Superheroes have been punching each other of their face for many years, and doing that in video video games virtually as lengthy. Each every now and then, the superhero style crosses over into the fighting game space, ensuing within the likes of the Marvel vs. Capcom sequence and appreciated jams like Teen Titans: Battle Blitz and X-Males: Youngsters of the Atom.
Warner Bros. finally received in on that motion with 2008’s Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe from Halfway. 5 years later and following a rebrand to NetherRealm, a second try was made with Injustice. The unique recreation, Gods Amongst Us, launched on April 16, 2013 with what was then the groundbreaking story pitch of resistance chief Batman and dictator Superman preventing one another and conscripting numerous DC characters to hitch their respective sides. That alone can be a considerable hook, however the recreation went even additional by having the alt-universe Batman name in a Justice League from a separate universe (aka, the “appropriate” one the place Superman isn’t evil) to assist out with the resistance effort.
On the time earlier than its launch, it wasn’t totally clear simply what to make of Injustice 1. Definitely a part of that was its elevator pitch; its alt-universe tackle DC characters appeared virtually groanworthy, significantly when its “Evil Superman” hook was revealed to have been incited by him killing his pregnant spouse Lois Lane (on accident) and the Joker (intentional). Past that, NetherRealm had solely simply righted the ship of its Mortal Kombat franchise with the 2011 reboot, and MK vs. DC having a combined response from critics and gamers alike. With Gods Amongst Us, the reception was way more favorable, with reward for each its story and gameplay mechanics.
DC appeared to know that NetherRealm had successful on its palms, and did what it may to promote Injustice as greater than a easy alternate universe. Months earlier than the discharge of Gods Amongst Us, it launched a comic book prequel sequence from Tom Taylor and Jeremy Raapack. The comedian continued for years following the sport’s launch below a distinct inventive staff, whereas persevering with to sketch out the world. It helped that the problems launched in cheaper bite-sized chunks on-line earlier than coming in bodily codecs, permitting DC to hit audiences who may not have in any other case gone to a comic book retailer to choose it up.
The attract of Injustice varies for everybody, however I believe the overall draw comes from how a lot it commits to its personal nonsense. Like with Mortal Kombat, NetherRealm managed to key in on the inherent enchantment of turning superhero brawls into much more bombastic wrestling matches, and allowed that dumb power to run by means of all components of the sport. It’s extra noticeable in 2017’s Injustice 2; from the sport’s customization choices to the best way characters banter backwards and forwards, all of it feels prefer it’s taking part in within the juvenile house that makes cape comics so endearing. Sure, it’s slightly tousled when Superman melts Shazam’s mind or Tim Drake dies 5 seconds after being reunited with Batman…nevertheless it’s additionally kinda humorous, proper?
Once more, DC appears to assume so. Not solely did it launch one other comedian e-book sequence that crammed within the narrative between the 2 Injustice video games, it went even additional with a comic book e-book crossover involving He-Man and getting each the Ninja Turtles and Hellboy to pop into Injustice 2 as visitor characters. In 2021, Warner Bros. launched an animated film adaptation of the unique recreation, and Evil Superman has lately popped up within the orbit of Superman’s son Jon Kent from the primary DC Comics universe. Makes an attempt have additionally been made to copy Injustice’s success, to some extent or one other. The latest alt-universe tales DCeased and Darkish Knights of Metal (each written by Taylor and respectively drawn by Trevor Hairsine and Yasmine Putri) really feel like they’re taking part in in the same house, deliberately or in any other case. Time will inform if both of these take off in the identical manner, although.
It wouldn’t solely be unsuitable to say Injustice is the healthiest sub-franchise of DC’s secure, if solely as a result of nobody at Warner Bros. appears to be significantly overthinking it. Past that, the sequence’ finest asset may be that it got here within the mid-2010s. Dickhead Superman felt quaint again then, and it additionally got here out months earlier than Man of Metal made the concept of discussing a jerk Clark an exhausting prospect. Had the sport come out years later, there’s a very good probability it nonetheless would’ve thrived; NetherRealm makes usually nice work, and folks like taking part in video games the place they’ll punch their buddies into or by means of partitions. However not in contrast to an skilled within the preventing recreation neighborhood, NetherRealm noticed a gap with Injustice to hit arduous and never let up one bit.
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