Injustice: Gods Among Us

Injustice: Gods Among Us
Developer(s) NetherRealm Studios[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s) Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Director(s) Ed Boon
Producer(s) Adam Urbano
Designer(s) Paulo Garcia
John Edwards
Artist(s) Steve Beran
Writer(s) Brian Chard
Dominic Cianciolo
John Vogel
Jon Greenberg
Composer(s) Christopher Drake
Dean Grinsfelder
Cris Velasco
Sascha Dikiciyan
Engine Unreal Engine 3[1]
Platform(s)

Release date(s)
Genre(s) Fighting
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Injustice: Gods Among Us is a fighting video game based upon the fictional universe of DC Comics. The game was developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii U. It was released in April 2013 in North America, Europe, and Australia, and June 2013 in Japan. An expanded version of the game, titled Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition, was released in November 2013 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. A free-to-play mobile app based on Injustice was also released for Android and iOS devices.

Players select one of several characters from the DC Universe to engage in combat, aiming to knock out their opponent. The game is set in a 2.5D environment; while character models and backgrounds are rendered in three-dimensional graphics, the characters are restricted to fight within a two-dimensional space. Injustice builds upon several aspects from NetherRealm Studios' previous title, Mortal Kombat, including its controls, game mechanics, narrative-driven campaign, and online functionality.

The storyline is set within an alternate version of the Justice League's universe. In this reality, Superman establishes a new world order after the Joker tricks him into killing Lois Lane and destroying Metropolis. In an effort to stop this, Batman summons counterparts of the League's members from another universe, including his own and Superman's, to join his insurgency and end the totalitarian regime. The game received positive reviews from critics, who praised its story, gameplay mechanics, and use of the DC Comics license. Injustice became the highest selling game in the United States and United Kingdom during the month of its release. The game also won several awards for "Best Fighting Game" in 2013. A sequel titled Injustice 2 was announced in June 2016, and is expected to be released in 2017.

Gameplay

Wonder Woman battles Ares in the Themyscira stage. Injustice features 3D characters and backgrounds, but is played in a 2D arena.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is a fighting game in which players control characters with different fighting styles and special attacks, engaging in one-on-one combat to deplete their opponent's life gauge. The game features 2.5D graphics;[2] movement is restricted to a two-dimensional plane, while the characters and backgrounds are rendered in a three-dimensional fashion. Unlike the traditional fighting game design involving multiple rounds with regenerative life bars, Injustice uses a scheme similar to the Killer Instinct series.[3] Each match consists of a single round with each player bearing two life bars.[3] The game utilizes a four-button control layout of light, medium, and heavy attacks, alongside a "character trait" button, which activates a unique ability or attack designed to showcase each character.[4] For instance, Superman's character trait provides a temporary boost in strength, while Batman's character trait summons a swarm of robotic bats.[5]

The stages, based on various locations from the DC Universe, such as the Batcave, Metropolis, and Fortress of Solitude, feature interactive environments and multiple areas.[6] If an opponent is hit with a heavy attack near a corner of the arena, it launches them, triggering a transition animation and taking the fight to a new section of the stage.[7] Each section also contains objects that characters can interact with differently depending on their class. Characters fall into two classes: "power characters", who rely on brute strength and innate abilities, and "gadget characters", who use weapons, items, and other external mechanisms to win.[6][8] For example, a gadget character like Batman can attach a bomb to a car to cause an explosion, while a power character like Superman will pick up the same car and smash his opponents with it.[9] Players have the option to turn off interactive elements and stage transitions.[10]

As characters perform special moves, block oncoming attacks, or get hit by the opponent, their "super meters" will gradually fill. Portions of the super meter can be used to execute enhanced special moves or counter enemy moves.[11][12] With a full meter, players can unleash their strongest special attack.[11] Players may also expend their meter to interrupt a combo and enter a wager battle, dubbed the "clash system", which combines individualized cutscene cinematics with the process of betting meter.[13] A clash may be triggered by a player only after they have lost their first life bar.[12] During the sequence, both players commit portions of their meter in secret, with the highest bidder winning the clash.[13]

