It Takes Thirty-Two, Baby: Infinite Crisis Adding Supergirl

How many guns should an FPS have? What's the correct number of levels for a platformer? How long should a game take to complete? How many playable characters does an RPG need? How about a MOBA? Debate rages between boffins up and down the land, but Turbine have an answer for that last question when it comes to Infinite Crisis. 32 characters is the point where their DC Comics punch-up will allow interesting team picks and compositions, they've said. Infinite Crisis will hit that supposed magic number next month with the addition of Supergirl.

"I think you need to hit specific thresholds to make choices interesting at the team selection screen and 32 is basically is enough for you have each in each role, for a pro gamer, and the build of your team is an interesting process," digital communications manager Leo Tan said.

And don't mind that talk of "pro gamers"--in the same way that so many people under 35 like to think, with training, they could be Batman, many Doters believe they could go pro if only they didn't have so many responsibilities and distractions. That's why we take it all so very seriously.

32 still seems awfully low, but it's not the final number, and I am used to the sprawling horrors of Dota 2. I wonder what number they'll end up with. The dizzying array of characters is part of what makes Dote 'em ups so hostile to new players, and it can't help that Infinite Crisis has multiple variants of characters from across the multiverse. Even with only 31 characters, it already has three Batmen, three Supermen, three Green Lanterns, two Jokers, three Wonder Women, and so on--more confusing than wholly different characters, I'd imagine.

As for Supergirl, she's a scrappy hero with abilities focused around punching faces real hard. Her ultimate, Comet, sees her flying-tackling someone and bashing into anyone behind them. Turbine say she's a very angry character but who wouldn't be, finding yourself on an alien planet knowing only your supernerd of a cousin? She'll arrive in a patch on July 2.

Infinite Crisis is in open beta testing. Hey gang, have you been playing? How is it?