10 Best DC Comics Video Games

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Superheroes and video games have been joined at the hip since the days of old pixels, and DC Comics have been a major contribution. From taking down the Joker as Batman to beating up bad guys as Superman, every generation of consoles and PC has experienced a DC release. Sure, there have been some ups, some downs and some Suicide Squad-level embarrassments, but for every dud, there’s a fine collection of gems to pick up and play.

Come to think of it, just like the never-ending roster of comic book characters out there, there’s a near-endless stockpile of DC games to choose from. Thankfully, you don’t need to be the world’s greatest detective to investigate this case. Just load your grappling hook and prepare to soar through some of the best games born from the pages of DC comics.

10

DC Universe Online

Make Your Own Superhero

Ever wanted to create your own superhero and fight alongside your favorite DC characters? If the answer was an emphatic yes, then DC Universe Online will make that dream a reality. Developed, released and considered one of the best MMOs out there, you and other players customize a superhero of your creation, complete with the outfit and superpowers of your choosing, and then drop them into the world of the DC universe.

If that wasn’t enough to catch your interest, you also get to undertake missions and team up with legendary icons such as Wonder Woman, Batman and so many more. And if being a hero isn’t in your wheelhouse, you’re free to join up with the villains too. While the graphics have become somewhat dated, DC Universe Online is still receiving updates and new content. Best of all, you don’t need a high-powered PC as the game is available on consoles too.

9

Injustice: Gods Among Us

The Fighting Game Fans Have Been Waiting For

Some games are born from an idea, others from a question, and this one is an age-old question gamers have debated for years: which is who would win in a fight, Superman or Batman? Well, only you can answer that in Injustice: Gods Among Us. Created by Netherrealm Studios, the same company behind the modern Mortal Kombat games, the first Injustice takes players to a world where Superman has gone bad and created an organization of superheroes for world conquest, with Batman leading an insurgency against him.

Choose from a selection of DC characters and fight in one-on-one combat, with a fighting system where your battles alter the environment. Even better, every chosen fighter has their own series of dialogue to exchange with their opponent, making each battle feel different and personal. Sure, it’s no fun seeing heroes and old friends fight, but it’s a parallel universe, so who cares?

8

Batman: The Enemy Within

A Retelling of the Joker

You can’t make a Batman game without involving his archnemesis in some way. Whether he’s the main villain or only a side story, the Joker is destined to appear in every visual media involving the hero of Gotham. Telltale Games, however, takes the connection between these two and flips it on its head in this episodic adventure, Batman: The Enemy Within.

The game follows the same formula as every Telltale release, with dialogue decisions and quick time events as the player tries to balance the lives of Batman and Bruce Wayne. Yet what sets this apart from others is the story of Joker as your decisions will impact his connection to Batman and what kind it will be. Either as the enemies’ players have always known or possibly allies. The choice is yours, just prepare to have your heart ripped in the end.

7

Batman Arkham Origins

Your Enemies Will Define You

On the eve of Christmas, Black Mask has put a $50 Million bounty on Batman. With superpowered assassins descending upon Gotham, it falls on Batman to put a stop to them before innocent people get hurt and end Black Mask’s schemes. Considered the outcast of the Arkham family and criticized for its story and polish, Batman Arkham Origins is deserving of better attention.

Where other games center around the caped crusader at his height, Arkham Origins focuses on a fledgling Batman before he became an experienced crimefighter. The game marks his first encounter with costumed supervillains, leading to incredible boss fights all while exploring an open world Gotham in winter. Even the Gotham PD is an opposing faction, with crooked cops out for the bounty themselves. Arkham Origins has its rough edges, but if you can look past them, you’re in for an enjoyable experience.

6

The Wolf Among Us

A Noir Style Fable

This might shock you to hear, but not every DC game has to be about superheroes. Based on the DC comic book series Fables by Bill Willingham, The Wolf Among Us is a gritty tale about mystery and murder within a fantasy world. Bigby Wolf, the Sheriff of Fabletown, is trying to keep the peace when a citizen is found dead. With a killer on the loose and the town falling apart, it’s up to the former Big Bad Wolf himself to crack this case.

