Batman has never been on finer form than he is in Arkham Knight
The Batman Arkham series is by far and away the best Batman videogame franchise that has ever been released. The combat is fluid and agressive, the gadgets are cool and inventive and Batman himself is a total asskicking machine. But does Arkham Knight really improve that much on the previous games?
Well in short yes it most certainly does. And to showcase just why you'll love Batman's latest game I've compiled a top ten list for you, check it out.
10. Batman is Even Tougher
2009 was when we first encountered Batman in Arkham Asylum, a fact that makes me feel a little grey in the tooth now, thankfully though in the past six years he has continued to evolve and become an even more accomplished hero.
For his latest adventure Batman is more muscled and toned than he has ever been before, and the games combat mechanics have been tightened and expanded to allow him an even greater variety of ways to take down the countless enemies he will be facing off against.
With cape or without cape Alfred?
Batman’s armour has also been beefed up in Arkham Knight with a very nice gothic look that screams of Batman’s new aggressive style. Everything about Batman’s look here is geared towards an edgier and more violent approach that comes across beautifully in the new combat mechanics too, and in particular in the brand new ‘fear’ takedowns that will see Batman ripping through numerous enemies in a single move.
9. Gotham is a Beautiful Playground
Batman’s brand new playground is a dark and brooding masterpiece filled with curtains of rain lit by greasy moonlight and topped with black ominous thunderclouds, and in its perfect gothic way it’s hauntingly beautiful. The true dark essence of Batman has never been captured more perfectly than it has been here with Arkham Knight, this criminal infest city is on its knees, crumbling and abandoned and that sense of destitution and loss is portrayed perfectly with numerous buildings left simply to waste away.
Eerily beautiful
But it’s not just the games outdoor areas that are a sight to behold. There are numerous well fleshed out and imagined interiors with pale flickering lighting that add a wonderful nerve shredding edge to the gameplay as you sneak along trying desperately to avoid another fist fight.
Everything here is geared towards making Gotham the truly sinister environment it is supposed to be, and it does so spectacularly. The darkness, the rain, the eery lighting, it all makes for some truly heart thumping moments.
8. Improved Combat Mechanics
It’s no great secret that one of the best things about the Batman Arkham series is its bone crunching combat, Batman is a true powerhouse when he’s taking on gangs of enemies and quite frankly they could have left it how it was and everyone would have been happy. But of course they couldn’t leave it alone and instead they’ve returned this time around with an even better combat system, I didn't think it could have been improved, but I was very much mistaken.
You're about to be in a world of hurt
Once again the combat is a mixture of stealthy takedowns and bone breaking hand to hand combat. What the developers have done here is to add more animation and more depth to Batman’s ability to take down his enemies hand to hand. Instead of a few simple counter moves they’ve given him the ability to throw his opponents face first into the concrete with enough jarring force to have the gamer wincing in sympathy, or at least they would be if they weren’t already doing the same thing to the next thug awaiting Batman’s unique brand of justice.
Everything about the combat in Batman Arkham Knight is designed to give the player the same core enjoyment they’ve come to know and love with enough new options to revamp the excitement and make Batman even more lethal than we've ever seen him before.
7. The Batmobile is Epic
It’s best not to think of the new Batmobile as a vehicle since it’s really more of a sidekick, a beautiful missile carrying tank of a sidekick. Your brand new weapon has been integrated into virtually every single aspect of Arkham Knight, it can lift cargo, grapple up buildings and can speed to your location with a single touch of a button, which is very handy when you’ve found yourself in a bit of a tight spot.
Perfect for you absolutely just have to kill everybody
It is also capable of switching between superfast roadster and missile shooting tank with a simple tap of a button, allowing you to speed towards and then blast through most obstacles the game throws in your way. Thankfully it’s also a very pretty machine with an obvious Nolan-esq design to it, which is certainly the best Batmobile to be modelled upon.
There truly is no greater sensation in Arkham Knight than taking down a squad of tanks with your trusty sidekick spewing missiles like there’s no tomorrow.
6. New ‘Fear’ Takedowns Look Awesome
One of the newest elements to Arkham Knights is the ‘pinball KO’ manoeuvre which allows you to take down two or three enemies in quick succession with some spectacular animations which will be sure to have the player salivating in appreciation. Who doesn’t love to watch Batman smash his through a group of thugs as if they’re mannequins? Nobody that’s who.
