Top 10: Injustice Playable Characters

Welcome back to another review on 'Stories of Entertainment'.

Time for another Top 10 list with characters, though I'll be changing a few things up here. As of now, we're under two months away from the release of 'Injustice: Gods Among Us' for the Xbox 360 and PS3. As a DC fighting game, its expected to have a lot of recognizable characters be brought to the forefront. Still, there are some characters that I wouldn't mind having as part of the game. I've got a list of 10 characters that I would like to be playable in the game. Here are the ground rules:

1. The current cast of playable characters (by this date) are: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Harley Quinn, The Joker, Lex Luthor, Bane, Solomon Grundy, Doomsday, Green Arrow, Deathstroke, Catwoman, Cyborg, Nightwing, Shazam, Aquaman.
2. I will be including characters that are suggested to appear, but not sure of what capacity (either as a cameo or playable).
3. This is purely within the DC universe, not guest characters from other franchises like Watchmen or Judge Dredd
4. This list is on characters that I personally want to be part of the playable roster, with #1 being my top pick.

Okay, with the rules out of the way, enjoy the trailer before jumping right into my Top 10 Injustice Characters I want Playable.

(Shit is hitting the proverbial fan here)

10. Caitlin Fairchild

Kicking off the list is the beautiful bombshell of the Wildstorm universe, Caitlin Fairchild. Considering that DC has officially merged the Wildstorm universe into the main DC universe, I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of Wildstorm heroes as playable characters. Caitlin would be interesting to say the least, since I haven't see too many fighting games where there was such a physically dominate female fighter on par with super heavyweights (in this case, Solomon Grundy and Bane) while still being very attractive. This may turn some people off, which I can understand to a point, but its something to at least try.

In any case, I would have a bit of difficulty trying to figure out which side she would fit in, either New Regime or the Resistance. Gameplay should be interesting, considering she is supposed to be incredibly strong and intelligent. I wouldn't know what to do with it myself, so she gets a bit lower on the list because of it.

9. Captain Atom

I could see the good captain being a part of the roster pretty easily, especially concerning his flight, super strength, and atomic energy. As part of the story, he could be serving alongside the New Regime as one of its top enforcers, since he is a soldier and would dutifully serve his leader as best as possible. While he does put his orders first and foremost, I wouldn't find it unbelievable to have him work for the resistance, especially considering how tyrannical the regime is and the fact that he was trained to fight against such terror.

Gameplay-wise, I don't think it would be too hard to incorporate his atomic powers, especially since he can adjust the wavelengths for different effects. He could temporarily slow done his opponent through some atomic punches or hit them with a blast that knocks them over. For his supermove, he might unleash enough energy at close range to mimic a nuclear explosion, minus the radiation effects, of course.

8. Magog

Magog was originally designed as everything bad about the Nineties anti-hero genre, all wrapped up inside one golden package. As much hate that gets thrown around thanks to this guy, you can't help but feel sorry for him at times. In his first appearance as part of the Kingdom Come Elseworlds tale, he was the new representative for heroes during a time by killing the Joker, who at the time killed everyone in the Daily Planet (not too far of from this game's story now, right?) Dubbed 'The New Man of Tomorrow', he started a new age of more violent superheroing, leading to the destruction of Kansas in one fight.

If DC wants to reboot this guy and make him more enjoyable, start here. Have him be sorta like the new poster boy of the New Regime, but get tired of it and start listening to the people for a change. He would end up joining the Resistance with Batman and taking the fight straight to Superman. I wouldn't mind seeing him wielding his power staff along with some heavy equipment like a gatling gun. It would make for an interesting shout-out to the Nineties.

7. Sinestro

Sinestro has been rather synonymous with the Green Lantern lore and if a Green Lantern is going to be duking it out in Injustice, so should Sinestro. This is especially since the Green Lantern would be Hal Jordan, who was previously trained by Sinestro and both have been enemies of the other. While Green Lantern has his green ring of willpower, Sinetro wields the yellow ring of fear. This could make for some interesting constructs for Sinetro, considering his alien origin and several years of experience as a Green Lantern.

This would be especially interesting since recent videos and screens have Hal Jordan sporting the yellow ring of fear instead of his trademark green ring. We can assume that he's switched corps, but Sinestro probably wouldn't be too happy seeing Hal as part of his corps. Maybe Hal would beat him out of it and force Sinestro to don the green ring once more? A bit far-fetched, but I could hear worse reasons.

