Invincible VS

My favorite fighting game of all time is the legendary Tekken 3. The combination of discovering video games and the presentation of that world at the time just clicked for me and sparked a desire to study all the characters and their moves. Next would be SmackDown vs Raw from 2005. Performing a combo to make Rey Mysterio execute his famous move between the ropes was phenomenal.

Since then, many top-notch fighting games have been released, but my interest hasn't been in them; something just didn't attract me. Honestly, Invincible VS came onto my radar primarily because a review code landed in our editorial office, but I admit this might just be the title that reignites my somewhat dimmed passion for fighting games.

The series that has taken over comics and, in recent years, the screens with the award-winning Amazon series of the same name has now also received its gaming adaptation. If I had imagined how this game should look earlier, I would probably have thought of some third-person title where we race through space and destroy everything in our path. However, after taking a step back, I understand why we didn't get my fantasy but a true fighting game instead. We have a wide and colorful roster of characters and locations ranging from small towns to vast expanses of space; a perfect backdrop for a 3v3 format. The only downside of such a choice is that it requires a constant influx of new fighters; currently, there are enough, but we will see how the roster will keep up with the future development of the game.

So, during a fight, you control three characters at any moment who are battling against three opponents. If in that bloody fight to the death you feel that your fighter is about to falter, you can call in an assist from another character or completely swap them out for a new one. This style adds a special charm because during one round, you change multiple characters, and thus more fighting styles. Keep in mind that the characters are divided into classes; for example, Invincible and Omni Man are kind of all-rounders, Atom Eve can attack from a distance and defend herself. You will choose Battle Beast and Conquest when you want to really beat someone up. Unlike the traditional style, which requires you to stick with one character until the end of the match, here the dynamics are constant. As someone who hasn't encountered such a system before, I can say I like it precisely because of that unpredictability.

Invincible as a series has a fantastic and complex story, but for the game, they decided to create a 'side story' whose main purpose is to justify why the characters are fighting each other. And as such, the story serves its purpose. It is simple, without much complication, but it is quite short and ends on a cliffhanger. It will provide you with about an hour of entertainment, just enough to want more. I believe more content could have been squeezed in, but let it be; some parts of the game feel like a teaser for what’s to come in future updates. For me, the story mode served to remind me of the characters and get the 'feel' of the game, but I just hope that the continuation of the story won't be locked behind a paid DLC.

After finishing the story, I jumped into Arcade mode. Here you choose your three characters and embark on a series of battles whose length depends on your appetite; you can choose shorter paths or longer ones for true masochists. Each completion brings rewards like profile avatars, soundtracks, and banners, and the game constantly tracks your records and compares them to monthly leaderboards. As for the difficulty, you can calculate on the initial levels, but as you progress, the game forces you into medium or the hardest, true Viltrumite level of challenge.

None of this would make sense if the controls weren't up to par, but fortunately, they definitely are. The feeling when you land a good combo on your own or in collaboration with a partner leaves a powerful impression. The characters are neither too fluid nor too rigid; they hit that sweet spot. The moves are diverse and specific to each fighter, and the hits feel massive and deal serious damage. On the other hand, the tutorial mode is, just like the story, somewhat disappointing and feels unfinished. Additional confusion is created by the button configuration. The game doesn't directly tell you 'press X', but uses names like 'Special button' which is marked with a specific color. Since this system applies to all moves, it took me some time for everything to 'click' and for the movements to become second nature.

Visually, the game uses a 2.5D style that perfectly complements the comic and series aesthetic. The backgrounds are vibrant and dynamic, changing during the match and faithfully depicting the destruction these superhumans leave behind. However, a note: the game is by no means for the youngest. Although the effects are not quite on the level of Mortal Kombat, the title does not skimp on the grotesque details for which the series is known. Blood and organs fly everywhere, but if you just want to enjoy pure combat without excessive 'butchery', you can turn off the graphic depiction of violence in the settings.

The audio presentation is excellently emphasized; every bone break or destruction of the Himalayas in the background is piercingly audible. The narrator hypes you up with a loud FIGHT! before each battle. Just when I thought the entire cast of voice actors from the series was present in the game, I was greeted by credits that highlighted that the voice of the main character, Mark, was done by another actor. Given that I didn't know that information beforehand, he did an excellent job. Steven Yeun, watch out. As you browse the menu, everything is clearly emphasized, and everything in front of you is fluid. While smashing others with Mark and Atom Eve, I didn't encounter any game-breaking bugs or crashes. The game consistently ran at 4K 60fps for me, but on the other hand, it didn't offer me other options.

We come to the component that will ultimately determine the lifespan of this game: the online mode. We have casual and ranked options available. Although the game has just been released, it is evident that some players have spent quite a bit of time in the beta because they already know how to execute devastating combinations with Omni-Man, but for now, the matchmaking system seems fair. In online matches, I equally encountered players I could outplay, but also those who, without much mercy, 'cleaned the floor' with me. Character balance will be crucial in such a game, and how long the community remains active will depend on how quickly the developers respond to player needs and future meta changes.

While mentioning the online mode, I must emphasize one complete absurdity. So, you paid 49 euros for the game, but if you want to decorate your fighter with a special skin, be prepared for an additional cost. This pleasure will cost you an extra five or, in some cases, even ten euros. I believe all additional comments are unnecessary here. Such practices will certainly not be met with approval from fans, but unfortunately, this has become the harsh 'reality' of today's online games.

When the dust of the destroyed city settles, we are left with a good game whose lifespan will be interesting to follow. They have adapted to another medium, but they must know that this audience can be ruthless and that small mistakes come at a high price. For now, they have delivered the initial blows well, but whether they will win in the round and that final battle depends solely on them, the developers. As for me, I can say that the fire from the beginning of the story has certainly sparked.

A copy of the PlayStation 5 version of the game for review purposes was provided by the distributor CD MEDIA