You're next sunshine
This new takedown mechanic is fairly automatic which can make the takedowns feel a little like you're cheating, however, the strategy and stealth needed to get the men close enough together to execute it more than makes up for the ease of the combat itself. And the beautiful cinematic takedowns are so meticulously animated and choreographed that you really cannot get tired of watching it. And let’s face it; the idea of spreading fear throughout our enemy’s minds before punches their bones into dust is just devilishly tempting.
5. You can be a Villain
You don’t just have to Batman in Arkham Knight as there’s a whole host of characters, both good and bad, to explore. With the likes of Robin, Nightwing, Red Hood and Harley Quinn at your disposal the likelihood of getting bored of Gotham is incredibly small indeed.
Just don't look at her in the wrong way
This means you can play out you darkest super-villain fantasies this time around If you do ever get bored of soaring around the buildings of Gotham saving the innocent and upholding the name of Justice.
Thankfully none of these characters feel second rate when compared to Batman, they’re all beautifully created and they all have their own arsenal of tricks and weapons that open up even more avenues of playing the game. The possibilities here are almost limitless.
4. More Intelligent Enemies
In the past few games Batman has sometimes felt quite overpowered, even when he was facing off against a dozen enemies at once, in Arkham Knight though Batman’s enemies give him a bit more of a challenge than he’s had before.
We're ready for the bat
First of all sneaking up to guards through floor grates is no longer a sure fire takedown manoeuvre. The enemy has now been equipped with thermal charges that they will not hesitate to throw down there to finish you off, and finish you off they most certainly will if you don’t scarper back from whence you came. This added difficulty in taking down guards means there’s an even greater need to plan your approach meticulously before you attempt its execution.
Even the slow quiet approach is no longer the certain success that it once one. You can no longer sit back and take out enemies at your own leisure as thugs will actively seek to rouse any fallen comrades, which will then alert them all to your presence in the vicinity and bring out reinforcements.
These are great new additions that not only add more difficulty to the game but also add another layer of strategy that really ups the excitement and tension.
3. More Iconic Villains
One of the best things about the Arkham series is the incredible plethora of villains they have to oppose our hero. From the likes of The Penguin, Two Face and The Joker we’ve been there, we’ve seen them and we have royally kicked their arses, and in doing so we have had some of the most memorably boss fights in recent videogame history.
The Penguin is a mean git
With folks like The Riddler and Two Face confirmed in Arkham Knight we can guarantee more incredible boss fights in store for you all. There’s nothing greater than the feeling you get ploughing your way through a horde of henchmen and finally dealing out some rough justice to an arch enemy after hours of stalking and careful planning.
Players will once again live the dream of taking on the likes of Scarecrow, The Penguin and Harley Quinn as their favourite caped crusader. It’s a dream so many gamers have held since they were kids and no game has ever done it as well as Arkham Knight. And with the improved combat mechanics and great enemy intelligence it will be a greater challenge than any previous game in the series has given us.
2. Excellent Writing
All too often the focus in these kinds of articles is on gameplay and the look of the game, both of which are important of course, but if the game has a terrible plot and bad writing then even the best graphics and gameplay in the world can’t stop the game from being utter crap.
Arkham Knight is an enthralling tale
Thankfully the writing team of Sefton Hill and Paul Crocker have done a wonderful job nailing down the narrative flow in Arkham Knight. The plot is emotional and gripping, never allowing the player to feel a single moment of mediocrity or boredom. You never balk at a bad line and you never shake your head at the ridiculous reasons behind a characters actions, everyone has strong credible motives that add a sense of realism to Gotham’s beautiful world. It also makes bashing thugs around more than a brutal sidebar, it has a true sense of purpose.
1. The Arkham Knight
In the past the Dark Knight has taken on his fair share of criminal masterminds and he’s managed to defeat them all. Now though the developers of Arkham Knight have given him one of his toughest challenges yet, the adversary known only as the Arkham Knight.
Any last words Bat?
This dark unknown foe is a vigilante seeking justice while harbouring a fierce grudge against Batman. Who is this mysterious adversary and can Batman possibly overcome him to emerge victorious once again? Or will the Arkham Knight be able to take down the Batman? Only time will tell.
What’s great about having a brand new villain to take on is the true sense of originality it gives the latest game. Sure it’s awesome taking on The Joker and The Riddler but it can feel like we’re simply revisiting the comics and the films in videogame format. With a unique baddie to take down players will get to experience an entirely new villain in the Batman universe and forge their own unique story as they do so, which is incredibly exciting.