The story mode is split into several chapters. As the narrative plays out, the player swaps between different characters.[14] Minigames are also incorporated into the story. The outcome of minigames can impact an upcoming battle, such as giving the player a health advantage over the CPU opponent.[14] Additional game features include Battle Mode, Versus Mode, Training Mode, and S.T.A.R. Labs, which includes 240 character-specific challenges of varying difficulty.[15][16] Online multiplayer modes include King of the Hill, a setup that allows up to eight players to spectate a match while waiting for their turn to fight, and Survivor, which carries over the current winner's health bar and character selection over each match.[10][17] Playing through any of the game modes, including online matches with optional goal objectives, will net the player experience points that may be used to unlock alternate costumes, music, concept art, and other rewards.[16][18]

Synopsis

The campaign of Injustice: Gods Among Us was written by NetherRealm Studios in collaboration with DC Comics' writers.[19] Described by NetherRealm as "Story Mode 3.0", the campaign was approached similarly to Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe and the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot through the use of a cinematic narrative versus the traditional ladder-based single-player experience.[20] According to lead designer John Edwards, the plot is meant to rationalize the game's fighting mechanics between characters that would not normally fight one another and explain how Batman can "stand toe-to-toe" with Superman.[19] Writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti served as story consultants to ensure that the comic characters kept their proper voices in Injustice.[20]

Plot

In an alternate reality, the Joker destroys Metropolis with a nuclear weapon, killing millions of people, and tricks Superman into killing Lois Lane and their unborn child. After the attack, Batman tries to interrogate the Joker on where he got the weapon, but a grieving Superman murders the Joker in retribution for Lois' death. In order to permanently eliminate conflict, Superman establishes a new world order in the form of a unified world government, which he leads as its High Councillor, keeping peace through an authoritarian regime. In response, Batman establishes an insurgency, and a war ensues between the forces of Superman's regime and Batman's insurgency.

Five years into the war, the insurgency discovers another universe where the Joker's plan failed, and teleports that world's Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Arrow, and Green Lantern into their own world. Batman and the Joker are also inadvertently transported to the other universe, and separated after an encounter with the alternate Superman's military.

While searching for somewhere to recharge his power ring, Green Lantern saves Deathstroke from being tortured by the alternate Cyborg and Raven, and later battles the alternate versions of Sinestro and himself (who has joined the Sinestro Corps as "Yelllow Lantern" and wields a yellow power ring). While Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, and Green Lantern meet the alternate version of Batman in Gotham City, Aquaman visits the archives of Atlantis, where he learns of Superman's descent into tyranny from an archivist. Upon discovering that Atlantis has agreed to complete subjugation under Superman, Aquaman confronts and defeats his own alternate counterpart, along with the Flash and Shazam. The alternate Ares sends Aquaman to rejoin the others and assist the insurgents. The alternate Batman and Lex Luthor (who is not a criminal in this universe) explain that regular humans can be upgraded by taking a nanotech pill derived from Kryptonian DNA, making them thousands of times stronger and more resilient, as well as their plan to use a kryptonite-based weapon stored in the Batcave against the High Councillor, but DNA samples from the other four heroes are needed to unlock it. The heroes had to be brought from another universe because the alternate Green Arrow is dead, and the other three are aligned with Superman.

Meanwhile, the main universe's Batman pursues the Joker through Gotham. Yellow Lantern and the alternate Hawkgirl mistake Batman for their own and apprehend him, while the Joker allies himself with the alternate Harley Quinn, who has founded an underground organization called the "Joker Clan" to honor her Joker. The insurgents sneak into Wayne Manor, and after fighting alternate versions of Killer Frost, Solomon Grundy, Black Adam, and Wonder Woman, they enter the Batcave and retrieve the kryptonite weapon. Back in the main universe, Superman, the Flash, and Cyborg attempt to recover their comrades. However, their teleporter accidentally sends Cyborg into the alternate universe, where he joins the insurgency effort.

While Cyborg and Deathstroke infiltrate the Hall of Justice to take control of the Watchtower's teleportation system, the rest of the insurgents stage a break-in on Stryker's Island to rescue the main universe's Batman from being executed. Superman, aware that the insurgents took over the Watchtower, attempts to destroy it, but fails when Deathstroke overcharges the Watchtower's core, setting off a massive explosion. Luthor tries to use the kryptonite weapon on Superman, only to end up getting killed by Superman. Now aware of humanity's determination to depose him, Superman decides to destroy Gotham and Metropolis to demonstrate the chaos that would arise in his absence, and then find the alternate universe and invade that universe to make that world's heroes pay for interfering in his world. When Shazam protests this, Superman kills him, causing the Flash to defect to the insurgency and inform them of Superman's plans.

