Injustice 2 Legendary Edition Review, Features and Esports Impact

The original Injustice 2 launched in May 2017, creating a major splash across genres and giving developer NetherRealm Studios a hit on the esports circuit at the same time.  

Now the studio returns with a GOTY edition of sorts ready for release with Injustice 2: Legendary Edition, a love letter to fans and newcomers alike. 

The Legendary Edition features all of the character packs, meaning fan-favorite additions such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Hellboy are here. There are more customization options to unlock, challenges to tackle and a genre-best tutorial system aimed at bridging the gap between casual and pro players on the esports scene. 

Graphics and Gameplay

Players of the base game know what they're getting here—one of the best looking fighting games on the market, if not one of the best looking games outright. 

The visuals in the original were immersive in their detail, an impressive feat considering the variety of the stages and the seemingly endless customization options for each character in an expansive cast. The cut scenes rival the best graphics anywhere today, and the game is fluid as it all comes together during action on screen. 

While visuals are nice and should attract casual players of the esports scene, gameplay is king. Injustice 2 still sits on the throne with a crown on its head. 

Everything from the original is here. The unrivaled combo system allowing for juggling, the in-depth environment interaction and sometimes violent stage transitions all remain and come into play from the onset of a bout. 

The same depth that propelled Injustice 2 deep into a pro scene of its own is a bit sped up for the new edition, adding another layer of strategy. Few characters play the same way, making for an easy-to-pick-up, hard-to-master offering where each encounter is a chess match of advanced techniques between close and long-range characters, as well as those who cover all distances. Combos unique to each character before even getting into the esports side makes for a rewarding experience as players progress. 

Esports Appeal

The progress Injustice 2 has made as an esport speaks for itself. 

Simplicity of the game at face value and recognizable characters around the world explain why Ryan "Dragon" Walker took home a $150,000 prize in November for his triumph in the ELEAGUE Injustice 2 World Championship, a feat later aired on TBS. And ratings have bested some of the typical juggernauts on the esports scene. 

Familiarity with the characters isn't the only thing Injustice 2 has going for it. There's less going on at all times on the screen, which is a good thing. Counter-Strike endlessly switches perspectives during team fights. Overwatch not only has a diverse set of characters, it varies game modes and maps while its art style lends to a ton of colorful things happening on screen. 

Injustice 2 is one player versus another on a stage, a battle between legendary characters in an easy-to-understand format—the match is over when a player runs out of health. This helps in actual player recognition, as the 1v1 format lends itself to interesting rivalries and storylines. 

These players, some of them already or soon-to-be globally known names, also put their own personalities onto the characters they control, something NetherRealm Studios lead designer John Edwards told Bleacher Report is one of the joys of unleashing a game like this and watching a pro scene develop: 

"It is always amazing to see the pros pick up and play characters in a way that we as designers might not have anticipated when creating them. Scarecrow is a great example as we originally assumed he would be played as a defensive powerhouse that would focus on keeping players out with his hook chain, but players quickly realized that he could be equally effective mounting overwhelming offense and rushdown from close range."

Of course, none of this would matter if the game wasn't enjoyable. But what is a basic watch for casual fans is a deep game requiring hours of practice before proper application, hence the team at NetherRealm Studios working so hard to bring it all together with this newest edition. 

Learn Hub and More 

It almost sounds funny to dedicate a section to a tutorial, yet NetherRealm Studios has done something bold that is worth a look with the aptly named Learn Hub.

The Learn Hub is a deep tutorial, split into sections meant to help players better learn Injustice 2 and even fighting games as a whole. 

In February, programmer Brian Keschinger hinted at this goal on Twitter: 

The work here pays off—big time. 

Every piece of jargon fans have heard from the fighting-game scene over the years is covered in detail in the Learn Hub. Each section in the advanced tutorials are in-depth with layers of text explaining what you're about to apply on screen. Once a player gets through the text, a demo controller on the left-hand side of the screen even shows you how to execute the move. 

Oh, and this isn't a tutorial for the sake of a tutorial, as it rewards players as they progress with Source Crystals. 

This is an important talking point not only because it reshapes how the genre as a whole should think about teaching players, but because it closes the gap between those viewers on Twitch or television, and pros in tournaments. No longer will players feel left out of the esports scene and not understanding what is going on as announcers call out plays, provided they put some time into the Learn Hub. 

For Edwards, the Learn Hub is something his team hopes will assist interested gamers in going from spectators to players: "The Learn Hub will be integral in helping to teach the mechanics, combos, and techniques that the pros and announcers perform or reference, and will also help explain Injustice 2 and fighting game vernacular. This will hopefully help create a deeper understanding of high level fighting game play and make players feel more comfortable wading into the esports activity as an active participant instead of a viewer."

For the most part, the rest is how fans will remember it. The story mode is a grim time-sink fans of the DC world will enjoy as it tackles issues pertaining to whether superheroes should permanently put down villains. 

The Multiverse makes a return with a bit of an expansion. It still feels like the fighting game's answer to the Destiny-like progression system, where the depth of content is intimidating for those who don't realize what they are getting themselves into. There are seemingly unlimited unlocks and the level cap now sits at a resounding 30. When players hit 30, a new augment slot unlocks, permitting for a variety of augments to get equipped there. 

It's easy to get lost in Injustice 2, regardless of one's affection for DC. Leveling up a superhero and unlocking unique gear and costumes is a fun time—and that's all before a player can head online to compete with others in ranked or unranked matches.

In regards to how the online modes can prepare gamers for esports, Edwards stated: "More than ever, thanks in part to our amazing online functionality and our welcoming community, it has been proven that if you have the passion and skill, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from, you can compete for the championship." 

Those who want to remain offline can do so and still find arguably the deepest fighting game experience without other humans involved available today.  

Conclusion

Players will flock back to Injustice 2 for a variety of reasons. A story mode done right while weaving in an entire universe is one. A deep Multiverse mode with astounding customization options over a big roster is another. Heck, something as small as a Bruce Wayne skin will have fans coming back. 

But what really stands out about Injustice 2: Legendary Edition is the steps taken toward making a longstanding offering fans keep coming back to and a healthy pro scene that remains around for years before the studio even thinks about adding another edition. 

With the Learn Hub now leading the genre in explaining everything from the basics to advanced framing strategies, educating self-motivated fans of varying skill levels, the esports scene becomes more accessible.

In the past, in and out of the fighting genre, something akin to a GOTY edition might slap the DLC onto the package and call it a day. What new and returning fans of Injustice 2 alike have with the Legendary Edition is a serious and successful effort to take a big step in the right direction on many levels, and it'll show when players throw down or watch the pros do it on the esport scene.

With esports' popularity increasing, NetherRealm Studios is pushing accessibility and bridging the gap for gamers who want to become more engaged in the esports community.