Batman: Arkham Knight is the long awaited conclusive chapter in one of the most critically acclaimed series of last generation. Arkham Knight also marks Rocksteady's third entry and second sequel to the original game that debuted in 2009. With the stakes incredibly high for this 'final' installment, I'm very pleased to report that Batman: Arkham Knight delivers a very entertaining gaming experience on all fronts. It's never truly felt this good to be Batman.
Rocksteady has crafted a beautifully crafted Gotham that looks fantastic. It's dark, dreary, wet, and moody; it's what you would expect from Gotham City. It's also fairly big, much bigger than previous titles. The weather effects really push this setting over the edge and adds life to it. One thing very different from other Arkham games is that thugs are actually running around doing things and cars are being driven around. Whereas in previous games thugs would stand in their designated zones and wait to be picked off by Batman. Gotham gets nailed once again and is definitely a stand out this time around.
The world design of Gotham naturally leads me to how the game looks. It is clearly an Arkham game, adopting the same style as the previous games, but this is definitely one of the better looking games out. Batman: Arkham Knight is fantastic to look at from level, costume, vehicle, and character designs, all the way to crisp textures. Rocksteady really nails the look and the world of batman.
Arkham Knight's story is also what you would expect from this series. It takes full advantage of Batman's friends and foes to craft an interesting enough story to keep you going. Although the Arkham Knight's identity kind of fails at being a huge shocker, it's still fun to see play out. Side missions are also fun to go play for a couple hours at a time. What makes them so nice is that they somehow tie into the main story. This grande finale is accompanied by some very stellar voice acting that tip the hat to all Batman fans with Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprising their roles as Batman and the Joker. Whoa spoiler alert! Not necessarily, the Joker is and isn't in the game. I'll let you guys find out for yourselves, but they weave him back into the story in a nice way.
Combat in Batman: Arkham Knight is another highlight of the game and is definitely at it's prime in this installment. It's so fluid and responsive, no wonder why other games try to mimic this type of combat. You have your different attacks, stuns, parries, and moves that all feel wonderful in the hand. Clearing a room full of thugs in one consecutive group of moves without being touched is literally the best feeling a videogame can give you. Arkham Knight also delivers a few new tricks with combat that somehow make it even better. Fear multi takedowns are brilliant and make you feel like a serious badass. If you sneak up on a three enemies standing near each other you can combo a quick attack before anyone knows you're there. Then you can continue stalking your enemies. You can also upgrade this ability to allow more enemies to be involved. There are also sections of the game where you can fight alongside Batman's friends and mid punch you can press a button that makes your character begin a duel attack with your partner. During this process you actually switch characters and continue the brawl as your partner. It's not a game changer, but is fun to watch play out and keeps the fights fluid.
The biggest addition to Batman: Arkham Knight is the batmobile. I like many people were really worried, but luckily it turns out to mostly be a fun addition to the formula. It's fun to drive around and feels good. I found myself switching back and forth from gliding and grappling to driving. They all have their pros. It also has a tank mode so you can fight enemy robot tanks. This combat is also fun and very enjoyable. Rocksteady also implements puzzles involving the batmobile. This is a welcome edition and adds another layer to the already huge game. My only complaint with the batmobile is that the game all too often throws you back into it and doesn't give you the option on how to tackle a certain scenario.
Arkham Knight also brings back detective mode from previous installments. It's a great tool and helps aids you during puzzles and combat. My only complaint with it is that I found myself relying on it too much. It's not the games fault, that's just how I played.
Arena challenges return as well, calculating your combos and turning them to scores. It's a perfect game mode that showcases the combat. Riddler trophies also return that should add more time to your play through. On the PS4 the Harley Quinn and Red Hood DLC add even more story content to the game.
Overall Batman: Arkham Knight is fantastic game that shouldn't be missed. It takes everything it's predecessors have done and amplifies them to make the best superhero game ever made. Being Batman has never felt so good. The new additions to the franchise are great and the story is fun to see unfold. But it's the moment to moment gameplay that make Arkham Knight stand out.
Batman: Arkham Knight is a 3.5 out of 5.
I previously gave this game a very high 5 out of 5, being caught up in the hype. Sorry for the change though. I haven't touched the game since writing this review and have no desire to go back. While it's a great game in mostly every way, my opinion has changed.
Author's note: I've gone through a few different ways of presenting my final scores. Starting with this review I'm going to a five point rating system that includes halves. So you will see something like 3 1/2 out of 5. I decides against decimals, simply because it's pointless, especially on a scale of 10. But what other way to begin the new scoring system then with a perfect score to an awesomS
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