The Batman Game Still Didn't Get The Dark Knight's Cape Rights

The Batman games make clever use of the Dark Knight's cape, but this iconic fashion accessory is much more than a simple glider.

While games like Gotham Knights and the Batman: Arkham series managed to capture what it was like to be the Dark Knight, those games failed to create a believable and authentic cape. The Caped Crusader is known for its long, flowing cloak, which adds to the mysticism and intimidating presence of the master vigilante. Batman's cape plays a key role in various video games, but its true grandeur has yet to translate into an interactive experience.

Batman: Arkham games puts a lot of emphasis on the Dark Knight's cape, as he uses it as a glider to efficiently traverse each game's open-world Gotham City. The original Arkham Asylum featured a basic gliding system where the player simply flew down from a vantage point to lower terrain. Arkham City and subsequent games included a more powerful glide system, with Batman repeatedly swooping and pulling back to maintain altitude while exploring the open world environment. Although not starring Batman himself, the recent Gotham Knights used a similar gliding system for Batgirl and her cape. While incorporating capes into gameplay is great, a Batman game could take the Dark Knight's signature accessory even further.

Batman Games Never Do The Cape Justice

Although previous Batman games gave his cape utility Purpose, they haven't really captured the cool and intimidating use of capes yet. In the pages of DC Comics, capes often take on interesting shapes, adding to the atmosphere of the caped crusader's crime-fighting adventures. When Batman fights the best Batman: Arkham villains, his cape trails behind him, but in the comics, when he leaps into battle, his cape usually takes the form of his own iconic badge . It's a warning to criminals, stirring fear in the seconds before the Dark Knight pounces on them. Batman also wraps the cape around his torso when resting, giving him an otherworldly or majestic appearance.

Batman Games Should Make The Cape Dynamic & Intimidating

In addition to the popular glider-travel mechanic, future Batman games could utilize the Dark Knight's cape to add atmosphere to the experience. Leaping up, the cape with the Batman logo is visible, adding a dynamic and exciting element to the start of the fight. Standing still, the hero can also pull the cloak over his body, embodying a genius detective lost in thought or ready for danger. In a potential Batman: Arkham or Gotham Knight sequel, the cape could even be manually controlled by the player, with the push of a button Does Batman let it hang from his shoulders, wrap around himself, or let it drag on the ground.

The Batman: Arkham games offered a much-loved and authentic version of the Dark Knight, but the game failed to properly utilize the hero's stylish and vibrant cape. Sliding through Gotham is a great practical use for a fashion accessory, but it can also be used to terrorize criminals before a fight and add an air of mystery to the world's greatest detective. Some fans feel that the Batman games don't get Batman right, and the same goes for the hero's cape. While the Gotham Knights and Batman: Arkham series emphasized the physics and practical purpose of the hero's cape, future games could make it an even more important part of Batman's arsenal.

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