INJUSTICE 2
Once again, all your favorite DC superheroes and villains are gearing up to battle it out on your console of choice. Injustice 2 will land in digital and physical stores on May 16 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. To prepare you for the big day, let’s look back on the game’s journey from rumor to release, including the steady rollout of news and trailers in between. Here’s everything you need to know about Injustice 2.
Injustice 2 leaks before announcement
Retailers are notorious for leaking news about games before publishers are ready to make their big announcements. Such was the case with Injustice 2 in June of last year, when an anonymous tipster posted a picture of Injustice 2 promotional materials that had been sent to GameStop stores ahead of its announcement.
Hands-on with Injustice 2
During E3 2016 we got our hands on Injustice 2 for the first time. After playing the game for two hours, our overall impression was that it’s pretty similar to the original, but with some promising new features. One of those features is a gear system that rewards players after every match with loot drops. Some loot simply boosts your stats, while others provide modifiers that do things like increase your attack power when you’re low on health. For more details, check out our full hands-on Injustice 2 preview.
DLC galore
If you enjoy spending more than $60 on your video games, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to do so with Injustice 2. Developer NetherRealm said in June that it will take a “more aggressive” approach to DLC this time around. That means more DLC characters will come out over a longer period of time than with the previous Injustice and Mortal Kombat games. Ed Boon also mentioned the team was looking into ways to monetize the new gear system for people who want to acquire loot more quickly.
During E3 2016 we got our hands on Injustice 2 for the first time. After playing the game for two hours, our overall impression was that it’s pretty similar to the original, but with some promising new features. One of those features is a gear system that rewards players after every match with loot drops. Some loot simply boosts your stats, while others provide modifiers that do things like increase your attack power when you’re low on health. For more details, check out our full hands-on Injustice 2 preview.
DLC galore
If you enjoy spending more than $60 on your video games, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to do so with Injustice 2. Developer NetherRealm said in June that it will take a “more aggressive” approach to DLC this time around. That means more DLC characters will come out over a longer period of time than with the previous Injustice and Mortal Kombat games. Ed Boon also mentioned the team was looking into ways to monetize the new gear system for people who want to acquire loot more quickly.
11 craziest changes in DC’s Injustice universe
The first comic book series based in the Injustice universe introduced a whole heap of crazy twists and turns for DC characters. That’s why we took a look at the 11 craziest things to happen during the comic’s run, including Superman breaking bad and Lex Luthor becoming a hero.
Harley Quinn gets an Injustice 2 statue
If you’re going to release statues for Injustice 2, starting with Harley Quinn seems like a smart choice. That’s what DC did with this statue, which costs $80 and is available now.
Watchmen characters teased for Injustice 2
In November, Ed Boon posted a Twitter poll asking Injustice fans if they’d like to see Watchmen characters join the game’s roster. Unsurprisingly, the majority of fans voted yes.
Injustice 2 release date confirmed
Warner Bros. waited until January of this year to announce Injustice 2’s official release date. The game is set to launch May 16, 2017 on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. (Sorry, PC and Switch owners.)
Injustice 2 comic detailed
Just as DC released a comic book series for the original Injustice, it’s happening again for Injustice 2. The comic debuted in a digital-first format in April, but print editions are hitting store shelves beginning this month. Here’s our review of the first issue. You can also find a lot more information about it here.
The first comic book series based in the Injustice universe introduced a whole heap of crazy twists and turns for DC characters. That’s why we took a look at the 11 craziest things to happen during the comic’s run, including Superman breaking bad and Lex Luthor becoming a hero.
Harley Quinn gets an Injustice 2 statue
If you’re going to release statues for Injustice 2, starting with Harley Quinn seems like a smart choice. That’s what DC did with this statue, which costs $80 and is available now.
Watchmen characters teased for Injustice 2
In November, Ed Boon posted a Twitter poll asking Injustice fans if they’d like to see Watchmen characters join the game’s roster. Unsurprisingly, the majority of fans voted yes.