With the kryptonite weapon rendered useless, the Justice League suggest recruiting their own version of Superman to stop the High Councillor. A large-scale battle between the regime and insurgents erupts. Ares teleports Wonder Woman to Themyscira and informs her that Superman plans to have the Amazons invade Metropolis. After defeating the alternate versions of herself and Raven, Wonder Woman convinces the Amazons to help the insurgents. Meanwhile, the two versions of Batman teleport the main universe's Superman into the alternate universe. An Atlantean army led by the alternate Aquaman attacks Metropolis, and Wonder Woman leads the Amazons against them. Superman defeats the alternate Black Adam, Sinestro, Aquaman, and Doomsday, and forces Yellow Lantern to surrender. He then engages in a final confrontation against the High Councillor at the Fortress of Solitude, and emerges victorious, ending the reign of the High Councillor.

After Superman defeats the High Councillor, the regime is dismantled, and all of its generals and accomplices are arrested, where the alternate Flash turns himself in. Harley Quinn has the Joker sent back to the main universe after realizing that he does not care about her. Green Lantern hands over his counterpart and Sinestro to the Guardians of the Universe to stand trial. Wonder Woman dethrones her counterpart, and Cyborg visits the alternate Lex Luthor's grave. The alternate Superman is placed in a prison emitting red sun radiation that renders him powerless, and the main universe's Superman admits to the alternate Batman that if he were placed in the same position as his counterpart, he might have done the same thing. The alternate Batman tells Superman that if something ever happens to him, causing him to go down the path of his counterpart, he will come after him. As the two walk away, the alternate Superman's eyes glow red, indicating that he still has some degree of his powers.

Characters

The roster was selected internally by NetherRealm Studios with input from DC Comics.[21] The main goal during the selection process, which took around three to four months, was to create a cast featuring a wide variety of characters.[22] Characters were chosen based on criteria such as size, ability, gender, popularity, and how well they fit within the Injustice storyline.[22][23] The addition of each playable hero and villain required about six weeks of development.[24] The characters were designed with the intent to make each fighter unique, and fighting styles and movesets were tailored to the lore and personality of each character.[25] Ed Boon stated that DC Comics had given NetherRealm a large amount of freedom with their properties, allowing them to put their own spin on characters.[26] Several other characters from the DC Universe, such as Darkseid, Scarecrow, Metallo, and Gorilla Grodd, also appear as non-player characters, making cameo appearances in story cutscenes, stages, and other game modes.[16] Outside of the DC universe, Scorpion from the Mortal Kombat series appears as a downloadable guest character.[27]

The playable characters are:[28]

^a : Available as downloadable content and the Ultimate Edition.
^b : Exclusive to the iOS and Android mobile app.
^c : Playable as an alternate skin.

Development

Injustice: Gods Among Us was first announced on May 31, 2012.[39] According to Ed Boon, the main goal heading into Injustice was to create a game outside of the Mortal Kombat series that was dramatically different within the fighting game genre.[40] Producer Hector Sanchez stated that NetherRealm Studios did not feel constrained by the parameters of Mortal Kombat, allowing the developers to take more design risks with Injustice, such as removing Mortal Kombat's traditional dedicated block button.[20] Similar to Boon's previous DC-related title, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, the use of the DC Comics license implied restrictions to the amount of violence in the game; however, Boon intended to push the "Teen" rating by replacing violence with "crazy, over-the-top action."[41] When questioned if the studio's past experience with Mortal Kombat and its characteristic violence would influence Injustice, Boon replied that he wanted to keep the two titles as separate entities.[3]

