Injustice: Gods Among Us Wii U

Released on 26-Apr-2013

• Lobo coming to Injustice: Gods Among Us

  DC Comics bruiser Lobo will be the first downloadable character for the hit superhero fighting game, Injustice: Gods Among Us, publisher Warner Bros has confirmed.

  Lobo is an alien mercenary and bounty hunter, known for his dreadlocks and ghostly white face. He was introduced into the DC universe in 1983 but didn't become truly popular until the 1990s, when he was reinvented as a leather jacket wearing biker anti-hero. In the comic pages, he's fought both beside and against heavy hitters like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern.

  Despite being a cult favourite, Lobo has never appeared in a video game before although he came very close to getting his own fighting game in 1986. That game was never finished or released, however.

  Lobo finally gets his moment in the spotlight on May 7th, when he'll be available to add to the Injustice roster. A trailer for the DLC shows him going up against Batman, using combinations of throws, chains and weapons to bring the Dark Knight to his knees. His special move involves ramming his opponent with his hoverbike, blasting them into the air with a shotgun then setting them on fire with his exhaust. Then he makes a very rude hand gesture. Cheeky.

  Injustice: Gods Among Us is out now for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii U. Lobo - and all the other DLC characters - can be yours for a knock down price if you order the Injustice: Gods Among Us Season Pass for Xbox 360 or PS3.

  Published: 29/04/2013

• Injustice: Gods Among Us - Review

  
  

  

  Crime Fighters

  Who would win in a fight between Superman and Batman? The smart money would say that Superman's godly strength and resilience would shrug off anything that The Dark Knight could throw at him, but if Bruce Wayne used his considerable fortune to buy a large chunk of Kryptonite, who's to say The Man of Steel couldn't be brought to his knees with a big glowing Batarang? It's a debate which DC has explored since forever, and even today modern comic-books still pit heroes against heroes (and villains obviously!) to determine who's top of the list. Thanks to Injustice: Gods Among Us, fighting game fans can now get in on the action too.

  One way Injustice stands out from the likes of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is in its deep story. NetherRealm Studios has done an excellent job of crafting a comic-book tale that explains why Wonder Woman and The Flash are busting heads alongside Lex Luthor and the Green Lantern. Without giving too much away, The Joker manages to secure a nuclear bomb before linking the detonator to Lois Lane's heart. He then tricks Superman into thinking that Lois is Doomsday, and after Superman accidentally kills his pregnant wife, he loses all sense of compassion before placing humanity under a new world order.

  

  You're Batman!

  It's not going to win any awards for script-writing but the seven hour story mode is strangely compelling for a fighting game. We also have to commend NetherRealm for bolstering Injustice with lots of single-player content, and when you're not playing against a friend in a normal match, the substantial S.T.A.R.S. Lab mode offers 240 missions with a wide range of dynamic objectives. Of course, this would be small comfort if the underlying fighting system made you feel more like Batboy than the Caped Crusader himself, but thanks to a careful fusion of Mortal Kombat fundamentals and Street Fighter-style innovations, Injustice feels like the real deal.

  It can be hard to please both casual players and fighter fans but Injustice somehow nails the sweet spot between accessibility and depth. There are 24 characters to choose from and each one offers something different thanks to the dedicated trait button. Batman can summon a swarm of mechanical bats, the Green Lantern can charge his power ring and The Flash can activate a bullet-time effect that slows down the opponent's movements. But out of all the interesting features that Injustice brings to the table, it's the interactive objects that stand out the most. If you see a motorcycle or piano in the background, chances are you can grab it and throw it.

  

  Justice For All

  The one area where Injustice falls slightly short is the online functionality. The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions feature the usual compliment of ranked and casual modes in addition to lobbies that can be customised for your individual needs, but in terms of providing a smooth and noticeably lag-free gameplay experience, the netcode is more adequate than excellent. It's definitely not as poor as the Mortal Kombat reboot from 2011 but it's still a long way off the class-leading smoothness of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 or BlazBlue: Continuum Shift. A few players will also be disappointed by the lack of a save option for replays.

  On all other accounts, though, Injustice is a quality product that generously caters for a wide range of players. If you're a straight-up comic-book fan that just wants to pick Nightwing before wiping the snooty sneer off Sinestro's face, then Injustice offers significant mileage without the need for another player. But if you're a hardcore gamer that wants to learn the intricacies of your chosen character before taking the online competition by storm, then Injustice has the depth to keep you coming back for more. And with a level playing-field, you may even find that the ultimate DC powerhouse isn't Superman or Batman after all.

  GAME's Verdict:

  
  

  The Good:

  • Over 20 characters to play
  • Tells a surprisingly good tale
  • Harley Quinn looks great

  The Bad:

  • Online is a bit hit and miss
  • Plays it a bit safe in places
  • Needs more Swamp Thing

  Published: 24/04/2013

• Editor's Choice - Injustice: Gods Among Us

  
  

  

  
  

  

  Uh-oh, Superman's got a strop-on and wants to reign supreme over Earth! Sound barking? Well, you're not alone - a collection of DC Comics' finest superhero and villains are all set to trade punches and superpowers in an epic struggle for power in Injustice: Gods Among Us on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U...

  Lois Lane and Superman's unborn baby are dead; both accidentally fried by the Man of Steel himself. To make matters worse, Metropolis has been reduced to irradiated rumble by the Joker. Cue Superman coming off the rails and going all dictator-y. Happy days then.

