Injustice 2 is a fantastic game that involves all kinds of strategy – and not just from combos and special moves. There are a number of moves that you can use within the game that can really change the course of a match, especially if you keep certain specifics in mind when it comes to exploiting your opponent.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Some of these are successfully carried over from the original Injustice, while others are being introduced for the first time. But there’s no question that they’re blended equally enough that you can master them within a few matches, and really make your opponent feel the hurt – if you’re good enough, of course.
So let’s take a close look at five of the most important gameplay mechanics available in Injustice 2, and how you can use them to your advantage to turn the tide of a match in your favor. Again, if you apply them the right way…
The Clash
One important feature that made its way over to Injustice 2 is the ability to enter a Clash. Here, the two characters lock up arms and basically taunt each other, before you make the decision on what you want to “wager” off of your special bar. The higher up it’s built, the more opportunity you have to win extra health or damage, though we have seen some Clashes that have gone our way with a one or two-bar build-up, depending on how it’s executed. Considering that the Clash gambles are made in private, it can end up either way.
To initiate the clash, simply press forward after losing the first health bar and pressing the meter burn button. Again, it may not entirely go your way, but it’s fun to watch the exchanges that go down between characters. For instance, with Joker and Black Adam, you may actually see him hint at Mortal Kombat‘s Raiden character.
The Super Move
Obviously, a Super Move can define the course of a match, especially if you pull it off the right way. You have to wait to fill up enough of your energy bar to fill up in order to try it out, but you’ll see it successfully go when your hero or villain character launches into a battle stance. From there, though, it really depends if the first hit of the Super lands. If it does, your character will finish the attack and do massive damage of the enemy. However, it can be avoided or blocked by the opponent if they’re ready for it, so you shouldn’t be too confident if you start it, because there’s no guarantee it’ll finish unless you catch your opponent off guard.
Still, if you do land it, it’s awesome, whether you’re sending Flash back in time to headbutt his opponent into a dinosaur, or Deadshot filling his opponent with lead before finishing with a decisive shotgun blast. BOOM.
Interactions With The Environment
As with the original Injustice (and Mortal Kombat X, NetherRealm Studios’ previous effort), you have the ability to interact with certain objects in each stage, which can serve to your advantage. How you interact can have two different effects. Either you’ll create a projectile that you can throw or launch at your opponent (like the spheres in Brainiac’s stage), or you’ll be able to create a defensive position for yourself, like bouncing off walls to get to their opposite side. This is a great tool to use, but you can’t always do it, as everything can’t be interacted with in the stage, and once a projectile is used, it won’t come back until you start a new match.
These are awesome, but timing is everything. Don’t use all your interactions early on in a match – sometimes later ones can help you with winning it.
Combos
Every character has combos that can be mastered in Injustice 2. Some of them are rather small with only a few quick hits; but others, if you hone your character well enough, can actually land additional hits. With The Flash, for instance, you have a move where you can slow things down a bit and chain your opponent into the air multiple times before thy land. Other combos are more natural, but may require a bit of practice.
To really get the hang of this, try out a few practice modes, or work your way through the campaign in a lighter difficulty. Who knows, you might even learn a few new combos by accident. We sure did.
The Throw
Finally, there’s something about a good throw move in Injustice 2 that can throw off an enemy’s momentum. It’s a risky move, because you have to actually be close enough to your opponent to be in throw range – and if you don’t pull it off quickly, they can hit you or launch into a combo. Your best bet is to try and catch an opponent by surprise, like landing from behind when they’re in the middle of an attack, or if they’re trying to get up and don’t have an offensive move planned.
The throw isn’t just a throw, either. It’s essentially a multi-hit move where you can knock your opponent back a bit, giving you a little breathing room. Our particular favorite? Harley Quinn, who slams you on the ground and then knocks you away with her giant mallet. No, really, it’s fun!
Injustice 2 is available now for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