The online mode in Injustice was built upon the foundation laid from Mortal Kombat.[17] Due to complaints about severe lag in the online multiplayer portion of Mortal Kombat, Boon reported that the development team had looked back upon their past mistakes and created a "new, more elaborate system" for an improved online experience.[42] Senior Producer Adam Urbano stated NetherRealm Studios spent two years of development focusing on netplay.[43] During development, NetherRealm shared their idea for an automated system to push Injustice downloadable content to all users' consoles.[42] The game would connect to the Internet during use and automatically download the information required for players who have bought DLC characters to play against others who have not.[42] The system also allows NetherRealm to quickly send hotfixes to patch noticeable glitches.[44]

Like Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe and Mortal Kombat, Injustice runs on the Unreal Engine 3, which was modified to suit fighting games.[1] In the first Injustice development diary, NetherRealm Studios proclaimed that several technical advancements had been made since the release of Mortal Kombat in 2011.[1] Sanchez stated that their "KoreTech team" had pushed the boundaries on their graphics engine.[45] Urbano added that the game features a revamped lighting solution, enabling more dynamic lighting in terms of characters and environments.[45] A new "character material" system was created to portray characters with increased graphical detail.[45] Injustice also utilizes a multi-threaded rendering engine, allowing the game to display approximately three times the amount of objects on screen at a single time than Mortal Kombat.[45]

Promotion

Prior to the game's release, Warner Bros. Interactive and DC Entertainment launched a 10-week-long online marketing campaign called the Injustice Battle Arena. The web series, hosted by Taryn Southern, featured weekly match-ups between the playable cast in a tournament-style format. Each week, the arena was updated with different versus scenarios. Fans could vote for their favorite characters, and a video, depicting the winner of each round, would be released following each voting period. Videos detailing the skills and strengths of the combatants, including vox pop and celebrity interviews, were released alongside each new pair of challengers. Voters could redeem free rewards, ranging from Xbox Live avatar accessories to a downloadable character skin based on Green Arrow's appearance in the television series Arrow. Participating fans based in the United States were also eligible to win weekly prizes.[46]

A demo version of the game was released as a download for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on April 2, 2013 in North America, and April 3, 2013 in Europe. The demo showcased Batman, Wonder Woman, and Lex Luthor, in the Gotham City stage, with Doomsday as an unplayable boss.[47]

Release

Injustice: Gods Among Us was released on April 16, 2013 in North America, April 17 in Australia, and April 19 in Europe for the PlayStation 3, Wii U, and Xbox 360.[48][49][50] Certain Australian retailers, including JB Hi-Fi and EB Games, broke the street date, selling copies on April 15, 2013.[51] The release of the Wii U version of Injustice was delayed in the United Kingdom until April 26, 2013.[52] The game was released later in Japan on June 9, 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Wii U.[53] It was also added to the Xbox One's library of backward compatible Xbox 360 games in December 2016.[54]

An album featuring music from several artists including Rise Against, Depeche Mode, MSTRKRFT, Awolnation, Minus the Bear, and Zeus, was released by WaterTower Music.[55] Titled Injustice: Gods Among Us - The Album, the album was made available at digital retailers on April 16, 2013 to coincide with the release of the game. The collection was later released on CD on April 23, 2013.[55]

Pre-order bonuses

Warner Bros. Interactive partnered with several retail outlets on a pre-order incentive. Pre-orders from EB Games, GameStop, and Game gave players access to the Red Son Pack, a DLC pack inspired by the Superman: Red Son comic book limited series, containing alternate Red Son skins for Superman, Wonder Woman, and Solomon Grundy, and 20 additional missions set within the Red Son storyline.[56] Pre-orders from Wal-Mart carried the Arkham City Skin Pack, containing downloadable costumes for Batman, Catwoman, and the Joker, and a bonus copy of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.[57] Pre-orders from Best Buy and Amazon Germany included the Blackest Night DLC Pack, which featured an alternate Batman skin, based on his Black Lantern design from the Blackest Night storyline, and an exclusive "zombie mode", which transforms all characters into the undead.[58]

Retail editions

In addition to the standard edition, the Collector's Edition was made available for purchase for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, which included a steelbook case, a collectible figurine, a digital download code for the animated film Justice League: Doom, the first issue of the Injustice comic book series, and three exclusive costumes for Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman based on their appearances in The New 52.[59][60] The North American and European versions of the bundle offered different figurines. The North American release offers a 13-inch (33 cm) statue featuring Wonder Woman fighting Batman, while the European release offers a smaller 9-inch (23 cm) statue of the two.[50] The Battle Edition, exclusive to GameStop and EB Games, included a light weight fight stick controller and the three DLC skins.[48] In the United Kingdom and Australia, the Special Edition was available, exclusively through Game and EB Games respectively, containing the steelbook case and the Red Son Pack.[49]

