Injustice: Gods Among Us video game review

Along with 2011's DC Universe Online, members of the Justice League of America and many more get a moment to play on a stage all their own in Injustice: Gods Among Us. The game plays well and throws a ton of characters from the DC Universe into the fray, yet the punches, kicks and special moves sometimes miss the mark.

The awkwardness starts with feeble instruction. Fighting games are notoriously complex, and without a solid demo introducing you to all the button combos and so on, you will quickly find yourself frustrated and whipped upon, even by mediocre artificial-intelligence characters. The tutorials only scratch the surface and don't provide enough in-game scenarios to show how to execute the complex moves.

Another quirk shows up in the fights themselves, which can cause frustration if you're a hard-core fan of the genre and Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter franchises are constants in your gaming life. There's a slight lag when pressing buttons and seeing the results on-screen.

Many playable characters await, so it shouldn't be hard to find a few to latch onto. Staples like Superman, Wonder Woman and The Flash are fan favorites, but those who venture outside the standard JLA realm will find gems like Doomsday, Deathstroke and Solomon Grundy (OK, maybe playing as villains makes the game a tad more fun).

RATING T for Teen

PLOT Your fave DC heroes are reunited

DETAILS PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, $60

BOTTOM LINE Far from a perfect offering, but cool for fans