Gear was a big part of Injustice 2, but there are a few reasons to wonder whether the mechanic should return in Injustice 3. While it initially looks to be just a selection of cosmetic changes, gear in Injustice 2 had a bit more to offer. While Injustice 3 is sure to take a lot from that game if it comes to pass, gear may or may not be among the carried-over features. There's no telling what NetherRealm could have in mind for the mechanic's future, but a few good arguments can be made for and against it.
The gear system is available to every character in Injustice 2. Each character's outfit is made up of several pieces, each occupying a gear slot. In general, this will include the head, torso, arms, legs, and one character-specific detail, such as Catwoman's whip or Aquaman's trident. Each equipped piece of gear not only changes that part's appearance, it also grants additional stats, as well as occasional bonus effects. Players can get gear either by playing matches, going through Multiverse battles, or opening the Mother Boxes that they can collect. While the gear that players collect is random, players have many opportunities to obtain more.
In Injustice 2, choosing a weapon for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles would determine which turtle was playable.
Why an Injustice 3 Can't Simply Be an 'Injustice 3'
Right now, NetherRealm Studios has yet to confirm Injustice 3, but if that day comes, it hopefully evolves with the rest of DC.
Injustice 3 Has a Few Options Regarding Injustice 2's Gear Mechanic
Injustice 2's Gear System Provides Plenty of Customization Opportunities
Gear could be a good addition to Injustice 3 for a few reasons. First, the ability to mix-and-match individual outfit pieces rather than whole outfits at a time provides an opportunity for more fine-tuned visual customization. Second, the stats that come with each piece give players plenty of ways to build their characters mechanically. Players can make a version of each character that specializes in health, defense, attacking, or special moves. This lets players customize their chosen character's stats in a way that fits their own style of gameplay.
Injustice 3 Has Some Reasons to Drop Injustice 2's Gear
On the other hand, it might be time for a new direction in Injustice 3 that skips the gear system. While giving each gear piece its own stats is interesting, it can also keep players from using their preferred look if they can't get a piece they like with good stats. The fact that players can only earn pieces at random is another issue. While players can get gear for specific characters by leveling them up or doing certain Multiverse events, the inability to directly earn specific gear pieces can be annoying. If Injustice 3 brings gear back, these issues will need to be addressed.
Injustice 3 Can Revamp the Gear System to Emphasise its Positives
There's a compromise that can be made with gear in Injustice 3. Injustice 3's take on customization could incorporate some aspects of gear while changing others. The ability to unlock and accessorize characters one part at a time is a good one that should be preserved. However, the ability to earn specific gear pieces, either through in-game currency or achievements, would be welcome. Likewise, stats in Multiverse mode are an interesting idea, but they could perhaps be added through another method rather than tying them to the player's equipped gear. That would keep the good aspects of the system while mitigating more troublesome details.
Injustice 3's developers will need to make an important decision regarding gear. For Injustice 3 to thrive after Mortal Kombat 1, it's going to need to be a better version of its predecessor. Injustice 2 was a very solid game, but there's still room for improvement. The gear system, while having plenty of good ideas, is one of those areas. Whether it could make a return in Injustice 3 is still up in the air. However, if it does come back, Injustice 3 could make it better than ever.
Injustice 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- May 11, 2017
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Alcohol Reference, Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- NetherRealm Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Bros. Games
- Engine
- unreal engine 3, unreal engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Injustice
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
