Despite the fighting game genre not being as crowded as that of shooters, I’ve always thought that launching a new fighting title is a monumental challenge, especially since it will always have to face those at the top. Yet, Quarter Up has entered the fray with Invincible VS. While this new endeavor by the studio set in one of Kirkman’s most beloved universes shines in the right ways, it also falls flat in several aspects, making it an engaging fighting game with solid foundations, but somewhat underwhelming offerings, especially for its launch.
A New Threat Arrives
Normally, I would just jump straight into the gameplay aspects of a fighting game, as those are what matter the most, but since Invincible VS features a story mode, I have to talk about it.
Invincible VS features an extremely short narrative that just serves as a way to let you try every playable character in the game, which I thought was something pretty cool. In terms of the show’s timeline, it takes place somewhere around season 3, so be ready for some light spoilers if you haven’t watched that season yet.
Without spoiling much, the story mode is basically a battle royale of everyone versus everyone, where there’s something weird happening in the background that has all the iconic characters fighting among themselves. Now, while the music and animation with stop motion-like framerate are superb and really elevate the one hour and a half plot, the truth is that playing through it felt extremely forgettable and even frustrating at times. While I understand what the developers are doing with the story, especially for future patches, I didn’t like the pacing or even some character interactions.
On the other hand, it isn’t a big deal because most of us don’t really pay attention to the story mode of fighting games, and the truth is that games of this genre rarely have good narratives. Yes, there are a few exceptions, like a couple of Mortal Kombat games, but the story is never meant to shine. Still, since this is one of the two main single-player modes in Invincible VS, it is sad to see it deliver such a forgettable, short narrative, with the only salvageable parts being its fighting sequences and soundtrack.
The other single-player mode is Arcade, and I actually liked that one a bit more, as you have some lore and endings for playable characters that add to the vast universe of Invincible in a good way. I wish Quarter Up had combined this with Story Mode because Arcade easily eclipses the former. And while I’m not too happy with how single-player was handled as well as how few options it offers at launch, the truth is that combat is done in such an intuitive and flashy way that many of my complaints just drift away.
Tag-Fighting Mayhem
Where Invincible VS truly shines, and what I consider the most important part of any fighting game, is in its combat. Invincible VS is a 3v3 fighting title. You pick three characters and can swap them during the fight or call them in for some counters, defensive options, and other flashy moves to help you punish foes or get out of dangerous situations.
One thing that I always think some fighting titles lack is proper defensive options, such as Marvel Tokkon, where getting combo-locked meant ending the round almost instantly, at least during the first beta. Invincible VS is easily one of the best titles when it comes to balancing offense and defense.
For the former, every character can perform light, medium, heavy, and special attacks, as well as their supers. However, the real difference is just how highly unique each character feels. With 18 characters at launch, I must say that I enjoyed taking each one out for a spin, with some becoming my favorites after a couple of rounds due to how easy to play they were, but also how distinct each one’s kit was.
Take Lucan, for example. He’s one of the slowest fighters in the game, but makes up for it with powerful long-range tackles and some of the most devastating ground attacks in the roster. Good old Mark, on the other hand, is one of the fastest and most versatile characters to use, while Thula will easily become the bane of many due to her long-range abilities and extremely fast moves.
I really loved how Quarter Up took the time to create distinct fighting styles for every character, where every single one shines in different situations, but most importantly, in specific teams.
In terms of defense, I loved the fact that you can get out of combo-locks easily thanks to tag assists. You can call in your allies to block a move from you, and even chain a counter if you time the move right. Of course, you can’t do this endlessly, as there’s a cooldown between assists, so you need to be strategic when using them.
Now, since fighting games can always feel daunting for players, I think Invincible VS is yet another accessible title, in line with how low the skill floor felt in Street Fighter 6 at the beginning. You can jump into a match and learn combos easily, with several button presses executing an automatic combo that uses some of your boost bar for maximum damage. However, you’ll need to really invest some time to master your favorite characters because the skill ceiling is pretty high, and that’s something I like about fighting games.
While all of this was during the review period, I can’t speak much about the multiplayer, since that really comes together once the game officially launches. But, by the looks of it and after some local versus matches with my wife, I believe there’s a lot of potential with Invincible VS, especially for those excited to climb the ranked ladder or just jump into some quick versus matches.
A Fighting Entry That Feels…
Invincible VS, in the end, is a fantastic fighting title with some really solid foundations, superb visuals, and that iconic gore we love from the comics and the show. Even if its story mode is the weakest single-player aspect of the game, the Arcade mode is there to give players several hours of fun alongside a promising competitive scene that I’m sure will only get better as new characters arrive.
On top of that, it does what any other proper fighting game should do: provide an easy entry point for newcomers but keep the high skill ceiling for those willing to put in dozens of hours into this new bout. The truth is that, even if I think the launch version lacks a few things, I’m excited to see what’s coming after because Invincible VS has everything it needs to compete with other big fighting game franchises we have at the moment, and it is one I hope sticks around for a long time.
Invincible VS (PS5 Review)
Invincible VS is an excellent fighting title with solid foundations and a low skill floor for newcomers, while also offering a high skill ceiling for those willing to become...invincible.
Pros
- Superb visuals
- Excellent fighting systems
- Accessible yet hard to master at the same time
Cons
- A lackluster story mode
- Underwhelming single-player content