Downloadable content

A Season Pass available to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 users granted access to the Flashpoint Skin Pack, featuring alternate skins for Aquaman, Deathstroke, and Wonder Woman, along with the first four downloadable characters at an overall discounted price.[61] To prevent conflicts between online players who purchased DLC and those who did not, free compatibility packs containing additional character skins were released alongside them.[62] On April 17, 2013, Lobo was officially revealed as the first DLC character during the Injustice Battle Arena finale.[35] Lobo was released on May 7, 2013.[63] On May 3, 2013, Batgirl was revealed as the second DLC character, becoming available for download on May 21, 2013.[64][65] Scorpion, a recurring character from the Mortal Kombat series, was revealed as the third DLC character on June 3, 2013, and became available for download on June 11, 2013.[66] Scorpion's appearance in Injustice featured a new costume design by comic book artist Jim Lee.[27] The final character in the Season Pass, General Zod, was revealed on June 12, 2013 on an episode of the late-night talk show Conan.[38] Zod was released on July 2, 2013.[67] S.T.A.R. Labs missions for the first four DLC characters were also released as part of the Season Pass.[68] The four DLC characters became available for Wii U owners on July 3, 2013.[69]

On June 6, 2013, Ed Boon announced that at least one additional DLC character would be created for the game due to fan demand.[70] Boon had previously held a poll on his Twitter to determine which DC Comics characters Injustice fans would like to see added to the game.[71] Martian Manhunter, who had been left off the polls due to having the strongest fan demand, was revealed as the fifth DLC character during a special Injustice presentation at the 2013 Evolution Championship Series despite what happened to him in the prequel comics.[34][71] Martian Manhunter was released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on July 30, 2013, bundled together with John Stewart as an alternate skin for Green Lantern.[34][72] Shortly before the release, Boon revealed on Twitter that there were further plans to develop downloadable content, with the sixth DLC character being a "big fan favorite request".[73] On August 5, 2013, the character was revealed to be Zatanna, who placed first in the Twitter poll according to Boon.[37] She was bundled with a new skin for Superman based on Cyborg Superman, released on August 13, 2013.[74]

Mobile version

Prior to the game's release, NetherRealm Studios developed a free-to-play mobile app of Injustice: Gods Among Us, which was released for iOS devices on April 3, 2013.[75] It was ported to Android systems on November 21, 2013.[76] The app utilizes a collectible card-based battle system, and can be used to unlock bonuses in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game.[77] The Wii U version does not support this feature.[78] Multiplayer functionality was added to the iOS version in an update on April 24, 2014.[79][80]

Ultimate Edition

On October 7, 2013, Warner Bros. Interactive announced the Ultimate Edition, which includes all previously released downloadable content for Injustice: Gods Among Us.[81] The Ultimate Edition was released on November 12, 2013 in the United States and November 29, 2013 in Europe for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows.[81][82] The American release was also bundled with the game's official soundtrack.[81]

Reception

Critical response

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings(WIIU) 83%[83]
(PS4) 83%[84]
(X360) 82%[85]
(PS3) 81%[86]
(PC) 80%[87]
(iOS) 67%[88]
Metacritic(WIIU) 82/100[89]
(X360) 81/100[90]
(PS4) 80/100[91]
(PC) 79/100[92]
(PS3) 78/100[93]
(iOS) 69/100[94]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM9.5/10[95]
Eurogamer8/10[96]
Game Informer9/10[97]
GameSpot7/10[98]
IGN8.2/10[99]
OXM9/10[100]
Awards
PublicationAward
Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2012Best Fighting Game[101]
IGN: Best of 2013Best Overall Fighting Game[102]
GameTrailers: Game of the Year Awards 2013Best Fighting Game[103]
Game Informer: Best of 2013 AwardsBest Fighting[104]
Spike VGXBest Fighting Game[105]
D.I.C.E. AwardsFighting Game of the Year[106]

