The best superhero games?? offer a mix of a compelling narrative, stellar gameplay, and an overall great look with their graphics. These 10 titles are certainly super if you want to play as a hero in a? video game.

NOTE: This is a list with one entry per franchise. Otherwise this would be an article filled with Marvel's Spider-Man and Batman: Arkham games.

#10 - Marvel's Midnight Suns

From XCOM developer Firaxis Games comes a strategy RPG Marvel's Midnight Suns. With a team of Marvel superheroes on your side, you're taking on the demonic Lilith and the Elder God Chthon (and their forces). It's a unique dark take on the Marvel universe we rarely see, especially if you onl??y watch the MCU and play Marvel games. The card-based system is fun to play, and you'll be exploring the Abbey, getting to know the heroes (like Wolverine, Blade, and Iron Man) helping you to defeat Lilith and Chthon as The Hunter.

"It’s incredibly easy to recommend to any Marvel fan, and is simple enough to pick up and play for strategy newcomers," said our review. "Although the highs ??aren’t as high as some of Firaxis�past work, those of you who latch onto the relationship building, soci?al network, and silly moments will find a lot of joy here."

#9 - Guacamelee!

Guacamelee is a melee-based Metroidvania that lets you brawl the undead in a gorgeous Mexican-inspired environment.? The colors truly pop on screen as you're wrestling your enemies with su??plexes and punch combos in the air.

A cool aspect of this Canadian indie game from Drinkbox is that the moves you learn throughout this Metroidvania will help you with platforming and fighting foes. The Rooster Uppercut, for example, lifts the protagonist Juan up to higher pl?atforms. Th?is is a hidden gem that is well worth your time.

#8 - Injustice: Gods Among Us

Another game with fun combat is Injustice: Gods Among Us. The Mortal Kombat developer NetherRealm Studios "brought it" with the first entry in this DC series. The combos are thrilling to pull off, and the ability to interact with objects on the stage is an engaging twist on the fighting game gen??re. The concept of Superman going evil after his love Lois Lane gets murdered by the Joker is fascinating. Out of fear, most heroes join Superman's side, but Batman and a few other heroes decide to go against him. This civil war scenario is engaging to follow throughout an impressive story campaign.

#7 - Batman: The TellTale Series

Batman: The TellTale Series has a compelling story that focuses more on Bruce Wayne than the Batman persona, giving this a unique spin on the Caped Crusader. His family's past is a big plot point in this game, and your choices do matter within the narrative of this Telltale adventure. You'll have to pick sides, and sometimes that can come back to haunt Mr. Wayne. While the gameplay is simple, the compelling story more than makes up for it. The performances by Troy Ba??ker, L?aura Bailey, and others in the cast is also stellar.

"Troy Baker has a chance to show his chops a little more, channeling an otherwise very whiny Bruce with a little more panache and ferocity that a lot of voice actors wouldn’t be able to replicate," said our review of one of the game's episodes Children of Arkham. "He’s also able to forge believable relationships with the cast, and I haven’t seen Bruce and Harvey Dent be this relatable since Long Halloween."

#6 - inFAMOUS: Second Son

One of the best superhero games is Sucker Punch and PlayStation's inFAMOUS: Second Son. Playin??g as Delsin Rowe, you're using the unique powers of smoke and neon. You're going across the rooftops of Seattle and blissfully flying through the air. The Washington-based city looks gorgeous with real businesses and locations being replicated in the game.

The storyline is also compelling as you're fighting against an agency trying to crack down on superpowered individuals. The relationship be??tween Delsin and his brother is an aspect of the plot that's also relatable and engaging. The combat is also a thrill as you're wielding multiple powers, throwing embers at your enemies, and lifting cars into the air.

