Injustice: Gods Among Us - Xbox 360

Super-Powered Kombat

2013-04-16T16:40:00Z

The Joker detonates a nuclear device in the heart of Metropolis, leaving millions of people dead and the city in ruin. Two of the casualties are Superman's family: Lois Lane and the son they brought into the world. Joker’s laughter echoes through the halls of Gotham City’s police department. “First Krypton, now Metropolis. People you love tend to blow up,” the Joker says derisively to Superman. “I know it’s soon, but think you’ll ever love again? Maybe you won’t kill your next family.” Superman’s eyes ignite, turning a hellish red. He raises his hand and plunges it into Joker’s chest. As the screen fades to black, The Joker laughs maniacally, but not loud enough to bury the sound of Superman ripping out his heart.

This is how Injustice: Gods Among Us begins. For NetherRealm Studios, the developer behind all of the decapitations and spinal injuries in the long-running Mortal Kombat series, Superman’s heart-crushing descent into madness is a routine event. For DC Comics, this is a side of an iconic hero rarely seen. The event turns heroes against heroes and generates a universe-spanning war.

Joker's final stand has NetherRealm’s bloody fingerprint all over it, but it isn’t indicative of Injustice’s overall tone. Outside of this shocking incident, the game plays out like a DC comic book, with little blood and gore. The famed capes and cowls of the DC universe take center stage, and NetherRealm pays homage in the arenas and through extensive comic book-related fan service.

Whether Doomsday is knocking Superman into the core of the planet or Bane is breaking Batman's back, a stratospheric level of violence accompanies almost every fight. The carnage towers over the combat seen in the team's previous venture in spandex, 2009's Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.

Injustice nails the spectacle of a superhero brawl. If Superman punches an opponent with all of his might, that character is rightfully launched into space. NetherRealm treats this gawk-worthy blow as an event, stopping the fight so the player can sit back and view a cinematic shot of planet Earth jettisoning a small speck from its atmosphere.

Over the course of each fight, buildings crumble, statues are obliterated, vehicles are routinely used as weapons. Most arenas look dramatically different by the match’s end; environmental destruction doesn't just come at the hands of the two combatants – the world behind them is often being torn asunder by warring heroes. I didn’t catch all of the little touches NetherRealm gave the backdrops until I watched other people play the game. Being a spectator is just as fun as being in the ring.

The combat mechanics follow NetherRealm's well-worn blueprint. If you aren't familiar with DC's characters, you'd probably think it was another Mortal Kombat game. In a way, it is. The combatants move the exact same way as they do in Mortal Kombat, and players access their superpowers by tapping two directions followed by a button press. Sweeps, jump kicks, the ability to knock opponents into hidden arenas, and Batman saying "Get down here" when shooting his grappling hook all bring back memories of MK games. Regardless of the familiarity, the combat is frantic, fun, and loaded with depth. The super-powered fury each character unleashes gives it flavor.

NetherRealm does a fantastic job of balancing the strength, speed, and ranges of each character. Superman can land blows from any range, whereas someone like Catwoman is bound to mid- and close-range attacks.

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Environmental interaction generates a surprising amount of strategy for the different character classes. Shazam can easily lift a missile and throw it across the arena. Nightwing doesn't possess that kind of strength, but he can use perform a flip off of the missile, potentially catching a foe off guard. These little touches are the difference between feeling like a God-like character or an ordinary person in tights.

While most of the combat relies on light, medium, and hard attacks, the designated "power" button gives each character a unique ability. These powers are game-changers that, depending on the character, can create more devastating combos or generate much-needed defense. Batman's power, which regenerates slowly mid-battle, gives him the ability to summon mechanical bat-helpers. I used these little devices to open up the first hit in a lengthy combo sequence that includes MK’s familiar juggles and environment bounces.

The wager system is the only combat element that didn't click for me. Giving the player health back by simply sacrificing meter energy is a cheap way to keep a fight going. Computer foes annoyingly use it right before a final blow can be dealt, even if the player still has two full health meters. The wagers also take a fair amount of time to unfold. With super attacks already freezing the action, some of my matches concluded with me watching the action more than I had a hand in it.

NetherRealm always includes a wealth of content in each of its games, and Injustice is no different, offering four lengthy modes each consisting of unique challenges and rewards. Story mode serves as a great introduction to Injustice's crazed combat. The opening moment shared by Superman and Joker made me think the plot would be as cerebral and dark as a David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan Batman treatment, but most of the events that happens after it are excuses to get heroes and villains to fight. The reasons are pretty cheesy, but it plays out like an ultraviolent version of DC's famed Crisis on Infinite Earths comic book series. I enjoyed the bevy of comic references, and found some of the banter between specific characters entertaining.

