It’s finally May 16, AKA Injustice 2 day. We’re going to see if we can’t get a new national holiday declared but, in the meantime, we get to enjoy this incredible new game. NetherRealm Studios has launched one of the most fully-featured and entertaining fighting games we’ve seen in years, and that’s reflected in our review. You can read WWG’s full review right here to find out why we awarded Injustice 2 with a perfect 5 out of 5. We concluded:
Videos by ComicBook.com
“Injustice 2 is going to BFF! POW! its way into the hearts of long-time fans as well as newcomers. I can’t wait for you all to see what they’ve done with this story, and I can’t wait to see what kind of incredible gear builds I see online. I look forward to countless nights of Multiverse surprises and working together with Guild mates to dominate the leaderboards.
“Most of all, I can’t wait to feel powerful again. In the end, we all just want to feel like kids living out our grandest superhero fantasies, and Injustice 2 succeeds in building a bridge between our now-adult imaginations and those high and inspiring dreams.”
We’re not the only ones completely smitten by this new superhero brawler, though. The reviews are in, and they’re looking good. We’re still waiting for the dust to settle and for fans to lend their voices to cacophony of accolades being heaved in NetherRealm’s direction, but we feel pretty safe assuming that Injustice 2 will be one of the most well-reviewed fighting games of the generation.
We spent almost 2,000 words trying to convince you why Injustice 2 is really special, but we figure that you might not want to take our word as gospel. That’s fine. We spent some time combing through the reviews of our peers and contemporaries to see what they’ve been saying about Injustice 2, and have collected them right here as a kind of review roundup.
For the sake of brevity, we’ll only include the conclusions or final thoughts from these reviewers, along with links back to their work so you can read the full reviews. Let’s begin:
Eurogamer (Recommended)
“Despite annoyances with the gear system and the loot boxes, Injustice 2 is a huge amount of fun. There’s tonnes of stuff to do, it looks the part and the new fighting mechanics serve a purpose while deftly avoiding adding complexity. Injustice 2 is also a game I thoroughly appreciate for the lovely little touches. I appreciate that NetherRealm has put frame data into the move list. I appreciate there are character-specific tutorials. I appreciate there’s a tournament mode that lets you battle offline with no progression or rewards. I appreciate how over the top the supers and stage transitions are. And I appreciate the character’s eyes seem to look in the right direction. In short, Injustice 2 is the complete fighting game package, and it’s one I hope other developers in the genre take notice of.”
(Full review by Wesley Yin-Pooleย here.)
Gamespot (9/10)
“With AI battles, online and local versus matches, the diverse and ever-changing Multiverse, and an impressive story mode,ย Injusticeย 2ย offers numerous ways of engaging with its characters and testing your abilities without feeling repetitive. This variety is further bolstered by gear. Despite the needlessly complex economy tied to item management, the value of customization and expression that comes with gear ultimately makes up for it. And with over 25 characters to explore, it’s easy to look forward to watching your next character grow while your understanding of the game continues to expand. NetherRealm has delivered a fighting game that can be enjoyed by new players and pros alike in ways that go beyond pure competition. It’s a bar that every fighting game should meet, but one that has up until now seemed out of reach.”
(Full review by Peter Brownย here.)
ย
Game Informer (9/10)
“Injustice 2 is a huge game, offering a lengthy story-based campaign, a great fighting experience, and a nearly endless supply of notable loot. The small tweaks to combat go a long way in creating a more dynamic flow, which resonates well in multiplayer matches. I ran into a little lag in a few online bouts, but the game ran smoothly most of the time. Even if you don’t enjoy the competitive aspects of the fighting genre, this is a game you can dive into for an enjoyable superhero story. Brainiac is a tough fight, but anyone should be able to march to him and take him down on the easiest difficulty.
“With DC’s cinematic universe pumping out one bad movie after another, Injustice 2 is the best way to see just how powerful and diverse its heroes are.”
(Full review by Andrew Reinerย here.)
Kotaku Review
ย
“This is the third DC Comics fighting game overseen byย Mortalย Kombatย co-creator Ed Boon. The first,ย Mortalย Kombatย vs. DC Universe, was a solid if awkward attempt to marry two properties that didn’t have very much in common. Building upon that clumsy beginning, Boon and company have created a fighting game franchise that’s right up there with theย Arkhamseries in the ranks of the best DC Comics games of all-time.
“Netherrealmย Studios stumbling while adding an innovative new feature toย Injustice 2ย would have been much more tragic if the bits they normally excel at, fighting and storytelling, weren’t so spectacular this time around. Where follow-ups to traditional comic book events often fail,Injustice 2ย is a worthy successor to the original in almost every way.”
(Full review by Mike Fahey here.)