#5 - Marvel vs. Capcom 2

One of the most iconic superhero games ever made is Marvel vs. Capcom 2. This 3v3 fighter changed the game with crazy combos and even crazier visuals that really popped in arcades back in the naughties. Being able to team up Ryu with The Hulk and Spider-Man was a dream for many fans of the genre back i??n the? day. Additionally, the music is superb and will have you bobbing your head to the beat.

"I’d say that only one or two of today’s 2D fighting games can hold a candle to the level of craftsmanship and content to be found in Marvel Vs Capcom 2," said our 2009 review of the Xbox 360 port. "It’s truly a product of a bygone era; and an era that I sor??ely miss."

It recently saw a modern release on PS4, Switch, and PC, with the Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection.

#4 - Marvel Rivals

This could certainly be recency bias, but Marvel Rivals is a stellar third-person hero shooter based on the beloved Marvel license. It features heroes and villains from across the history of the company, including Iron Man, Captain America, a?nd Mr. Fantastic. However, it also has some you may ?not expect like Jeff the Land Shark and Luna Snow, who are both excellent healers in the game. The game is fun to play as you master each character's unique powers and try to figure out the best team for each scenario.

The stages are magnificent with amazing set pieces to gaze at, and the conversations the characters have with each other are fantastic as well. The game's so great that it's giving Overwatch 2 a run for its money.

#3 - Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy

After the disappointing release of Marvel's Avengers, one of the best superhero games, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, suffered lacking sales. And that sucks because this is one of the best adaptations in the video game space. While Marvel's Avengers felt too similar to the MCU, this game feels unique. It has its own origin story for Star-Lord, and the game makes him a more likable character than his movie version arguably. The writing is hilarious, and you really get a family feel from each of the characters in the game. They feel evolved ?and well-rounded as they speak to each other. You also have to take sides, and your decisions will leave an impact on the group. You'll get invested.

The combat is also radical as you're playing as Star-Lord shooting and fighting enemi??es in a fast-paced manner. You'll be directing each of the Guardians to help you in the fight rather than taking control of them, which surprisingly works well.

#2 - Batman: Arkham Asylum

Many would say Batman: Arkham City is the best game in the series, and while it's a fantastic entry, Arkham Asylum is the stand-out for me. By exploring this prison, you get an immense amount of tension as The Joker schemes his ne?xt trap for the Dark Knight. The story keeps moving forward, adding twists and turns you don't expect. There are plenty of memorable moments within the storyline that will stay with you for a long time.

Another aspect of the game that will stay with you is the combat and stealth segments. You feel like a badass controlling Batman as he punches, dazes, and kicks his enemies at lightning-fast spe??ed. The combo meter keeps going up, and you can pull off finishers if you succeed long enough. The stealth segments are also fantastic as Batman uses h??is gadgets to outwit the thugs underneath. He also has to crawl through the prison environment to get the upper hand. You have to play this game if you haven't already.

#1 - Marvel's Spider-Man 2

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is simply the best superhero game to release. Playing as both Peter Parker and Miles Morales, you'??re exploring a stunning iteration of New York, swinging around. It's purely a rush just to explore New York. You also have the web-wings to glide across?? the city landscape, too.

"Very rarely am I enamored enough with an open world to drift around aimlessly for extended periods of time, but I found myself caught in that loop all over again," said our review.

The story pulls you in?? even further as Miles Morales is still dealing with the loss of his father and is trying to become the Spider-Man he dreams of. Peter Parker, meanwhile, is dealing with a deeper relationship with his girlfriend while grieving his aunt. He is also catching up with his best friend Harry Osborn. The drama is high-stakes as Venom and Kraven be??come major threats in the city.

The combat of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 also matches up with the Batman: Arkham series. It flows incredibly well as Peter and Miles zip across the battle with their quick reflexes. The gadgets and powers of both characters add to the battle as strategic options for the player. The skill trees for both Spider-Men also incentivize us to keep playing and exploring the city. All of the collec?tibles and costumes you c?an unlock add even more to the enjoyment of the game.

The post Top 10 best superhero games, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

A luchador, penitent one, and vessel walk into a bar...

