Mortal Kombat's Scorpion in "Injustice: Gods Among Us." Good or Bad?

It's been almost two months since the release of DC and NetherRealm's collaboration on the video [...]

injustice-scorpion

It's been almost two months since the release of DC and NetherRealm's collaboration on the video game Injustice: Gods Among Us, and the reviews have been mostly positive from industry critics and fans alike. Players were rabid to try their hand at playing as Superman, the Joker, Nightwing, Batman, and Deathstroke among others, and the stunning visuals and level transitions included in the game whet the appetite even more. Perhaps one of the most divisive areas for fans has been the downloadable content, namely the first four character NetherRealm has planned on releasing. The first two, Lobo and Batgirl, were met with mostly positive responses, and based on the comments from Injustice's Facebook page, many are enjoying the addition of these two to the game. However, anticipation and desire for Martian Manhunter remains high. Imagine that level of anticipation put up against the announcement yesterday that Mortal Kombat icon Scorpion would be joining the roster, albeit with a Jim Lee redesign. A staple in every version of Mortal Kombat (minus MK3), Scorpion has his own fan base. His signature throwing spear and "get over here" command highly recognizable even to those not immediately aware of MK's full history and gameplay. While there had been rumors of including Scorpion into Injustice, many expected a different character to be rolled out, a DC character specifically. Herein lies, for many, the controversy. A host of comments posted on the Injustice Facebook page have not been kind, ranging from some fans rejecting the game altogether to others rolling their eyes and playing anyway but not wanting to add Scorpion to their roster. Of course, there are Scorpion supporters who applaud the move and can't wait to try their hand at the character. While it appears that the majority of reaction has been negative, is it really all bad to add this character to the mix? Here are some pros and cons for Scorpion: Pro: Scorpion brings his hardcore fan base to a game that may not have picked up the game otherwise. Not every fighting game is the same, and some MK fans may have bypassed Injustice due to its lack of connection to their franchise. This might make some believers out of them. Con: Scorpion could drive away fans who wanted a DC only game.  This is one that many seemed to fear. Fans have been clamoring for Martian Manhunter and other characters who appear in the background or story of the game thus far, and for some Scorpion's inclusion only prolongs and aggravates their frustration, especially as the "first four" characters available with the season pass are unveiled. Pro: This inclusion opens to door to adding more surpise and unexpected characters with much to add. Picking a character not affiliated with the DCU starts the initial fork in the road. Who else might pop up, and from where? Injustice and its storyline are already rooted in the multiverse idea, and even its downloadable skins show that. What's the harm in including a character from another franchise altogether? Con: This was supposed to be THE DC fighting game! Keep MK characters out!! Anticipation for this game was so high, the roster of playable characters so full (24!), and the scope of the DC universe covered so vast that many thought this game could and should be mining the rich depths of the DCU even further. Now, many feel that Scorpion's inclusion only cheapens the game and the opportunity to make this a true DC game. It's taken DC some years to catch up to Marvel in terms of quality fighting games (let's forget Justice League Task Force shall we?) and this one should make up for that. Pro: His gameplay trailer gives some good abilities and powers not seen in other characters. It's worth at least looking at the trailer, which you can see here, to see for yourself how Lee's redesign goes along with the power set for Scorpion. I mean, his super move IS pretty awesome, and the "get over here" is a nod to the past without totally making him a one-note character. Those combos are vicious!  Con: He's just a mix of the gadget/mystical/brute strength characters, nothing more. So Scorpion brings something new to the table? Spear that drags people to you? Batman has the grapple gun. Mystical super move connection? Raven already has Trigon blasting you into submission. Swords, weapons, and ranged attacks? Deathstroke's already beaten you to the punch. Sorry, Scorpion, but we've seen it all already. So what do YOU think? Is Scorpion's inclusion a plus or a minus for Injustice? Give us your pros and cons.

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