Injustice 2

I always loved Injustice: Gods Among Us from 2013! But Injustice 2 was 10 times better than they first! The Story was amazing!!! (The Story in the first game was better) but I have to say the characters and the gameplay style make this game what it is! They've added something called "The Gear System" which allows you to customize your characters. They also have the TMNT in the game!! All in all I give this game a 10/10.

This is one of my favorite fighting games, comic book, but most importantly personal favorite video games of all time. This is of course a sequel to the previous game and it's a great follow up, but most importantly this game just feels like one that was made for me being a DC comics fan and all other fans of DC comics.

The animation on the characters and backgrounds is excellent, the details really capture the DC comics universe and each character that inhabits it. I like the story which yeah, it's sort of the typical alien invasion which is always a device for a character get together, nothing new for DC but it's really in its execution that makes it stand out. And just like in the first game it's the conflict in ideologies and the what if factor that is the forefront. As usual I thought it was interesting seeing what would happen if certain characters took a certain direction in life and how it affects them all.

The voice cast is just amazing, this game just has one of the best ensemble voice casts in any video games, which consist of both vocal, DC alumni, and other actors. From some of the familiar DC alumni you know and love like George Newborn as Superman, Kevin Conroy as Batman, Susan Eisenburg as Wonder Woman, Phil Lamar as John Stewart/Green Lantern and Aquaman. Jeffery Combs whom is one of my favorite actors was just perfect as the voice of Brainiac which is awesome as Brainiac is my favorite "Superman" villain if you can believe that, to me Brainiac is sort of a mix of both a blood sucking vampire and Skynet from "The Terminator". Though instead of blood its knowledge he sucks out and like Skynet he is a very technologically prone and operates on pure cold logic. The voice is just excellent just fits like a glove and almost gives me chills just hearing it as there is just pure coldness, menace and calculation in it. Really like how he is constantly controlling his brain sucker tentacles which is like "Doc Ock" tentacles in "Spider Man".

Vocal alumni like the beautiful and talented Laura Bailey as Kara/Supergirl, Tara Strong as Harley Quinn, Steve Blum as Hal Jordon/Green Lantern, Travis Willingham as Jay Garrick/ The Flash (Golden Age). As for other actors there's Robert England as Crane/Scarecrow which I think is an awesome voice, he's probably my second favorite voice for the character, number one goes to John Noble from the "Batman Arkham Knight" game in my book anyway.

But of course, lets get down to the most important aspect of the game which is the gameplay which is just superb. The fighting game genre and comic book really do make a beautiful combination as both have big rosters of characters and the moves to go with them. From using some of the environment as your weapon when you in the right spot, like in the Bat Cave arena you can take up a Bat cycle and run your opponent over. This is cool and shows in this fight anything goes you can fight clean or dirty if you want.

The control is easy as you have all the usual features from the fighting games, I really love executing the combo moves which are all easy to learn and just awesome to execute. Even love the big super move you execute once your gauge at the bottom fills up long enough, one of the best things about it is the fact you can easily execute this move by simply pushing two buttons.

Which makes it all the better because in most fighting games the fundamental problem with this feature is that you have to pull of a complicated combination of movements and button pushes to make it work which is troublesome as you can easily make a mistake which makes it worse as you need this super move at the most critical time. I really like how the super moves are handled which are on the slapstickish side as you are just delivering crazy punishment toward your opponents; and makes sense as this is the DC verse after all craziness is the norm. However the catch is that it takes time for the gauge to recharge, because once you use it the gauge goes down to zero and also if your opponent block or dodges just as you try to execute a hit to trigger the super move then the gauge still goes to zero, so use this at the right timing and also when you feel you absolutely need to.

You even have an assigned sub move, from heat vision, mini swarm of tazer bat drones, depending on your character you can use any time. But there are a couple of catches as it runs on a gauge which takes time to recharge. But also depending on how depleted it is it can either slow down or even take a little down on your superpower gauge, so use this feature carefully.

Playing as most of the DC roster is just great each of them are all good in their own way, which makes it sometimes hard to decide which ones I like playing the best, but I'll just say a few of them as it's a pretty big list with the moves to go with them.

Batman: Obviously as he's my favorite from the DC verse. Really like the armor design on him which is a little like the Nolan Batman films. But he's got some sweet moves from the darkness punch. Using the grappler, like Scorpion in "Mortal Kombat" only one you shoot the hook to your opponent's bodies it reels you to do a quick kick knock your opponents to the other side or even swing them over your head and hitting them on the concrete like a sledge hammer.

The Flash: Another favorite from the DC verse, playing him is cool. Really loved doing the rapid punch move sort of like in the anime/manga series "Fist of the North Star". It's cool as it's done as you just see a blur of his arms moving and then suddenly after stepping back you see the after effect as your opponent has just taken multiple punches. And of course, that super move where "The Flash" he grabs his opponent and runs throughout the world to slam him into a sphinx and throughout time to slam him toward a T-Rex; yeah crazy but cool.

