Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition

Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition brought superhero fights from the DC comic universe to PlayStation Vita, and showed that even a technically demanding fighter can be ported to a handheld with dignity. The story mode is built on a dark alternate reality in which Superman, after a personal tragedy, becomes the world's authoritarian ruler, and Batman leads a resistance against him, which explains why the heroes end up beating each other up. Fights take place on a plane, but rely heavily on the environment: characters bounce off walls, throw cars at each other, and a strong attack can send an opponent flying through several floors of a building in a flashy animation. Each hero also has a unique ability that changes their style, whether it's a temporary boost, projectiles, or a change in movement.

The port by studio Armature ranks among the technically most interesting pieces on the console. Character models and arenas stayed detailed, the pace of combat holds up, and the game added options built around touch, including a mini-game during special attacks. The Ultimate Edition release also includes all fighters and costumes released afterward, so it doesn't fall behind the home versions in terms of content.

Reception was largely positive, with emphasis on how good the game looks on the handheld and how smoothly it runs. Criticism pointed to certain details and effects logically stepping back, and to the online scene staying small. Injustice had a major impact on the genre: it confirmed that a fighting game can also work as a full-fledged narrative adventure with cinematic sequences, and it opened the way for a sequel that became one of the pillars of the genre. Today, the Vita version is a pleasant way to revisit this era, especially if you enjoy the comic-book source material. Alongside the campaign, the game also offers a series of challenges and side tasks that unlock costumes and other extras, so there's no shortage of motivation to come back. The music holds a dark, cinematic tone matching the serious take on the source material, and together with the fight direction it turns every clash into a small comic-book scene.