[Update: After the initial PC launch, the Everyone is Here indie crossover update for Dead Cells is out now for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch player?s.]

It's a feel-good moment whenever indie games trade characters, but Dead Cells is going even further with six crossover protagonists stepping up to the take on The Hand of the King. In the newly-released Everyone is Here update, Dead Cells has added weapons and outfits based on Hollow Knight, Blasphemous, Guacamelee, Hyper Light Drifter, Curse of the Dead Gods, and Skul: The Hero Slayer. Pretty great cast of characters here, right?

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUb-6F1TV6M

Of course, this is Dead Cells, so you'll have to put in a bit of work beforehand. To unlock the "Independent Legends" crossover weapons, you'll want to look out for lore rooms that can randomly appear while running through the ??Prisoners' Quarters, and there's also a? "book of clues" with hints about in-game feats you can pull off to unlock the outfits.

Here's a quick rundown of the crossover weapons:

• Hollow Knight: The Pure Nail can attack upward and downward. Attacking downward while airborne causes you to bounce on your enemies, dealing critical damage.
• Hyper Light Drifter: The Hyper Light Gun marks its targets while also dealing damage. The Sword deals critical damage to the marked targets, increasing with the number of gun marks on the target. Sword hits also recharge the gun's ammo, which doesn't recharge passively.
• Blasphemous: Crush the Face Flask on your forehead, dealing low damage to yourself and transforming 35 percent of your missing health into recovery.
• Guacamelee: Channel your chicken spirit with the Pollo Power, turning into a chicken for a few seconds while firing several explosive eggs around you.
• Skul: The Hero Slayer: Smash enemies with a bone club. Hitting with the second attack enables a whirlwind attack that deals critical damage.
• Curse of the Dead Gods: Slash twice with a machete. The third attack uses the pistol to bump and inflict critical damage to nearby enemies. Holding the attack button charges a slow and powerful ranged attack.

As one example, I spotted this familiar bench from Hollow Knight.

After i??nteracting with it, a short scene played out and I got the Pure Nail weapon.

And then, once I died and returned to the starting area, there was a new book with hints des??cribing the challenge criteria for unlocking each indie game crossover outfit.

On top of the indie game cameos, a few other minor ??things made it into Update 26.

On the bug front, dropping a bomb won't interrupt your invisibility, and fire/ice affixes won't appear on ice/fire items. Dead Cells also has a new internal log system to help with bug tracking going forward. The developers of Dead Cells say that "no personal data will be logged" and "no changes should be noticeable on your side, apart from log files appearing in your game folder, that you ?might want to include in future bug reports."

You can download the Everyone is Here update for Dead Cells on PC, PS4, Xbox One,? and Nintendo Switch.?? As usual, this is free content.

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You might recognize a certain green robot

What better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than remembering Guacamelee, one of my favorite platfo?rmers in recent memory. Alongside of solid Metroidvania action, DrinkBox Studios created a memorable world that will stay with you even after the story is over and done with.

Partly, it's due to how much charm and humor the game exhibits at every turn. Clearly, DrinkBox is a huge fan of retro and modern gaming alike, and you won't be able to help yourself from snickering at at least a few of the clever references made in Guacamelee.

Mr. Destructoid

Cactuar

Super Mario Bros.

Metroid

Strongbad

Mega Man

The Legend of Zelda

Batman

More Metroid

Castle Crashers

Wreck-It Ralph

Team Fortress

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If you don't already own it, now is a good time to get it

Guacamelee! came out early last year, and ended up being my second-favorite game of 2013, with its bright colors, unique setting, and satisfying brawler combat all wrapped up into a Metroidvania. I recommend it whenever it comes up, but if you have been holding out, now is a great time to get into it on Sony platforms. As reported on the PlayStation Blog, the Bundle Fantástico is out now, and it includes quite a b??it of g??ood stuff.

