Summary
Injustice 3still isn’t any more of a reality than its sparse rumors claim it to be. That said, the potential of a thirdInjusticegame is astronomical as its premise could allow for anything to ensue. Its story might be the hardest detail to work around at this point; meanwhile, there’s also a lot regarding gameplay that NetherRealm could reconsider for a modern current-gen age.
Then again, if NetherRealm wants to center all of its attention onMortal Kombatfrom here on out that would make sense. It’d be a shame, however, seeing as howInjusticehas legs as a fighting game series in the DC mythology.Mortal Kombat 1hasn’t been the franchise’s most perfect entry, but there is a lot it gets right and that knowledge could be passed on to anInjustice 3. In particular,Injusticehas featured its own design for dual life bars rather than two rounds per match and it might be time to abandon that and fall in line with whatMortal Kombathas achieved for homogeny’s sake.
Injustice’s Life Bars vs. Mortal Kombat’s Rounds
Injustice’s life bars are unique in that there is a red bar coated with a silver one to represent two independent bars and there is a buffer period after a player’s silver bar is depleted where the fight essentially resets.
UnlikeMortal Kombat, though, which resets the fight after a player’s victory in the first round with players’ life bars being completely restored,Injusticedoesn’t reset health bars once a player’s silver bar is depleted and therefore the victor thus far retains a life advantage—similar tohow life bars work inKiller Instinct. But while this approach to life bars further delineatesInjusticefromMortal Kombat, NetherRealm might find better favor by synergizing its franchises and givingInjusticethe round-based formula instead.
Injustice and Mortal Kombat’s Life Bars and Rounds Have Comparable Pros and Cons
There aren’t necessarily pros and cons for the dual life bar system due to them being purely subjective and debatable from either side. Maintaining a life lead could be seen as equally advantageous and disadvantageous depending on whether players are winning or losing, for example.
Mortal Kombat’s approach gives players a fighting chance following the round reset, which levels the playing field for both competitors while they evaluate how much meter they each have left over.Injustice’s life bar system arguably encourages zoning and an overall emphasis on defense, potentially resulting in gameplay with Deadshot firing endlessly from the other end of the stage.
Of course, NetherRealm allowed for such immensezoning inInjustice 2in general, but offensive strategies are seemingly encouraged inMortal Kombatwhen players need to actively battle for a life lead each round rather than take an early lead and defend it aggressively while backing away and keeping distance. Obviously, not everyone plays this way—and doing so is a viable way to play—but there are more positive outcomes with howMortal Kombatgoes about its rounds andInjustice 3breaking its life bar tradition could be a welcome change of pace.
Injustice Can Be Unique via Other Features, But Doesn’t Need to Be
Instead,Injustice 3could keep its divisive clash mechanicsince it’s at least an intriguing way for players to wager meter and perhaps debut new features to distinguish the DC fighting game further. The hope for Fatalities and Brutalities may never be fulfilled, though, and will always giveMortal Kombatan edge.
WithMortal Kombatbeing as popular and successful as it is for a reason, it wouldn’t hurt to assimilateInjusticemore and maybe even make it more comparable, such asgivingInjustice 3its own iteration of Kameo fighters. What truly makesInjusticeunique is its licensed roster of beloved DC characters and that’ll always be its main allure no matter what a third entry could take shape as.
Mortal Kombat 1
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome to a new era of Kombat. NetherRealm Studios ushers in a new era of the iconic fighting franchise with a total reset that changes the entire world as we know it. Following the thrilling climax of Mortal Kombat 11, the all-powerful Fire God Liu Kang has created a New Era in the hope of bringing peace to Earthrealm and beyond. Through the series' most cinematic story mode yet, you’ll be reintroduced to a cast of legendary warriors as you’ve never seen them before. Expect twists on classic friendships and rivalries, as well as new backstories that will change everything you think you know about your favorite Kombatants. Discover a host of new offline and online game modes as you master a revitalized fighting system that boasts bone-crunching Fatal Blows, defensive Breakers and the most creatively vicious Fatalities yet.
