Heroes duke it out in Injustice: Gods Among Us

Injustice: Gods Among Us
(Warner Bros. Interactive; PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U; rated teen)

Featuring 24 characters from the DC Comics universe, Injustice comes from NetherRealm Studios, formed from what used to be Midway Games, which created the Mortal Kombat games. That DNA provides the structure for this energetic fighting game that pits both villains and heroes against each other in one-on-one matches.

The animation is three-dimensional, but the fighting takes place across the screen in two. The controls are simple in that only direction and four attack buttons are used (light, medium, heavy, and special), but the possible combinations are endless and allow players to have a unique style. The detailed environments, objects from which can be used in attacks, slowly destruct as the fighting progresses and feature two levels, so the battle can move downstairs, as it were.

As with Mortal Kombat, there’s a deeper narrative at work than you might expect, revolving around the concept of infinite universes. It provides context for Superman, for example, battling Batman or Wonder Woman. The story mode intersperses cut scenes with battles, letting players start the game playing as Batman and following the plot from there.

There are additional single-player game modes, including one that has 240 missions, as well as both online and offline multiplayer modes. It all adds up to a game that may have been born from Mortal Kombat but is its own unique thing. This fighting game packs a punch.