Batman: Arkham Knight (Review)

Since he first flew (or glided?) onto the pages of Detective Comics #27 in May of 1939, Batman has become one of the most iconic superheroes in existence. While there are some who argue that Batman isn’t technically a superhero, he can still hold his own against his large assortment of villains that range from the terrifyingly psychotic Joker to the somewhat lame and lackluster Cluemaster. They come in all shapes and sizes, proving there’s no shortage of diverse evildoers in the various versions of Gotham City that exist not just in the pages of the comic books but also in an abundance of other platforms, including the popular Arkham franchise that first appeared on consoles in 2009 with its breakout hit Batman: Arkham Asylum and has continued to gain momentum through two other games and the recently released Batman: Arkham Knight (Warner Bros./Rocksteady Studios Rated M MSRP $59.99).

The game picks up shortly after the events of Batman: Arkham City. The Joker is dead (you even get to incinerate his body)  and for the time being, there’s peace in Gotham. But as history has proven in both fictional worlds and reality, peace never lasts. After Scarecrow’s fear toxin is released in a diner, the city erupts into chaos. Citizens are evacuating, an armed militia is occupying the streets, and the cops are severely outnumbered. Once again, Batman has his work cut out for him. The fact that the leader of this militia, who refers to himself as the Arkham Knight, is personally making Batman’s life a living hell doesn’t help either. From there it’s just a matter of defeating this new villain, as well as the usual suspects such as Scarecrow, Two-Face, Penguin, Riddler, and the newest rogue to be added to the video game franchise: Firefly. Along the way you encounter familiar allies like Nightwing, Robin, Barbara Gordon, Azrael, Cat Woman, and Jim Gordon. Poison Ivy even does her part to save the city. And did you know Batman is turning into the Joker? It’s everything you’d expect from a blockbuster Batman game and more.

Never has Gotham City looked as beautiful as it does on this generation of consoles, running at 60 frames per second. Yes it freezes a lot, but while it’s running it looks fantastic. The side quests give you ample reason to fully explore the expansive map, and when you get tired of gliding around the rooftops you can always hop in the batmobile and go for a spin. The vehicular warfare is probably one of the greatest features in the game. The 60mm cannon and Vulcan machine gun make you a force to be reckoned with, and through upgrade points you can unlock an EMP blast and a missile barrage, which definitely come in handy. When you’re not using the batmobile to destroy drones and chase down bad guys, you’re using it to break down doors and solve puzzles. Basically, the batmobile is your new sidekick. While most games give you the option to finish or ignore the side quests, this game strongly encourages you to at least do some of them. There’s also the fact that if you don’t, the main story is going to prove quite challenging due to the lack of upgrades to your armor and combat abilities.

Overall, Batman: Arkham Knight is a solid game. It’s not without its frustrations, but if you’re an experienced veteran of the franchise, it’ll probably be a lot easier for you than those who aren’t. With two games now exploring the aftermath of the events at Arkham Asylum, it’ll be interesting to see what Rocksteady does with future games in the series, especially after the shocking ending of this one. Might we be seeing Terry McGinnis dawning the cape and cowl next time? Only time will tell.

Score: 8 out of 10

Played On: Xbox One

#Batman #BatmanArkhamKnight #Rocksteady #RocksteadyGames #Xbox #XboxOne