I was lucky enough to get seated at a behind-closed-doors preview of DC’s newest fighting game. Fans of DC games may remember their last attempt to make a serious impression on the fighting genre. Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe was, to say the least, not as good as it could have been. But that’s besides the point. Injustice: Gods Among Us will be unique enough to keep on your radar.
NeatherRealm’s newest fighting game will feature a 24-character roster. Officially announced characters include Harley Quinn, Solomon Grundy, Batman, Superman, Flash, and Wonder Woman. The rest of the 20 character slots were silhouetted with question marks.
NeatherRealm was kind enough to show us two matches. The first was between Superman and Flash in the Batcave. NeatherRealm is focused on crafting a unique experience in this specific title. One of their major focuses lies within the map design. Developers are keen on making the world a weapon at your disposal during a match. Examples included Superman grabbing debris from the Batcave, picking grenades up that had fallen out of a Batsuit, and throwing a barrel of oil used to fill the Batmobile; all to inflict damage on Flash.
More examples of using the map as a weapon came in a match between Batman and Solomon Grundy in the stage, “Future City”. Solomon Grundy was able to interact with a parked car by picking it up and smashing Batman with it. This caused the car to become flammable and a potential explosive, thus creating a hazard to both players. During the match, both players must keep fighting while thinking about how they can use that hazard to their advantage.
With each map, NeatherRealm promises to deliver 3 separate environments, each with its own set of object interactions and hazards that can potentially help you win the match. Maps are also destructible, something NeatherRealm wants gamers to notice. Each map and player model will have an intense amount of detail and shades of lighting. The attention to detail was apparent as I was watching Superman and Flash duke it out. During the fight, we were able to see Superman have different facial expressions as he was fighting. Depending on the use of their superpowers, the Batcave would shake and cause damage both in the fighting area and background.
The last thing that gamers should be aware of are the supers. Once a meter is filled, gamers will have the opportunity to perform a super attack. These super attacks have a strong cinematic feel to them. Perhaps the most outstanding super attack came from the Flash. After stunning Superman, Flash took off in one direction as the game cut to a shot of Earth. Flash and his trail could be seen, from space, running AROUND the globe to then deliver a punch to Superman’s face. Each character will have a distinct super, look, and feel.
NeatherRealm is aiming for a cinematic “blockbuster movie” type of fighting experience. I believe they’re right on target.
Injustice: Gods Among Us is set to release next year.