10 Things All Superhero Games Can Learn From Batman: Arkham

3. Don€™t Give Sidekicks The Boot

Throughout the years superheroes have enjoyed a plethora of supporting characters, both super and not, and they definitely have their uses when it comes to gaming. Sidekicks and other supporting characters add a number of elements to a title, including new gameplay features and story opportunities alike. Even though Batman€™s iconic sidekick Robin was absent from Arkham Asylum, he encountered a colourful supporting cast including Barbara Gordon and her father, Commissioner Gordon. Whilst comics are inhabited by some of the most intriguing of personalities, it isn€™t always possible for them to carry a title on their own. Characters like Daredevil, Green Arrow, Spider-Man and Hellboy all have varied and captivating sets of supporting characters, who at times are even able to steal the spotlight away given the appropriate script. As briefly noted before, when playable these characters also present unique gameplay opportunities to the player - shaking up the formulae and alleviating potential boredom from repetition. Whilst previously these have been shoehorned into playable €˜re-skins,€™ hopefully developers begin to heed the lessons that Rocksteady provide and start constructing them from the ground up. Utilising new fighting styles, mission structures and weapons, a good supporting cast is invaluable to the enjoyment of a comic book video-game.