‘Batman: Arkham Knight’ May Be Game Of The Year – But There’s One Big Problem (contains spoilers)
While most critics are busy either wildly celebrating Batman: Arkham Knight or raging over the poor quality of the PC port, this article talks about a very important point – the inevitable diminishing of the female characters.
I feel it would be dishonest not to hold their costuming as at least partially accountable. When developers put all their design focus on making the female characters appear sexy and exposed, then it greatly reduces the options for the kind of roles they can have in scenes. The can either be:
- Vulnerable and some sort of device (decoration, instrument, prize or joke but never a person)
- Spectacularly over powered in a attempt to subvert the costume and play the “so badass their costume doesn’t need to make sense” card
Since Batman games always put Batman as the hero, it means there’s scant few opportunities for the second option and they usually only get one bite of the apple. Ivy in Arkham Asylum, Catwoman in Arkham City and now in order to make Harley Quinn formidable (instead of the Joker’s puppet) they gave her what’s actually the most practical outfit in the series to date:
(Yes it is actually an upgrade on Arkham Asylum and Arkham City)
This is why video games, comic books and video games based off comic books can’t have nice things.
– wincenworks
Speaking of comics and nostalgia, the video game Arkham Knight recently confirmed it will feature Barbara Gordon as Batgirl (a curious decision given that Barbara featured as Oracle in Arkham Asylum) and this is how she’s being promoted. Per perspective – this is how Batman looks:
That’s right, not only does he get an outfit he can physically move in – but he is portrayed as a tower of strength rather than beauty ideals. See how majestically he looks over the city he guards…
While Batgirl rests awkwardly on one knee (seriously try that pose) in front of… industrial power lines? From the look on her face she’s swearing revenge on whoever convinced her that loose hair was a good idea in that weather.
– wincenworks
As for less subtle differences than the problem with Batgirl’s posing, there’s (obviously) her boobplate. Seems like even though the comics recently got rid of the vacuum-sealed/painted on “batkevlar” in favor of something more believable, the games are glad to keep enforcing needlessly gendered costumes.
And before anyone jumps in to say that Batman has visible abs end pecs on his armor… first, they’re pretty streamlined compared to Barbara’s protruding breasts; second, his plate looks like it’s there for intimidation value, hers looks like your typical “if no boob how woman?”
~Ozzie
