10 superheroes who deserve to star in their own AAA games

The previous couple console generations have seen really spectacular solo superhero video video games — however they largely all star Spider-Man or Batman.

Comedian books are so filled with partaking heroes, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe has confirmed that persons are keen to trip with lesser-known heroes. So I believe it’s about time extra superheroes get the starring highlight in video video games. We’ve seen superheroes pop up in crossover video games, just like the Injustice titles, or numerous Lego video games, however there are many comedian e book heroes who deserve to steer their very own AAA blockbuster video games, Marvel’s Spider-Man-style. Listed here are a number of with nice potential.

The Man With out Concern is having fairly the second after the latest success of Daredevil: Born Once more introduced the hero firmly again to the MCU in a starring position. He’s additionally had a number of years’ price of wonderful comedian e book runs, and is commonly thought to be probably the most persistently well-written Marvel hero. Although he’s popped up in a number of Marvel video games and his personal film tie-in recreation (again when these have been about the one superhero video games we acquired), he hasn’t led a AAA recreation but.

He nearly did, nonetheless; in 2023, a prototype surfaced of a 2004 beat ‘em up Daredevil recreation, Daredevil: The Man With out Concern, which you’ll be able to nonetheless discover on Hidden Palace. Sadly, it was cancelled, and Daredevil hasn’t headlined his personal recreation since. With the success of the Marvel’s Spider-Man and Batman: Arkham video games, a Daredevil recreation looks as if a no brainer; the character might simply lead a recreation that’s an amalgamation of Insomniac and Rocksteady’s franchises when it comes to these studios’ approaches to gameplay and storytelling. If a Daredevil recreation acquired greenlit in 2004, I’ve a tough time believing one couldn’t get the greenlight in 2025 after the growth in recognition for the character.

Inexperienced Arrow might not be probably the most bankable archer-themed superhero (that’s in all probability Hawkeye), however he’s developed a sustainable following. The 2010s CW sequence confirmed he generally is a main man sans any fellow Justice Leaguers flanking him, which means it’s time the emerald archer led his personal online game. His entire schtick would translate completely to a recreation; a bow and with a quiver filled with arrows is a private favourite weapon in video games, like in Tomb Raider and The Final of Us, and Oliver Queen’s in depth arsenal of trick arrows would open up many gameplay prospects. It’s straightforward to think about a mix of third-person taking pictures with melee fight, and his number of trick arrows can be excellent for puzzle fixing. Inexperienced Arrow’s backstory includes a stint stranded on an island, increase his abilities — the tutorial degree writes itself.

Most superhero video games are combat-focused — no surprises there. Brawling is what numerous heroes do greatest, in spite of everything. A recreation starring Jessica Jones, nonetheless, might add some selection to superhero titles. Whereas super-powered, Jones is a detective first, hero second. She’d be excellent to headline a deduction-based detective recreation.

Detective video games are available many kinds, from L.A. Noire to the lengthy listing of point-and-click mysteries. Some even star a duck. A Jessica Jones online game might meld deductive reasoning with some brawling mechanics to create a fascinating superhero/detective mash-up.

The Teenagers Titans endeared themselves to comedian e book followers of a sure age with their glorious 2000s Cartoon Community present. Since then, they’ve starred in a middling live-action present and a few animated movies, however they haven’t been entrance and heart in a online game in the best way they need to.

A Teen Titans recreation might work very equally to Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy with Robin/Nightwing because the participant character combating alongside Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven, and Starfire, with Robin directing them to make use of their abilities. One thing I loved about Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy was that it gave gamers the flexibility to make selections as Star Lord and affect his relationships with the opposite Guardians; this mechanic would work nicely in a Titans recreation. Plus they’re younger and don’t all the time see eye to eye — excellent for some type of friendship administration, like in Marvel’s Midnight Suns.

Hellboy truly just lately starred in an indie recreation, 2023’s Hellboy Net of Wyrd from Upstream Arcade. The roguelike beat ’em up remained devoted to Mike Mignola’s artwork model, however ever since his look as an Injustice 2 DLC character, I can’t assist however surprise what a Hellboy recreation may very well be like with a AAA price range.

