Batman has always been an iconic superhero. From multiple movies and different actors to various video games and toys, the Dark Knight has been present in pop culture ever since he was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger in 1939. Decades later, gamers and comic book fans are now in for a treat with the upcoming Batman: Arkham Shadow VR game from developer Camouflaj.
Before the Caped Crusader swoops into VR (again), let's take a step back and look at the games that made the Arkham franchise what it is today. From captivating storylines to improved combat and mechanics from each title, here are all the Arkham games ranked from worst to best.
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate's combat is quite different from the rest of the Arkham games. While Blackgate has side-scrolling gameplay that lacks depth and immersion, it still expands the story of the Arkhamverse and is still a great game to play if you want to know more about the characters and the franchise's lore.
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate isn't the best Arkham game out there with its repetitive level designs but it is the first Arkham game that can be played on a handheld device. Being able to become Batman on the go added to its playability and some fans were more than happy to be able to play it anytime and anywhere.
Batman: Arkham VR
Compared to the upcoming Batman: Arkham Shadow, Batman: Arkham VR's gameplay only involved puzzles and crime scene investigations. Batman: Arkham VR provides an ample immersive experience for players who want to investigate crimes like Batman but players who are looking to fight thugs and criminals will be disappointed with the game's lack of combat.
As the first VR game of the Arkham series, Batman: Arkham VR tried to test the waters of VR gaming and won several awards despite having mixed reviews from critics during its release. It laid the foundation of what VR gaming as Batman should be and now that Batman: Arkham Shadow will be available soon, fans can say that the Batman: Arkham VR game walked so that Arkham Shadow could run.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is the most recent game in the Arkhamverse, but it is still far from becoming the best Arkham game. While the game does not highlight anyone in the Bat-family, it continues the story left behind by Arkham Knight. Set 5 years after the events of Arkham Knight, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League lets players control Batman's nemeses in order to stop Brainiac who put the Justice League under the influence of his mind-control powers.
The game's plot and characters seemed interesting at the beginning but fell short when it came to gameplay, missions, and level design. Many fans and critics criticized the game for being too lackluster primarily due to its live service elements. The grind to unlock characters was so tedious that many fans considered Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League to be dull and boring.
Batman: Arkham Origins
While Arkham Origins is the third game in the series, it brings the players back to the beginning of how everything happened in the Arkhamverse. Featuring a much younger rookie Batman, Batman: Arkham Origins featured a new crime investigation mechanic. Players can investigate crime scenes in first-person using the Detective Vision and these crimes can be reviewed by the Dark Knight back at the Batcave.
Arkham Origins also features Freeflow combat and adds iconic tools and gadgets to Batman's arsenal. The Remote Claw, Shock gloves, and the Concussion Detonator are a few of Batman's new tools introduced in Arkham Origins. Arkham Shadow is set after the events of Arkham Origins, and players will get to play as the vengeful Batman and see him evolve into what he was in the next Arkham games.
Batman: Arkham Knight
Considered to be the most immersive and stunning Batman game in the Arkham series, Batman: Arkham Knight had mixed reviews from other fans due to its Batmobile-focused gameplay. While it is true that Arkham Knight's Batmobile is more emphasized in this game compared to the other games in the franchise, Arkham Knight's version of Gotham perfectly captured the feeling of traversing the city by gliding, swinging, or driving the Batmobile, making it a wonderful Batman simulator game. Brooding while being perched on top of a building as you listen to crimes around Gotham is one of Arkham Knight's best moments.
Arkham Knight featured side quests in the form of "Most Wanted" missions that pitted him against various enemies in his rogue gallery. The majority of these missions are wonderfully made but many fans consider the Riddler challenges to be too tedious.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
The game that launched the Arkham franchise, Batman: Arkham Asylum is the first title of the series. Set within the confines of the titular asylum, Arkham Asylum was able to provide a wonderful gaming experience while introducing ground-breaking combat mechanics and narrative. While its success eventually jumpstarted the whole series, Arkham Asylum is still one of the best Arkham games considered by many albeit being the very first game of the franchise.
Arkham Asylum introduced the Freeflow combat mechanic which utilized three buttons for Batman to attack, dodge, and counter. This free-flowing combat made it seamless for Batman to beat multiple enemies at once, further pleasing fans with how the combat should feel especially if you are playing as the Caped Crusader. Batman: Arkham Asylum is so perfectly well made for an initial franchise launch that it garnered various Game of The Year awards from different news media outlets and websites. It also received the Best Game Award during the 2010 BAFTA Video Games Awards.
Batman: Arkham City
After Arkham Asylum came Batman: Arkham City, which showcased free exploration of Gotham for the very first time. Now armed with multiple new combat abilities such as an improved Freeflow combat mechanic, Batman can now throw enemies on the ground and use the majority of his gadgets in combat. Swinging and gliding across the map became available for players for the first time, and it exceeded the expectations of both fans and critics with how perfect the gaming experience is with Batman: Arkham City.
Batman: Arkham City is considered to be the pinnacle of the franchise and even received several accolades for its script, animation, voice-overs, and technical mechanics. From its narrative, graphics, and audio design to the interesting character cast and overall Batman experience, many critics thought that it would be hard to top Batman: Arkham City as a superhero video game.
The Next Batman Title
Batman: Arkham Shadow will come to Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S this coming October 22, 2024, and will bring a brand new Batman experience to the fans of the franchise. The Arkham games impeccably captured and simulated how it feels to be Batman throughout the series albeit in a third-person view. Now that Arkham Shadow will come in VR, players can now fully immerse and feel what it is like to be wearing the cowl in first-person view. Batman: Arkham VR introduced the franchise to VR gaming but Arkham Shadow will take it up to the next level.
Regardless of which games you'll play first before you grab a copy of Arkham Shadow or the best VR headsets out there, be sure to stay updated with the latest gaming news and stories by following Gfinity Esports.