Part of the allure of superpowers rests not in the exploits of fictional do-gooders, but in imagining how they might play out in real life. Every child, at some point in their lives, will have donned a makeshift cape and pretended to be Superman.
As such, videogames are theoretically a perfect outlet for this kind of dreaming, however this has mostly not been the case, with (arguably) only developer Rocksteady’s Arkham series enjoying any popular success.
However, in the latest advertisement for the next entry in the series ‘Arkham Knight’, this trend is reversed with the tagline “be the Batman”. Throughout the ad, various examples are shown of situations in which being Batman could potentially be advantageous, some of which are a little nonsensical.
The first is an obvious homage to the famous scene in which the Dark Crusader’s parents were brutally murdered, with a man trapped in an dark alley, pinned between various ne’er do-wells. The second scene involves thugs picking on an old man in the subway, while bystanders look on sullenly. In both of these situations, martial arts would be of obvious use.
Other scenes, such as saving screaming citizens from a burning building, have a somewhat more tenuous connection, but still fit in. However, according to the ad, being Batman is apparently also of great use during Basketball (although to be fair “because I’m BATMAN” could be cited as evidence in this matter, despite a general lack of spectacular dunks).
Although this advertisement could be criticized as inciting vigilantism, especially with its heavy of of Miller’s aesthetics and tone, this is nonetheless an excellent excuse to get excited for what will likely be a strong contender for game of the year.
In what area of life would being ‘the Batman’ aid significantly? Let us know in the comments below.
Further reading: Batman, Batman Arkham Knight, Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox One
