Injustice 2 Trailer: 10 Things You Totally Missed
Loot systems, unlockable costumes and... why is everyone fighting again?
The collaboration between NetherRealm Studios and DC Comics was, originally, an odd one. How the developers behind Mortal Kombat, one of the most well-known and indeed controversial fighting games of all time, could adapt their blend of hyper-stylistic violence to DC's relatively PG cast of characters was, for the most part, inconceivable.
Yet here we are, with their third foray into the DC Universe well and truly primed for a gargantuan release. It's fairly spectacular, especially since the studio have managed to outdo the legendary partnership between Capcom and Marvel in recent years.
Created by MK's own Ed Boon, the Injustice universe instantly captivated when it debuted in 2013, having taken great liberties with the DC license - in particular its finest Elseworld's tales - to create a world instantly identifiable, yet something new and innovative altogether. Considering the spin-off comics (which continued the focus on NetherRealm's tale of dimensional travel and a genocidal Superman) actually managed to surpass the New 52 in terms of storytelling quality, that's an especially impressive feat, too.
After taking a hiatus from costumes and capes and delivering the tenth installment of the Mortal Kombat franchise, NetherRealm have returned to DC in a big way, showcasing a gorgeous CG trailer that demoed some of what we can expect to see when Injustice 2 drops later this year.
It didn't give away too much, but if you scratch beneath the surface, you might be surprised at what lies beneath...
10. We're Getting Something Called The 'Gear System'
Announced in the accompanying press release to last night's trailer, Injustice 2 is going to feature something called the 'Gear System', which will heavily influence and motivate each player's individual Injustice experience.
According to said press release, "The Gear System uses RPG-like mechanics to reward you with loot drops every time you play the game." This would seemingly suggest that micro-transactions are bound for NetherRealm's sequel, but players should be able to play the game entirely without the need to part with their hard earned cash.
You'll still be able to outfit your Superman with a bonanza of armoured apparel, but don't be surprised if you have to grind for it in a manner unbefitting of a leisurely pace.
What's particular interesting however is that NetherRealm are promising that no player's arsenal will be the same, rather, "you can expect your Aquaman to look and play different than anyone else’s Aquaman you may come across."
This will certainly help differentiate characters more effectively, particularly in respect to the aforementioned scenario where fights could quickly dwindle into an irreverent button-mashing fracas. Whether or not this will impact the overall roster for the sequel is unclear, but at least we can be certain that no single character is going to handle the exact same way in each fight.