Injustice 2 is a 2017 fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It is the sequel to 2013's Injustice: Gods Among Us and the second installment in the Injustice series, which is based on the DC Universe. The storyline centers around Batman and his Insurgency's attempt to rebuild society after the fall of Superman's Regime; however, the arrivals of the newly formed supervillain group "The Society" and the alien Brainiac force Batman to consider freeing the imprisoned Superman to help combat the threats.
The game was initially released in May 2017 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One; a Windows version was released later in November 2017. An expanded version of the game, titled Injustice 2: Legendary Edition, was released in March 2018 for the PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. Similar to the previous installment, a companion mobile app was released for Android and iOS devices. A prequel comic book series of the same name, written by Tom Taylor, was also released beginning in April 2017.
The core gameplay remains similar to its predecessor, albeit with minor adjustments to returning game mechanics. Injustice 2 introduces a new feature called the Gear System, a loot-dropping system that rewards players with costume pieces and equipment that can be used to customize characters' appearances and modify their abilities and stats. According to developers, the idea for implementing a role playing game (RPG)-style progression system into a fighting game had existed since before the collapse of Midway Games, the original developer and publisher for the Mortal Kombat series. Director Ed Boon also sought to incorporate gameplay mechanics used by multiplayer shooter games, such as personalization, character creation, loot, and leveling up, into the fighting game genre, which led to the development of the Gear System.
The game won numerous awards and received positive reviews from critics, who praised its story, presentation, improved gameplay mechanics, abundance of in-game content, and character customization options, while criticizing its random loot and microtransaction systems.
Gameplay
Injustice 2 is a fighting game in which players compete in one-on-one combat using characters from the DC Universe and other third-party franchises. Using different combinations of directional inputs and button presses, players must perform basic attacks, special moves, and combos to try to damage and knock out the opposing fighter. Injustice 2 retains numerous gameplay mechanics from Injustice: Gods Among Us, including environment interaction, stage transitions, clashes, and character traits. The trait system, like before, provides a temporary buff or ability that complements each character's playstyle. The super meter, which allows players to execute enhanced special moves and unlock powerful "super moves" when fully charged, also returns. Players can expend meter to perform new techniques, such as an evasive forward roll, which provides a way to overcome enemy keep-away tactics, or an air recovery, which lets characters escape an opponent's combo early. Most environmental attacks, which were completely unavoidable in the first Injustice game, can now be blocked or dodged; however, certain environmental attacks with large amounts of startup, such as throwing a car, remain unblockable.
Injustice 2 introduces a loot-dropping system, known as the "Gear System", which offers character-specific costume pieces and equipment with status-altering effects. The Gear System uses RPG-like mechanics to reward players with experience and loot after every match. Every playable fighter is given four base stats: strength, defense, health, and ability, the latter of which impacts special attacks. As players collect experience points and level up, their characters' base stats will increase. Players can enhance their base stats even further by equipping gear obtained through loot drops, which also lets players customize the look of their characters. Rarer gear can include one or more bonus augmentations, which range from new visual effects for special moves to higher yields of in-game currency or experience points. Players can receive additional bonuses by equipping their characters with all five pieces of a single gear set. Gear comes in three varieties: equipment, shaders, and abilities. Besides the random loot earned at the end of a fight, all three types of gear are available to purchase in loot crates, known as "Mother Boxes", using in-game currency. Each character has five equipment slots for donning new costume pieces, which include their head, torso, arms, legs, and an accessory; two ability slots for equipping new or modified special attacks; and one shader slot for altering their color scheme. The game will also include five separate gear loadouts for each character, allowing players to switch between their setups at the beginning of each match.
The game also includes a microtransaction system. Players can buy "Source Crystals" using real-world money to purchase cosmetic adjustments for fighters, such as premier skins and shaders, instead of waiting to obtain them through normal play. Source Crystals can also be used to buy "Transform Gear". Transform Gear lets players apply the visuals of one piece of gear to another, allowing them to match their preferred stat modifiers with their preferred costume pieces. Lastly, once players have reached Level 20 with at least one character, Source Crystals can be used to level up other characters to their maximum levels. NetherRealm representatives clarified that purchases made with Source Crystals are strictly cosmetic and offer no gameplay advantages.
In addition to the campaign, online, and arcade modes, Injustice 2 introduces a new "Multiverse" mode. Similar to the "Living Towers" mode from NetherRealm's previous title, Mortal Kombat X, the Multiverse allows players to travel through series of parallel worlds within the DC Universe and battle against opponents with various handicaps, stipulations, and goals. Online multiplayer features the option to disable Gear System upgrades and modifications, reducing all base stats to their default levels, turning any equipped gear into purely cosmetic items, and providing more balanced gameplay for competitive matches. Players can also form online "guilds" with up to 50 other players. Guild members can collaborate to complete daily and weekly cooperative objectives to earn and share gear exclusive to guild gameplay and climb the worldwide leaderboards.