Injustice: Gods Among Us received positive reviews from critics. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the Wii U version 83% and 82/100,[83][89] the Xbox 360 version 82% and 81/100,[85][90] and the PlayStation 3 version 81% and 78/100.[86][93] The Ultimate Edition was given 83% and 80/100 for the PlayStation 4,[84][91] and 80% and 79/100 for Microsoft Windows.[87][92] The iOS mobile app received mixed reviews, with 67% and 69/100.[88][94]

IGN's Vince Ingenito labeled the game as "both a very good brawler and a big old sloppy love letter to fans". Ingenito praised the story mode, unique fighting game mechanics, and the overall use of the DC license, but criticized rough cutscene graphics, stating that bland textures and poorly modeled buildings eroded their visual impact.[99] Game Informer's Andrew Reiner considered the game as "a finely tuned fighter" that "nails the spectacle of a superhero brawl". Reiner praised NetherRealm Studios for delivering a "great fighting game experience", claiming that the NetherRealm Studios' appreciation for the DC universe blended nicely with their Mortal Kombat formula.[97]

Eurogamer's Matt Edwards praised the rich amount of single-player content, highlighting the S.T.A.R. Labs mode, but was concerned about the game's online stability, writing that improvements made over Mortal Kombat to reduce latency issues "[appeared] to be marginal rather than game changing".[96] GameSpot's Maxwell McGee felt that while Injustice provided "a complex fighter with some unique twists", the game fell short when compared to its contemporaries. McGee was critical of the story, describing the premise as "so ridiculous it borders on parody", and lamented the lack of instructional features for new players and replay support.[98]

Mikel Reparaz of Official Xbox Magazine praised Injustice for its "fast, destructive, and extremely accessible" gameplay, calling the game "one of the most enjoyable 2D fighters in years".[100] Electronic Gaming Monthly's Ray Carsillo awarded the game a near-perfect score, praising the story, gameplay mechanics, and collectibles, while faulting its long and frequent load times.[95] Brett Molina of USA Today gave the game 3.5 stars out of 4, stating that "NetherRealm [had] created an impressive video game package with Injustice, combining superheroes and villains comic book fans can appreciate with a fighting style that should appeal to players at any level."[107]

Awards

Injustice: Gods Among Us won the award for "Best Fighting Game" of E3 2012 by the Game Critics Awards.[101] The game also received "Fighting Game of the Year" awards in 2013 from IGN,[102] GameTrailers,[103] Game Informer,[104] the VGX,[105] and the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' D.I.C.E. Awards.[106]

Sales

Injustice: Gods Among Us was the highest selling game in the United States during its release month of April, 2013.[108] It sold 424,000 copies as reported by industry analysts Cowen and Company, the only game released during that month to sell more than 250,000 copies.[109] According to the NPD group, the game would later continue to stay as the top selling game in the US charts into May and stayed within the top 10 in June.[110][111] Injustice would also top the all-format game charts in the UK following its week of release.[112]

Regional ban

The game was temporarily banned in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.[113][114] Originally, the title of the game was rebranded as Injustice: The Mighty Among Us for promotional uses in those areas.[113] It is speculated that Injustice was banned because of the inclusion of the word 'Gods' in the title, the cleavage exposed in the outfits of some female characters, and overall bloodiness.[113] Eventually, the ban in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait was lifted.[113]

Related media

The Injustice: Gods Among Us comic book series was announced by Ed Boon on October 5, 2012, during the EB Games Expo.[115] The series serves as a prequel detailing the events leading up to the game.[115] The series was first written by Tom Taylor and illustrated by a number of artists, including Jheremy Raapack, Mike S. Miller, Bruno Redondo, Tom Derenick, and others.[116] The comic was released digitally beginning on January 15, 2013.[117] The series was later issued in regular comic book form, and eventually a collected edition.[118] In December 2014, Tom Taylor announced that he would be leaving the series and left after writing Injustice: Year Three #14, with Brian Buccellato replacing him by continuing the story into Year Four and Five.[119] The series' final chapter was released in September 2016.[120]