The story bleeds over into Battle mode, offering a different “what if?” ending for each of the 20 characters at the conclusion of a classically designed ladder of eight foes. Battle mode showcases plenty of depth with 24 different ladders, all offering different challenges and difficulties, though the character endings are oddly only obtained through the “Classic Battle” ladder.

The third mode, S.T.A.R. Labs, hooked me the most. This is where NetherRealm has the most fun with all of the heroes and villains. S.T.A.R. Labs offers 240 challenges (10 for each character) that balance intense character-specific showdowns with absolute absurdity. For every regular versus battle, you have unique opportunities to play as Catwoman’s cat, Isis; to see if Flash can beat Superman in a race around the planet 200 times; and to smash through asteroids in a side-scrolling shooter sequence with Shazam.

Each challenge consists of three different objectives. At the end, stars are handed out for each objective met. Stars unlock new challenges. You need to work if you want to unlock everything this mode offers, but you also need to complete difficult goals with characters whose play style you may not enjoy. The difficulty tied to many of these challenges is brutal. I’m also not a fan of all the challenges for each character being lumped together; if Wonder Woman is your favorite character, you won’t be able to reach her challenges until you obtain 319 stars.

Every match fought generates experience and the chance to rank up and unlock new hero images, icons, and banners for an online profile. Online multiplayer is handled exceptionally well. The daily challenges are fantastic, and the ability to create personal rooms can keep a group of friends together. I ran into a bit of lag in several matches, but the game was quick to recognize the problem and terminated the bouts.

NetherRealm clearly had a blast creating Injustice. The team’s appreciation of the DC universe blends nicely with their well-worn Mortal Kombat formula to create an experience that is a success on both fighting and comic book levels.

Get An Early Look At Injustice's Opening Cinematic

2013-04-12T17:31:00Z

If you can't wait for Tuesday's release of Injustice: Gods Among Us, we've got something to get your mind whirring. The contents of the opening sequence for NetherRealm's DC Comics fighter won't come as a surprise to anyone who has been reading the prequel comics, but they are still striking to watch.

Check out Batman, Superman, Joker, and a city that used to be both a nice place to visit and live, but is now neither. Injustice: Gods Among Us arrives on Tuesday, April 16, 2013, for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii U.

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Green Lantern Fights A Particular Kind of Injustice In Gods Among Us

2013-04-10T14:53:45Z

Injustice: Gods of Among Us is a fighter in the grand tradition of NetherRealm Studio's past work (Mortal Kombat), and the matchup for the latest trailer for the game features Green Lantern going face-to-face with himself.

Hal Jordan squares off against a yellow doppelganger of himself, with both bringing some impressive ring effects to the fight.

For more on the game, you can also take a look at this trailer featuring Black Adam. Furthermore, Reiner has rendered his impressions of the title's addictive free iOS game featuring unlocks in the console game and vice versa.

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Injustice: Gods Among Us hits the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii U on April 16.

Injustice: Gods Among Us Demo Announced

2013-03-28T14:46:00Z

Get a feel for Injustice's fighters and play the demo for the game in early April.

The free demo will be available on April 2 for the PS3 and a day later for Xbox 360. No Wii U demo has been announced at this time.

Injustice: Gods Among Us comes out for Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii U on April 16.

In the meantime, check out this latest trailer for the game featuring Black Adam.

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Get A Look At Lex Luthor In New Injustice: Gods Among Us Trailer

2013-03-07T14:00:00Z

Want to see Lex Luthor fight the good fight? He sure has some pop in those punches. But hey, as you’ll see in the trailer below, he did try to play nice. Can’t we all just get along?

Check out the trailer below to hear him speak about his rationale and take on baddies.

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Injustice Gods Among Us is set for an April release.

Two New Injustice Videos Showcase Aquaman, Green Lantern

2013-02-22T18:39:00Z

As someone who hasn't read many comics since the early 2000s, I have always been under the impression that Aquaman is the worst superhero ever created. However, the comic fans in the office have informed me that New 52 reboot somehow found a way to make him cool (or at least tolerable). Aquaman's image rebuilding campaign continues in this Injustice gameplay footage as he takes on Cyborg, one of the newer members of the Justice League.

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NetherRealm also released a video featuring Green Lantern flexing his muscle against the undefeatable zombie frankenstein monster Solomon Grundy.

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Injustice: Gods Among Us comes to PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii U on April 16.

Injustice Clips Show What Happens When Heroes Meet Villains

2013-02-08T19:02:27Z

Warner Bros. and Netherrealm are holding a virtual tournament for Injustice, the results of which are being decided by fans. Today, we see what happens when Bane and Batman tussle, along with a match between Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn.