A linear cinematic Hellboy journey would possibly really feel just like the rebooted God of Battle video games, a survival horror, and a detective recreation multi functional — Hellboy is a mystical investigator, in spite of everything. The paranormal parts and folklore inspiration can be key to a Hellboy online game and provides him the kind of antagonists you wouldn’t typically see in superhero video games. As a result of Hellboy was appearing as a BPRD agent because the early Fifties, a Hellboy recreation may very well be a interval piece set any time through the previous 70 years.

Aquaman has gone from a joke to a bonafide, billion-dollar hero. His appearances in DC comics because the New 52 run, together with Jason Momoa’s big-screen portrayal, have accomplished loads of work to show across the public notion of Atlantis’ king. However there’s one medium Aquaman hasn’t fairly conquered but.

Whereas he’s after all appeared in crossover video games like MultiVersus and Injustice, Aquaman hasn’t led a AAA recreation of his personal. The Injustice video games have already proven how nicely Aquaman’s trident-focused fight would work in a recreation. An Aquaman online game may very well be semi-open world, with the assorted kingdoms of Atlantis being separate maps; plus, he has no scarcity of antagonists to go up towards, like Ocean Grasp and Black Manta.

Jeff Lemire’s Black Hammer takes Spiral Metropolis’s best heroes and… chucks them on a farm? The Darkish Horse sequence explores the lives of a gaggle of superheroes who have been plucked from a battle towards a Darkseid-like massive unhealthy and thrown right into a Twilight Zone-esque small city, with seemingly no hope of escape. The sequence takes off from there, that includes some unbelievable plot twists and heartbreaking backstories for its heroes.

A Black Hammer recreation might actually work nicely as a farming sim and relationship administration recreation, simply with superheroes hiding their super-identities. An action-first strategy might additionally work nicely; each hero in Black Hammer was a famend superhero in Spiral Metropolis earlier than the occasions of the comedian, and a recreation might observe these exploits.

Whereas Invincible is Picture Comics’ most well-known superhero sequence, don’t be stunned if Radiant Black begins giving it a run for its cash. Began in 2021, Kyle Higgins’ sequence has spawned an interconnected universe of its personal, the Large-Verse, resulting in a number of spin-offs, crossovers, and an audiobook. Diving into the world of video video games subsequent solely appears pure.

Radiant Black’s powers would translate nicely to a recreation; he’s acquired the traditional tremendous energy in addition to gravity-related powers, like flying and telekinesis. Every of the Radiant heroes has a distinct set of distinctive skills, which means they’d all play in a different way if featured in a team-up recreation, like a Large-Verse small-scale model of Marvel Final: Alliance.

Whereas her extra common cousin has performed the baddie in video games like Injustice: Gods Amongst Us and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and starred within the notorious Superman 64, Kara Zor-El has solely just lately stepped into the highlight. She headlined her personal CW present and was the guts of Injustice 2’s story, along with her moveset making her one of many recreation’s greatest new additions.

With a Supergirl movie arriving subsequent summer season as a part of James Gunn’s DC Universe, possibly now could be the time to convey again the notorious film tie-in recreation (however make it good). The Milly Alcock-starring Supergirl: Lady of Tomorrow will adapt the Tom King-penned comedian sequence of the identical title, which might additionally make for a reasonably dope online game. It finds her and Krypto — one of the best boy — aiding a younger lady on a quest for revenge throughout the cosmos. As Kite Man would say, hell yeah.

When Monolith’s Marvel Lady recreation was introduced on the 2021 Recreation Awards, followers have been stoked. Lastly, one third of DC’s Trinity was set to star in her personal online game. Now, three and a half years later, not solely has Warner Bros. cancelled the sport, it shuttered Monolith Productions. Monolith was one of many extra modern studios round, having created Center-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of Battle’s much-loved Nemesis System. We have been all excited to see if and the way Monolith would incorporate the Nemesis System into its Marvel Lady recreation, and now its builders are on the lookout for work in an more and more risky business.

By way of the character, hopefully Princess Diana of Themyscira can nonetheless star in her personal AAA blockbuster down the street, as soon as Warner Bros. has figured its gaming division out. She’s definitely overdue for it.