DC Comics is one of those brands that gives and gives, comics, TV shows, movies, and of course, video games. And with compelling characters and climactic fighting, it’s no wonder that the translation from comic books to video games is such a hit, larger than life Heroes and dastardly Villains, each side giving it their all while at the same time exploring what it means to be human, video games are a perfect medium to explore further, and with these games, it’s no wonder they’ve performed so well!
1. Batman: Arkham City
Batman is one of DC Comics’ top Heroes, and the Arkham Series is a perfect exploration of what it means to be Batman. Or rather, to be Bruce Wayne as Batman, trying to be a force of good, who do to rather questionable circumstances, gets sent into a city run by prisoners, where he has to do what Batman does best: solve the mystery surrounding Protocol 10, stop Hugo Strange, and save the day through gratuitous violence.
With a smooth combat flow, compelling characters, and numerous puzzles to stay engaged, the entire Arkham Series is worth a play, and the truly open world of Arkham City will make you want to step into the shoes of a superhero, solving crime and punching bad guys.
2. Injustice 2
What happens when principles and morals no longer coincide, when the line between right and wrong is crossed again with trauma, and why is there a giant metal skull with tentacles in the sky? All these questions and more are explored in this DC Comics game, Injustice 2, though the side of who is right is made clear from the start. Injustice 2 does explore the question fans of the comics have been asking for years: why don’t the heroes take a permanent solution to irredeemable monsters?
Taking inspiration from the Mortal Kombat series (and explored in another game), though much less bloody, it’s no less showy, just like you’d hope a super-on-super fight game to be, you’ll spend as many hours exploring combos as you will nailing the finishers.
3. LEGO DC Supervillains
The LEGO Series never fails to entertain, so what happens when you combine the freedom and childlike exuberance with DC Comics’ exaggerated characters and stellar voice acting? An incredibly fun time! Each playthrough feels personalized because you create your LEGO Supervillain and run around exploring a world of camp and fun. The fun of the LEGO games comes from how the world would work in a LEGO universe, breaking down what is and experimenting with what could be, and when you combine that with fun characters, unique gameplay crossing LEGO and superpowers, and star performances, it’s all-around fun for all ages.
4. The Wolf Among Us
A lesser-known DC Comics game, The Wolf Among Us, explores classic fables with the Telltale twist. The world is dark, gritty, violent, and presents all too human characters. It starts with a domestic disturbance, it’s followed by a murder, and it all snowballs from there, and you are the Big Bad Wolf tasked with solving the mystery through tact and control…or as the Wolf feared by the Fables. Telltale’s iconic style, combined with their classic gameplay, The Wolf Among Us presents characters so profoundly human, with flaws, struggles, virtues, and arcs, combined with decisions and consequences with payoffs sometimes hours down the line.
5. DC Universe Online
To finish off the list is a game that might not be as prolific, but considering it’s an online game over a decade old and still going, it’s still a massive accomplishment. DC Universe Online is an MMO, where you create your own character, hero or villain, and experience a massive world where everyone else can live the fantasy of being their type of superhero, bringing DC Comics under your control. The world is open, still receiving updates, and with so many others still logging on, you’ll have a blast. Literally.
There are dozens of choices of powers, with a fascinating story that, because of it’s nature as an MMO every story is one you make yourself, teaming up with a player you thought of as a rival because there was no other dps, and through the power of ‘screw that guy’, you bury a hachet born months before.
Final Thoughts
It’s notoriously difficult to translate comics to any other media, but somehow, repeatedly, DC Comics have proven themselves time and again on the gaming front, pushing quality work that makes you care about the characters on the screen, these gods that show what it means to be human in a fantastic world.
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