Sequel

Main article: Injustice 2

On June 8, 2016, Injustice 2 was announced by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and NetherRealm Studios, set for release in 2017 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.[121][122] The sequel continues the story established in Injustice: Gods Among Us, with the alternate universe Batman and his Insurgents are working to prevent a new threat while stopping the remnants of Superman's Regime who seek to restore his rule.[123] Various gameplay mechanics from the first installment return, including super moves, character traits, stage transitions, and clashes.[124] Injustice 2 will introduce a loot-dropping system, known as the "Gear System", which provides character-specific costume pieces and equipment; players will be able to customize the look of their characters and upgrade their abilities, such as increasing their speed, strength, or health.[125] The playable cast is set to include returning heroes Superman, Batman, Flash, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman[126] alongside newcomers such as Supergirl, Atrocitus, Gorilla Grodd, Blue Beetle and Deadshot.[123]

References

Notes

  1. ↑ High Voltage Software developed the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows versions of the game, while Armature Studio developed the PlayStation Vita version of the game.

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 Gaudiosi, John (2012-08-28). "Injustice for All: Developer Ed Boon tells us who his favorite character is and why Superman won't crush him". Digital Trends. Retrieved 2012-08-29.
  2. ↑ Sullivan, Lucas (2013-04-16). "Injustice: Gods Among Us review". GamesRadar. Retrieved 2015-05-18.
  3. 1 2 3 Ryckert, Dan (2012-08-22). "Ed Boon Talks Injustice: Gods Among Us". Game Informer. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
  4. ↑ D’Argenio, Angelo M. (2012-06-14). "Injustice: Gods Among Us Preview". Cheat Code Central. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
  5. ↑ Knigge, Kris (2012-06-11). "Injustice: Gods Among Us Is More Like BlazBlue Than You'd Expect". Siliconera. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
  6. 1 2 Lien, Tracey (2012-10-05). "'Injustice: Gods Among Us': your arena will be as important as your character". Polygon. Retrieved 2012-10-05.
  7. ↑ D'Argenio, Angelo (2012-06-20). "Shoryuken @ E3 – Injustice: Gods Among Us Preview". Shoryuken. Retrieved 2015-05-11.
  8. ↑ Mihoerck, Dan (2012-05-31). Injustice: Gods Among Us - Interview w/ Ed Boon. GameSpot. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  9. ↑ Workman, Robert. "Injustice: Gods Among Us Hands-On (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)". Prima Games. Retrieved 2015-05-11.
  10. 1 2 Butterworth, Scott (2013-01-30). "Injustice: Gods Among Us -- The Death of Metropolis". IGN. Retrieved 2013-01-30.
  11. 1 2 McGee, Maxwell (2012-06-06). "On the Mechanics of Injustice: Gods Among Us". GameSpot. Retrieved 2012-10-25.
  12. 1 2 D'Argenio, Angelo (2013-03-19). "Injustice: Gods Among Us – Behind Closed Doors Preview Part 1: Black Adam, Raven, and System Mechanics". Shoryuken. Retrieved 2013-03-19.
  13. 1 2 Mallory, Jordan (2012-06-06). "Risky Business: The Injustice: Gods Among Us 'Clash' system". Joystiq. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  14. 1 2 "Injustice: Gods Among Us Review". NowGamer. 2013-04-22. Retrieved 2015-05-19.
  15. ↑ Shea, Brian (2013-03-29). "Building off past successes with 'Injustice: Gods Among Us'". Video Game Writers. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  16. 1 2 3 Siegel, Lucas (2013-03-19). "INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US - Brutal, Accessible, Deep". Newsarama. Retrieved 2013-03-21.
  17. 1 2 Hooper, Bags (2012-10-15). "Injustice: Gods Among Us online mode built on Mortal Kombat foundation". Joystiq. Retrieved 2012-10-25.
  18. ↑ Tan, Nick (2013-01-30). "Injustice: Gods Among Us Preview". Game Revolution. Retrieved 2013-01-30.
  19. 1 2 "Interview: Injustice: Gods Among Us". CraveOnline. 2012-06-13. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  20. 1 2 3 Sarkar, Samit (2012-10-15). "'Injustice: Gods Among Us' developers expanding upon all aspects of 'Mortal Kombat'". Polygon. Retrieved 2012-10-16.
  21. ↑ Rougeau, Michael (2012-07-19). "Interview: "Injustice: Gods Among Us" Producer on Walking the Line Between Casual and Hardcore". Complex. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
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