Post the release of Mortal Kombat 11’s story DLC expansion: Aftermath this past May, Netherrealm has surely started production on their next title for the upcoming console generation (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X). Based off the developer’s release rotation for their two main franchises: Injustice and Mortal Kombat, it is more than probable that the hypothetical next game from Netherrealm is, in fact, Injustice 3, the sequel to 2017’s Injustice 2, considered one of the best fighters of all time, let alone superhero fighters. It may take another year or so for publisher Warner Bros. Interactive to officially unveil the title, but for now, here are three features that we should expect from the next-generation DC fighter: Injustice 3.
Feature 1: 4K Graphics and Stellar Performance
Likely an expectation that many would consider obvious or arbitrary, but the upgraded hardware Netherrealm has access to with a potential Injustice 3 is likely enough to levy a 4K presentation with the genre’s 60 frames-per-second performance across the two consoles. Seeing the studio utilize the new consoles’ roaring graphical power would be exciting in more ways than one. Firstly, the developer is likely reusing their custom version of Unreal Engine, perhaps even upgrading to 2021’s planned Unreal Engine 5 if possible. Either way, Unreal Engine 4 has recently begun support for both Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, so even if Netherrealm chooses not to upgrade to the fifth iteration of the popular game development engine, fans should still expect fantastic results in anti-aliasing, lighting, and post-processing. Additionally, Injustice 3 running at 4K with 60fps would be a massive proponent for showing the generational leap from current-gen hardware to next-gen systems. For reference, Injustice 2 ran at 60fps at a 900p resolution on the base Xbox One and 1080p resolution on the base PlayStation 4. Injustice 3 may not be able to nab a fully 4K presentation of 2160p resolution, but it should reasonably meet 1440p. This comparison should readily convince consumers and fans alike that the generational leap is worth it, especially if Injustice 3 releases for both generations as well.
Feature 2: Expanded Gear Systems
The largely marketed element of Injustice 2 was the gear system where playing matches in the story or in the “Multiverse” mode can award you cosmetic items to customize the entire roster. The items were diverse, capable of even completely changing the look of the character with colorful shaders. Injustice 3 is almost guaranteed to continue this system, especially since Mortal Kombat 11 utilized a similar feature. A way Injustice 3 could take a leg up over both those titles however is by introducing a character creation system. This mechanic would truly allow players to personalize their fighters and make them their own.
Feature 3: Branching Stories
Injustice 2 introduced a revolutionary feature for its some five-hour story campaign: branching choices. Before the player was thrust into a fight, they are first asked to make a choice between two fighters. For most of the campaign, this feature largely plays no effect in the story outside of different dialogue. However, the final choice, between Batman and Superman, determines the final ending of the game from two conclusions that are radically different. Injustice 3 could take this feature to the next level by introducing two different campaigns based on the two different endings from Injustice 2. It may be a challenge too taxing and ambitious to realize for Injustice 3, but it is certainly an interesting concept that could enhance what is already the best storytelling in the fighter genre.
