Gotham Knights is the latest attempt by developer WB Montreal to craft a compelling experience using Batman lore. Opting to forgo the Caped Crusader in favor of Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin, and Red Hood, it will look to create a fresh take on a city that's familiar to many, and characters who have quickly become beloved in DC Comics. Bruce Wayne and Commissioner Gordon are dead in this canon, so it's up to the aforementioned characters to keep Gotham safe. It's one of two AAA titles coming from DC Comics within the next two years, with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League arriving in 2023.
DC has some catching up to do in the video game sphere, as Marvel has released multiple experiences since the Arkham series ended in 2015. A Wonder Woman project is also set for the distant future, but with Spider-Man 2 and Marvel's Wolverine coming from Insomniac Games alone, it will likely be hard to keep up. Of the games that Marvel has released, there are more successes than failures, but Marvel's Avengers sits firmly in the latter category. Gotham Knights should avoid the fate of Marvel's Avengers by instead looking to Guardians of the Galaxy for inspiration.
Guardians of the Galaxy's Success and Marvel's Avengers' Failure
Guardians of the Galaxy and Marvel's Avengers are deeply polarizing, in more ways than one. The fundamental design of each is remarkably different, although they both utilize a third-person perspective and maintain a heavy emphasis on action. Guardians of the Galaxy champions a single-player, story-focused philosophy despite many believing co-op gameplay should be included, whereas Marvel's Avengers leans on role-playing and live-service aspects in an attempt to give it a strong foundation for years of content. This didn't happen though, and Marvel's Avengers has been quickly forgotten, whereas Guardians of the Galaxy's quality still shines through.
With games like Destiny 2, Warframe, and even Grand Theft Auto Online providing more polished live-services, it's hard for Marvel's Avengers' mediocre gameplay, boring character models, and cumbersome progression system to stand the test of time. Gotham Knights looks like it will take inspiration from some of the aforementioned games with level-based upgrades and a hub world drop-in/drop-out co-op, but it should look to Guardians of the Galaxy for cues on storytelling, gameplay, presentation, and art style.
Gotham Knights' Narrative Potential
With trailers and promotional material for Gotham Knights confirming the Court of Owls, fans' expectations are high. The crime group has a stranglehold on Gotham, and is made up of the city's wealthiest and most influential citizens, as outlined in their first appearance in Scott Snyder's New 52 comic run. It's a villainous presence that lends itself well to narrative mystery and intrigue, much like the Universal Church of Truth did in Guardians of the Galaxy. Having such a dense and all-encompassing threat does well to bring the heroes closer together, which in-turn can give any game an advantage when it tries to craft a memorable tale.
Not only this, but Gotham itself would be wasted if Gotham Knights adopts a similar formula to that of Marvel'sAvengers. The latter didn't feel as iconic as there were plenty of locations to explore dotted around the USA, with the ones linked to Marvel lore not captured in a way that made them feel special. Gotham is a city that's rife with crime and corruption, with the villains it houses, the establishment it's been abandoned by, and the people that inhabit its streets all contributing to one of the most beloved locations in fiction. Gotham Knights has to capitalize on its potential, and falling at the same hurdle that Marvel's Avengers did would be a waste.
Gotham Knights is far from the linear experience that Guardians of the Galaxy is, but the latter was something truly special that WB Games Montreal can learn from in many ways. Gotham Knights will wield the largest version of the iconic city to date, but what it loses in linearity it could gain in presentation and production value. If Marvel's Avengers can disappoint fans despite being centered around Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Gotham Knights' Batman-less story certainly could too if not handled well.
Gotham Knights releases October 25 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
