Unlike the movie industry, Marvel and DC's superhero video games haven't been the major blockbuster hits in their respective industry for quite as long. Though there have been some great ones sprinkled throughout the past couple of decades, the genre started to ramp up in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
They have a stronger foothold in the gaming scene now, even if releases are more sporadic than original IPs, and these are gaming aggregator OpenCritic's 10 best modern superhero games released within the last two console generations. The titles range from remastered modern classics to new mainstream hits.
Gravity Rush Remastered (79)
Though not a conventional superhero game, the original PlayStation Vita cult-classic Gravity Rush made a strong impression in its time. The game stars Kat, an amnesiac who has psychic powers that allow her to manipulate how gravity affects her. Kat uses these powers to protect her city of Hekseville, and it made for a delightfully inventive action-adventure experience.
Most of the game's praises went to this original superhero character's portrayal and artistic direction. In terms of modern hardware, Gravity Rush is available as the Remastered version on PS4. It's a good chance at a second lease on life, and some fans hope it'll be added to the upcoming PlayStation Plus Extra subscription tier.
Injustice: Gods Among Us - Ultimate Edition (81)
Before the trope of the tyrannical fall from grace of an iconic superhero became played out, the first Injustice game presented a compelling Elseworlds take on DC Comics' beloved pantheon of heroes. Developed by NetherRealm Studios (of Mortal Kombat fame), Injustice: Gods Among Us was a rare example of a fighting game that was equal parts mechanically deep with an engaging single-player story.
The story revolved around Superman's dark turn into an authoritarian ruler of Earth after the death of Lois Lane, leading Batman and other heroes to lead a rebellion against him. The game is available on PC and was also ported to PS4 and Xbox One as the Ultimate Edition.
Batman: The Enemy Within (81)
The Dark Knight has established himself as one of the most popular and beloved superheroes in pop culture, and with that fame comes a wealth of mythology. However, developer Telltale Games took their Batman point-and-click adventure games as an opportunity to flip conventional canon on its head.
The sequel, Batman: The Enemy Within, follows the events of the first game that revealed the shocking truth behind the history of Thomas and Marth Wayne, as well as one of the most creative takes on the Joker to date. It's available on Nintendo Switch, PS4, XBO, and PC.
Lego Marvel Super Heroes (81)
Should fans look for a more casual and campy superhero romp, Traveller's Tales Lego video games are the best way to go. Though it did receive a sequel, the original Lego Marvel Super Heroes is the highest-rated choice. The game expands the formula onto an open-world setting, with critical reception strong thanks to its swathes of playable characters, gameplay, and mission variety.
Lego Marvel Super Heroes is available on modern hardware through PS4, XBO, Switch, and PC. Traveller's Tales are generally consistent with its quality, and fans should also take the opportunity to play one of this month's best video games in the form of Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.
Gravity Rush 2 (81)
While developer Japan Studios has unfortunately been dissolved, and the division that handled both games with it, Gravity Rush 2 got the opportunity to flex the IP's muscles with more modern advancements. Gravity Rush 2 received stronger critical reception thanks to the game building upon the original's already solid foundations.
The game's story was more engaging and cohesive, with Kat once again a highlight with her fleshed-out character development. Likewise, the game improved from a gameplay perspective by expanding her gravity-defying powers. Gravity Rush 2 is available on PS4.
Guardians Of The Galaxy (82)
Square Enix has been squandering some goodwill from their fan base lately, and 2020's Avengers game was part of that when it came to their superhero approach. However, last year's Guardians of the Galaxy was one of the biggest gaming surprises. Instead of a shallow, microtransaction-filled game as a service, Guardians was a refreshingly linear single-player action-adventure game.
The game didn't reinvent the wheel for its genre, but it did everything it sought to do well. The action was solid and fun, and it presented a well-written story that portrays compassionate versions of these characters that stand apart well from their MCU counterparts. Guardians of the Galaxy is available on PS4, PS5, XBO, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales (85)
To help usher in the PS5 generation, Insomniac released a spin-off sequel to its 2018 hit in the form of Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The game is an appetizer for what's to come but doesn't sacrifice in the quality department.
Miles Morales has a concise and emotionally impactful story that effectively fleshes out the new titular hero in an equally grounded way. It makes modest adjustments to traversal and combat mechanics to make for a worthwhile outing until Spider-Man 2 launches in 2023. Spider-Man: Miles Morales is available on PS4 and PS5.
Batman: Arkham Knight (86)
Rocksteady reinvigorated the Batman IP in modern-day gaming akin to what director Christopher Nolan did with the acclaimed The Dark Knight Trilogy. And even if it didn't quite match the euphoric praises of City or Asylum, the game received a strong critical reception nonetheless.
Aside from the intrusive Batmobile segments, Batman: Arkham Knight gave one of the most stunning neo-noir renditions of Gotham City ever put to screen. Similarly, Knight featured enhanced freeflow and stealth combat, a satisfyingly emotional close to Rocksteady's revered Arkham trilogy, as well as this psychologically thrilling portrayal of Batman and Joker's twisted dynamic. Arkham Knight is available on PS4, XBO, and PC.
Injustice 2 (87)
NetherRealm's Injustice 2 followed up on the successes of the first game. From a gameplay standpoint, the game makes moderate but important tweaks to streamline the combat, including the RPG-like Gear System. Likewise, it does an excellent job at presenting another exciting Elseworlds DC story and being user-friendly to fighting-game newcomers.
Injustice 2 features some tutorials for players to get into the gameplay and a wealth of single and multiplayer gameplay content. This time, the story revolves around Batman and his rebellion attempting to pick up the pieces from Superman's failed regime, but are both met with a new threat in the form of Brainiac and his new supervillain team. Injustice 2 is available on PS4, XBO, and PC.
Spider-Man (88)
Sony and Insomniac took the chance to turn the world's most popular individual superhero IP into a PlayStation pillar. 2018 saw the release of the acclaimed Spider-Man, putting a modern triple-A spin on the character in gaming. The game arguably has the most exhilarating web-swinging mechanics in a Spider-Man game -- alongside the aforementioned Miles Morales.
In addition to the traversal mechanics, it also has a fast-paced combat system that draws from the aforementioned Arkham games and molds it to perfectly fit the Wall-Crawler's style. It also has perhaps one of the most resonating on-screen stories for Spider-Man, which also includes one of the most gut-wrenching deaths in video game history. Spider-Man is available on PS4 as well as on PS5 for the remastered version.