Summary
DC Comicshas a vast history, having created some of the most popular superheroes in history. Superman, Batman, andWonder Womanhave been the pioneers of comic book characters for over seventy years, and have transcended comics and branched over into animation, live-action films, and even video games.
Over the years, DC Comics has delivered multiple video game titles based on some of their most fantastic characters, and even crossed over with other universes. The DC universe is a vast well of creativity and has hundreds of stories and characters, making it perfect for the video game community. Here are some of the most fun DC games, ranked.
Gothma City Impostorswas a diamond in the rough developed by Monolith Productions, known for theMiddle-earthseries andF.E.A.R.The game was an innovative direction that DC had never taken with video games, and was a first-person shooter in the same vein asTeam Fortress.
Gameplay featured weapons and gadgets that players could use to traverse maps and get the drop on opponents as Gotham City henchmen. WhileGotham City Impostorsdidn’t have a particularly long shelf life, all who played it remember it fondly, and it retains a small community to this day.
Telltale Games is known for its incredibly well-crafted story-driven games. With several successful titles under their belt, likeThe Wolf Among UsandThe Walking Dead, Telltale threw their hat into the DC Universe and take on an original story of the Dark Knight.
In an episodic adventure, players step into the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, exploring the elite life of Gotham’s premier billionaire by day and serving justice on the streets by night. The game offers a slew of narrative paths shaped by character choices andmakes every decision matter.Batman: A Telltale Gamehas been highly praised by story lovers and hailed as one of the most enjoyable Batman stories among his long list of games.
Gotham Knightbuilt off of the success oftheArkham Batmanseries, and the developers at Warner Bros. Games Montreal spearheaded a project that would allow players to dive into Gotham City as one of the many vigilantes of the Bat family. The game was an open-world experience where players could choose from Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin, and Red Hood and take on an extensive campaign.
The game featured the hard-hitting combat of theArkhamseries, as well as a level-up system and unique styles and traits for each character. WhileGotham Knightshad a rocky start, fans of the game enjoyed living as their favorite heroes and taking on crime in Gotham City.
DC Comics is no stranger to fighting games, having quite a few crossovers with existing franchises, mainly NetherRealm Studios and theirMortal Kombatuniverse, first occurring inMortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe. Nether Realm Studios taps into the DC Universe again with theInjusticefranchise.
Based on the popular comic book series,Injusticewas set in an alternate universe where Superman and Batman waged war against one another after a tragic event tore them apart.Injusticefeatured the brutal and bloody combat that Nether Realms is famous for, and had an enormous roster of some of DC Comics' most famous and infamous characters. The game was well-received and is rumored to bereceiving a third installmentannouncement soon.
DC Universe Onlinelaunched alongside the PlayStation 3 console and delivered a massive undertaking that allowed players to live out their dream of fighting alongside their favorite DC heroes. Set in a time when Brainiac attacks the Earth with a Xenobyte army, Lex Luthor infects the world with the same technology to give everyday citizens superpowers to give the Earth a fighting chance.
Players can create their own custom character and choose from a wide array of powers, movesets, and even their starting point between Gotham and Metropolis.DC Universe Onlineprovides hundreds of hours of fun, and over a decade after its release, it still has a dedicated player base.
Arkham Knightis the final installment in theArkhamseries of games, which allowed players to become the world’s greatest detective and take on some of his most fearsome enemies. InArkham Knight,Scarecrow has attacked Gotham and threatens to use a biological weapon, which throws the city into panic.
Batman gears up for one of the longest nights of his career, and every two-bit thing tries to get in on the action. The brilliant and intense combat from the previousArkhamgames returns, along with the addition of the Batmobile and the freedom to traverse the entirety of Gotham City.
LEGO has a long list of gamesthat take existing properties and shrink them down to blocks and pegs in a wacky and comical adventure across those universes.Lego Batmanis one of the most successful LEGO games to release, even spawning a film adaptation.
Players take on the Joker, who has cooked up a dastardly plot that puts the entire world in jeopardy. Batman cannot combat the Joker like he has in the past, and forced to step out of his comfort zone or lose his city and those he loves.Lego Batmanfeatures a hilarious story and engaging gameplay that make it one of the best Batman games for a vast number of fans.
Batman: Arkham Citywas the second installment in the franchise and blew away all expectations with its open-world mechanics and intense story. With Gotham’s most wanted moving into Old Gotham with the help of Hugo Strange, the Joker uses this as an opportunity to take control of the entire facility, and Batman must step in to stop him.
As the plot thickens, Batman discovers there are dark forces at work. With the help of his local cat-burglar, he may just be able to stop Joker’s mad scheme and the League of Shadows. The game revamped the combat of the series and delivered a game with hundreds of hours of entertainment, earning it Game of the Year.
