not only finish hunting down the Kryptonians, Superman, and Supergirl, but also add the earth to his collection of cosmic trophies. The plot manages to be a mix of the traditional “good guy” vs “bad guy” storylines that get lost in most modern comic stories, but it also manages to add a refreshing take on the “hero” vs “hero” theme as well with another added layer of conflict leftover from the first Injustice game. There’s a lot to love just story-wise, and it’s also fun, and easy to get into if you’re not well versed in comic-books. Essentially, Injustice 2 manages to be a well rounded game that any fan, at any level of knowledge, can easily pick up, and get to playing. And the DLC is amazing as well.

Photo Credit: Attack of the Fanboy

The Good

While each Turtle shares the same button/comboT layout, they all still feel distinct based on their fighting style, and their interactive voice lines. If it’s one thing that gives Injustice 2 that edge of personality, it’s most definitely the dialogue that’s triggered by specific character interactions. Some of the lines are witty banter to gear up the fight (Superman vs. Harley Quinn is one that pops to mind immediately), and others cut a little more deep (seriously, don’t put Captain Cold and Scarecrow up against each other), but all of them show each character’s distinct voice within the DC Universe, and that’s no small feat. Even with the added Expansion 3 pack, the Turtles continue to keep the game at a level of fun, and entertaining nearly a year after its release.

The Turtles’ moves themselves are just fun to play, plain and simple. Bouncing around, flinging yourself full shell at an opponent, and using your ninja reflexes to counter your opponents moves all just feel way too satisfying. Any die hard Ninja Turtles fan will love not only the in game voice references to their other adventures in other forms of media, but also the small attention to detail given to personalize each character’s fighting style. While the Turtles all share a special move which involves a combined Shell Shock attack on the opponent, each one has their own “trait” that gives them a different edge in each fight (Yes, Michelangelo uses his skateboard. Yes, it’s just as fun as you’d think).

Photo Credit: Slash Film

The Bad

One of the strengths of Injustice 2 is the ability to fully customize the characters you’re given. Each character can be leveled up the more you play as them, and the higher up you get in levels, the more equipment you can unlock for that character. Some equipment is purely cosmetic, such as costumes, and skin designs that unlock other characters (Like John Stewart, Powergirl, or Reverse Flash), but others give you a boost in your overall stats. You can unlock headpieces, armor, and all types of gear for your character to give them a statistical edge, and each character starts out with three free loadouts to change (if you want to customize/upgrade more, you have to unlock them at higher levels).

When you first download the Turtles DLC, it can be a little tricky to figure out how to switch between them. The default Turtle is Leo (shocker), and there’s no clear way of switching between the Turtles until you stumble upon the customization screen and then go about switching the Turtles in the loadout section based on their weapons. Change Leo’s sword to Mikey’s nunchaku’s for instance, and you immediately get Michelangelo in Leo’s place for that specific loadout. It’s not all easy going from there though, as you only get three loadouts until you get to level ten, meaning you’ll need to constantly switch out at least one Turtle in the customization section between matches (unless you have a favorite you like to play as, in which case you can set it as one loadout, and then keep playing them until you get to level ten) until you can unlock a fourth loadout. It’s a minor hindrance, but if you want practice with all four from the get go, it’s definitely annoying to deal with.

Photo Credit: Paste

The Everything Else

Injustice 2 overall finds a way to make a simple fighting game expand beyond the story. The release of the Expansion Packs, as well as the use of the Multiverse mode, and the online play keep the game fresh, and fun. While playing online can make it feel like there’s a huge learning curve, the other game modes available are creative enough, and change often enough to make sure the content is never stale. Playing different game modes in the Multiverse also allows you to unlock Mother Boxes, which all contain gear that can be equipped for your characters, and can help you get some practice in as well.

If you’re still looking to buy Injustice 2, remember that there are a few different versions of the game out as well. The Ultimate Edition, which is the priciest of the bunch, includes all of the DLC characters, as well as some premier skins for Powergirl, Reverse Flash, and John Stewart. It also comes with shader packs to customize your characters. The Digital Deluxe Edition comes with 3 of the DLC characters, the premier skin for Powergirl, and one shader pack. For the Standard Edition, which is the cheapest of the three, you get the game, and any additional DLC you’d like you have to pay for. If you don’t care for all of the characters in the game, or you want to prioritize some over others, the Standard Edition isn’t a bad option.

Are you a fan of the Ninja Turtles DLC, or just a fan of Injustice 2 in general? Give the article a share to show your support!

Published by Erian Mathis

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