Injustice 2 is the sequel to the unlikely DC fighting game that we’ve all been waiting for. But while it mostly looks to be the evolution of the first game that we all wanted, there are parts of it that are a reason for worry. Namely the new gear system, which relies on randomized loot drops, and which could very well wreck the balance of play in multiplayer games.
Speaking to Eurogamer at EGX, developers NetherRealm tried to clear the air on the new loot system.
“We anticipated what some of the hesitation might be from players and are developing intelligently to deliver something which will hopefully appeal to all of our fans, whether you’re a hardcore fighting game enthusiast or a more casual fan,” NetherRealm’s Brian Goodman told Eurogamer in an interview at EGX.
“There’s been a lot of discussion on how best to communicate this because we are, obviously, throwing a bit of a monkey wrench in the works as far as some fighting game purists might find. We’re doing things to make sure people who want a pure fighting game can get that.”
Ultimately, these drops can work because Injustice 2 does have modes which are more competitively balanced.
“We’re creating modes where it’s an even playing field and you can gear up for aesthetic reasons but your character stats are on an even plane. We also have modes where gear actually impacts your strength, which is a whole new level of strategy.
“For instance if you’re Superman you’re likely going to want to increase his offence, since he’s a character that likes to come in close and do a ton of damage then hang back and use his special power. That’s likely the type of gear you’re going to want to hunt down if you play that character.
“Online we’re going to look at matchmaking so players are matched like-for-like, but it will be fundamentally unbalanced at that point.
“For the hyper competitive tournaments, we want those to still be places people can show off the customization they have earned throughout the game but they have to be level playing fields. That’s essential for true fighting game aficionados.”
So it sounds like they want to straddle the line between appealing to a larger, casual audience – which, given this game’s content, is a sensible strategy – and nailing down a competitive fighting game for the hardcore fighting game community as well, a bit like the balancing act that Nintendo pull with Smash. Injustice 2 is due out on PS4 and Xbox One in 2017.
