Injustice 2 starts off with a very strong and thrilling storyline, feeling just like an interactive comic book, much like the first game. However, as the game progresses, this magic unfortunately fades. The main reason for this is the developers' mindset of "we must include every character in the story and give everyone a role." Just for the sake of forcing you to "play a round with this character too," seeing [spoiler]two heroes on the same side suddenly fighting to the death over a minor argument[/spoiler] makes the narrative exhausting and downright comical. This "everyone must fight everyone" disease, which we also see in the Mortal Kombat series, really damages the seriousness of the plot.
[h1]Graphics, Sound Design, and Technical Hiccups[/h1]
Visually, the game is truly magnificent even by today's standards. The characters are very faithful to the source material, and the arenas and backgrounds look incredibly clean. The lighting is fantastic; especially anything metallic stands out and looks extremely cool. The team responsible for facial animations during character interactions deserves special praise; the cinematography and tension in [spoiler]Brainiac's[/spoiler] scenes are truly movie quality.
The voice acting is absolutely perfect. The fact that Batman is rightfully voiced by the legendary Kevin Conroy is a fantastic detail (the music, on the other hand, is just okay). However, there is an annoying issue on the technical side: the game locks story cutscenes at 30 FPS. When transitioning from these to in-game gameplay that can output much higher frame rates, that fluctuation feels very jarring and disconnected.
[h1]Unbalanced Characters and a Steep Learning Curve[/h1]
Although the game's mechanics are enjoyable, there is a serious balance issue that cripples the gameplay. The power balance between characters doesn't feel very fair, and their skill sets are so drastically different that you definitely cannot find the fluidity present in games like Tekken. When you switch from one character to another, the core game logic isn't maintained, leaving you completely disoriented; mastering each character requires a massive amount of practice. Add to this the choice of a different block system as a gameplay mechanic, and the adaptation process drags on even longer. While switching between characters is already demanding, having an altered version of the block system we are used to makes it extremely difficult to get into the game.
[h1]The Cosmetic System: Great Looks, Disastrous Execution[/h1]
There is an overwhelming amount of cosmetic options in the game, and they look very successful visually. But here is where it all falls apart: these items don't just remain cosmetic; they grant characters extra "stats". The sense of competition and equality, which is the very soul of fighting games, is completely shattered when armor pieces affect your power. The character balance, which is already problematic, gets even worse due to these stat-boosting cosmetics, turning into a total mess.
[h1]Summary (Why I Do Not Recommend It)[/h1]
Despite the forced fights in the story, the clunkiness in 30 FPS cutscene transitions, and character imbalances; it is a title that stands out with its magnificent voice acting featuring legends like Kevin Conroy, and fantastic graphics for its time's standards.
[b]However, the heart of a fighting game is its gameplay.[/b] The fact that cosmetics grant stats and create unfair competition, along with a block system that is a pain to get used to, ruins the experience. The customization options, which I only find successful cosmetically, are not enough to cover up the game's fundamental flaws. Considering the smooth fluidity, fair competitive environment, and mechanical depth offered by today's fighting games, Injustice 2 unfortunately remains extremely weak and clunky in terms of playability nowadays. I highly recommend spending your time on more current fighting games.
