Summary
As far as comic book characters go, few have as iconic a cast asBatman. Of course, the Caped Crusader himself is one of the most popular heroes in all of fiction, and he has been pretty much since his debut in 1939. Then there areBatman’s heroic allies, Robin, Batgirl, Nightwing, and loyal right-hand man Alfred Pennyworth. And then to top it off, there’s all of Batman’s rogue’s gallery, featuring some of the best villains in the biz like Mr. Freeze, Harley Quinn, Bane, Scarecrow, and of course, The Joker. But while Batman has no shortage of iconic characters, its most influential figure isn’t even a human.
Gotham City is widely considered to be a Batman character all in and of itself. With absolutely no dialogue needed, just a single establishing shot of Gotham City can tell fans all they need to know about this particular version ofthe Great Detective, from how crime-ridden its streets are, to how tall its skyscrapers reach. There have been a ton of great iterations of Gotham City over the years, and that includes a handful found in the world of gaming, but for Batman’s next major video game appearance, it might be time for Gotham City to get a bit of a refresh.
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The Next Batman Game Should Be Set in a New Type of Gotham City
Gotham City is probably the most iconic original location in comic book history, appearing right alongside Superman’s own Metropolis. But while Metropolis' design has stayed pretty much the same since its introduction, Gotham has undergone a number of different iterations over the years, though there’s one particular look that’s remained the most popular for a while now. Thanks in no small part totheBatman: Animated Seriesshowand Tim Burton’sBatman Returns, the most common look for Gotham City is one where the skyline is littered with tall Gothic buildings, with a dark brown or gray night sky behind them.
This darker and more Gothic version of Gotham City has become the most popular form of the location across all Batman media, from TV shows to movies, including comic books and video games, are definitely no exception. Though there’s been some slight variation in design, the vast majority of Batman video games since the 1980s have all been inspired by Burton’s darker, more fantastical take when it comes to presenting their own versions of Gotham City, and that includes the entirety oftheBatman: Arkhamseries.
Though players can only see it in the background inBatman: Arkham Asylum,Rocksteady’s Gotham Citywas clearly inspired by the most popular iterations that came before it, with plenty of tall spires poking out from the top of the city’s many skyscrapers. This Gothic architecture and art style was carried through toBatman: Arkham City, and whileArkham Knighthas more of a futuristic, modern-age look with its own Gotham City, it’s still a version of the location that feels familiar to long-time fans of the franchise. More recently,Gotham Knightsdelivered another very similar-looking Gotham City, and while it leaned into that Gothic style even more so than ever before, many fans couldn’t help but feel as though they’d already experienced this version of Gotham many times before.
ForBatman’s next major video game appearance, Gotham City needs a bit of an overhaul. Thankfully, there are a ton of different comic arcs that developers can draw from when it comes to creating a new type of Gotham City for the gaming world. TheBatman: Zero Yearcomic arc is a great point of inspiration for a futureBatmangame, with Gotham City being left in a post-apocalyptic,Last of Us-like state following an extreme flood. Similarly,Batman: No Man’s Landis another great source, featuring a Gotham City that’s been devastated by a severe earthquake.
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