Now that WB Games has a patent on the Nemesis System, it’s time to use it for the character it was originally made for: Batman.
WB Games recently secured the patent for its innovative Nemesis System. There are reasons to be disappointed about this, in addition to the dangerous trend that can start in game design; after all, WB was stingy about using the system before blocking it. So far, the Nemesis System has only been used in two games: 2014’s Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and its sequel, 2017’s Shadow of War. However, WB did not include other titles it publishes, including the franchise for which it was originally created: Batman.
Shadow of Mordor in fact, he started his life as a pitch for a Batman game by developer Monolith Productions. Specifically, it was supposed to be a link to the final film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises. The studio, which sought to branch out TO FEAR series, had to get Christopher Nolan’s approval to make the game. Despite having no guarantee that Nolan would approve an adaptation, Monolith worked in his field for 18 months.
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Like The dark Knight before that, The Dark Knight Rises has not had an adaptation outside of mobile games. Nolan never gave Monolith his seal of approval for reasons that people who worked on the game can only speculate on. One possibility is that the warm reception to the Batman Begins game, published by EA, angered him entirely in the middle.
Left adrift by Nolan’s indifference, Monolith’s attempt to turn to an original Batman game was redundant with Rocksteady’s success Batman Arkham Asylum and its impending sequel, Arkham City. The developer moved on to other projects, but did not leave the process empty-handed.
Monolith reused assets from his game Batman scrapped into what became Shadow of Mordor. Supposedly, Shadow of Mordor it was so attached to the Batman field that, at one point, a Batman model with a sword was used as a replacement for the main character Talion. The game’s open-world Middle-earth scenario was created using the modified engine to create an open-world Gotham City.
Another important asset inherited from the Monolith Batman project is the one that has evolved into the Nemesis System. The technology that randomized the appearance of the orcs and changed their reactions if they defeated him in battle came from the way criminals were randomly generated on their Batman battlefield. Presumably, they would have been members of Bane’s army that Batman fought when he took over Gotham.
It’s easy to see how well the Nemesis System could work in a Batman game. While boss fights were a highlight of the Arkham series, there isn’t much that differentiates a fight with Gotham’s wandering henchmen from another. Employing the Nemesis System in a Batman game would create rivalries between the Dark Knight (or his protégés) and other faceless enemies. In fact, there were rumors that the Nemesis System was part of what was billed as Batman’s next game, Gotham Knights.
The Nemesis system would be an especially good fit for Gotham Knights because the Owls’ Court is among the antagonists of the game. Particularly difficult talons could move up the Court’s hierarchy and develop rivalries with specific heroes after defeating them. Because they are functionally immortal, they could come back from defeat, even at the hands of the Red Hood weapon.
The personalities of the different members of the Bat Family can also affect the functioning of rivalries. The way Nightwing reacts to defeat is different from how Batgirl does it. Having four different reactions to persistent enemies, in addition to supervillains like Mr. Freeze, could add a little flavor to every battle in the game – even more so if WB Montreal adds fan-favorite characters like Damian Wayne and Batwoman to the game as DLC.
The Nemesis System would also be a good fit for a Batman game because it would be a good reference to the source material. Prisons (and nursing homes) in the DC Universe have a revolving door. Defeated criminals who escape incarceration and seek revenge against the Bat Family are a comics trope that has never been reproduced in a game.
Now that WB Games has the Nemesis System, players can only hope to use it more often in games outside Middle-earth. It would be a good fit in a series of franchises under your umbrella, from Mad Max single player Mortal combat games. However, as it was literally made for a Batman game, it would be a perfect addition to one of your future video game adventures.
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