Zod Reveal Analysis For Injustice

Injustice: Gods Among Us has taken the competitive fighting game community by storm.  Multiple hundred-plus player tournaments within the first week of the game’s release, wild debate on character tiers beginning with the demo release, and for the first time a game being added to EVO’s competition lineup after that lineup had already been finalized all combine to show an impressive initial entry onto the scene.

Now we finally have the last of the originally-announced four DLC characters for the game displayed for our viewing pleasure in General Zod.  Despite being one of Superman’s most dangerous foes, the question remained long after we found out he was coming as to what, exactly, he would be capable of in the game itself.

Kneel before Zod

Zod shows an immediate ability to pull weapons, almost certainly Kryptonian, out of nowhere.  Over the course of the gameplay video we see him make extensive use of a rifle firing glowing orbs and a paired set of futuristic pistols uncomfortably similar in effect to Deathstroke’s own dual handgunning.  Later Zod even displays some actual combo capability with the rifle, smacking Superman around with the weapon itself, giving some curious hints as to the potential more complicated possibilities of the summoned weaponry.

He also very quickly shows a ground-targeted and seemingly unblockable explosion attack leading into a knock-up.  The move seems to have an enhanced version that walks these explosions towards the opponent, doing more damage before the knock-up.  This combined with the counter ability he shows on Superman’s dash punch could make the dictatorial Kryptonian a very dangerous foe to try to close distance on.

Possibly the most dangerous ability Zod shows off in his reveal gameplay trailer is the ability to summon one of the inhabitants of the phantom zone.  This summoned creature sticks right behind his opponent, even when they jump or move, and shows several different types of periodic attacks including a brief disable.  What possible counters this ability might have isn’t clear, as it does not even seem to have much of a start-up.  My guess would be this as his trait skill, with different moves involved to actually have the summoned creature actually attack, but it could still be absurdly powerful both for harassment and for combo generation or extension.

Zod is not happy with your lack of kneeling

For aerial capabilities he can pull out his rifle to fire in the air, potentially firing both straight forward and angled slightly down, as well as a straight dash-grab bringing an aerial foe down to the ground if he catches him up there.

His finisher looks like a powerful anti-air tool, moving slightly forward and up.  Effect-wise he flies through space, slams his foe through the moon, then heat-visions them back down to the Earth.  Mildly cartoonish, but definitely epic in scope.

And yes, he does say “Kneel before Zod” as part of his throw animation.  All in all he looks solid, and given that he is Kryptonian it seems a safe assumption that his combos will hurt.  All we need to do now is wait and see for certain what the best players in the world do with him.