10 Things All Superhero Games Can Learn From Batman: Arkham
6. Make It Stylish
The Arkham games stylistic use of the Unreal engine makes for a look unmistakably 'Batman' in nature. Pale greens cross with dark greys and moody blues to create a colour palette that adds to the overall ambience of the story. Not only does it make the game look gorgeous, but it fits the atmosphere superbly and adds to the feeling of being an inhabitant of Gotham City. These noir-esque tones wont suit every character, but it goes to show what having a clear visual style can do to elevate a game. Both Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk have received highly-stylised titles with a cel-shaded look in Ultimate Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction - a great element of two very fondly remembered superhero games. Not only does a unique art-style add visual flare to a title, but it also presents bold opportunities to explore the rich settings that comic-book characters often inhabit. Raven Softwares X-Men: Legends and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance series are both great examples of titles mining much of the creative wealth that is presented with a comic-book adaption - the latter especially. DC and Marvels universes dont just solely take place on earth, but also across plains of parallel dimensions and galaxies, and with the graphical update that current-gen consoles now provide us the potential for visual dynamite has never been greater.
