Square-Enix vs. DC Universe

Square-Enix vs. DC Universe is a crossover Action Role-Playing Fighting game developed and published by Square-Enix in collaboration with NetherRealm Studios and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game features characters from both Square-Enix's video game franchises and DC comic book characters as part of their figure arts deal, including alternate character costumes featured in the DCEU and game director/designer, Tetsura Numora's Variant Play Arts Kai action figure collection. Newcomers Ursula and Mechabre from Square-Enix's Capcom-partnered game of the same name also appear as playable characters.

Additionally, the game utilizes a hybrid Action-Fighting system, using both NetherRealm's 2.5D fighting engine (Mortal Kombat, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Mortal Kombat X) and Square-Enix's Action-Battle RPG system featured in latter Final Fantasy titles as part of a continuous round feature with two life bars, similar to Killer Instinct. It's also the first NetherRealm Studios fighting game to make use of Unreal Engine 4.

The game was released on January 9, 2018 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows. An expansion, Square Enix vs. DC Universe: Ultimate Edition, was launched alongside the standard edition. It contains all 10 DLC characters (5 per side), all DoJ DLC outfits, and an expanded Story Mode for $89.99. Additionally, the otherwise-unlockable Armored Batsuit Batman skin featured in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice could be had as a pre-order bonus for either version of the game.

Plot
After exiling Exdeath and thwarting the Void's consumption of Apokolips, Darkseid and Brainiac once again wage war on earth along with their army of parademons. When the Justice League arrive in Metropolis to fight the invading Apokoliptian forces, Exdeath emerges from the Void, reborn as Neo Exdeath, along with recruited allies in an attempt to overthrow Darkseid and seek revenge. As the two mad titans get ready to wage war with one another, the Void incidentally merges Apokolips with earth after coming into contact with Darkseid's Mother Box.

With Apokolips and the human world set on a one-way collision course, it's up to the heroes from both realms to stop the two Gods and their armies.

Gameplay
Square-Enix vs. DC Universe is a Fighting Action Role-Playing game that features many mechanics, both from traditional NetherRealm fighters, such as Mortal Kombat and Injustice: Gods Among Us, as well as a host of new features. First, the game's fighting mechanics feature 2.5D graphics with each fighter having their own unique moves and skillsets similar to NetherRealm fighting games. Each character also has a Hyper Meter which can be used to perform special moves and disrupt combos by performing a counter at the cost of meter, another feature returning from NetherRealm fighting games.

New to the series, however, is the new Dual Fight system. Each battle starts out in a standard 2.5D fighting game format with 2 life meters, similar to Killer Instinct and Injustice: Gods Among Us. After a fighter's health bar is drained, the game reverts to an Action-Battle RPG system featured in newer Final Fantasy games (Dissidia, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Final Fantasy XV) with both players given free reign to move around the level. While in the Action Role-Playing format, combatants from each side are given unique controls from their respective trademark franchise, Square-Enix's characters using Final Fantasy XV/VII Remake 's control scheme and DC's characters using the control scheme from the Arkham games. Each style has their advantages and disadvantages against each other. For example, DC's characters can counter moves easier, using the exact same "Counter" mechanic from the Arkham series (albeit without the annotations) and do so without draining meter and perform more sophisticated melee combos. Conversely, Square-Enix's characters can dodge/parry moves more effectively, albeit at the cost of MP (of which DC fighters are exempt), generally use superior Limit Breaks (Square-Enix roster's equivalent to special moves, per DC's side) and have more fluid character movements.

Square-Enix vs. DC Universe also makes use of character-assisted moves and slams. Each character can perform up to three unique assists or double/triple team attacks (X-Strike attacks and Tag Team Takedowns as they're referred to by the Square-Enix and DC rosters, respectively), each with a different character that's specific to each fighter. Counters can also be countered in and of themselves if executed at the right time, even in a continuous cycle until a fighter successfully hits an attack.

In-fight mini-games, both old and new, also make a return during the actual fighting game stages of each battle. The Free-Fall system from Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe makes a comeback. Interactive maps return along with the ability to knock players through walls and off ledges and into lower parts of the arena. During this time, fighters can attack each other in midair with the chance to flip the enemy around and land on top of them at the end of the fall for extra damage. This time, however, players now have the opportunity to cap off the fall with a special move/Limit Break or X-Force/Tag Team Takedown for maximum damage.

The game also features its own version of MKvDCU's "Test Your Might" mini-game. By hitting your Ultimate Attack (strongest special move)/Limit Break at the same time as (or immediately after) your opponent, you'll engage in a special Tug-of-War-styled mini-game where, by pressing a series of buttons, each fighter can try to cancel out their opponent's Ultimate Attack/Limit Break. This is done in one of two ways: for melee-combo-on-melee-combo specials/Limit Breaks, you'll dash at each other with the winner hitting their respective special attack, inspired by the Old West quick draw game (and similar to Injustice 's "Clash System"). For elemental-on-elemental special attacks, both fighters can attempt to push each other's attacks back at them with the winner inflicting the combined HD of both their and the opponent's special move.

Another in-fight feature, "Test Your Skill" allows the fighter to expend their Hyper Meter and enter into a special QTE-triggered combo system to a stunned opponent. During this time, a series of button command prompts will quickly appear on screen. Afterwards, the fighter will dash at the opponent and perform one melee strike for every correctly-entered command in a chained combo.

Characters
Square-Enix vs. DC Universe has a base roster of 46 characters (23 per side). 2 additional characters, Final Fantasy XV's Aranea Highwind and Azrael are available as unlockable characters as well as the game's respective bosses. The game also features 10 DLC characters (5 per side), who are readily playable at launch with the purchase of the Ultimate Edition and will each be available for purchase at a later time for those who bought the Standard Edition.