The clips below do a great job of showing off the game's destructible elements and environmental hazards. Sometimes it's falling down a pit. Other times, it's an old-fashioned Penguin impalement. Regardless, the matches are quick and brutal. When you're done soaking it all in, be sure to cast your vote on the next winners by visiting the game's official site.

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Here's what happens when Batman and Bane decide to duke it out.

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And there's clearly no love lost between Harley Quinn and Wonder Woman.

New Trailer Reveals Lex Luthor

2013-01-25T14:56:00Z

Along with lots of gameplay, the latest trailer for Injustice: Gods Among Us shows off Lex Luthor in all of his bald, purple mech suit wearing glory.

Injustice's release date was recently revealed. The game will be available on April 16 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii U.

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Injustice: Gods Among Us Release Date & Collector's Editions Revealed

2013-01-15T15:42:00Z

Injustice: Gods Among Us is coming in April, and there are two different collector's editions versions of the game for you to choose from.

April 16 is when Injustice will be available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii U, and in the image above you can see the Collector's Edition of the game. This version will include the statue of Batman and Wonder Woman having a heated argument, a special edition version of the Injustice: Gods Among Us comic book, a download code for the animated film Justice League: Doom, and three skins for Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman based on the DC's New 52 comics. This bundles will set you back $99.99, and will be available everywhere.

The Battle Edition, which you can see below, will be $149.99 and will include the three skins for Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, as well as a arcade fighting stick with art from the game. This version will only be available at GameStop and EB Games.

I've reached out just to double check, but it appears that theses editions of the game will only be available for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. If you want to play the game on Wii U, you'll have to stick to the plain old regular edition.

[Update: This is correct. The Collector's Edition and Battle Editions will only be available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game.]

If you simply can't wait until April to jump into the world of Injustice, starting today you can pick up the digital version comic book prequel to the game that sets up the context for why DC super heroes want to beat each other up. The comic will add new chapters every week starting this week. You can head over to ReadDCEntertainment.com to get on that train.

A Behind The Scenes Look At Injustice: Gods Among Us

2012-11-06T19:06:00Z

What does the team at NetherRealm Studios think of Injustice: Gods Among Us? They think it's awesome, obviously. Watch them talk about their inspiration for the game, how they tweaked the controls, and how they worked with DC Comics to bring some of the company's most iconic characters to life.

Injustice: Gods Among Us releases in April for PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii U. Check out the game's TGS trailer and screens of the Batcave here.

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Injustice: Gods Among Us Screens And Trailer Show Off The Batcave

2012-09-20T14:26:00Z

Update: Warner Bros. has now announced the game's release month in 2013.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is now scheduled to come out in April of next year.

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Original Story: As part of the Tokyo Game Show, NetherRealm Studios, the developer behind Injustice: Gods Among Us and Mortal Kombat, has some new screens and trailer to show off.

You won't see any new characters in this media, but you will see the Batcave, and a good bit of gameplay. The trailer focuses on Batman, which is smart because Batman is the best superhero. Science has proven this*.

Injustice is coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii U sometime next year.

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*The views expressed in this news post do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the entire Game Informer editorial staff. They mostly belong to Kyle Hilliard and Jason Oestreicher.

Suiting Up As Cyborg And Nightwing

2012-09-02T02:58:56Z

Warner Bros. and NetherRealm showed off two new playable fighters at PAX 2012. One is Nightwing, Batman’s former sidekick-turned-autonomous superhero, and Cyborg, the half man, half robot popularized in Teen Titans. I got to battle as both across the Batcave and Metropolis. Though I’m not the best at Mortal Kombat and NetherRealm’s other fighters, I had a fun with the overpowered spectacle of Injustice.

I started off as Nightwing facing off against Superman. On paper, the fight sounds awfully imbalanced, but Nightwing’s speed, versatile weapon, and the gadgets scattered around the Batcave even the odds. Nightwing races into the 2D-fighting arena on his flashy motorcycle. He wields a staff that can be split into two batons. Attacks with the staff are slower but stronger, while the baton flurries are much faster with less damage. Nightwing can also toss projectiles and unleashes a super move that incorporates running over his competition on his motorcycle.

Cyborg is a much slower and stronger character compared to Nightwing. He enters the battle via a portal emitted from his futuristic arm-computer. He packs a heavy punch in melee combat, but also controls space with heat-seeking missiles and ground-sweeping lasers. His special ability allows him to recover a sliver of help, which can turn the tides of battle in a pinch. For his super attack he unleashes a series of screen-filling laser blasts that remind me of Iron Man’s ultimate attacks from the Marvel vs. Capcom series.