In addition to the game (which is a cross-buy for PlayStation 3 and Vita), the Bundle Fantástico adds El Diablo's Domain trial DLC, the bonus costume pack DLC, the original soundtrack, and a dynamic theme for your Sony XMB. Basically, it has every additional piece of content available for five bucks more tha?n the game alone. Not a bad deal! You can save some guac??amoola.

Guacamelee Bundle Fantástico Out Today [PlayStation Blog]

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Get a free game if you purchase week of release

Guacamelee! on the PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Vita was a wonderful experience. Well now all you people on the computers can finally see what was so great about it come August 8.

Guacamelee: Gold Edition will cost $14.99/€13.99/£11.99, but if you buy the game in the first week it's available on Steam you'll get a 10% discount. Oh, and you'll get the excellent Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack! for free too. That's two whole games, people!

Gold Edition will also offer new features. There's a new? level expansion called "El Infierno" and it's set inside the offices of the Devil's domain. Plus there's new costumes that change player abilities, Steam Trading Cards, and Steam Workshop support where you can modify character skins and upload them to t??he Steam community. So for instance, you can totally play as Mr. Destructoid, as seen in the images here! We'll have the skin uploaded to the Steam Workshop in fact.

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Here's the workaround

A recent patch for the excellent 2D action-adventure title Guacamelee! has regrettably led to a game-breaking problem for players who load up a save file after earning Pollo Power. If you're in a playthrough after that point, you will be permanently stuck in chicken mode upon transforming. As much as I adore being a chicken in the game, that's no good.

Once the issue was found, the patch was understandably pulled. The current workaround, as described by DrinkBox Studios, is to delete Guacamelee! and redownload it on PlayStation 3. For Vita players, the studio advises performing a cloud save via the in-game options menu and then doing the same d????elete/redownload process for an unpatched version of the game.

The real bummer here is that new downloadable costumes including the ones above have been indefinitely pushed back since they require the aforementioned (w??orking) patch.

The post Latest Guacamelee! patch has a game-halting issue appeared first on Destructoid.

Chupacabracadabra!

Guacamelee! came as a bit of a surprise to me, as I generally don't enjoy brawlers, but the goofy charm and streamlined Metroidvania elements came together to be something genuinely special. Fortunately, the title did really well in sales, and Drinkbox Studios is thinking about the future of the franchise, as studio co-founder Graham Smith discussed in an interview with IGN.

Smith confirms that the studio is working on Guacamelee! DLC, but that a full sequel is far from a guarantee. “It’s something that we talk about," Smith says. "We’re talking about what our next new IP is goin?g to be, so we haven’t really decided on that yet. But one of the things as part of that conversation i?s the possibility of doing a sequel. But we haven’t really made any decisions either way with that.”

Guacamelee DLC incoming, sequel possible [IGN]

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Action figures, monsters, and Metroid, ole!

In popular Mexican culture, the luchador (masked wrestler) isn't just an athlete, he's a cultural icon. El Santo is probably the most power example of the luchador concept's hold on Mexico. Santo started professional wrestling back in the 1930's, but before his death in the 1980's, he had beaten the c?rap out of secret agents, vampires, and even devils. No longer just a star athlete, Santo had gone on to become a cultural icon for selflessness, bravery, and man's budding ability to conquer the unknown.

With Guacamelee!, the team at Drinkbox Studios snatched that idealized notion of the luchador and ran with it. You know how everyone in the Pokémon games is obsessed with Pokémon? That's how the people in Guacamelee! treat luchadors. Their glorification of masked machismo comes off as farce at fi??rst, but a f??ew minutes in and it becomes clear that there is more too it that. Luchadors are merely a vessel for the real focus of glorification: 90's-style animation and gaming.

Like luchadors, the gaming and animation in the 90's were all about colorful iconogra??phy, straight-faced silliness, and dedication to clean, simple, gut-punching design ideals that still pack a wallop to this day. It's a perfect fit.

