Summary
Superheroes are a joy on their own, as shown withBatman: Arkham Asylum, but part of the fun of having an established DC Universe is partaking in the fantasy ofseeing many heroes or villainsteam up to save a city or even the world from some kind of threat. Multiple DC games have taken advantage of that over the years by featuring entire rosters filled with characters.
Gamers have had the opportunity to play as their favorite superheroes, ranging from the Justice League to the Bat-Family, across various genres. Whether players enjoy action-packed battles in an open world or strategic team play in role-playing games, DC superhero games provide something for every fan.
In almost direct competition withMarvel Ultimate Alliance,Justice League Heroespresents asimilar dungeon-crawling adventure RPG. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Zatanna, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter are the main characters going up against Brainiac and his collection of villains as minions.
While not a flawless game, there is fun to be had playing as a pair of DC heroes running and punching through hordes of enemies and leveling up.Justice League Heroesis often forgotten, even though it provides a DC experience with visuals and storytelling that is almost reminiscent of the DC Animated Universe and the comics combined.
Before there was an open world or voice acting,LEGO Batman: The Videogamewas the game that spawned a whole DC franchise by Traveller’s Tales. While Batman and Robin are the stars, every villain in the main story and more can also be unlocked to be played in their own campaigns that tell the same story from their perspective.
Like many other Traveller’s Tales games,LEGO Batman: The Videogamefeatures the stud collecting and puzzle-solving that made the games so famous. The addition of famous Danny Elfman tracks, suit-swapping mechanics, and deep-cut Batman characters is just the icing on what is a delicious bat-shaped cake.
Imagination is essential for playingScribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure, the fifth installment in the series. In this game, the protagonist, Maxwell, uses his magical journal to conjure up anything he can think of. By simply typing in any character or object that comes to mind, players can summon it to solve puzzles, complete missions, and assist DC superheroes in an entertaining, family-friendly story.
If a player can think of a character or item from the vast DC universe, it is likely included in the game, encompassing both heroes and villains. The game also features origin stories presented in the charming art style ofScribblenauts,allowing players to experience the pasts oficonic heroes such as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
After successfully rebooting theirMortal Kombatfranchise, Netherrealm Studios took their fighting game style to the DC Universe to createInjustice: Gods Among Us.Inspired by an arc in theJustice Leagueanimated series, it focuses on the Justice League arriving on a parallel Earthwhere Superman is a tyrannical rulerhellbent on stopping crime before it can even happen.
On top of the blockbuster-level story, Netherrealm effectively gave fans a DC fighting game that has many of the qualities that madeMortal Kombatso fun and engaging. However, there are just enough twists and additions forInjusticeto stand on its own rather than be a clone. Additionally, the roster is diverse with iconic and lesser-known characters.
Gotham Knightsallows players to choose one of four members of the Bat-Family to protect Gotham City after Batman is killed in the opening cinematic. This character can be the sole hero through the whole campaign, or the player can swap between characters at the end or start of an in-game day, which allows for different gameplay styles and dialogue.
While there are similarities to theBatman: Arkhamfranchise,Gotham Knightsplays more like an action RPG, with Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin, and Red Hood finding loot to upgrade their stats, and even giving them elemental bonuses. Each hero is like a class, with their pros and cons, with unique abilities and perks that change the waycharacters traverse through Gothamor fight certain enemies.
While bigger isn’t always better,Batman: Arkham Citydemonstrates that it can be. The game not only expands Batman’s arsenal and skills, but also allows him to glide freely through an open world. Players will encounter more villains, engage with additional storylines, and experience asecond campaign featuring Catwoman, which runs concurrently with Batman’s narrative.
Batman is already enjoyable to play, but Catwoman stands out as a highlight inBatman: Arkham City. Her ability to crawl along ceilings and utilize whip-based attacks enables her to play like Batman, while still feeling distinct as a character. Additionally, the challenge mode includes Robin and Nightwing as extra characters, each with their own unique combat systems.
The game may be titledLEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, but it is more of a Justice League game than anything, with DC’s heroes going across multiple planets to stop cosmic villains like Brainiac. It sacrifices the open-world format of the previous game for a more linear experience, with hundreds of characters to unlock and use in colorful worlds.
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gothamis a unique opportunity to explore the extensive mythology of the various Lantern Corps through its diverse planets. The game features over two hundred characters to collect, including downloadable contentcharacters like Adam West’s Batmanand Henry Cavill’s Superman from the DC Extended Universe.
Where villains were an unlockable bonus in previous games, they are the main protagonists of the final DC game by Traveller’s Tales. Playing the Joker, Lex Luthor, Reverse Flash, and other bad guys as the only hope for saving the world is a joyful novelty inLEGO DC Super-Villains, but it also featuresa deep character creation systemfor the main protagonist, who can be anything from an elemental to a gun-wielding assassin.
Not only doesLEGO DC Super-Villainsprovide a unique perspective with plenty of comedy, but it also brings back the open-world format. Gotham City and Metropolis, and the surrounding locations, can be fully explored, with side missions available to enjoy when not playing through the story missions. With every character unlocked, more options for visual customization and powers become available.
The developers at Rocksteady went all out in makingBatman: Arkham Knightfeel like the ultimate finale for this version of Batman as he takes on Scarecrow and the enigmatic Arkham Knight. Fans were finally given accessto a fully-fledged Batmobileto drive across the three islands of Gotham City for transport or combat, which proved to be a major part of the gameplay.
While Batman is the only protagonist in the story, the challenge maps and DLC storylines feature Catwoman, Robin, Nightwing, Harley Quinn, Batgirl, Red Hood, and Azrael.Batman: Arkham Knighttakes whatBatman: Arkham Citydid so well and improves upon it, creating what many consider to be a strong end to the Batman series.
Thanks to not only the even bigger roster ofpowerful DC heroes and villains, but also an in-depth gear system for customization,Injustice 2is a radical upgrade from its predecessor. The visuals alone make it look and feel cinematic, but a grander story featuring three different factions is often praised as being better than some DC movies.
The roster inInjustice 2is larger than before and features a mix of new and familiar characters, utilizing the same combat system as before but polished and tweaked to be an improvement. The characters on the base roster, like Scarecrow and Black Canary, proved to be strong additions, butInjustice 2also has excellent DLC with Hellboy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, andMortal Kombatcharacters.
