The world of DC has been riding high in the video game world for quite some time now. The Batman: Arkham games revitalized the superhero game genre past simple movie tie-ins, and now that the series has concluded, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is shifting focus to characters other than the caped crusader. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is the biggest indication of this branching out. Now that the Justice League is being brought into the Arkhamverse, it opens up a lot of possibilities for other League members, like Green Lantern, to get solo games in the future.
The Justice League is a rather expansive team at times, but one of its most consistent members is Green Lantern. The Green Lanterns are gifted with a number of abilities thanks to their power rings, most notably the ability to create constructs out of pure light. The strength of these constructs is determined by the user's willpower, and the range of what a Lantern can create is only bound by their imagination. These powers have been seen in games like the Injustice series, but there's even more potential for Green Lantern, and the other Lantern Corps, to be adapted into their own dedicated games.
Batman Arkham Inspiration
The success of the Batman: Arkham games was based in rich storytelling and satisfying gameplay, and the same could be done for a Green Lantern solo venture. Just like how Batman has a wide array of gadgets at his disposal, Lanterns are able to create any kind of weapon or tool that they may need for a given situation. Hal Jordan in particular tends to lean towards military weapons due to his Air Force background, and getting to summon these constructs in combat would have to potential to be visually stunning and fun to use.
Story-wise, a Green Lantern game could go in several different directions. There have been numerous Green Lanterns from Earth in the comics, most notably Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner. A singleplayer Green Lantern game could focus on any one of these characters, or even turn into a series that gives each hero their own game. Much like how the Batman: Arkham games got progressively bigger, a Green Lantern series could start on a semi-small scale with players controlling Hal Jordan in Coast City. Then, later games could expand to the reaches of space and allow players to patrol worlds across the galaxy.
Although he may not get as much attention as other Justice League members, the history of Green Lantern reaches about as far back as that of Batman and Superman. The character was very different in the Golden Age of comics, as he was less of an interstellar cop and had a strange weakness to wood. Part of the charm of the Batman: Arkham games was how much it drew from Batman's comic history, as each game was littered with easter eggs and references. A Green Lantern game would have almost just as much material to draw from, and could bring in elements from popular storylines like Blackest Night and Emerald Twilight.
MMORPG Potential
While the Green Lanterns may be the most well-known, there is a literal rainbow of other Lanterns that make up the "Emotional Spectrum" as it's known in the comics. As the name implies, each of these Lanterns is associated with a different emotion, and their powers manifest differently as a result. Red, Orange, and Yellow Lanterns harness the powers of rage, greed, and fear respectively, and are most often the antagonists of many stories. Meanwhile, Green, Blue, and Indigo Lanterns use willpower, hope, and compassion in that order.
This wide variety of characters would not only open itself up for a standalone Green Lantern game, but it could also have the potential for a whole MMORPG where players get to create their own Lantern and decide which Corps they'd like to join. Players would have the option to choose from hero or villain Lanterns, and each color could give players a unique story experience. Each Lantern color could also have its own unique skill trees. For example, Red Lanterns could have a greater focus on dealing damage due to their rage, and Indigo Lanterns could focus on healing with their powers of compassion.
In addition to the RPG elements of a Green Lantern MMORPG, a game in this style could give fans a chance to explore some of the many planets that have featured in the comics. It would likely be reminiscent of the planet exploration in a game like Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Depending on which Lantern Corps players choose, they could start in the Green Lantern headquarters of Oa or the Yellow Lantern headquarters of Qward. Then as players progress, they could venture further into the galaxy and even visit Earth to interact with other DC heroes. As is customary in most MMORPG games, some of these regions could even be dedicated to PvP arenas where players can duke it out to see which Lantern Corps is best.
Not much has been revealed about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League other than the four main characters and some general plot details. However, the game's centering on the Justice League could pave the way for future solo titles. The creativity around Green Lantern's character, in addition to the expansiveness of the Corps would give a solo Green Lantern game a lot of potential. If a Green Lantern game set in the Arkhamverse does end up getting developed, Rocksteady has already proved that it knows how to make a stellar superhero game. Fans will just have to stay patient until they can finally wield their own power rings.