The Batcave and Metropolis feature tons of creative ways to punish your foes with the environment. Getting cornered in a fighting game is generally a bad thing, and NetherRealm is fixing this by putting cool stuff on the edges of the arenas. In the Batcave, players can smash a big red button that launches missiles from the Batmobile at your attacker. Abandoned cars litter the streets of Metropolis, and characters interact with these in different ways. Lightweight characters like Nightwing can vault off a vehicle to deliver an aerial attack to escape the corner. Heavy hitters like Superman simply pick up the car and smash it over their opponent’s head. You can also hit your enemies so hard you send them hurling into new environments, ala Mortal Kombat 3. Sending your foe flying through numerous buildings before he lands city blocks away is a satisfying feeling.

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I’m a casual fan of both comic books and fighting games, and Injustice does well to scratch both itches simultaneously. I’m not the type of gamer who digs into the nitty-gritty of fighting game combat (read Dan’s Injustice insightful write-up for that), but I know a fun fighter when I play it. So far Injustice delivers enough character variety, fan service, and eye candy to keep me entertained even if I’ll admit to button mashing in a few instances. While some of the environmental attacks may sound gimmicky, they may be enough to get me hooked long enough to learn more nuances of the game.

Ed Boon Talks Injustice: Gods Among Us

2012-08-22T23:01:00Z

Note: This interview originally ran in the E3 Hot 50 issue of Game Informer magazine.

Ed Boon has been a well-known name in the gaming industry ever since Mortal Kombat became a cultural phenomenon in the early ‘90s. Despite having almost two decades of experience in the genre, Injustice is his first fighting game that exists entirely outside of the Mortal Kombat universe. We had a chance to speak with Boon about his plans for the game.

How obscure are you looking to get with the character lineup? Are we going to get a lot of characters that only hardcore comic fans will recognize, or is it mostly going to consist of mainstream names?

I think the majority will be pretty mainstream, but we definitely have appearances that some of the more hardcore guys will be happy with. Obviously with a game like this when we’re launching a franchise, fingers crossed, we want to appeal to as many people as possible with recognizable characters. But at the same time, we certainly aren’t going to forget that these characters started out as comic book characters. They’ve expanded into a number of different media of course, but at their core these guys were comic book guys and we want to satisfy those fanatics.

Did DC have any input on what characters they wanted to include, or did you guys approach them with a list of who you were hoping for?

They definitely suggested some, but I don’t think they ever said to us, “This person has to be in it.” We started this conversation quite a long time ago and we were aware of the New 52 launch that was coming, and we knew which characters were being put center stage. We wanted to be consistent with that, because we’re definitely not going to forget the comic book fans. But they never said to us, “You have to have Superman in the game, you have to have Batman,” even though we would have done it for any other character.

Do you have a certain amount of freedom with the story?

The story for why they’re fighting each other is completely original. We aren’t following the timeline of the New 52 or any of the other timelines for the DC characters. The character designs are ours…the version of Superman is ours, the version of Batman is ours. It went through the whole DC approval process, certainly, and we worked with them with the story as well as the universe that we’re creating, which is a NetherRealm version.

How violent are you allowed to get with these characters?

Understandably, a lot of people ask, “are you going to have fatalities? Are you going to do this?” That’s specifically because we are NetherRealm Studios, we did Mortal Kombat, we have done a bunch of Mortal Kombats, and I think there is an assumption that this is part of every game that we do. But the real message is that this is brand new, that this game has its own identity and we don’t feel like we have to follow any kind of previous template of Mortal Kombat. While we are very proud of the Mortal Kombat legacy we have, it’s certainly not part of this game. This game has its own identity.

How do you balance the powers of the characters? Is the story going to explain why Bruce Wayne can stand up against Superman in this universe?

Absolutely. Since we are trying to do a realistic interpretation of these characters, we aren’t trying to make them look like the animated characters or anything like that. You see a game like Marvel vs Capcom and it has Thor, this gigantic, Superman-like character fighting someone like Ryu or Ken or Mega Man. Not many people question that, because it’s presented in such an animated way. But our stuff seems to be more like, “Okay, well seriously, how will Batman fight against Superman?” We definitely explain it in the story, and we try to keep it on some level of believability.

Catwoman's Sassy Debut

2012-08-14T00:05:00Z

Cat scratch fever spreads into Injustice with this new Catwoman gameplay trailer.

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New Screens Of Injustice: Gods Among Us

2012-07-16T21:31:27Z

At Comic Con, Warner Bros. and NetherRealm Studios unveiled two new roster additions for Injustice: Gods Among Us. The team has also provided some exclusive screens to Game Informer for our month of covering E3's hottest games. Above, you can see Superman taking on Wonder Woman as she utilizes one of her changeable stances. Below, you can see Solomon Grundy preparing to introduce Flash to one of the Batcave's environmental attacks.

Check below for an extended gallery that showcases the newly-announced Cyborg and Nightwing.