Plot The game begins with Kara Zor-El and an infant Kal-El escaping from Krypton during Brainiac's invasion of the planet. Aided by Kara's mother, they manage to escape aboard pods headed to Earth, but Kara's ship is knocked off course. Years later, prior to the events of the first game, Batman and his son Robin attempt to stop Superman's Regime from executing Arkham Asylum inmates. Failing to dissuade Superman, Batman fights him but is attacked by Robin, who prefers Superman's methods. Batman defeats Robin, but the latter leaves with Superman to join the Regime after executing Victor Zsasz.
In the present, 2 years after the Regime's fall, Batman and his Insurgency are attempting to restore social order. They learn of a new faction, the Society, composed of villains spearheaded by Gorilla Grodd, who seeks global domination. Black Canary, an alternate universe Green Arrow, and a reformed Harley Quinn are tasked by Batman with stopping the Society and track them to Slaughter Swamp, where they encounter Swamp Thing. Following the villains to Gorilla City, the heroes are warned by Doctor Fate of an incoming threat. Black Canary and Green Arrow are abducted by Brainiac, the mastermind behind the Society, who intends to add Earth to his collection of shrunken planets. After Brainiac takes over Batman's communications hub, Brother Eye, Batman searches for allies to defeat him.
While Catwoman, a double agent for Batman in the Society, rescues Harley, a reformed Flash and Green Lantern join Batman to take down Brainiac. Green Lantern is sent to recruit Aquaman, who agrees to help after Brainiac attacks Atlantis. Meanwhile, Black Adam, Wonder Woman, and Kara (who was rescued by Adam years prior and adopted the Supergirl alias) break Nightwing and Cyborg out of prison in an attempt to re-establish the Regime and defeat Brainiac. They are stopped by Blue Beetle and Firestorm before Batman arrives. Batman frees Superman and reluctantly allies with the Regime members on the condition that no one is killed in the upcoming battles.
Cyborg, Catwoman, and Harley go to the Batcave to free Brother Eye from Brainiac's control, and defeat the Society members sent to stop them. Meanwhile, Wonder Woman and Supergirl fight the remaining Society members in New Metropolis; when the former almost kills Cheetah, Harley interferes, causing Wonder Woman to attack her. Supergirl goes to the Fortress of Solitude to confront Superman over the incident, and learns of his tyranny. As Brainiac prepares to destroy Earth after collecting enough cities, the Insurgency and the Regime attack his ship, but fail to get through its shields and seemingly lose Superman. The group decides to weaken the shields by using Aquaman's trident as a conduit for the magic of the Rock of Eternity, which Black Adam and Aquaman proceed to retrieve. They are followed by Grodd, who has brainwashed Black Canary, Green Arrow, and Blue Beetle, but they defeat the brainwashed heroes, and Aquaman executes Grodd.
Black Adam and Aquaman weaken Brainiac's shields enough for Batman and Supergirl to board his ship. They are captured, but a still-living Superman rescues them and helps Batman defeat the brainwashed Firestorm and Swamp Thing. Doctor Fate, ordered by the Lords of Order to help Brainiac, fights them, but he is defeated and freed from the Lords' control before Brainiac kills him. After defeating Brainiac, Superman takes control of the ship to restore the stolen cities, but inadvertently destroys New Metropolis and Coast City. As the others join them, the group is left divided over Brainiac's fate: Batman, the Flash, Green Lantern, and Supergirl want to keep him alive so they can learn how to restore the cities, while Superman, Wonder Woman, Black Adam, and Aquaman want him executed for his crimes. The tensions escalate into a fight, prompting the player to choose whether to control Superman or Batman. Both sides proceed to fight each other until Batman and Superman are the last ones standing. The two briefly reminisce of their past friendship before engaging in a final fight.
The game features two endings depending on the outcome of the fight:
If Superman wins, he kills Brainiac and reforms the Regime. He later visits an imprisoned Supergirl, telling her he has restored Earth's cities and asking her to lead his new army. When she refuses, Superman reveals that he has brainwashed Batman using Brainiac's technology, threatening to do the same to her if she does not comply. If Batman wins, he permanently depowers Superman with Gold Kryptonite and imprisons him in the Phantom Zone. He then offers Supergirl membership in the re-established Justice League, which she accepts.
Characters The base roster for Injustice 2 includes 28 playable fighters, consisting of both new and returning heroes and villains. The game also features 10 additional characters available as downloadable content (DLC). Red Hood, Starfire, and Sub-Zero made up Fighter Pack 1, while Fighter Pack 2 brought in Black Manta, Hellboy, and Raiden, and Fighter Pack 3 introduced Atom, Enchantress, and the TMNT. Darkseid was a pre-order bonus and later made available as standalone DLC from the Fighter Packs.
New playable characters are listed in bold, while guest characters are listed with an underscore.
Aquaman Atom Atrocitus Bane Batman Black Adam Black Canary Black Manta Blue Beetle