After “Batman: Arkham City” earned universal acclaim and labeled as a commercial success, a prequel known as, “Batman: Arkham Origins” was released in 2013. Unlike the former, the latter received mixed reviews. Regardless of divisive reactions, I thought it was a great prequel. Anyway, Rocksteady primarily work on their next big game as the grand finale of the Arkham series titled, “Batman: Arkham Knight.”
Batman: Arkham Knight was released in 2015 (same year Fallout 4 came out) on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It received positive reviews from critics, fans and gamers alike.
There’s a variety of reasons why I’m sharing my thoughts on Arkham City. First, Michael Keaton will reprise his role as Batman in “The Flash” set in the DC Extended Universe or DCEU for short. Second, Bruce Timm & J.J. Abrams are working on an animated Batman series intended to stream on HBO Max. Third, Robert Pattinson’s Batman is getting a sequel. Fourth, Rocksteady is developing a spin-off titled, “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.” Fifth, another game, “Gotham Knights” will be released on October 25th, 2022. However, it’s not linked to the Arkham series.
This review contains no crucial SPOILERS whatsoever. Keep in mind, I’m only reviewing the “Premium Edition.” I prefer a complete gaming experience.
Strong & Weak Aspects
Strong: Kevin Conroy, Troy Baker, Tara Strong, Grey DeLisle, Nolan North, Steve Blum, & Mark Hamill reprise their roles. They all did an excellent job for their respective performances.
Jonathan Banks voices Commissioner Gordon. He did a decent job for his voiceover performance.
John Noble (Denathor from The Lord of the Rings) voices Scarecrow. He did a great job for his voiceover performance.
The Tone is a cross between Bruce Timm’s cartoon and Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Trilogy.”
Here’s a list of Improvements.
Improvements
- Graphics are ten times gorgeous than the previous installments. Without his mask, Batman resembles Ben Affleck. To put the icing on the cake, you can equip Batfleck’s outfit from Batman VS. Superman.
- Map is way bigger than the last game.
- Besides Batfleck’s batsuit, feel free to select your personal favorite batsuits. My favorite ones I used by rank. One, Christian Bale’s suit from “The Dark Knight.” Two, Michael Keaton’s black suit with the yellow emblem. Third, a fully detailed take on Terry McGinnis’ suit from “Batman Beyond.” Fourth, The New 52’s comic book look. Last, but not least Adam West’s classic costume. I’m giving Rocksteady Bonus Points for adding Mr. Bale’s batsuit to the game. It’s my all-time favorite costume. This is the closest thing to an open-world video game based on a Christopher Nolan film.
- New gadgets are added such as a voice synthesizer and a handheld remote control for The Batmobile.
- The Batmobile is finally added to the Arkham series.
- Riddler’s challenges are more complex than last time adding more variety on foot and vehicle.
- Grand total of supervillains is approximately 11 as in “Up to 11.”
- Season of Infamy adds four missions involving Ra’s Al Ghul, Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc & Mad Hatter. Racking up the supervillain count to 14.
- Besides Batman, Nightwing, Robin, Harley Quinn, Catwoman & Batgirl are playable in AR Challenges.
- Arkham Episodes are set after the Main Story. Except two with Batgirl & Harley Quinn.
- Photo Mode is included. Don’t forget to pause the game and get a cool snapshot.
You can obtain two gadgets early. One is the Freeze Grenade at an abandon movie studio, the other is the remote electrical charge is in an evidence room located in Gotham Police Department.
My favorite gadget is the Remote Hacking Device. An upgraded version of the Cryptographic Sequencer. In addition to hacking, it can also temporarily blind drones.
Opening Scene officially establishes the final game is darker and ballsy.
Frank Sinatra’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” is used in one scene. Four Years Later, Mr. Sinatra’s other song “That’s Life” was used in Joaquin Phoenix’s “Joker.”
If you’re a pure DC fan, there are ton of Easter Eggs.
After you beat the Main Story, New Game Plus allows you to replay on higher difficulty. Think you can beat it?
Weak: A Plot Twist involving Arkham Knight’s identity felt underwhelming.
Main Story lacks a couple Boss Battles solely relying on drones. Only good one is Arkham Knight. Some are only included in Side Missions.
It would’ve been icing on the cake if co-op was added. You and your buddy can play as The Dynamic Duo or The Bat and The Cat.
The Final Verdict: B-
Unlike previous installments, Batman: Arkham Knight is average. If it weren’t for the weak aspects, this game could’ve been “The Dark Knight Rises” of superhero games. As a Batman fan, I don’t personally dislike Arkham Knight, I really enjoyed the strong aspects worth every bang for my buck. With the Arkham series’ future on the horizon with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, I’m definitely on the hype train focusing on other characters who deserve a shot in a DC video game without Batman front and center. Wonder Woman is getting her own solo game in the future. If you’re prepping up for Gotham Knights, I strongly recommend Asylum, City, Origins & City.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 