Summary
It’s seemingly only a matter of time before anotherBatmangame is greenlit if one hasn’t been already, whether it’s an Arkhamverse title or an original story.Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguekilled the Arkhamverse’s Batman, for example, but that doesn’t mean an Elseworld Batman can’t appear out of nowhere or that an Arkhamverse prequel is inconceivable.
That said, a newBatmangame from a studio other than Rocksteady or WB Games Montreal would be exciting since it would hopefully mean that wild swings are taken with the character and a genre that could give the World’s Greatest Detective a new perspective.
TheArkhamverse’sBatmangameswere largely cartoony and lively due to theirBatman: The Animated Seriesroots while a white-knuckled and horrific take on the Dark Knight has yet to be taken. There’s a lot that can still be achieved with Batman that hasn’t been displayed yet in a game adaptation, and yet it may be equally important for the next Batman game to consider the character beneath the cape and cowl, too. Bruce Wayne may not elicit dynamic gameplay opportunities and he may not linger on that persona as much as his cave-dwelling one, but seeing the devastated and childhood-robbed billionaire more when he doesn’t have a cowl to hide behind could elevate the next Batman game.
Batman’s Double Life Blurs While Spider-Man’s is Clear
The levels inInsomniac’sMarvel’s Spider-Manfranchisewhere Peter Parker is played out of costume aren’t its most exhilarating, but they serve a vital purpose in representing Spider-Man as a robust character. Of course, Spider-Man and Batman are most different in two ways: Peter is poor while Bruce is rich and Peter juggles a double life while Bruce’s double life is much more disproportionate and difficult to delineate.
It’d be even more important that a Batman game doesn’t needlessly feature Bruce sequences because the persona of a billionaire philanthropist is a purposeful facade rather than his true self whereas Peter has his own life and responsibilities to manage when he’s not wearing a mask. Bruce could choose to be a complete recluse and never remove the cowl if he wanted, ignoring Alfred’s pleas for him to do so, and Bruce would never need to factor into the equation.
Meanwhile, Peter has a whole life outside of being Spider-Man that’s equally important to him and necessary to maintain. He isn’t a billionaire with all the time and resources he needs at his disposal after all. In fact, he’s often struggling to make ends meet, which is why he instantly thought to lucratively exploit his newfound abilities beforeUncle Ben’s deathmakes him reevaluate what his powers can be used for.
Bruce Wayne’s Life is Less Engaging, But Can’t Be Less Important
Marvel’s Spider-Manfundamentally understands thatshowcasing Peter Parker’s life is as important as showcasing the exhilaration of Spider-Man. Batman, on the other hand, has fewer opportunities where playing as Bruce Wayne can be exciting.
Batman: The Telltale Seriesis probably the closest a game will ever get to depicting Bruce as proportionately as he should be, but this is because its gameplay was derived largely from point-and-click mechanics mixed with dialogue choices. This same approach wouldn’t work well in Rocksteady’sArkhamgames, for instance, where gameplay revolves around third-person action-adventure features.
That said,Batman: Arkham Cityopens with Bruce’s incarceration in the titular compound before he suits up. Likewise,Batman: Arkham Originsfeatures a playable Bruceat the start of its Cold, Cold Heart DLC and in the Initiation DLC, meaning it’s surely possible to find ways of making these sequences meaningful and memorable. If a future Batman game can create moments that are fully immersive and enticing while playing as Bruce, it’ll have a unique component few others have.
Batman: Arkham Knight
WHERE TO PLAY
Batman™: Arkham Knight brings the award-winning Arkham trilogy from Rocksteady Studios to its epic conclusion. Developed exclusively for New-Gen platforms, Batman: Arkham Knight introduces Rocksteady’s uniquely designed version of the Batmobile. The highly anticipated addition of this legendary vehicle, combined with the acclaimed gameplay of the Arkham series, offers gamers the ultimate and complete Batman experience as they tear through the streets and soar across the skyline of the entirety of Gotham City. In this explosive finale, Batman faces the ultimate threat against the city that he is sworn to protect, as Scarecrow returns to unite the super criminals of Gotham and destroy the Batman forever.“Be The Batman” – Live the complete Batman experience as the Dark Knight enters the concluding chapter of Rocksteady’s Arkham trilogy. Players will become The World’s Greatest Detective like never before with the introduction of the Batmobile and enhancements to signature features such as FreeFlow Combat, stealth, forensics and navigation.
