As the games industry continues to be subject to constant superhero offerings, fans are theorizing about which iconic characters will get their own AAA gaming experience. As Sony-owned Insomniac shoulders the huge Marvel name with Spider-Man and an upcoming Wolverine project, DC has a lot of catching up to do. Superman is the greatest hero of them all, but has had a less-than-desirable relationship with gaming, and fans of the character are left wondering if there will ever be a title worthy of his lofty reputation. There are plenty of developers up to the task but one in particular, Deck Nine, wold be the most suited of all.

With the release of Life is Strange: True Colors in 2021 wielding strong critical acclaim, Deck Nine is on the rise as one of the best narrative-focused companies in video games. A heavy emphasis on character development and storytelling has given it the ability to craft memorable tales littered with intriguing and lovable personalities. Superman is far more layered than most give him credit for, but with a litany of powers and skin that's diamond-hard, it's hard to present him with any kind of physical challenge.

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The Problem with Superman in Gaming

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Superman typically has control over what happens in any given fight. The laundry list of abilities he possesses means it's hard to craft villains that pose a serious threat, so when games like Superman Returns and Superman: Shadow of Apokolips present the character in an action heavy title, it's a challenge to make the game feel accurate to Superman's history. In particular, flight is a huge obstacle to overcome as it's so very difficult to make the ability an engaging and challenging way to get around an open-world.

Unlike the glory of web-slinging in Spider-Man or gliding through the dingy streets of the titular Arkham City in Rocksteady's crowning Batman game, flying can stuggle as a game mechanic, as Anthem proved when it released to mixed reviews. It is, however, an essential component of Superman's skill set, so naturally if the next Superman game utilizes an open world it will be the obvious way to get around. Developing a game to cater to Superman's endlessly overpowered abilities is a near-impossible feat, so when looking to bring the Man of Steel to the video game sphere, it's perhaps best to shine a light on who he is, rather than what he can do.

Deck Nine is Perfect for Superman

Alex Chen, the protagonist of Life is Strange: True Colors holding a guitar in an emotional scene

Despite never crafting an open world, Deck Nine has the necessary background to give Superman the video game experience he deserves. So many people look at Superman and see a list of powers rather than the complex, multifaceted man that Clark Kent has grown to be since his 1938 beginnings. In gaming, it's easy to slip into the mindset that abilities are more important than character development, but as Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy and Peter Parker in Spider-Man prove, the opposite can be true. Superman's best side has never been truly explored in AAA games, but Deck Nine is in a prime position to capture it.

In games like Injustice: Gods Among Us and more recently Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Superman is portrayed as the villain. This philosophy robs Superman of who he is, which is the most critical component of his prolonged success. Deck Nine's uncanny ability to create and nurture fantastic characters like Chloe Price and Alex Chen is perfect for Superman, who lives by the morals instilled in him by long hours on the farm, good friends at Smallville High, and parents who raised him the right way. Placing action in the background to make way for a great, intimate story following Clark's struggles with a superheroic lifestyle or his budding relationship with Lois Lane would wipe away the pressure to make a worthy open world.

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Superman Needs to Enter the Superhero Genre of Games

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With less popular heroes receiving games, Superman's absence is increasingly obvious. His legacy and reputation is known to those who have never picked up one of the thousands of DC Comics, and as today's superhero era shows no signs of stopping, he simply must be the subject of his own game, especially since the last Superman-centric title released 16 years ago. In 2022 it's a glaring omission, but it's clear that an alternative approach is needed with a character who has so many abilities in his arsenal.

In reality, Superman games may struggle to be anywhere close to the quality of Insomniac's Spider-Man, not least because it's fun to simply move around in the gorgeous New York City skyline. Crafting a similar game or one with a like-minded philosophy is a losing battle, but as Guardians of the Galaxy's linearity proved, there's more to the genre than just open-world settings and endless side quests. Superman is a good enough character to carry his own story in a video game, and Deck Nine would be the obvious choice to tell the story of a fundamentally good, yet flawed person who has to figure out how to stay in control of his unusual powers.

Deck Nine is On the Rise

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Since switching its focus to narrative-driven games and changing its name to from Idol Minds to Deck Nine in 2017, the developer hasn't had time to take over the industry. Aside from a remastered collection of the original Life is Strange and a game based on the TV series The Expanse in collaboration with Telltale Games, the company has only built a pair of titles from the ground up lately. Both Life is Strange: Before the Storm and Life is Strange: True Colors are excellent, character-focused dramas, each providing an engaging series of events with unpredictable twists and memorable story moments.

The latter was the closest the developer has been to true mainstream success, as it was nominated for Best Narrative at the 2021 Game Awards and won the award for Games for Impact. Deck Nine is ready to find a wider audience, and though it has previously crafted its own characters, setting, and lore, a Superman project would do well to bring fresh eyes to a company that has proven that it's more than capable of the monumental challenge.

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