After the Xbox Games Showcase during the Summer Game Fest weekend, I was able to go hands-on with Invincible VS, the new fighting game coming from Skybound’s new internal studio, Quarter Up, published by Skybound Games. Invincible is a comic, turned show, now turned video game that we have covered extensively at CGMagazine, and it has been known for two things: its ultra-violent combat, and its outstanding voice cast.
I have good news—both of those things remain true in Invincible VS. I was initially worried the game might tone down the gore and violence to appeal to a broader audience, but those fears were quickly put to rest. When I was duelling the dev, heads were exploding, bodies were being decimated, and there was blood—well, everywhere. Even though I wasn’t particularly good at the game, the over-the-top gore and flashy visuals made every punch and kick feel impactful. Each landed hit felt like I was a champion—until my own head popped off from someone’s finisher.
“I have good news—both of those things remain true in Invincible VS: ultra-violent combat and an outstanding voice cast.”
During my playthrough, I had access to a limited roster: Invincible himself, aka Mark Grayson; Atom Eve, aka Samantha Eve Wilkins; Bulletproof, aka Zandale Randolph; and Thula of the Viltrum Empire. I tried out all four, but I kept coming back to Thula—she’s fierce, ruthless, and I loved every second of it. At the start of a match, you select three heroes, and yes, you can pick duplicates if you really want—your opponent can also choose the same characters.
Like any solid fighting game, Invincible VS features combo systems you can master to become nearly unstoppable. My personal playstyle, at least during my 30-minute hands-on, was full-on button-mashing—and it almost worked. The dev walking me through the game kindly showed off a few cool tricks too, including how to bring your backup fighters into the fray without fully switching them in.
I was impressed by the tag-team mechanics in Invincible VS, particularly the ability to swap between team members or call in an assist on the fly. The game lets you chain combos that bring in one of your off-screen heroes for a quick beatdown. Some assists are simple pop-ins—a quick punch and they’re gone—while others unleash elaborate animations or brutal finishers that feel pulled straight from the show.
“Like any solid fighting game, Invincible VS features combo systems you can master to become nearly unstoppable.”
The arenas in Invincible VS are relatively flat, which isn’t uncommon for the genre. I played matches in a bustling city and on a desolate planet, and while the gameplay felt consistent across both, I appreciated the environmental touches. For example, being slammed into the ground in the city sends rocks flying, while kicks in the snow-covered mountain stages leave plumes of white powder behind. It’s subtle, but it adds texture to the action.
On the whole, Invincible VS should make fighting game fans feel right at home. At the same time, newcomers—especially fans of Invincible—will find a welcome entry point into the genre, even amid the game’s unapologetic brutality. It’s easy to pick up and start playing, but once the full roster drops, I have no doubt that assembling the perfect trio of heroes will become a key part of mastering the game.
I think the most impressive thing, by far, about Invincible VS is the wildly popular voice cast that appears to have jumped on board from the show to the game. That means Steven Yeun as Invincible, Gillian Jacobs as Atom Eve, Jay Pharoah as Bulletproof, and Grey DeLisle as Thula for my playthrough. The trailer itself seems to feature J.K. Simmons as Omni-Man, too, though this has not been confirmed as far as I can find.
My time with Invincible VS was short but sweet. The game is fast, fun, easy to jump into, but hard to master, and in all honesty, it made for a great bonding experience between me and my opponent. I can see it being a great party game, and time will tell just how intricate the roster and team-building mechanics could be.
Invincible VS will release at an undisclosed date for Steam, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox PC
