Now that WB Games has a patent on the Nemesis System, it’s time to use it for the character it was originally made for: Batman.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 acquired a patent for its groundbreaking Nemesis system. There are reasons to be disappointed here beyond the dangerous trend it can start in game design; After all, WB was stingy about using the system before they locked it up. So far, the Nemesis system has only been used in two games: 2014s Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and its sequel, 2017s Shadow of War. However, WB could not include other titles he publishes, including the franchise for which it was originally created: Batman.
Shadow of Mordor actually started his life as a pitch for a Batman game by developer Monolith Productions. It was specifically meant to be a connection to the final film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises. The studio, which of the FEAR Christopher Nolan had to get the approval to get the game. Despite no guarantee that Nolan would report for an adjustment, Monolith worked on his premises for 18 months.
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As The Dark Knight for this, The Dark Knight Rises did not have an adaptation outside of mobile games. Nolan never gave Monolith his approval for reasons that the people who worked on the game can only speculate about. One possibility is that the lukewarm reception to the Batman begins game, published by EA, completely soured him on the medium.
Monolith’s attempt to turn into an original Batman game was left unattended by Nolan’s indifference, and was made redundant by the success of Rocksteady Batman: Arkham Asylum and the impending continuation thereof, Arkham city. The developer switched to other projects but did not come out of the process empty handed.
Monolith reused assets from their deleted Batman game in what became Shadow of Mordor. It is understood that Shadow of Mordor was so tied to the Batman pitch that a Batman model, with a sword, was at one point a nod to the main character Talion. The game’s open world Middle-earth environment was created using the engine adapted to create an open world Gotham City.
Another important asset transferred from Monolith’s Batman project is what evolved into the Nemesis system. The technology that made the appearance of orcs random and changed their reactions when they defeated you in battle comes from the way criminals were randomly generated in their Batman counter. Presumably they would have been members of Bane’s army that Batman fought when he recaptured Gotham.
It’s easy to see how well the Nemesis System can work in a Batman game. While boss fights are a highlight of the Arkham series, there is not much that distinguishes one fight with Gotham’s vagrants from another. Using the Nemesis system in a Batman game will create rivalry between the Dark Knight (or his protégés) and otherwise faceless enemies. Actually, the rumors were that the Nemesis system was part of what was eventually announced as the next Batman game, Gotham Knights.
The Nemesis system is very well suited for Gotham Knights for the court of owls is one of the opponents of the game. Particularly difficult Talons can come out in the ranks of the court and develop rivalry with specific heroes after being defeated. Because they are functionally immortal, they can return to defeat, even through the gun that contains Red Hood.
The personalities of the different Bat-Family members can also influence how the rivalry works. How Nightwing responds to a defeat is different from what Batgirl does. If there are four different reactions to stubborn enemies, in addition to supervillains like Mr. Freeze, it can give every battle in the game a little flavor – more than WB Montreal adding favorite characters like Damian Wayne and Batwoman as DLC to the game.
The Nemesis System will also work well with a Batman game, as it’s a good nod to the source material. Prisons (and asylum seekers) in the DC universe have a revolving door. Defeated criminals who escape from captivity and take revenge on the Bat-Family is a cartoon that was never really repeated in a game.
Now that WB Games owns the Nemesis system, players can only hope to use it more frequently in games outside of Middle-earth. It will fit well in a number of franchises under their umbrella, from Mal Max to a single player Mortal Kombat games. Since it was literally made for a Batman game, it would be a perfect addition to any of its future video games.
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