Superheroes have captivated audiences for decades, from the pages of classic comic books to the modern-day silver screen adaptations. Due to their larger-than-life abilities, it's no wonder so many Marvel and DC superheroes have been a perfect fit for the realm of video games. Gaming allows players to live out their imagination, and pull off amazing feats otherwise impossible in reality.
DC Comics in particular could be argued to have paved the way for the surge of recent high-quality superhero games. The Batman: Arkham franchise has received critical acclaim for its faithful depiction of the Dark Knight in digital form. Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is also on the horizon from the same studio, but there are plenty of other comic book characters worthy of big-budget video games. Green Lantern, thanks to his seemingly limitless power to construct weapons and cosmic roots, would make for a great action game.
The Power of Will
Superman can leap tall buildings in a single bound. Batman is the world's greatest detective. Green Lantern is limited only by what he can imagine in his mind. The beloved DC hero draws his power from a magical ring able to channel the thoughts of its bearer and create physical constructs out of thin air. If the user requires a shield as protection, or a rope to tangle up enemies, the ring is able to do so. While Ryan Reynolds' 2011 Green Lantern film may be mediocre overall, it did a decent job of depicting what the ring's power could do.
With a skill set like this, Green Lantern seems like a perfect fit for the action genre alongside titles like Bayonetta and Devil May Cry. The aformentioned 2011 film had a tie-in game, and this God of War clone was on the right track by placing the character in a hack-and-slash experience. All the title needed was more polish, and a development team with the right vision to match Rocksteady and Batman: Arkham, or Insomniac and Marvel's Spider-Man.
Titles such as Bayonetta rely on over-the-top set pieces, dizzying combo attacks, and acquiring flashy power-ups. Green Lantern battles intergalactic aliens on distant planets, and his ability to create any items or weapons at will could lead to sensational combo attacks. Furthermore, as the game progresses, players could unlock even bigger attacks and possibly be given the option to customize what constructs are linked together, almost like choosing a loadout in Call of Duty: Warzone.
Green Lantern's Visual Flair
Having fun combat mechanics is one thing, but the action genre also requires moves to look cool at the same time. Of the many DC superheroes, Green Lantern may be among the most visually appealing of the bunch. The way in which Green Lantern's constructs materialize out of nowhere can make for a mystifying effect if done properly, especially combined with constant green energy particles flowing around his suit.
However, Green Lantern himself is one character, and while visually interesting he cannot carry an entire game's sense of style. Thankfully, Green Lantern serves as a galactic police officer, constantly travelling across new and strange galaxies. Much like the character's powers, these new planets' atmosphere will only be limited by the imaginations of the developers. Similar to the planets in the Star Wars franchise, these can have different climates, geographical layouts, and color schemes. The weirder the better in making environments stand out, and Green Lantern brings tons of options to the table.
There are many other elements to consider when developing a game, but when it comes to style and substance, Green Lantern is a well-rounded character to adapt. The unlimited potential of moves that can be programmed around the ring's powers, as well as the vibrant and colorful worlds of the DC universe already fill two key elements in delivering a fun, engaging action game.