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We’ve loved our time within the confines of Arkham City, but one thing has really bothered us: Batman can order up all sorts of new gadgets and upgrades by remote, but he never changes out of that one Batsuit, no matter how much of a beating he takes. Rocksteady even seemed prepared to counter this by putting seven alternate outfits into the game (even though you can’t wear them until you start a New Game+). The choices were fairly obvious fan-favorites, but they provided a good glimpse at the Dark Knight’s ever-expanding cowl closet. That said, the alternate outfits in Arkham City barely scratch the surface of the dozens of variations Batman’s costume has seen over the years. (And yeah, we're aware modders have already picked up the slack on the PC front, but their palette-swapping efforts don't help console gamers much.)
With that in mind, we took a look at more than 70 years of Batman stories to see if there were any notable gems Rocksteady forgot about. From alternate histories to parallel worlds, these are the Batsuits we’d like to see in Arkham City.
1. Green/White/Black Lantern Batman
There’s already a Sinestro Corps outfit available for the unlucky owners of Green Lantern on Blu-ray, which makes it even more baffling that Batman’s brief moments as a Green, White and Black Lantern have been excluded from the game. Seeing as he spent roughly the same amount of time with each faction in the comics, there’s no obvious reason why the Yellow Lantern outfit made the initial cut over the others. Especially when you consider all it would take is a simple palette swap.
Though it could be said that Batman does most fit in with the Sinestro Corps’ mentality of being able to instill great fear, there is nothing more terrifying than a zombie Batman. Well, other than a Joel Schumacher Batman.
2. Movie Batman
Has there been a better Batman than George Clooney? Yes. Yes there has. Both Michael Keaton and Christian Bale have carved out their own corners when it comes to memorable portrayals of the Dark Knight, and it would be awesome to get to don the costumes from the iconic films Batman (1989) and Batman Begins. What Rocksteady did for Batman’s popularity when it comes to gaming, the Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan films have done when it comes to the movie-going public.
Keaton’s outfit, all black save for the classic yellow symbol, was the first perfect representation of what Batman’s suit would look like in real life. While Bale’s may be more practical and better thought-out, it’s just as stylish and sleek, and both uniforms would translate well to the world of Rocksteady’s Batman.
3. Batzarro
Who am the world’s worst detective? Batzarro! Like Superman’s imperfect clone/parallel-world counterpart Bizarro, Batzarro is the opposite of Batman in every respect. Batzarro killed his own parents, and unlike our Earth’s quiet and contemplative Bruce Wayne, Batzarro never stops talking. His costume is reversed as well, and features a cowl with no eyes, a utility belt worn upside-down with pockets open, and in true Bizarro World fashion, an inverted Bat-symbol on his chest.
It would be even more interesting if Rocksteady also forced you to use the tools of Batzarro’s trade instead of the traditional Batman accoutrements. Then again, having a big chain as your primary weapon might make the game as frustrating as trying to hold a conversation with someone who am not coming from a place where they all don’t talk like this.
4. Cossack Batman
What happens when Superman’s rocket from Krypton arrives on Earth twelve hours earlier? You get Red Son, the Elesworlds story where Kal-El is raised in Soviet Russia, and grows up to bring the ideals of Stalin to the world. You also get the Cold War version of a Russian Batman, or as we’ve come to know him: Batmanski. More practically attired than most other Batmen on this list, Red Son Batman works in an outfit fashioned from military attire of the time. The Bat-symbol and cape are still present, as you’ve got to have some style when trying to inspire revolution against the state.
Let’s be honest, though: The real reason we want Red Son Batman in Arkham City is because of the hat. When you drop down into a dark alley in the middle of Gotham, nothing says “badass” like a fuzzy ushanka.