6. Raven

We already have former Teen Titan members Nightwing and Cyborg, so why not Raven? Being the daughter of a demonic conqueror makes a good character and her portrayal in the Teen Titans animated series has earned her plenty of fans, so it seems like a good choice. Since she would be doing her best to prevent her evil father from taking over the world, she could easily join the side of the New Regime if it meant for safety and stability.

Raven is sort of an interesting character in the game, since her comic book powers mostly have her as an empath. That wouldn't really translate well into a video game unless you take into account of her abilities in the animated series. She had some telekinesis, flight, and some useful magic at her finger tips, which would help her greatly in a fighting game. Here's hoping she is more than just a cameo appearance.

5. Zatanna

Zatanna has kinda been one of the best representations of magic in the DC universe. The daughter of the magician Zatara, Zatanna uses magic by speaking backwards (most of the time, as she is capable of non-verbal spells as well). She is ranked on par with the likes of Captain Marvel (or 'Shazam' in the Injustice Game), so she should make for an interesting character. she would probably stick with Batman and the Resistance, serving as the magical equivalent to 'Shazam' on the Regime side.

Combat-wise, I expect her to be partially trained in some combat, using gestures for some simple attacks and using her backwards magic for more powerful special abilities. She could really get a kick out of her supermove if she utilized her full magical potential.

4. Black Adam

Black Adam is a pretty interesting villain, and I'm not even sure if I can say that about him. His behavior and actions have been rather complex at times, before just wanting all the power of SHAZAM. In recent history, he has gotten a good backstory about wanting to protect his past homeland, albeit rather aggressively and without mercy. Still, he did have some good reasons to do so and his people did seem better off with him than their dictator (whom Black Adam killed) and as such, view him as their personal hero.

While his powers are quite similar to Captain Marvel, they come from the Egyptian Gods, so it might add for some interesting visuals in terms of his fighting style and abilities. Story-wise, if Captain Marvel joined the New Regime, then Black Adam would be joining the Resistance, either to get the powers of SHAZAM once more or to protect his homeland from the New Regime's power. Either way should work fine.

3. Power Girl

This needs to go beyond simply Reasons #1 and #2. I think she could have been a pretty good role model for girls if some of the writers did a good job in her stories. She is one of the few superheroes I've seen who has most of their shit together both in their superhero and civilian identity. While most people would view her as a sexual superhero icon (her and several others), I still think she hasn't gotten everything that she has deserved.

So, what do I think she can bring into the game? Again, a different variation on Superman's moveset, sorta like what they did with Frost to Sub-Zero. Maybe focus on more of her physical power and speed rather than heat vision and ice breath or the like. Story-wise, she has kind of deviated from the idea of 'ends justify the means' sort of shtick, and would probably end up on the Resistance side to oppose Superman. A bit flimsy, but I'm sure there are others who could put up a better idea than myself.

2. Grifter

I'm just glad he is actually part of the DC universe now and, thinking about how popular he is around this time, it would be a good idea to include him into the roster. Sure, we have some characters who rely on guns as part of their repertoire, all Grifter needs is a pair of handguns and some minor telekinetic abilities. His look makes him standout quite a bit among the rest of the cast and can be opened to be tweaked slightly while keeping the overall look intact.

Normally, you can expect Grifter to be working for the government in some manner, especially for the New Regime. Still, I wouldn't put it past them if it was decided to have him be a part of the Resistance with Batman. A toss-up, really, but again, nothing I'm too bothered with...

and the number one character I want to be playable in "Injustice" is...





1. Manchester Black

This is a bit obscure, at least for those who haven't heard of 'Superman VS the Elite' or 'What's so Funny about Truth, Justice, and the American Way?'. Manchester Black is a telepath and telekinetic who played ball with Superman and his ideas, becoming an extreme anti-hero of sorts who was willing to kill by any means necessary to keep the bad guys down. Its a pretty interesting character, to say the least, and I'm kinda bummed out that we don't see him as often, even with the new reboot. Still, I think he would fit right into the 'Injustice' game.

