Open-world games have become a common thing nowadays. This is evident from the fact that there are currently two major superhero games in development, and both of them are open-world. One of them is Marvel’s Iron Man, while the other is Black Panther. One of them is in development at EA Motive, while the other is being developed by EA’s Cliffhanger Games.
There’s no set release date for these games as of yet, but fans are already comparing them to other games in this category. One game that comes to mind is none other than Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which was launched by Insomniac Games back in 2023. Yet everyone knows that DC perfected open-world superhero games years ago.
How DC Entertainment made perfect open-world superhero games years before Iron Man and Black Panther
Back in 2009, when WB and Rocksteady launched Batman: Arkham Asylum, it was a surprise for everyone. No one had thought a game so perfect and so faithful to its source material was possible to make, but they still managed to do it.
In that game, behind a thick wall, someone found an Easter egg that served as a teaser for its sequel. It was announced pretty soon, and they named it Batman: Arkham City. This was going to be an open-world sequel to Arkham Asylum.
This sequel was something else; it surpassed its prequel in every way. Its visuals were incredible, its open world was fun to explore, and its story was just perfect. No surprise, they released yet another sequel with an even larger open world.
In between those single-player experiences, WB also released an online game. This game was called DC Universe Online. This was yet again an open-world game, but more of an MMO than a single-player experience.
Players create an original character and then interact with those popular, iconic DC characters. They are also given a choice to be either a hero or a villain. Eventually, they are initiated into the Justice League or the Society.
Combat in DC Universe Online is mostly melee-based. Players can build up combos, use superpowers on their enemies, and even use some ranged weapons. Players would mostly find themselves facing a group of enemies at once.
This game became so popular that it is still going on 13 years after its launch. In fact, its popularity is such that WB launched it for the Sony PlayStation 5 console on March 26, 2024. Xbox Series X and S versions would be released at a later, unannounced date.
WB might have missed the mark with the recent Suicide Squad game, but they have really left a commendable legacy with all the abovementioned games. Many developers take inspiration from these games.
Marvel’s Iron Man and Black Panther have a hard target ahead of them
Whenever these games launch, it would be unfair to start comparing them with the Arkham franchise. It’s hard to even get close to what the developers did with those two games. But given the fact that studios like EA Motive are involved in one of these games, hopes are without a doubt high. They have proven their worth by developing games like the Dead Space Remake and Rogue Squadron.
While Cliffhanger Games has yet to prove its worth, it would suffice to say that EA is focused on developing some high-quality games nowadays. Without a doubt, they would do the same with Black Panther too.