Injustice 2 release date confirmed
Warner Bros. waited until January of this year to announce Injustice 2’s official release date. The game is set to launch May 16, 2017 on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. (Sorry, PC and Switch owners.)
Injustice 2 comic detailed
Just as DC released a comic book series for the original Injustice, it’s happening again for Injustice 2. The comic debuted in a digital-first format in April, but print editions are hitting store shelves beginning this month. Here’s our review of the first issue. You can also find a lot more information about it here.
Injustice 2 is everything you'd expect from the game really. It's a mobile-ified version of the superhero brawler, complete with shiny graphics and a super simplified control system.
And it all works pretty well. There's always going to be a slight thrill from watching Batman smack Green Lantern in the face, and the game is happy to let you get on with the scraps for the most part.
But it's not as slick as the likes of Marvel Contest of Champions, and quite often you feel like the fights aren't quite as well balanced as they should be. Still though, Superman whomping the Flash is sort of cool.
More Batman: Forever than The Dark Knight
The game sees you taking control of a team of three heroes and villains. They're spread out across different eras and canons, so Arkham Knight Batman might smack down with Suicide Squad Harley Quinn.
Everything is controlled with taps and swipes. You poke the screen to perform attacks, swipe up to do a flying kick of some sort, and swipe down to hack at your opponent's shins.
Swipe backwards and you'll dart away from your foe, swipe towards them and you'll dash in for a smack. There's a block button in the bottom left of the screen, and a couple of special moves in the bottom right.
Each character also has a super move. When this is ready a button pops up at the bottom of the screen. Poke that and you'll perform something cool and flashy that does a whole heap of damage.
You can swap characters on the fly, switching by poking the portraits in the top left of the screen. Different characters have different classes, and some are stronger or weaker against others. A balanced team is the key to success.
And it all works pretty well. There's always going to be a slight thrill from watching Batman smack Green Lantern in the face, and the game is happy to let you get on with the scraps for the most part.
But it's not as slick as the likes of Marvel Contest of Champions, and quite often you feel like the fights aren't quite as well balanced as they should be. Still though, Superman whomping the Flash is sort of cool.
More Batman: Forever than The Dark Knight
The game sees you taking control of a team of three heroes and villains. They're spread out across different eras and canons, so Arkham Knight Batman might smack down with Suicide Squad Harley Quinn.
Everything is controlled with taps and swipes. You poke the screen to perform attacks, swipe up to do a flying kick of some sort, and swipe down to hack at your opponent's shins.
Swipe backwards and you'll dart away from your foe, swipe towards them and you'll dash in for a smack. There's a block button in the bottom left of the screen, and a couple of special moves in the bottom right.
Each character also has a super move. When this is ready a button pops up at the bottom of the screen. Poke that and you'll perform something cool and flashy that does a whole heap of damage.
You can swap characters on the fly, switching by poking the portraits in the top left of the screen. Different characters have different classes, and some are stronger or weaker against others. A balanced team is the key to success.
The fights follow a slightly predictable path. You exchange blows, dance around each other a bit, and then you power up your specials and supers and use them to your advantage. There's not that much when it comes to tactics here.
In fact the whole thing feels a little bit flimsy. Which really shouldn't be the case for a game that's literally about people with the power of the gods leathering each other.
More Man of Steel than Superman 2: Director's Cut
There's nothing broken about Injustice 2, but it all feels stodgy and formulaic. Where similar games revel in the nonsense of their core idea, this one takes a more stoney-faced approach. And it ultimately wears thin.
In the end Injustice 2 falls into the same trap as DC's current line of films. It's too po-faced, too stern, and ultimately, just not that much fun.
In fact the whole thing feels a little bit flimsy. Which really shouldn't be the case for a game that's literally about people with the power of the gods leathering each other.
More Man of Steel than Superman 2: Director's Cut
There's nothing broken about Injustice 2, but it all feels stodgy and formulaic. Where similar games revel in the nonsense of their core idea, this one takes a more stoney-faced approach. And it ultimately wears thin.
In the end Injustice 2 falls into the same trap as DC's current line of films. It's too po-faced, too stern, and ultimately, just not that much fun.
