Invincible VS Review – No More Holding Back

Fighting games are in a strong place right now. Legacy franchises continue to deliver, while newer titles experiment with fresh ideas, not always successfully, but often enough to keep the genre exciting. Invincible VS, based on the Invincible comics and shows, comes from Quarter Up, a studio featuring talent behind 2013’s Killer Instinct. I was cautious after the early trailers, but after spending time with the launch build, I’m coming away pleasantly surprised, and with a clearer sense of who this game is for.

As with any fighting game, it’s difficult to give a definitive verdict this early. Modern fighting games evolve based on feedback; it takes time to fully understand the potential of their mechanics, both strengths and weaknesses. Instead, this review focuses on the immediate experience: how the combat feels, how accessible it is, and what players can expect once they start learning the ropes.

Checks All the Boxes

First things first, Invincible VS has everything you would want from a modern fighting game. There is a practice mode with proper frame data, dummy customization, hitboxes, and input history, matchmaking can run in the background while you do other things, and there is a full tutorial that covers most mechanics. It also includes crossplay and rollback netcode from day one, along with ranked, casual, and lobby modes.

The UI is easy to navigate with straightforward menus, loading times are fast, and getting into matches is quick. The game respects your time and avoids making navigation feel like a chore. While it is not as innovative or feature-rich as Street Fighter 6, it still delivers everything you would expect from a modern fighter.

There is also a story mode with cutscenes, unique dialogue, and specific encounters. The closest comparison is what you get in Mortal Kombat, though the production values are not as high. If you are a fan of the source material, it is serviceable, and while the events take place in an alternate timeline, it is still fun to follow, even if it is not the main reason to buy a game like this.

With 18 characters and everything mentioned above, Invincible VS feels like a complete package focused on delivering a smooth fighting game experience.

Punchy, Fun, and a Bit Janky

Invincible VS feels fairly approachable when it comes to inputs, since motion inputs are optional and the default setup leans closer to modern controls in Street Fighter 6. You have a dedicated special button, three normals: light, medium, and heavy, along with assists and a boost. Just pressing buttons in Invincible VS is simple, with no complex inputs to worry about, even if you opt for motion controls.

This means most people can pick any character, press a few buttons, and start doing fun combos, which have a fairly simple flow. You can spam light attacks to trigger an auto combo, or go from low to medium to heavy and follow that up with a super, special, or ultimate for more damage. You can also loop combos by chaining normals into specials and extending from there.

This makes the initial learning curve fairly comfortable and controller-friendly, regardless of preference. However, the depth comes from the defensive and assist systems. For instance, if you are stuck in a combo, you can perform an Assist Breaker at the cost of meter to escape. If you are being pressured while blocking, you can use a Heroic Strike as an armored counter. There is also a pushblock mechanic that creates space while defending. Offensively, some tools interact with these defensive options as well.

Basically, even strong combos are not enough if you do not understand how these systems interact. Managing meter, responding correctly, and using assists effectively matter more than raw damage.

This makes Invincible VS a compelling fighter, and it is very fun. Every hit feels heavy, sounds impactful, the specials are well animated, the gore is exaggerated, and the moment-to-moment gameplay is just enjoyable. Even if you are not playing competitively, there is still plenty of fun to be had just watching the action unfold with friends. There is enough here for casual players to enjoy and for competitive players to explore.

With all that said, there is some jank as well, and a lack of clear consequences for committing to certain moves because some options are so safe. Some animation work is inconsistent, and certain attacks connect in ways that do not feel intuitive. Overall, it is not always as smooth or readable as you would want it to be in its current state.

I believe there has already been some improvement over previous betas, which I did not play, so there is hope these inconsistencies can be addressed through patches and feedback. The competitive scene will likely shape its long-term direction, but it is refreshing to play a fighting game that is experimenting and still feels aggressive, even with its rough edges.

Visually, most stages are strong, and character rendering is solid. Characters do not feel off compared to their show counterparts, and while the returning cast is instantly recognizable, the game-specific additions do a commendable job of fitting into the style of the series.

Verdict

Invincible VS is a strong, feature-complete fighter that gets the fundamentals right and delivers a genuinely fun moment-to-moment experience. It is approachable on the surface, but there is more depth once you start digging into its defensive systems, and it stays consistently flashy in a way that makes even casual matches feel good to play. That said, it is still a bit rough around the edges, with some balance quirks and inconsistent visual clarity keeping it from feeling fully polished. As a first outing, it feels confident, aggressive, and fun in a very immediate way, with enough depth for both casual and competitive players to stick with it as it evolves.