TSA’s Top 100 of 2011 – #73 Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters

More men in tights. This time it’s of a DC variety, however, with the game version of the Green Lantern movie set to shine its emerald glory on our game shelves next summer.

The film, and hence game, follows test-pilot Hal Jordan’s journey to become a member of what is essentialy the galactic police. Each member of the Green Lantern Corps gets themselves a fetching power ring; immensely powerful technological artefacts created by the Guardians of the Universe. Bestowed upon certain worthy people, the lucky planet hoppers must then enforce what is essentially cosmic law. You can almost hear Kris salivate, can’t you?

Though technically not the first person to wear the ring (that particular honour goes to pre-Golden Age Alan Scott), or even the latest (comic book artist Kyle Rayner is the current holder in comic-land), Ryan Reynolds will be playing the aforementioned Hal, mostly because Jordan is recognised as the definitive Green Lantern among the series’ fans. Before he went insane, destroyed the Guardians and promptly killed himself by rebuilding Earth’s dying sun in a sacrificial gesture that went someway in restoring his hero status. Oh, eh … spoilers!

Though Parallax – the entity who controlled Hal in the comics during this period – is the main villain of the movie, we’re pretty sure this specific arc is not the plot of next year’s film. But if it is, wow, sorry! And anyway, in great comic-book tradition, they’ve already done a Bobby Ewing and explained it all as being a dream, or a parallel universe, or … something. We’re also pretty sure you don’t kill Ryan Reynolds at the end of any movie. Mr. Scarlett Johanssson would not be pleased.

As for the game, the titular Manhunters of the piece are actually robotic precursors to the Green Lanterns, the automaton-like sentinels a first attempt by the Guardians at creating an interstellar force that would carry out justice across the cosmos. Things went a little screwy (scope creep, perhaps?), resulting in the Guardians control-alt-deleting them – or so they thought. The remnants of the Manhunters are now hellbent on destroying the Guardians and their replacements, the Green Lantern Corps. Any why shouldn’t they be? No one likes to be substituted. Especially by a guy with rock-hard abs.

Just like the previously discussed Thor game, Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters makes our list simply because we have a penchant for all things super. And just like its fellow spandex-supporter, Green Lantern has some pretty big question marks hanging over it, namely in the form of studio Double Helix Games. Looking into their previous titles; Silent Hill: Homecoming, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and Front Mission Evolved, only the first managed to (barely) crack the 70% bracket on Metacritic. G.I. Joe the game was given an even worse reception than the actual movie – if that’s physically possible.

So, we’re honestly not sure how Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters is going to pan out. We’re willing to give it the benefit of the doubt, however. In brightest day, in blackest night … come on, join in, you know the rest.