Black Adam: This character isn't on my favorite's list in the DC verse, more of an honorable mention but it's cool to play him all the same. Like Raiden from "Mortal Kombat" you wield lighting which is awesome. From simply zapping your opponents in different ways but my favorite is the super move where you say the signature call name "SHAZAM" and a bolt of lighting just slams down hard.

"Injustice 2 delivers justice second time around."

Rating: 4 stars

Injustice 2 is the sequel to Injustice: Gods Among Us, and it has some new additions as well as a great story.

For the story mode, set five years after the events of Injustice: Gods Among Us, Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman, are trying to rebuild the world after Superman's Regime is defeated, however, The Society, a group of villains led by Gorilla Grodd, has emerged for one goal: world domination. Batman has to send in heroes Black Canary and Harley Quinn, alongside Green Arrow, who has come from the other universe, to stop them. However, Supergirl is on Earth, having been rescued by Black Adam, and along with Wonder Woman, they plan to bust Superman out of his containment cell and bring the Regime back to power, all while Braniac, the mastermind of the Society, makes plans of his own.

One of the new features added to Injustice 2 is the Gear System, which allows you to customize characters using gear like masks, weapons, glove, etc, which can be gotten by either playing the game or buying Mother Boxes using in-game currency. There is a microtransaction side with Source Crystals, but that is mostly used to buy premiere skins and color palettes that can be obtained by normal gameplay (at least they are just for cosmetics and not for gameplay advantage).

Also, the roster in the game is good, as it is a mix of characters old and new. Superman and Batman do return, as does a select few characters from the first game (with Nightwing returning as Robin), as well as new characters like Gorilla Grodd, Poison Ivy, Swamp Thing, Blue Beetle, and Supergirl. Braniac serves as the final boss of the Battle Simulator mode (the game's version of Arcade Ladder) and the true antagonist of Story Mode. Also, there are the DLC characters, with the first one, Darkseid, being first as the timed pre-order exclusive, and being followed by nine more characters, who range from DC characters like Red Hood, Starfire, and Black Manta, to MK characters Sub-Zero and Raiden, to guest fighters Hellboy and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the latter sharing the same slot, as the turtle you play as is determined by the weapon you equip when changing gear). This makes for a good roster, and some characters even have premiere skins that allow them to become another character (hate Raiden being in Injustice? He has a premiere skin that turns him into Black Lightning).

As for modes, NetherRealm brings Multiverse Mode, which plays like the Living Towers in MKX, as it has events that change at certain times. This time, it has multiple events, each one having different conditions needed to play (like playing as a certain character or having a certain level for a character). However, success rewards you with Mother Boxes depending on how big a score you got, which can be opened to get gear, with some Multiverse events even having exclusive gear.

As for gameplay, it remains literally the same, the only difference is Story Mode got rid of the mini-games and instead, has chapters where certain fights allow you to choose between two characters. Injustice 2 is a good game, and deserves checking out.

Although I'm excited to praise this game, I must address two gripes first. Firstly, there are moments when the combos lack flow, which could be improved for a smoother gaming experience. Secondly, Brainiac, a captivating character, felt underutilized as a mid-villain, despite having an awesome voice.

Now, let's delve into the many compliments I have for this outstanding game. With a vast roster of beloved characters to choose from, the game offers a thrilling selection that caters to every player's preferences. The story in this installment surpasses its predecessor by leaps and bounds, providing a gripping narrative that keeps players engaged throughout.

As expected, the gameplay has significantly improved from the previous game, delivering a seamless and exhilarating gaming experience. The exceptional voice acting, a hallmark of DC products, adds depth and authenticity to the characters, immersing players further into the captivating world of the game.

One of the most impressive aspects is how the game captures the essence of a Mortal Kombat experience while seamlessly incorporating iconic DC characters. This fusion of styles not only delights fans of both franchises but also brings a unique flavor to the gameplay.

Credit must be given to the development team for crafting an incredible gaming masterpiece. Their dedication and hard work shine through in every aspect of the game, creating an experience that leaves players in awe.

In conclusion, despite a couple of minor gripes, this game triumphs in numerous aspects, boasting a diverse character roster, a captivating storyline, improved gameplay, and stellar voice acting. The perfect blend of Mortal Kombat vibes with DC characters elevates the game to a league of its own, showcasing the brilliance of the development team's efforts.

I grew up with the classic Mortal Kombat games and I've gotta say, Nether Realm blew me away by this series. I'm a massive DC fan and appreciated these games so much. The first was great and this one was even better in my opinion. Superb graphics, tight gameplay and the addition of the gear system was the best decision they could've made. It made the game for me and I'm so excited to see the gear system in Mortal Kombat 11.