The Top 5 Greatest Superhero Games I’ve Ever Played

Throughout gaming history, numerous video game adaptations of popular superheroes have been created. While there are unfortunately many subpar adaptations in recent memory (such as Spider-Man 2, as sad as it is to admit), there are many superhero games that I’ve played that range from good to great. Today, I would like to discuss the 5 superhero games that I consider to be excellent and essential for any gaming/superhero fan.

HONORABLE MENTION: INFAMOUS

Admittedly, I did not play a lot of the Infamous series, which lends to it being an honorable mention on my list. However, I found what I DID play to be extremely enjoyable. Throughout the original PS3 entries, players control deliveryman Cole MacGrath. He eventually gains electricity-based powers through a freak accident from a dubious package delivery. This accident activates his “conduit gene”, which grants him the power to absorb electrical currents. This is the main fuel for his powers, such as lightning bolts and shockwaves. While the gameplay and traversal are staples of the series, I also really enjoyed the hero/villain karma system used throughout the games. While it is not as fleshed out as RDR2’s morality system, it adds some depth to the game by adding multiple endings.

NUMBER 5: MARVEL’S GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

This game came as a shock to almost everyone, especially after the underwhelming and underperforming live-service catastrophe that was 2020’s Marvel’s Avengers. Ultimately, GOTG was well-received due to not following the trends that Avengers suffered from. Unlike Avengers, GOTG was a linear single-player game with a focus on the gameplay of Peter Quill/Star-Lord. Some may think that Peter’s blaster-oriented gameplay would become stale throughout the game’s story. However, Quill has a decent amount of depth to his gameplay. Throughout the game, you unlock four main blaster abilities, as well as different elemental blaster shots and jet boots for mobility.

Additionally, the other Guardians were also wisely implemented in the game. While they are not playable, Quill has the ability to command them to utilize their own special abilities during combat (four for each Guardian). The game does a great job of making the player feel like they are strategizing the team’s victories. In terms of cosmetics, all five Guardians also have a significant number of collectible outfits spread throughout the game’s levels. In most cases, the outfits consist of “deep cut” references to previous comic appearances. My only minor nitpick for the game is the lack of a memorable soundtrack. While it is by no means a perfect game, I am glad that GOTG was still a surprising and enjoyable entry in a game series about one of my favorite Marvel teams.

NUMBER 4: INJUSTICE

It is common for this series to be seen as “baby’s first fighting game”. This might be true, as I am generally inexperienced with fighting games. However, I definitely enjoyed the gameplay of the original Injustice, as well as its Campaign mode (so much so that I actually now own the comic omnibus version of the story!). The game certainly has its flaws, especially with the balancing of certain characters and the sometimes overpowered interactables. However, I still found my overall experience with the game enjoyable. While Injustice is not for everyone, I personally believe it is great for casual fighting game fans such as myself. While the more popular option for a superhero fighting game might have been one of the Marvel Vs. Capcom games (especially 2 among more competitive audiences), I have little experience with the series, so I lack a true opinion on it.

NUMBER 3: INSOMNIAC’S SPIDER-MAN/MILES MORALES

These games are personally very close in levels of enjoyment to me, so I decided to include them both at this spot. There’s not much to really introduce about Spider-Man or the Insomniac games, as they are extremely popular among gamers and comic fans alike (and for good reason). Insomniac truly nailed the gameplay of both Peter and Miles in their respective games, delivering the quintessential Spider-Man experiences for both of their personalities.

It could be argued that Spider-Man 2 made the gameplay structure even better for both characters. Unfortunately, the game’s middling story holds the game back from making it on this list. On the other hand, I definitely enjoyed the stories of both Spider-Man 2018 and Miles. Because of these well-written stories, along with Insomniac’s well-designed combat and traversal, both games come highly recommended for those who haven’t played them yet.

NUMBER 2: LEGO BATMAN 2 OR LEGO MARVEL SUPERHEROES

This was another toss-up due to both games being excellent at representing their respective properties. While Lego Batman 3 tried to diversify the franchise roster even more than 2, it unfortunately missed the mark with bland and bloated space levels, as well as a lack of an open world. Conversely, LB2 was so successful due to its well-detailed and designed Gotham open world, paired with memorable levels and signature Lego humor (as well as the series’s first attempt at voicelines, which I find to be charming throughout the game).

As for Marvel Superheroes, the game’s main strengths are a diverse roster (even including the X-Men and F4, which were unfortunately missing in MSH2), a great open-world, a decent storyline with a great final boss (no spoilers!), a multitude of different superpower types, and some excellent bonus levels (The Deadpool missions are my personal favorite!). In my opinion, you cannot go wrong by playing either of these games, as they both hold up extremely well to this day. Even if you’re not a fan of the Lego games or even Legos in general, I suggest you give at least one of these games a try.

NUMBER 1: BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY

I’m sure this comes as a surprise to absolutely no one. Even 14 years after its release, Arkham City is generally considered the undisputed king of superhero games, and for good reason. The voice acting (especially from Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill as Batman and the Joker respectively) is consistently excellent and fits in perfectly with their portrayals from the Animated Series. In fact, City (like Asylum and Knight) also takes heavy inspiration in tone and atmosphere from the show, which gives City the dark and gritty backdrop of Gotham it deserves.

The game’s narrative is also widely considered the best of the trilogy, as it was written by legendary Animated Series writer Paul Dini. Although Asylum was also written by Dini, many consider City superior, as it takes place on a much larger scope (both in terrain and villain variety), as well as containing a multitude of detailed Side-Quest narratives for villains such as Hush and Mr. Freeze. As for the gameplay, I know of many who view the combat style as archaic and less fluid when compared to the Insomniac Spider-Man games. However, City still does a great job at capturing a well-rounded Batman moveset, both from the signature “Freeflow Combat” and new gadgets, as well as traversal. The boss fights, such as Mr. Freeze and Clayface’s, are also considered some of the best of the trilogy (although some prefer the bossfights of Arkham Origins). Although I recommend playing through Asylum first, City is definitely a must-play for any Batman fan.