The team behind Mortal Kombat shines with this stellar DC Comics-licensed brawler.
The gameplay is adaptable for players of all skill types, and it's backed by strong online action, so you can fight with your friends with ease. But there's also a helpful system that teaches you every aspect about the fighting, and when to use it, through a lengthy tutorial. There's also a S.T.A.R. Labs mode that adds replay value to the single player mode, with a ladder-type challenge system where you'll have to tackle missions of all types. Some are corny, but they're all worth checking out, just to see what kind of work Netherrealm poured into them.
As for the character variety, it's spectacular. Of course you'll get popular favorites like Batman and Superman, but it's nice to see the developers turn Aquaman from a constant joke to an all-out badass, complete with trident. It's great to see Hawk Girl and Killer Frost get some respect as well, and, with the help of DLC, Lobo getting a turn, too.
The graphics are outstanding across the board. There are times characters can look a little muddy transitioning from cinema to in-game fighting, but the animations are smooth, the way backgrounds shift over the course of each fight (with crumbling walls and ceilings) is crazy, and the ability to knock someone into another part of the stage – an element borrowed from Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, by the way – is innovative, and keep things fresh.