  But from this surprisingly grim storyline blossoms one of the most invigorating and fresh beat 'em ups in recent memory. From NeverRealm Studios, the developers of the 2011 Mortal Kombat, comes this tribute to some of DC Comics' classic comic creations. Twenty-four to be precise including all your favourites - Batman, Bane, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the deliciously deranged Harley Quinn and many more - all slugging it out to either help Clark Kent with his bad hair day or to stop him.

  What this translates into is one of the most chaotic brawlers on record. The first thing that strikes you are the ridiculously overblown stage transitions - whether you're being punched forty miles up into space or being drilled down through the centre of the earth and being flung out the other side, nothing is too outlandish. And then there are the beautifully destructible environments that offer up perfect opportunities for smashing foe; for example, Wonder Woman swatting Ares into a pulp using a tree or Superman punching a giant glass-walled tank to unleash a mini-tsunami on his opponent.

  

  There are innovations too; the genre's three-bout matches have been swept aside in favour of a single super-sized one. There are also three attack buttons plus unique special moves - our favourite? Summoning two buses to slam dunk Bats - and a special Clash mode where you fight to claw back health from your opponent.

  Such a comprehensive set of moves and skills takes time to master and fully exploit but brings a whole new level of tactical fighting that ironically leaves the likes of Mortal Kombat looking a tad superficial. If that all sounds a little too ambitious for the noobs among you, fret not, because there is a tutorial mode too.

  Now factor in the multiplayer, a mass of modes and host of unlockables and you have something here for everyone. From the casual gamer who wants to punch stuff across the screen to the broken-nosed, bloody-knuckled veteran looking for a fresh challenge, the fighting genre has a new colossus to contend with. So stand well back... or you could get a bus in your noggin while being punched through the earth's core. Awesome.
  

  Published: 18/04/2013

• Review roundup - Injustice: Gods Among Us

  Hopes are high that NetherRealm's DC Comics brawler Injustice: Gods Among Us will deliver a hard-hitting superhero experience worthy of bringing the likes of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman together, and judging from the reviews it seems like the Mortal Kombat studio has delivered.

  The Official US Xbox Magazine is certainly impressed, stitching a proud 9/10 score to its flapping cape. "Injustice is fast, destructive, and extremely accessible without sacrificing its hardcore edge," reads the review, before concluding "there's enough great content here to keep fans busy for months."

  Games Radar has awarded the game a four star rating, declaring the result to be "a licensed fighting game done right, sure to please fans of the brand and the genre. Its accessibility lets casual gamers or avid comic readers enjoy themselves, while retaining all the depth that fighter enthusiasts crave."

  Fellow US mag EGM is even more impressed. "One of the best all-around fighting experiences you're likely to find," gushes its 9.5 review. "Fans of both DC Comics and Mortal Kombat-style fighters will be blown away by this high-quality brawler of epic proportions."

  IGN doesn't like it enough to crack the upper reaches of the scoring system, but it's 8.2 review still finds plenty to praise. "The real reason to play is the thrill of harnessing the god-like powers of some of the most overwhelming figures in the comic realm," it reckons. "The jury's still out on whether or not it presents a fair fight, but it's definitely an enjoyable one."

  It certainly seems that the promise shown in NetherRealm's previous foray into spandex, Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe, was no fluke.

  Injustice: Gods Among Us is out for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 from April 19th, and Wii U from April 26th.

  Published: 18/04/2013

• Injustice: Gods Among Us demo out this week

  Eager to get your hands on Injustice: Gods Among Us, the DC Comics fighting game from Mortal Kombat developer NetherRealm - The full game is set for release in a few weeks, but you can get a taster right now if you're impatient: a demo is available today on PlayStation 3 and an Xbox 360 demo will follow on April 3rd.

  Injustice will use a similar story structure and fighting style to NetherRealm's rebooted Mortal Kombat as well as the crossover hit Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe. The story, overseen by DC Comics scribes Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, takes place after The Joker destroys Metropolis and tricks Superman into killing Lois Lane. Understandably miffed, Superman imposes a new world order on the Earth, leading Batman and other heroes to form a resistance against his super-powered dictatorship.

  As well as Superman and Batman, you can expect to see Justice League heavy hitters such as Wonder Woman, The Flash and Green Lantern alongside villains like The Joker, Lex Luthor, Sinestro and Bane. Even chirpy Golden Age characters like Shazam will be dragged into the showdown.

  Injustice: Gods Among Us will let players go nuts with their superpowers, using interactive arenas based around classic DC locations to allow battles to smash, crumble and demolish their way through the scenery.

  Injustice: Gods Among Us is out on April 19th for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii U.

  Published: 02/04/2013

• Injustice: Gods Among Us punches into April

  DC Comics fighting game Injustice: Gods Among Us has focused its heat ray vision on a release date, and it's April 19th. That's the official word from publisher Warner Bros. The date gives the super-powered brawler a head start against Dead Island: Riptide and the new Star Trek game, both of which follow the week after.

  Injustice takes place in a DC Comics universe where the lines between good and evil have been blurred, leading to epic smackdowns between both heroes and villains. Playable characters include Superman and Batman, obviously, along with Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Joker, Bane, Lex Luthor and more. It's not the first time DC's superhero roster has graced the fighting game stage. 2008 saw Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe, and Injustice will be developed by the same team at NetherRealm, headed up by Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon.

  Injustice: Gods Among Us is out on April 19th for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U.
  

  Published: 16/01/2013

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