Guacamelee! (PlayStation 3 [reviewed], PlayStation Vita)
Developer: Drinkbox Studios
Publisher: Drinkbox Studios
Released: April 9, 2013
MSRP: $14.99

Guacamelee! is a 2D action/exploration platformer about wrestling monsters, but in terms of gameplay structure, it takes cues from a variety of sources. Like in the Metroid series, you scour large ;labyrinthi??ne zones seeking new techniques which often serve multiple purposes. A flying uppercut will not only help in combat but also w?ork as a limited double jump to help you reach new areas. There is even a power-up that allows you to "Morph Ball" into a chicken to explore pipes and crevices.

Though there are several direct allusions to Metroid here (the Chozo statues are particularly blatant), the game actually has more in common with Cave Story. While the Metroid games are generally solitary affairs, Guacamelee! often punctuates successful battles and discovery of n?ew areas ??with cutscenes that come alive with a variety of charming and memorable characters. 

The story focuses on a regular man named Juan who sacrifices his life while attempting to save the local politician's daughter from being kidnapped by a well-dressed skeleton. As it turns out, this skeleton is a big-shot politician himself in the afterlife. ?(Dead) Juan discovers this himself first hand, and with t??he help of your soon-to-be two-player co-op partner Tostada (another dead luchador with an interesting backstory of her own), Juan finds his way back to the world of the living, now infused with the might of lucha on his side. From there follows battles against cat men, flame faces, lumbering dragons, and more. Every character in the game is dripping with charisma -- even the bad guys are undeniably lovable. It's silly, exciting, and delightful.

The art style is fitting to the subject matter and recalls some of the best of animation of the 90's, like a cross between Disney's Hercules and the finer works of Bruce Timm. Characters are bright, bold, angular, and iconic. They stay true to the Mexican setting while carrying their own unique flair (and plenty of tiny shout outs to other games in this vein, like Castle Crashers, Mario, Mega Man, Majora's Mask, and more). The music is similarly high fruc??tose while maintaining a serious sense of top-notch craftmansh??ip.

The second-to-second gameplay feels like Viewtiful Joe-lite crossed with Super Meat Boy. You'll split your time between platforming areas that (generally) don't set you back very far after falling to your "death" and combat zones that task you to punch, combo, air? juggle, and dodge against tons of enemies big and small.

It's all kept fairly simple, likely to more easily accommodate drop-in/out co-op play. It definitely takes some skill to achieve big combos and to access some of the games more obscure locations, but if you just want to get through the game, you wont have to work too hard. Memorize a few enemy patterns, seek out (or purchase) enough new attacks and hea??lth upgrades, and plant a few trick jumps and you'll be there in no time.

There is also a light/dark world gimmick where you journey between the land of the living and the dead, which expands the scope of exploration a bit, though major power-ups generally exist in the same location in both light and dark worlds. This mechanic sometimes feels a little forced ?on the player, like when you have to hop back and forth to take out common "Goomba" enemies who can only be damaged in their respective wor?lds but deal damage to you out regardless of what world you're in. That's not to say it's not fun, but it just feels less graceful than the game's more finely interwoven mechanics, required tasks, and game mythology.

If I have any complaint about Guacamelee!, it's that those moments of inelegance do pop up fairly regularly. Most of the power-ups, combat, references, and level designs feel inspired, but when they become ham-fisted, they stick out like a sore thumb. Fairly early on, you acquire a power-up that allows you to preform a headbutt, its primary purpose to break yellow walls, like if there were a special bomb in Metroid that's mostly used to open doors that say "special bomb" on them. Still, there's undeniable delight in going back and ?finding all the yellow walls and busting through. Even at its least subtle, the game is constantly fun, just not consistently tactful about delivering that fun.

