Rocksteady has completed its saga ofBatmangames, but there are still more stories to tell in that universe. While a proposedBatman: Arkham Knightsequel starring Batman’s son, Damian Wayne, was ultimately scrapped, another character could take up the Bat mantle. In fact, one character already has.
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The animated seriesBatman Beyondfollows teenager Terry McGinnis, who discovers an elder Bruce Wayne’s secret identity. Seeing the potential in the young man, Bruce officially passes on the cowl and trains him as the new Batman. Putting Terry in the shoes of Rocksteady’s Arkham games would help give the franchise a refresh, and the futuristic setting would offer new possibilities for exploration and gameplay. Here are a few suggestions.
7The Elephant In The Room
If aBatman Beyondgame were to be made, the game would have to addressthe death of Kevin Conroy, the iconic voice of Batman and Terry’s mentor, Bruce Wayne. While the death of Kevin Conroy is a tragedy, Rocksteady could tell a story that would grapple with it, as well as honor the legacy of Batman.
Bruce Wayne was not just a teacher to Terry, but also a surrogate father figure after he lost his dad in the cartoon. Similarly toGotham Knights, the game’s story could explore Terry grappling with his loss, and he would have to discover who Batman is without Bruce Wayne.
6Make The Combat Faster And More Fluid
One thing that theBatman: Arkhamgames have been consistently praised for istheir fluid combat. Batman can easily transition between enemies, jump over them, block their attacks, and even catch objects thrown at him, then toss them back.
Putting Terry McGinnis in this role would require the combat to be tweaked slightly. While Bruce Wayne’s Batman is bulkier and more muscular, Terry is much leaner and more agile. This would make him much nimbler than his predecessor. A great model to look at for inspiration would be Insomniac’sSpider-Mangame.
5Bring New Gadgets To Play With
TheBatman: Arkhamgames give Bruce Wayneplenty of toysto assist in crime fighting. These include remote-control Batarangs, hacking tools, and the classic grapple hook.
With the advances in technology in the future, Terry could have a whole new array of gadgets to play with. The rocket boots would be one example, giving Terry the ability to soar through the game’s environment or to rocket-kick enemies in combat. The gadgets should be powerful, but limits should be set on how much they are used, or combatants should have their own tools to deal with Terry’s gadgets.
4Make New Enemies, Keep The Old
Batman Beyondhas its own set of villains that fit the style of Neo Gotham City. They each come with their own challenges as well. These include Spellbinder, whose technology can cause anyone to hallucinate, in the vein of Scarecrow’s fear gas. There is also Inque, who can change her form to any shape to fit the situation.
WhileBatman Beyondhas its own rogues gallery, there is still room to allude to the Batman franchise’smost iconic villains. Neo Gotham’s street gang, the Jokers, carry on the legacy of the Clown Prince of Crime, leaving plenty of petty criminals for him to handle. Mr. Freeze returns inBatman Beyondas a head in a jar, so perhaps he could show up at aFuturama-styled head museum.
3Bring Back The Bat Family
Creating aBatman Beyondvideo game would be a great way toreunite the Bat Family, just asGotham Knightsbrought together Robin, Batgirl, Red Hood, and Nightwing. It would be an opportunity to see aged-up versions of the characters and check in on them in Gotham City’s future.
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One obvious pick would be Barbara Gordon, a.k.a Batgirl, at the head of Neo Gotham City’s Police Department, giving Batman tips on potential crimes. ABatman Beyondvideo game could also incorporate the events ofBatman Beyond: Return of the Jokerand explore their fallout on former Robin, Tim Drake.
2Take A Metroid Approach To Power-Ups
In one episode ofBatman Beyond, a man’s consciousness hijacks the high-tech Batsuit, leaving Terry to confront it with nothing but a mask, Bruce Wayne’s utility belt, and his wits. In this episode, Terry reveals that he has asks himself, “Is Batman just the suit, or is the man inside?” ABatman Beyondvideo game from Rocksteady could explore this via theMetroidapproach to gameplay.
Terry could have allhis abilitiesin the beginning, and then an event would dismantle his suit, leaving Terry to have to regain them one by one. This would keep Terry from becoming too overpowered, striking a balance between abilities and skills in the game.
1The Setting of Neo Gotham Would Change The Design Philosophy
Gotham City has changed a lot since Bruce Wayne fought crime. The city is lit up in bright neon, people are splicing themselves with animal DNA, and flying cars are all around.
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Having a massive cyberpunk Gotham Cityto explore freelyshould change the gameplay philosophy of the title. The ability to fly around in the future Batmobile and climb walls would make the gameplay and level design more vertical. Each level of Neo Gotham City could have its own distinct personality, with the working class on the ground floor and Gotham’s wealthy elite on the top floors of skyscrapers. There is room for plenty ofBlade Runnerreferences to fit the setting as well.
