Summary
Just like Marvel fans have hailed Insomniac’sMarvel’s Spider-Manseries as an ideal adaptation of the wall-crawler’s deep canon, Rocksteady’sBatmanArkhamgames are viewed as peak Batman. With addicting freeflow combat, smart stealth mechanics, strong storytelling, and a large portion of the voice cast from the renownedBatman: The Animated Series, there is so much to praise about the games. However, there should still be more Batman games one day fromRocksteadyor another developer, and they can lean more into one dynamic thatArkhamonly touched on.
While Rocksteady had a full trilogy to play with, andWarner Bros. Montreal’sBatman Arkham Originsadded a few dozen more hours of content to the mix, only so many stories were able to be told within that time. Some characters were inevitably going to take a backseat, and though the Bat Family was heavily represented, Catwoman never got a chance to take her romance with Bruce to the next level. While the innuendo and occasional team-ups proved entertaining, looking more toward modern comics and the marriage between the two vigilantes could make for a memorable game.
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The Modern Bat/Cat Romance is Begging For a Game Adaptation
To be clear, there is nothing wrong with the way theArkhamseries portraysBatman and Catwoman’s dynamic. However, it adheres very closely to the traditional format of the two characters flirting with the possibility of being together, but never fully committing to being a real couple. With years of stories where Catwoman inevitably betrays Batman, or one of the two characters is unwilling to change, it would be nice to see something different in the next Batman game.
For inspiration on how to make a romance-heavy game work,Tom King’sBatmanrun should be closely examined. Editorial interference meant that the run was cut short a bit early, and King’s plans for the couple were instead carried out in theBatman/Catwomanspin-off, but there are countless memorable moments throughout his issues. The Wedding That Never Was, Batman and Catwoman’s encounter with Talia, and the flash forward to old Bruce and Selina are all moments that are begging to be translated to another medium. Seeing Batman and Catwoman fighting alongside each other for a whole game, potentially as husband and wife, could make for a refreshing experience.
To really take advantage of the concept, Rocksteady or another developer could consider delivering a co-op title focused on the duo. WhileGotham Knights' reviews were mixed, and the jury is still out on the upcomingSuicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, co-op superhero games have plenty of potential. Levels designed to lean into each character’s strengths, like a heist mission where Selina takes the lead or a detective-focused Batman scenario, could verify that both players have time to shine. With two characters present for an entire game, puzzles could be more complex as well, with players needing to coordinate their chosen character’s skills.
While combat and stealth should not stray too far from Rocksteady’s model, as the studio perfected the fighting styles ofBatmanand Catwoman, it is the dialogue that would be the real star of this hypothetical game. Bruce and Selina lovingly referring to each other as “Bat” and “Cat” would be as endearing as it is in the comics, as would the constant flirting between the two. With Bruce and Selina knowing each other so well, the characters referencing each others’ pasts and the more embarrassing moments from their long histories could be hilarious. The enduring debate over where they met would also be nice to see adapted.
Ultimately, whatever Batman game happens next needs to feel distinct from what Rocksteady has already done. Leaning more into modernBatman comicslikeZero Year,The War of Jokesand Riddles, orWhite Knightcould be one way to do that. Focusing on another Batman like Terry McGinnis or Dick Grayson could be another approach to shake things up, but if Bruce Wayne is used again, leaning more into his romance with Catwoman than ever before would be idea. Selina Kyle was a good secondary character in the Arkhamverse, but she was overshadowed by the Robins, so she deserves to be a major player in the nextBatmanvideo game.
