Summary
Batmandoesn’t need powers to propel him into superstardom, and this superhero has held his own as the greatest superhero of all time for a reason. Featuring in numerous video games,Batmanhas a plethora of titles in which players can control him and make use of his fists as they beat up the bad guys of Gotham City and beyond, whether that’s as plastic LEGO minifigures or in a memorable and intense version of Gotham.
Batman is a character who constantly evolves, and as such, the games he features in only get better with each entry. With a plethora of the bestBatmangames, players can see what combat works for the Caped Crusader, and how these games rank against each other when putting Batman’s mastery of combat to the test.
When paired with the Justice League, Batman’s fighting skills are usually put to the side for his brain to take charge, but withJustice League Heroes, his fists are just as important as his battle tactics. Teaming with the Justice League once more, players canenter into a co-op sessionwith their favorite DC heroes, and Batman will certainly be a joyous pick.
Whilst not an entirely Batman-focused game, he certainly has his moments, and he can definitely battle the foes of humanity with his fists and kicks as much as Superman can. Batman also has his own set of power moves thanks to hisarsenal of gadgets, allowing him to hit enemies from afar, or get up close and personal.
There isn’t much detail to the combat system inLEGO Batman 2:DC Super Heroes, but there is more than its predecessor. As Batman, players will find an assortment of different outfits, each of these LEGO minifigures is capable of a different set of abilities and usefulness that can assist them in navigating the world, and also in combat situations with other LEGO figures.
Most of the combat just involves spamming the punch button, but players can get a feel for more with a few jumps and ground pounds, asLEGO Batman 2does have a fair few different move sets for the plastic Caped Crusader, and his allies.
AnimpressiveBatmangame, especially for 2003,Batman:Rise of Sin Tzuhad the Caped Crusader team with his allies, and players could pick and choose between some iconic vigilantes, with Nightwing, Batman, and Batgirl being solid choices, all with their own set of moves that made them valued fighters for Gotham City.
Further upgrades would unlock more abilities and combos for Batman to try out. The beat-em-up style of gameplay really aided Batman’s fighting style, as he battles through Gotham’s streets, utilizing objects to throw, with evades and rolls to avoid damage. Plenty of dash punches and kicks to make sure every enemy encounter is dealt with swiftly.
Whilst not explicitly a Batman-focused game,Injustice 2certainly has Batman on the roster of this DC Comics fighting game, and his role in the story and as an S-tier fighter makes him vital for the game.Injustice 2has a great set of combat for Batman, and his movement set is perfect for his characterization, bringing the comic character to life through players’ controller movement.
Batman plays just like how audiences might think he would, with an assortment of gadgets, martial arts punches and kicks, and of course a few counters with his cape. Batman is a lot of fun to play as in Injustice 2, and is easily one of the best fighters who is rewarding to master, and easy to learn.
Whilst the camera and movement speed ofBatman:Vengeancemight be regarded as a tad dated by today’s standards, the fact that players could explore Gotham and its underbelly in a fully 3D environment made it so that future titles like theArkhamTrilogy would be possible. Combat-wise,Batman:Vengeanceis a lot of fun, and players can get into plenty of engaging one-on-one fights that involve a mix of counters, blocks, kicks, and punches.
This one-on-one version of fighting makes things a tad more immersive, even if the game does need the speed and thrill of more than one opponent in a battle. Players can also enter a first-person mode, making use of Batman’s iconic gadgets to useagainst the environment and criminals.
Almost likea proto-Arkhamgame,Batman Beginsdoes a great job as a movie tie-in game, and the combat is perhaps the most memorable part. Each enemy has their own health bar, and Batman can use that to his advantage by focusing purely on those weakest, or those who fear him the most. A lot of the attacks make the enemies feel light, as they can often be juggled upwards, but the invincibility during this falling animation leaves some desire to unleash further punches in a vulnerable state.
The camera can be a tad tricky to navigate in combat, as it either tracks Batman with a frustrating bob to its movement, or it can be used to hone in on a singular enemy, thus ignoring enemies that could prove a threat just off-camera. Nevertheless, players are never overwhelmed, and Batman’s fast attacks can take care of enemies quickly, even as they add more blocks to their arsenal requiring them to use more than just a quick punch.
It’s hard not to talk about where thebestBatmangamesstarted from, asBatman:ArkhamAsylumwas the blueprint going forward, not just for Batman, but for games that desired that crunchy and weighted fighting system, where players could enter a free flow state and punch their enemies into the ground, and counter their moves to keep the action going without fear of losing a combo.
InBatman:ArkhamAsylum, every punch of Batman’s feels like it has a good weight behind it and a decent layer of power. Players can counter the punches of their enemies with a quick press of a button, allowing them to keep the fight going. Yet, the system was fairly new, and further revised to pave the way to the greatest combat in aBatmangame.
Without a doubt,Batman:ArkhamKnightis the perfect iteration of combat in aBatmangame. Taking the lessons fromBatman:ArkhamAsylumand advancing them for the PS4 and Xbox One era of gaming,Batman:ArkhamKnightdoes so much right and even more than what was asked. Stealth gameplay is fluid and fast, with fear takedowns making exciting changes to stop stealth segments from being slow.
Not only is stealth combat improved, but brawling is at its best state yet, with free-flowing combat allowing Batman to mix in an arsenal of gadgets into his attacks, dodging, countering, and stunning foes, no matter how many men Batman is outnumbered by. Even better still, is the first use of vehicular combat, in which theBatmobile is a ton of funto drive and battle against a militia in.