One of the most bizarre games to carry the DC license is an utter blast. With gameplay built around a detective mystery, you talk to characters, search for clues and make decisions that will have an impact on the investigation and the story itself. If that wasn’t enough, you get to fight fables like the Jersey Devil and Bloody Mary. This game is both insane and amazing.

5

LEGO DC Super-Villains

Building With the Bad Guys

It’s impossible to hurl a rock without striking something the LEGO franchise has touched. Although they’ve had their share of DC games, if you’re looking for the best, you can’t do better than LEGO DC Super-Villains for its gameplay, polish, customization and over 200 characters to unlock and play.

Destroy, build, collect, there’s hundreds of hours’ worth of content as you explore an open LEGO world that’ll take you from the skies of Metropolis to the streets of Apokolips. You create your own LEGO villain and team up with the misfits of DC as you investigate the disappearance of the Justice League. It won’t hurt to cause some mayhem along the way, however, because this is one LEGO adventure that makes playing bad feel good.

4

Injustice 2

The Improved Fighting Game Fans Have Been Waiting For

When Brainiac appears to threaten the Earth, it’ll take the unified forces of Batman and Superman, along with every willing hero and villain to combat this cosmic invader. More fighters. Larger arenas. Better polish. Bigger rewards. Injustice 2 does everything right as a fighting game sequel.

Everything you loved about the first game is here, only improved, including new features like customizing your favorite fighter’s gear. Plus, this is one of the few games where the DLC is a must-have. After all, who wouldn’t want to battle the characters of DC as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Yes, that is downloadable content, and yes, it’s a glorious experience.

3

Batman Arkham Asylum

The Inmates Are Running the Asylum

The Joker has seized control of Arkham Asylum and has Batman trapped inside. With only his martial arts, utility belt full of gadgets, and detective skills, it falls on the Dark Knight to bring order to Arkham and put a stop to the Joker.

This is the DC game that put Rocksteady Studios on the map. Everything about Batman Arkham Asylum is nearly perfect. Each new level adds a different henchman to confront, along with a selection of supervillains such as Harley Quinn, Bane, Scarecrow, Killer Croc and Poison Ivy. The gameplay and control feel great, from the stealth sections to its investigation missions, right down to its Freeflow combat system, a system that would continue to grow bigger and better with each installment. Instead of just fighting one enemy at a time, you can juggle multiple opponents at once, making you feel like you’re always in control, just like Batman.

2

Batman Arkham Knight

“This Is How the Batman Died”

In the final installment of the Arkham series, the Scarecrow has emerged to terrorize Gotham with a new villain at his side: the Arkham Knight, a figure with an army of mercenaries under his command, all trained and united with one goal. To destroy Batman and bring his worst fears to life.

This is Batman’s biggest game yet, with some of the most phenomenal graphics and gameplay to date, along with the most agile of exploration as you soar across the rooftops or cruise through the streets in the Batmobile. Players might be deterred by the few boss battles, and others might be bothered by the overuse of the Batmobile sections, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Batman Arkham Knight remains one of the best open world DC games to date. The level of detail, side content and writing make this Batman’s most unforgettable adventure.

1

Batman Arkham City

This Ain’t No Place for No Hero

The inmates of the former asylum have been thrown into Gotham’s new super prison: Arkham City. With Hugo Strange as its warden and a dying Joker on the loose, Batman throws himself into the city of criminals to undercover the truth of their sinister plots.

Everything that made the past, present and future DC games great is here in what gamers can agree is the best sequel in gaming. The super prison remains one of the most original and fascinating locations to explore, populated by different factions of gangs belonging to the Joker, Penguin and Two-Face. Blessed with some of the most memorable music and combat put to gaming and featuring the best boss battles from Batman’s Rogues Gallery, Arkham City stands tall as the perfect DC game.

“}]] Superheroes and video games have been joined at the hip since the days of old pixels, and DC Comics have been a major contribution.  Read More