Summary
The world ofDCis known for its visually striking characters, from Superman to Blue Beetle. As a result, video games set in the DC multiverse have provided gamers with distinct looks for their superheroes and villains, but certain titles go even further with the ability to customize.
Whether it is through alternate skins or a proper gear system, being able to change the looks of a DC character allows players to express themselves. They could show their love for the comics with costumes inspired by them or go completely wild, as some games can allow gamers to design a character from head to toe.
In the long line of games,Batman: Arkham Cityis commonly regarded as the best in the series. However, in terms of customization, it offers the minimal with a handful of costumes. It’s nice to have the option for some new looks for Batman and Catwoman,including comic book-accurate onesfor DC fans.
The only other form of customization inBatman: Arkham Cityis being able to upgrade Batman in any order the player wishes. It’s a linear upgrade system, but it’s a nice option for those who would rather dump all of their points into health and armor immediately or focus on combat abilities.
Batman: Arkham Originsis a step up from its predecessors with costumes that range from iconic to over-the-top in design. Playing with the different skins throughthe winter-set version of Gotham Cityadds an extra layer of flavor to the game, especially ones such as theBatman: Noelsuit.
The only downside is that alternate suits are only available to players inBatman: Arkham Originswhen the story is complete or in the Challenge Maps. The other playable character, Deathstroke, has a few alternate costumes worth trying out as well, such as the promotional skin forInjustice: Gods Among Us.
Thanks to DLC,Injustice: Gods Among Usgives its characters a variety of skins to enjoy, similar to how the developers did with theMortal Kombatgames. It’s as simple as it can get, with classic looks for characters from the comics, new original designs by Netherrealm Studios, and even a few movie-based looks including Superman and Zod fromMan Of Steel.
The customization is no more advanced than that, but the options are still appreciated. However, certain characters have more skins than others, such as Batman and The Flash having over five alternate options,while the likes of Batgirlare reduced to one or two skins at the most, which can be disappointing for some.
As controversial asSuicide Squad: Kill The Justice Leaguewas, it did still feature Rocksteady Studios' eye for the visuals, especially when it came to the characters. It marked the first time the Arkhamverse allowed more than skin swapping, with different heads and bodies to swapbetween characters like Harley Quinn, similar to the customization inBorderlandsgames.
There are options to unlock throughout the main story and its DLC chapters, but there are even more through the Battle Pass system. Thankfully, none of the Battle Passes expire, so they can be purchased and beaten at any point, which is considered a far more generous option compared to many other live-service titles for those who don’t wish to constantly grind for the experience.
With four characters to play, Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin, and Red Hood,Gotham Knightshas a variety of skins to unlock through various challenges and missions throughout the open-world journey. However, rather than a simple costume swap,every skin inGotham Knightsfeatures three variations of masks, symbols, gloves, and boots to swap between for diversity.
Alongside the costumes,Gotham Knightsalso features melee and ranged weapons for stat increases, elemental damage, and various resistance. So, if someone enjoys the design of the Eternal skins but would prefer a pink aesthetic, that option is available. However, some options take some time to unlock, including completing the DLC expansions.
Most games would make iconic DC characters like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman the stars, butDC Universe Onlineis all about living their inner superhero fantasy. They create their original character to be trained by famous heroes or villains inan MMORPG for solo or co-op playset in an apocalyptic version of the DC world.
From the start, there are options for flight, super strength, fire, ice, nature, magic, light, and various others to give the character to upgrade throughout their MMO adventure. In terms of looks, there are basic options, but as a player advances, they are rewarded with gear to enhance their looks as well as stats.
While Rocksteady could have made fans even happier to end the originalBatman: Arkhamtrilogy with the chance to create their own Batsuit inBatman: Arkham Knight, the large number of skins given to players is nice to experiment with. They range from original designs by Rocksteady to suits lifted directly from famous Batman comics from his decades' worth of history.
Players on PC are even more fortunate,as mods for new suits are easy to downloadand install, allowing for adding fan-favorite suits that some felt were missing or even improved on certain suits. Additionally, there is even more freedom than inArkham Cityin how Batman can be upgraded in the main story and New Game Plus mode.
Whilevillains such as Joker and Lex Luthorare still playable,LEGO DC Super-Villainsfeatures an original main character that the player can build from scratch, using pieces of any character found throughout the game. They can choose their look, powers, weapons, and more to create the best-rising supervillain to go against the worst DC villains in the form of the Crime Syndicate.
There is a sense of freedom in character creation, essentially becoming the closest thing to a player’s fan fiction character brought to life aside fromDC Universe Online. There are options for tech-based characters with gadgets and weapons, but if someone wants to add super strength or throw flames out of their hands, that is also viable.
With heroes, villains, anti-villains, heroes turned villains, and villains turned heroes,Injustice 2has one of the most diverse rosters in DC video game history. To go along with sucha roster filled with powerful characters, the developers at Netherrealm Studios gave fans the chance to grind and collect thousands of gear items to create their ideal superhero or villain from head to toe.
If someone wants Batman to look straight out of a cyberpunk future, that is possible, and the same can be said for making The Flash look like the mystical messenger of the gods. The gear even has stats for those who want to go deep in creating the perfect loadout for the many Multiverse battles, which provides even more gear as rewards.
