Taking a break from mowing down lamp posts in L.A. Noire to talk about Gotham City Impostors. Though I probably shouldn't be too long since none of the criminals will be safe to murder and pillage without ol' flatfoot Monty on the beat.
So. Gotham City Impostors. The Batman themed FPS. When I saw the announcement for this First Person Shooter on Facebook earlier this week, I was as befuddled as the folks over at Comics Alliance. Batman famously dislikes firearms. And what is a first person shooter if not a pyrotechnic celebration of projectile weapons and specialized ammo? Sure, Rick Remender let us kick dudes in Bulletstorm, and he even gave us a magic lasso. But even if the last FPS you played was booted from DOS, you know that the progression and drama centers on finding or upgrading to the biggest and most ridiculous gun. This is the genesis of Cable. It is literally why he exists. So, where does Batman fit in the world of FPS?
Well, developer Monolith Productions sidesteps the "no guns" rule by supplying you with one special gun and a single, arduous, metaphysical boss battle with Darkseid, leading to a bonus Turtles in Time style side-scroller removing Batman from the equation entirely. In Gotham City Impostors, you build your own costumed vigilante or gangster and join the motley ranks of "Bats" and "Jokers" running amok through the streets of Gotham. Gordon is going to be pissed. It's a little like Schumacher's Batman flicks, minus the black light paint.
Though there's always DLC, isn't there?
While this has the potential for big fun–and there's certainly no escaping the fact that Batman: Arkham Asylum and its forthcoming sequel have changed the game for comic inspired video…games–there's a wealth of DCU material to be drawn upon, far more appropriate to the FPS genre.
Just as a for instance:
5. Suicide Squad
As of last summer, a Suicide Squad game was somewhere in the development process. If any ragtag team was born to star in their own team combat game, it's these guys and girls. Unlockable characters? Captain Cold and Red Tape Action Amanda Waller!
4. Sgt. Rock and Easy Company
WWII shooters are so popular, they've almost become a dime a dozen. To stand out from the pack, you need a new character-centric angle. Enter the biggest and baddest hero on the European front.
3. Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War
This one's a no-brainer. Kilowog with the heavy artillery? John Stewart with the sniper rifle? Hal with the…fly swatter.
2. Jonah Hex: The Six Gun War
"The Six Gun War" arc of Palmiotti and Gray's Jonah Hex is proof of concept for a nasty, gnarly shoot 'em up epic, perfect for the FPS treatment. Red Dead Redemption threw down the gauntlet for westerns, and DC has a leg up in the stirrups with a rich cast of cowboy characters like Hex, Bat Lash, El Papagayo, Tallulah Black, and El Diablo. Forget the movie. This is where Hex could truly shine.
1. Kamandi
Thematically, Kamandi could function as Turok meets Fallout. The last boy on earth navigates a ruined landscape beset by anthropomorphic beast tribes. Jungle warfare. Urban warfare. Dirigible warfare.
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Weirdly, I bought the first 5 issues of John Ostrander’s Suicide Squad today…
cant wait for the fps batarangs. they can base thisfps in the very early batman or the year 2 batman by mike barr.
As mentioned above, you don’t play as Batman. You play as Batman and Joker wannabes.
This really makes no sense, but I hope it’s fun.
they made a game based on the “we just wanted to help” fat guys in the fake batsuits from DKR. rad! haha
I vote for Enemy Ace as well.
Jonah Hex FPS: YES. PLEASE.
I think a Green Arrow shooter could work, although not in a traditional CoD type thing I guess. Maybe with different types of arrow and Mirror’s Edge style free-running gameplay! Yes. Developers, get on it.
Haunted Tank could be fun.
My initial reaction to the announcement of this game is that it sounds really stupid. But in my maturity, I’m going to give the people involved the benefit of the doubt and wait until we see gameplay.
Overall, I’m disappointed in the setting. Why not just makea goofy FPS that has nothing to do with Gotham? Also, is WB going to give them license to make a violent to semi-violent game or will confetti explode when each bullet connects? Its just an odd FPS choice.
The Imposters story arc ran in Detective 867-870. That must be what this is based on. Cool concept, but there were some bumps in the execution of the comic. Could make for a good game though, we’ll have to see. Multiplayer could be awesome.
Weird premise, but if executed right I’ll play it.
This is one of those games where I wish Blockbuster/Hollywood Video was still around. Cause I wouldn’t buy this game even if it was great. (Sorry that’s an opinion I have on most video games now a days)
Yes! A non-mmo where you get to build your own character!!! I might actually invest in a console!… and a TV set for that matter.
Seriously, I don’t own a TV.
A GL FPS could be very interesting.
oh the ryan sook art on Kamandi is beautiful.
The art style is reminiscent of Team Fortress 2. Again, I’m missing the need for the Batman verse to make this interesting.
@Neb There isn’t a need to make it interesting, there is a need to make profitable.
Kamandi! Yeah!
How about just a good Superman game?
I would definitely play Suicide Squad, Sgt. Rock, or Kamandi. Those would be great games.
YOU FORGOT HITMAN!
/end caps lock.
I think i have cracked the code: Gun + DC character = awesome first person shooter
and i don’t necessarily disagree
@JNewcomb A good point, but in an industry where games with good design and gameplay sell big, regardless of an attached property, it just seems unnecessary. Oh well. For all I know, I’ll be playing this when it releases.
Wow. I didn’t realize how much I’d enjoy a (good) Kamandi game until now.
If that Suicide Squad video game never actually happens, I hope you can somehow unlock Deadshot as a playable character in Gotham City Imposters. It’d be great to just run around, taking out both sides without a care in the world.
Thesis statement: Deadshot is awesome.