Injustice: Gods Among Us Gamescom 2012 Preview

During gamescom 2012 we went to see a demonstration of NetherRealm Studio's upcoming DC Universe brawler, Injustice: God Among Us. Featuring a story mode created by two prominent DC writers and a large number of playable DC characters the game is sure to be on the radar of fans of the DC Universe everywhere.

Little is being revealed about the story at present so the demonstration went straight into the action, first off by showing a battle between Nightwing and Superman set in Metropolis.

The fighting style of each character is dictated by their own individual abilities, so while Superman hovers above the ground and uses attacks such as heat vision and flight based abilities Nightwing uses his agility and escrima sticks (which he can also combine to make a staff) to gain an edge.

Every object in the background is interactive and the effects of this again vary depending on the character used. For example, while Nightwing will use a parked car as a platform from which to perform an evasive jumping move, Superman is more direct in his approach by simply picking up the vehicle and using it as a weapon to smash his opponent.

Enhanced versions of attacks are available at the cost of energy, which is gained by performing combo attacks and performing well. In this demo we see Superman use his ultra attack, in which he uppercuts Nightwing into space then flies up above him and piledrives him back to earth.

Following this demonstration we see The Flash take on Cyborg in the Batcave. Naturally, Flash relies on his speed for his attacks whereas Cyborg's fighting style is largely focused around his cybernetic enhancements.

During this demonstration we see how environmental damage will fit into the game and open up new options to the players. At one point we see a large overhead electrical generator which Flash leaps to and bounces from delivering a blow to Cyborg, who then rips the generator from it's position and hurls at his enemy. In tearing the generator down Cyborg reveals live electrical wires which remain in place as an environmental obstacle for the remainder of play. We also see a cabinet in the background get destroyed in the melee, which reveals a box of grenades that characters can grab and use against their opponent.

We also get to see how each arena works on different levels, in the Batcave we see Flash being knocked down a shaft only to land in a lower level. Battle then continues on this level until he forces Cyborg to back into an elevator and they are transported, still fighting, back to the first floor where the fight began.

During the closing stages of the battle we get to see both characters ultra attacks as Cyborg transforms one of his arms into a massive cannon and blasts Flash with it, Flash then counters by running all the way around the globe only to come back and smash Cyborg with a blow of monumental force.

As would be expected from a game set in the DC Universe, the graphics are well-presented and the action is somewhat over-the-top. With NetherRealms beat-em-up experience from their highly rated 2011 version of Mortal Kombat being combined with the storytelling experience of the DC Universe writing staff this could be a game for both DC fans and fighting game fans to get excited about.

No release date has yet to be confirmed but Injustice: Gods Among Us can be expected in 2013.