Supermanis arguably the most iconic superhero property of all time, but the same cannot be said of the character’s presence in the world of video games. At times outshined by his peers despite being the face of the Justice League,Supermanhas largely been relegated to supporting roles throughout various appearances over the years. Now thatSuperman: Legacyhas been confirmed to be in production and kickstarting a new universe of DC Comics films, it could finally be time for the man of steel to get his just dues with a solid title. With the movie’s estimated release so far away, however, the time for aSupermangame could be sooner than later.
A massive success, theBatman: Arkhamgame seriesredefined Batman for many fans that had never experienced such a fully realized superhero simulation, but Superman hasn’t received anything close to that.Arkham Asylummay have launched at a time that coincided withThe Dark Knight Trilogyand made sense as a release in that way, but this treatment has only really been given to Bruce Wayne. The era of 2013’sMan of Steeland its sequels has come and gone with no proper Superman-focused title, leaving the DC flagship character to only exist as a part of ensemble rosters.
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Superman Games Are Historically Difficult to Get Right
One of the main theories fans have had regarding the absence ofSupermangames is the simple fact that a beingas powerful as a Kryptonianis inherently difficult to create a satisfying gameplay loop around. Very little of theArkhamexperience would be able to translate over into the world of Clark Kent, as Batman is still a human being despite his advanced gadgets. The combat, gliding, and even basic recon mechanics that Batman is known for are all immediately trivialized by the immense, godly power that Superman possesses, meaning the developer would need to get extremely creative and potentially pioneer an entirely new subgenre of action game.
It isn’t as if developers haven’t made attempts in past generations, however, with games such asSuperman: The New Superman Adventuresfor Nintendo 64 being received so negatively that the status of the character in games has been largely characterized by blunders ever since.The infamousSuperman 64ended up featuring gameplay that involved flying through floating hoops in the sky, while even 2006’sSuperman Returnsmovie tie-in game featured battles with fire-breathing dragons in between monotonous EXP grinding. The lesser known titleSuperman: Shadow of Apokolipsis generally considered the best attempt at a fun experience, mainly due to the game’s concession of making all of its enemies powerful robots that perfectly resemble humans.
Superman Deserves the Batman: Arkham Treatment
Rumors ofSupermangame pitches have circulated in the past to no fruition, but it could finally be time for Warner Bros. to let a developer take the necessary risk again. While it will likely raise the character’s profile in the mainstream,Superman: Legacy’s box office performanceshoudn’t dictate the character’s presence on the gaming front. If there’s anything that theBatman: Arkhamseries has proven over the course of its four titles, it’s that a DC superhero is capable of standing on their own and even having a new universe built around them. There could be growing pains involved with properly crafting systems like flight, but this is all the more reason for a game to come into production sooner than later.
Regardless of its broader context,Superman: Legacyis sure to bring a new interpretation of Superman to the forefront through the vision ofGuardians of the GalaxyandThe Suicide Squaddirector James Gunn. WithRocksteady’sSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueset to see the character in a murderous, antagonistic role following the similar version of Clark seen in theInjusticeseries, a more classic incarnation of Superman could use proper representation in modern gaming. If a studio like Rocksteady has any concept for bringing the man of steel into his own part of the Arkhamverse,Kill the Justice Leaguecould be the perfect pivot. The upcoming title already features Metropolis as its setting, but a soloSupermantitle would also inevitably be a massive departure from the modern trend of looter shooter gameplay.
