DC Entertainment: A Year in Review – Part 4 [Video Games]

2013 was a particularly monumental year for DC Entertainment. A movie universe featuring its iconic characters is finally moving forward, while a number of new television shows were announced. As usual, animated adaptations for both film and TV were unveiled, and a slew of video games were released. The following is the fourth and final part of my review of all the DC news from this year. It will cover all the video news from DC Entertainment that hit in 2013.

Arguably the biggest DC game released this year was Injustice: Gods Among Us, a fighting game from Mortal Kombat creators NetherRealm. Set in an alternate reality, the story pits various DC characters against each other. Playable characters include heroes Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Nightwing and more; villains include Lex Luthor, Joker, Deathstroke, Harley Quinn, Solomon Grundy and others. Downloadable characters include Lobo, General Zod, Batgirl, Zatanna, and Mortal Kombat‘s Scorpion. Injustice: Gods Among Us is available on Playstation 3 + 4, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Playstation Vita, Wii U, iOS and Android. An Ultimate Edition was released last month.

The other big DC video game in 2013 is Batman: Arkham Origins, a prequel to the highly acclaimed Arkham Asylum and Arkham City titles. This new title sees a younger Caped Crusader face off against a slew of assassins such as Deathstroke, Deadshot, Bane and Killer Croc, who are hired to take down the Batman on Christmas Eve. The game was well-received, though not as well as its predecessors. The fact that Rocksteady did not return to work on it may have something to do with it. Batman: Arkham Origins is available for Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U and Microsoft Windows. A spin-off game was released for iOS, while the companion title Arkham Origins Blackgate is available for Nintendo 3DS and Playstation Vita.

Meanwhile, Rocksteady is reportedly still developing a third title in the main series. Kevin Conroy said at Dallas Comic-Con in May that he was working on another Arkham game, which many believed to be Arkham Origins. However, it was later confirmed that Roger Craig Smith would be voicing Batman in that game. So, it sounds like Conroy may be involved with an unannounced title. It was reported that 2014 would see the release of a Silver Age prequel from Rocksteady, covering Batman’s first meeting with the Joker and his teaming up with members of the Justice League. However, it would be odd to release a prequel so soon after another one. More recently, an unsubstantiated rumor suggests that the game, titled Batman: Arkham Knight, will be released next holiday season for Playstation 4 and Xbox One. An Arkham announcement is expected to be made tomorrow, but it’s more likely that it’s for an Arkham Origins DLC than the next game. Still, hopefully we’ll receive official news soon.

2013 also saw the announcement of Infinite Crisis, a free-to-play MOBA that focuses on the DC Multiverse. The game was developed by Turbine, and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Closed beta testing began last May. More details can be found by clicking HERE.

Additionally, TellTale Games released the first episode of its Fables adaptation, The Wolf Among Us. The episodic game is canon to the comic book continuity, and is set 30 years before the events of the first issue in the Bill Willingham-written series. The first episode, “Faith”, is available for Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, OS X, iOS and Playstation Vita. Five episodes are planned, with the second (titled “Smoke and Mirrors”) expected to hit in early 2014.

After a few delays, Young Justice: Legacy was released in November. The game takes place within the five year gap of the two seasons in the animated series, and features playable characters such as Robin, Nightwing, Superboy, Kid Flash, Zatanna, Miss Martian and others. The title is available for Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Nintendo 3DS. Finally, an iOS tie-in game for Man of Steel was released. The game sees Superman battling the likes of General Zod and Faora.

The final major DC game of 2013 is Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure. It’s the fifth title in the Scribblenauts series, using DC characters and backgrounds for its expected puzzle-solving gameplay. It is available for Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and Microsoft Windows.

Thanks to all who have been following this lengthy review of 2013 DC Entertainment news. Have a happy new year, as plenty of more DC news will be released!