With the recent announcement of Rocksteadys new project with the Worst Heroes Ever, The Suicide Squad. And after the massive success of Batman: Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, and Arkham Knight we have some interesting ideas for what other properties Rocksteady could take and make a phenomenal game out of. How the mechanics and gameplay that was presented in the Arkham games could transfer to other characters and make for an incredible game. For this list we will be focusing on DC properties or properties Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment has used in other forms of entertainment. Although the style of gameplay might work for characters like Daredevil, Iron Fist or The Punisher, we are going to stick with DC and Warner Brothers properties.
Also Read: 5 Things We Want in Rocksteadys Suicide Squad Game
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle isn’t the most popular superhero, but considering his many abilities and rich history, he could make for a game that fits the profile of a Rocksteady production without the dark and grittiness of the Arkham games. Focus on the development of Jamie Reyes, the current Blue Beetle but also incorporate Ted Kord and treat him as a mentor to Jamie. Don’t include the Teen Titans other than maybe a brief cameo at the end, after spending the entire game turning into a hero and catching the eyes of the Titans. The story could show how Jamie came in contact with the scarab and it latched onto him, just for him to be discovered by Ted Kord and help him unlock the secrets of the scarab. Write Jamie in the style of Miles Morales from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Kord as Peter Parker from the film, go on the journey with Jamie into becoming a superhero. His powers and abilities could also make for amazing combat, with the ability to fly and the use of his arm cannons in battle. Along with the other uses of the scarab like the many weapons it can form into, as well as its ability to hack into other machines or summon other useful gadgets.
Green Arrow
Batman and Green Arrow are different character, yet so similar at the same time. Considering Queen Industries is referenced so many times in the Arkham games, an origin story of Oliver Queen into the Green Arrow and the use of his different arrows and gadgets, it’s a bit shocking the Emerald Archer hasn’t gotten a game of his own already. Start the first quarter of the game taking place on the island he was left on and create a survival type game before getting to the point where he gets off the island and back to Star City. Set the game in the same universe as the Arkham series, and even introduce Deathstroke for an origin story before he took on Batman in Arkham Origins. Although he can’t glide with a cape like Batman, still give him a grappling hook and mix it up with the mechanics Catwoman has in Arkham City. Make Malcom Merlin as the main antagonist, and introduce others like Count Vertigo and Dr. Light in side missions while you explore Star City along with other villains who were in the Batman games to make the connection with characters like Electrocutioner or even Deadshot. Explore the vast arsenal of arrows he carries, I am sure the creators at Rocksteady would have fun with this and make for some really cool arrows, just don’t forget to include the boxing glove.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
With no loss in popularity, the turtles continue to appear in various types of media including the potential of a new film and their playable appearance in Injustice 2. Start the game with the turtles already established as crime fighters, as well as relationships with April O’Neil and Casey Jones. Have them already fought the Shredder, instead make Krang the main villain, but also use Bebop and Rocksteady as reoccurring villains similar to how the Arkham Knight worked for Scarecrow and assisted him in the battle over Gotham. In Arkham Knight one stand out gameplay it introduced was its ability to switch between characters. Some missions paired up Batman with Catwoman, Nightwing or Robin and would allow players to charge up an icon on the screen and preform a dual takedown on enemies. While also allowing you to switch between characters at will, which created a new feel for combat in the game. That same gameplay could be applied to the Turtles or give players the chance to play the entire game with their favorite turtle and make it a new experience with each one you play the game with, don’t change the story but potentially alter each ending. Change up the gameplay of each turtle to show how the diversity between the brothers and the way they feel as individuals. Make Mikey a bit more loose and free with his combat, Leo can be more sharp and precise, Ralph can show more aggression and Donnie can incorporate more gadgets with bigger but slower hits.
Watchmen
The best way for a Watchmen game to work, would be to tell it in parts or chapters and with each level change the person you would be playing as. Tell this iconic story just as it goes in the graphic novel, but start with the perspective of Rorschach investigating the death of the Comedian. It would be a bit difficult to make this open world and incorporate side missions, but instead make it a campaign focused game. Leave the gameplay virtually the same with each character, with minor changes in gear and gadgets that would be useful for each mission you play. While characters like Rorschach, The Comedian, Silk Specter and Nite Owl are all non-super powered characters which would make for easy mechanics to create because they would be so similar to how Batman plays in the Arkham games. The interesting character to bring into a game would be Dr. Manhattan, since he is basically a god-like being there wouldn’t be much threat to him when you play as him. However, there are at times where games offer players to be a super charged character to play as and just plow through certain levels. Making a level like this with the power of Dr. Manhattan would be a nice change up to the game and be an exciting moment for players to control the infinite powers of Dr. Manhattan. Furthermore, the realistic and gritty world of Watchmen would be simple to create in a game after their beautiful rendition of Gotham City in Arkham Knight.
Batman Beyond
This might be a bit controversial to this list, since it would be another Batman installment. However, the world created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini from their series Batman Beyond was so different and unique from what we are use too in Batman: The Animated Series. Creating a new Neo-Gotham with a flying Batmobile and the various gadgets and tech that Terry has with his new suit would give fans a different look from what they might think would be similar to the previous Arkham games. Have this game begin with Terry McGinnis already established as Batman and Bruce as his mentor, with a few of his villains already in the game like Curare, Spellbinder and Inque. If they wanted to, they could even go as far as creating a retelling of Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker and potentially bring back Mark Hamill as The Joker. Tell the story a bit differently than the original one from the movie, perhaps connect it with Tim Drake and the Arkham City DLC Harley Quinn’s Revenge. Aside from the story though, controlling Batman would be in many ways the same as before with a few new changes like his rocket boots that allow him to fly, the listening device built into his index and middle finger, and of course the use of his invisibility. Some might think the invisibility might be a way to cheat, but there could be conditions to using it like giving players only so much time to use it and waiting for it to recharge. Neo-Gotham should feel very similar to the Gotham we see in Arkham Knight, but with bigger buildings and cleaner streets. Giving the players the choice to play as Batman in either the daytime or night, a continuation of the Arkham games in the form of a Batman Beyond game would be a suitable follow up to its predecessors.
