Revolutionizing Traversal: The Flash Movie Sets the Bar for an Epic Batman Game Experience

First announced in 2014, The Flash movie has been in development for almost a decade. Finally, it has hit the theaters. After a series of disappointing movies from Zack Snyder and some average releases loosely connected to the same universe, James Gunn now takes charge of the DC universe. However, before the entire universe gets rebooted once again, The Flash offers one last adventure for the old gang.

Loosely inspired by the Flashpoint comic arc, the movie follows the titular speedster as he travels back in time to save his murdered mother. As expected in any time-travel story, this alteration has significant consequences, resulting in The Flash becoming trapped in an entirely different world. Despite its focus on The Flash, the movie's standout moments actually come from the other superheroes on screen. Batman, in particular, has some noteworthy scenes where his skills are showcased, including a sequence that could serve as a blueprint for the next Batman video game's traversal mechanics.

The Next Batman Game Should Take Inspiration From The Flash Movie

Despite its flaws, The Flash is not the worst DC movie in recent memory. While it has CGI issues, fan service moments, and some underdeveloped plot points, the movie still manages to showcase creatively executed action sequences for the superheroes involved. One of the standout moments occurs right at the beginning of the film, where Batman calls upon the titular hero for assistance during a high-speed pursuit in Gotham. As Barry clears civilians from the debris, a thrilling action sequence centered around Batman unfolds.

In this scene, Batman engages in a thrilling pursuit on his modernized Batcycle, equipped with a front-mounted shield. With remarkable finesse, Batman skillfully maneuvers through oncoming traffic while Falcone continues to shoot at him. Eventually, the Batcycle is engulfed in an explosion, prompting Batman to take to the skies. He gracefully glides through the air and skillfully grabs onto a speeding vehicle using his grappling hook. From there, Batman seamlessly continues the pursuit on foot, effortlessly grappling onto cars and seamlessly leaping between lanes. This level of agility displayed by Batman in this scene surpasses anything previously seen on screen and represents one of The Flash's most extraordinary moments. It sets a high standard for future Batman games to draw inspiration from.

The Batman: Arkham games introduced impressive traversal systems, granting players complete freedom to utilize Batman's grappling hook and wings. Arkham Knight further raised the bar with the addition of the Batmobile, although its extensive utilization in the game sparked controversy. Nonetheless, the actual mechanics behind its implementation were commendable. However, there is still room for improvement. In the Arkham games, controlling Batman may feel somewhat heavy, which aligns with the series' aesthetic. Nevertheless, it would be fantastic to witness a future iteration of Batman in video games, one that possesses enhanced agility and swiftness. For instance, envision a Batman capable of grappling onto the rear of vehicles and smoothly gliding along the road for a boost of speed. Additionally, it would be desirable to see an enhanced Batcycle in future video games, as the rendition featured in Gotham Knights fell short of expectations.

The Flash is now playing in theaters.