So, for X-mas my best friend got me some awesome stuff, including Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters for the Wii. As a fan of all stuff G.L. I really enjoyed the game. Yeah, it’s a pedestrian game that’s pretty much an adequate side-scroller.
But I really loved how flight was incorporated in the game. It was sort of thrilling to take flight that first time. And the various uses of the ring were pretty cool as well. If it wasn’t a character that I loved and doing things I’ve always wanted to do the game probably wouldn’t have been as enjoyable, but because it was Hal Jordan using his ring I had a blast.
Playing Rise of the Manhunters got me thinking about what other video games based on comics would be possible. Obviously everyone loves the Batman/Arkham games. And Marvel Ultimate Alliance was critically acclaimed when it was released. I know that I played Ultimate Alliance based on a recommendation from my aforementioned friend and I was totally blown away.
So what if DC created an action RPG but build solely around the Legion of Super-Heroes? Honestly I think that a game like that not only has blockbuster potential but could be a breakout success that could launch the franchise into the upper echelon of the DC properties.
Wait, wait; don’t go anywhere! Hear me out.
If we use Marvel Ultimate Alliance as the standard of the superhero action RPG, I think you’ll see that the Legion of Super-Heroes matches up nicely.
First up you’ve got a diverse group of planets on which to base levels or missions on. Virtually every Legionnaire is from a different planet, which means that you’ve literally got dozens of world to choose from. Right off the top of my head some planets that would make for good missions would be Durla, Orando, Daxam, Lallor, Talok VIII, Takron-Galtos, Apokolips, Domiion and Khundia. And beyond that there’s an entire universe that could be explored.
Next up you’ve got a huge cast of villains that can be level bosses. The cool thing about the Legion is that, because the team is so large and powerful, for the most part the villains they face are large scale threats, which makes them perfectly suited to be bosses in a video game setting.
For instance on a level set on Daxam you’d probably draw from the Great Darkness Saga, which saw Darkseid put Daxam under a yellow sun, which gave the entire populace, controlled by Darkseid, the powers of Superman. How awesome would that level be? Fighting drones with the power of Superman only to work you way up to Darkseid?
Beyond that you’ve got The Fatal Five (who work well as a group and are individual threats), The Infinite Man, Universeo, Mordru, Starfinger and The Time Trapper. And again, that’s just off the top of my head.
Now in my mind I’d have a pretty cool twist that would reveal who the ultimate threat was, but I’ll keep that to myself on the off chance that DC or a video game company wants to hear my pitch.
After the villains you’ve got the heroes and like I said earlier the Legion has dozens of members, which means you’ve got a huge cast of characters to choose from in terms of playable characters and people who show up in the game.
And finally you’ve got the bonus stuff to prolong game-play and increase replay value. Again, using Marvel Ultimate Alliance as the standard I think the Legion matches up nicely.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance had the non-story related missions for characters that were fun to play and you were able to unlock more things by completing them. Legion of Super-Heroes could have a similar option where you explore the selected characters homeworld on a mission of a personal nature.
Additionally Ultimate Alliance allowed players the opportunity to unlock different costumes for playable characters with some of the costumes having different abilities. Now, given how many different versions of the Legion there have been, it seems like the costume option would be a natural fit, where your squad could consist of the “three-boot” Starboy, a 5YG Brainiac 5, Sensor and Ferro Lad. How cool would that be?!
Seriously, I’m getting excited just thinking about it.
And the beauty of it is that if the game designers just focus on creating an awesome game that will attract gamers it will be a success. The Legion fans will just be happy that the franchise is getting some time in the spotlight, but if diehard gamers get into it, they might try out the comic.
Of course I’m not entirely optimistic that something like this would ever happen. For some reason DC Entertainment seems content to squander their properties rather than promote them or utilize anything that’s not Superman or Batman. Honestly I’m still waiting on 100 Bullets video game.
But hey, I guy can dream can’t he?
Anyway, thanks for reading this week’s column. Now go and read some comics.