While you can debate whether he would join the New Regime to take it to the bad guys or work for the Resistance to oppose Superman as the dictator he kinda is, Manchester Black's moveset would be very reflective of his 'no holds' use of telekinetic might. Smashing an opponent on the ground, twisting them around like a pretzel: think of him as the answer to MK's Ermac. It helps that he is pretty recognizable and distinguishable from the rest of the heroes and villains (especially with that Union Jack tattooed to his chest).

So yeah, this is my Top 10 list of Characters I want Playable in the 'Injustice' game. Hope you enjoy it and be looking forward to posting my review for the game itself awhile after it comes out.

Until next time...

Injustice: Gods Among Us is owned by Netherrealm Studios and Warner Bros Interactive.

Review: Lego Batman

Welcome to another review on 'Stories of Entertainment'.

What can you really say about Legos? Couple things actually:

1. Good chance you had them growing up and had a lot of them.
2. Choking hazard and bane to all bare feet.
3. There are actually video games about it.

Naturally, that last one catches my mind a bit, since there have been a lot of Lego video games that have been coming out for years now, ranging from 'Lego Island', 'Lego Chess', 'Lego Racers', 'Lego Creator', and much more. Normally, these games have been made by the company 'The Lego Group', which has made a good chuck of the Lego video games. However, there are some that use other series, like Harry Potter or Star Wars, and makes action/platformer games as well. In this case: Lego Batman!

(With more Batman villains than you can shake a stick at)

Published by Warner Bros Interactive and developed by Traveler's Tales, 'Lego Batman' is another in a series of Lego-themed games revolving around action, platforming, and taking characters and settings from other series. Here, the Dynamic Duo of Batman and Robin take on various villains who want to take over Gotham in their own way.

Gameplay-wise, if you ever played 'Lego Star Wars' or 'Lego Indiana Jones', the principles are still the same. You can run, jump, attack, and certain characters have special abilities. You are also capable of designing your own character through the main hub area, as well as plenty of Easter Eggs to search through the different levels.

The story for this game is interesting, as you get to play the heroes and the villains depending on the missions. For the purposes of this review, I'll be looking at a compilation of both the villains and heroes sides of the story and trying to piece both of them together in some way.

The story begins when several supervillains break out of Arkham Asylum and split off into different groups. First, the Riddler groups up with Two-Face, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, and Clayface (A rather interesting set-up, at least in terms of intelligence and firepower). Next, the Penguin gets Catwoman, Man-Bat, Killer Croc, and Bane (technically, Catwoman and Bane shouldn't be in Arkham since they aren't actually insane, though it might be different in this universe. Also, Bane combo-broke Penguin's group for not being an animal). Finally, we have the Joker with Harley Quinn, Scarecrow, Killer Moth, and Mad Hatter (a nutty team for a nutty villain). They all run amuck when Batman and Robin finally get onto the scene and with that, our first series of missions beings, with the Riddler's group being up to bat (lol) first.

We learn that the Riddler is planning a big heist at the Gotham Gold Reserves, requiring several different items in order to pull it off. He has his partners in crime slip up in order to tackle each item: Mr. Freeze gets the massively mobile freeze ray ('natch), Poison Ivy gets the plant that can grow several stories high (also 'natch), Two-Face gets the high-powered laser (...'kay), and Clayface gets the giant golden key. Good idea to send one of the strongest villains to get something as simple as a key (then again, this Clayface ain't all there in the head). When they do get the key, the big lug gets distracted by the large amount of gold that was with the key (it was locked in a cell of all things). When Batman and Robin show up, they beat down Clayface, but the Riddler gets away with the giant key. However, since he can't help himself, he leaves a clue for Batman and Robin to have them try and figure out what his next plan is.

With the giant key in hand, the Riddler moves on to acquire the giant freeze ray, with the assistance of Mr. Freeze (naturally). They arrive at the building where it is stored, blasting their way through and acquiring it. When Batman and Robin arrive on the scene, Mr. Freeze does his best to hold them off, but ultimately fails. The Riddler escapes with the freeze ray, as well as leaving another Riddler clue, and meets up with Two-Face. The Dymanic Duo manages to give them a good chase that ends with the freeze ray heading back to the Riddler's lair, Two-Face's truck getting dismantled, and the Riddler escaping thanks to Poison Ivy and leaving another Riddler clue (much to Poison Ivy's confusion).

