Jason Todd's design in WB Games Montréal's upcoming Gotham Knights has drawn flak from several fans after the game's official Twitter account posted concept art showing Red Hood in his civilian clothes.Twitter responses ranged from asking why Jason looked "so big and buffed" to comparing the second Robin's build to that of an exaggerated One Piece character. Jason was also compared to the tank class commonly featured in many games and called a "huge brute like hero" who appeared to lack the nuance of his comic counterpart.
How Has Red Hood Courted Controversy in Gotham Knights?
Red Hood does appear significantly more muscled in Gotham Knights than in his comic book appearances or his portrayal in 2015's Batman: Arkham Knight, which was developed by Rocksteady Studios and was the last big-budget video game to showcase Batman and members of the Bat Family. Portrayed as the only member of the playable cast willing to use firearms -- albeit ones loaded with non-lethal ammunition -- Jason Todd's in-game port also garnered criticism when it was revealed earlier this year that he had received mystical powers from his Lazarus Pit resurrection. Chief among these is a double-jump that lets Jason harness Lazarus energy to increase the trajectory of his leaps across Gotham's skyline -- a far cry from Red Hood's more grounded abilities in the comics.
Aside from Red Hood, other playable heroes in Gotham Knights include Batgirl, Nightwing and Robin. The game takes place after the presumed death of Batman, and the four surviving members of the Bat Family need to investigate their mentor's demise and defend Gotham City against rising threats, including the nefarious Court of Owls. Gotham Knights has been designed with different cutscenes depending on which hero players choose, with the intent to make the game worthy of replay at least four times.
"We've managed to deliver essentially four cinematics in one," Gotham Knights cinematics director Wilson Mui said. "So when you're playing as Red Hood, you're gonna get your version of that cinematic, but let's say you decide to switch to Nightwing or Batgirl, you're gonna get their version. I can honestly tell you, those are four very different cinematics, different dialogue, and different interactions with characters."
Developed by WB Games Montréal and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Gotham Knights launches on Oct. 25 and for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.