The game fully supports PS3/PS Vita crossplay, and you can use the Vita to control Tostada in 2P co-op on the PS3. The perks don't stop there either. Collectibles, a horde mode-style dungeon, side quests, a new difficulty mode upon completion, and plenty of other secrets help with the replay value. None of those bonuses would mean squat if the Guacamelee! didn't provide a fun world to mess a?round in, which?? it does.

Right from the start, Guacamelee! offers up a sugar skull-covered playground to d??elight in and devour with mucho gusto. It's a game I'll be playing and replaying again for some time to come.

The post Review: Guacamelee! appeared first on Destructoid.

For the past two months, I've been hearing good things about Guacamelee!, a colorful, luchador-themed Metroidvania game from DrinkBox Studios. Saying "Metroidvania" is usually goo?d enough for me to be interested, but adding in wrestling moves that feel straight out of a brawler, a dual-world mechanic, and a playful art style made this something I had to see for my?self.

Most of the buzz has centered around the PlayStation 3 version of Guacamelee!, but the game is also coming to the Vita. It's ??pretty much identical to the console version, but that's not necessar?ily a good thing.

The area DrinkBox presented was early in the game, essentially what is shown in the trailer above. It teaches the basic??s, introduces wrestling moves, and thro?ws a few easy baddies for you to play with.

The luchador not only has the expected basic attacks, but also some dual-purpose special moves that allow him to burst ?through breakable walls both above and below. If enough damage is done to an enemy, pressing triangle will initiate a grab, allowing the player to hu??rl him away for a finish, preferably into another enemy.

Using jumps and special attacks to move around feels great, but sadly the combat has some issues. Enemies move very fluidly and like to punish any mistakes you make, such as whiffing with a punch and failing to stun the enemy. This wouldn't be a problem, but the luchador's reach was never quite what I expected it to be, so I repeatedly came up short. There were many times when I felt like the luchador was close enough for an attack and learned he needed to be even closer to actually connect. The special moves have much better range, but obviously there are many times when you w?ant to use a basic attack.

This is mostly a problem with shrinking the game down onto the Vita. Guacamelee! looks beautiful on the OLED screen, but the characters are quite small, meaning that making sure your attack connects is a little difficult. Similarly, the triangle ?button prompt for grabs is tiny, as is the text.

The developer noted that they were probably going to adjust these things, but I might actually prefer if they simply zoomed in a bit more instead of trying to replicate the entire screen of the PS3 version on a smaller screen. It doesn't need to be as zoomed-in as Metroid II on the Game Boy since the Vita's scr?een is prett??y big, but it would be smart to give more consideration to the hardware.

Speaking of Metroid: Guacamelee! loves making homages to the series. One of the luchador's abilities is to transform into a chicken with the press of a button. Besides just being silly, this feathered form helps him fit through small corridors, similar to Metroid's morph ball. One room conta?ins a Chozo statue holding a power-up. An old man nearby even calls it a Chozo statue, which I was told was something that would be changed bef??ore release.

But hey, why not call a spade a spade? If you're going to be influenced by a game, you might as well pick a good one. It may sound like Guacamelee! is just taking Samus Aran and dressing her up in a lu??chador mask, but the game has its own identity.

Besides adding moves normally found in a brawler, the luchador gains the ability to switch between the planes of the living and the dead. A wall may block a path in one world, but switching to the other world by hitting the shoulder buttons reveals a way through. Some enemies can only be attacked on one plane, but if you're crafty?, you can time a plane shift so that the invincible enemy is hit by another enemy you just threw.

Of course, the true test of a good Metroidvania is whether or not the world is as fun to explore when you're backtracking with a shiny new trick. New abilities unlock new areas, but I wasn't able to test this out during the demo, so I can't say if the backtracking is fun or repetitive. However, based on t??he care being put into the rest of the game, I expect it should be fine.

Other than the small characters and interface, Guacamelee! is shaping up to be an entertaining platformer with lots of ??personality. I didn't even get to try out the two-player co-op, but I already know that I'll be picking it up when it releases later this year.

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