Anyway, Riddler and Poison Ivy head to the place storing those plants that the Riddler needs. Poison Ivy gets caught up with all the plantlife, until Batman and Robin arrive to fight her. They win, Riddler escapes after the battle and leaves behind another clue. While the Dynamic Duo try to figure out what the Riddler is planning, the villain teams up with Two-Face once more and manages to steal the ray gun without interference from Batman and Robin. With all the items in place, the pair of villains break into the Gotham Gold Reserves, but naturally, the Dynamic Duo appear and arrest the villains once and for all.

...and we're only a third of the way done with this game, folks.

Now onto the Penguin and his master plan. Inside one of the Penguin's subs, Bane, Killer Croc, Catwoman, and Manbat are waiting on the Penguin (good nod to Bane and Killer Croc arm-wrestling, hinting at their violent history in the comic books between one another). Anyway, Penguin arrives and shows his master plan: an army of remote controlled penguin robots (ingenuis!). The villains spread them all across Gotham in boxes, with Penguin taking Bane to acquire a satellite dish to transmit his commands to the penguins over a longer distance. They succeed, but Penguin ditches Bane to the authorities with the dish in hand. Bane throws a hissy fit and manages to knock himself out. Shame they left out Bane's intelligence (and maybe some of Penguin's) but then again, Catwoman acts more like a cat in this one, so its all even?

Anyway, back in the sub, Penguin goes with Catwoman to recover a gem needed to power the machine to control the penguins (apparently). Catwoman succeeds, but gets caught by Batman and Robin. She tries to flirt her way out of it, but fails and gets handed over to the police while the Dynamic Duo go after Penguin and Killer Croc. However, the gem gets taken by a cat amid the chase, with Batman and Robin unable to catch either of the villains.

Sometime later, Catwoman is freed from prison by Killer Croc and Penguin, revealing that she got the gem back thanks to a visit from the cat. Penguin reveals more of his plan, with the machine hiding in the Gotham Zoo. When the police arrive, Killer Croc holds them off while Catwoman and Penguin escape into the sewers. However, Killer Croc gets beaten by Batman and Robin, where they discover where Penguin and Catwoman left to.

Over at the zoo, Penguin, Catwoman and Man-Bat start to infiltrate the complex, which is now guarded by police. When Batman and Robin arrive, Man-Bat does his best to slow them down, but gets captured in the end. However, he manages to stall long enough for Catwoman and Penguin to activate the machine and send the penguins on a rampage. Batman and Robin corner the two and manage to destroy the machine, effectively taking out the penguin army and saving Gotham once more.

That just leaves the Joker and his mad associates: Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, and Killer Moth. Joker, naturally, wants to destroy the city via Joker gas and explosives (like you do), but has run out of materials for both and needs to steal them. Batman and Robin hear about the break-in at a chemical factory, where they find Mad Hatter. While that villain is stopped, Joker gets away with his supplies and leaves the Dynamic Duo in the dust.

Joker, in a bit of foresight, manages to trick Commissioner Gordon and capture him, prompting Batman and Robin to rescue him from Harley Quinn. They succeed, Harley Quinn is captured by the police, but Joker escapes via his helicopter thanks to Scarecrow and his plane. Both engage in an airbattle with Batman and Robin, destroying the aircraft and forcing the villains on foot. Scarecrow gets captured by the police during the run, but Joker escapes once more and joins up with Killer Moth.

The two manage to find Harley Quinn being held under Commissioner Gordon's care, but it doesn't last long. Joker escapes with Harley Quinn while Killer Moth deals with the police force. The Dynamic Duo arrive on the scene and take down Killer Moth. The two find the villains at an old cathedral, where Joker plans to detonate his explosives and drown Gotham City in his toxic Joker gas. The two fight Harley Quinn and the Joker, taking out the devices and capturing the pair, saving the day once more.

...and that's it for both the Hero and Villain story modes. Its not too complicated and some of the characters are pretty much exaggerations of their comic book counterparts (i.e. Catwoman) but its still a nice and easy story to follow. Course, the gameplay is the main focus here so it shouldn't be too looked down on. Simply put, if you're interested in a lego game with Batman, consider this a buy.

Until next time...

Lego Batman is owned by Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment.