The quintessential Batman experience.
User Rating: 10 | Batman: Arkham Knight (Premium Edition) XONE
There has been a lot of heat on this game over the years. Phrases like "it forces you to use the Batmobile" or "poor boss encounters" have thrown around like meat. I wouldn't say it's unwarranted, but it needs a perspective. From a gamer POV, perhaps it is correct. From a Batman fans POV, that's bull. Out of the gate, if you love Batman and have followed him over the years, you'll know no boss encounter can be challenging enough for him. For the sake of the game, you can design an oversized Joker, or a superhuman Deathstroke, but deep down you know in real life (in Batman's real life) none of that would pose a threat. AK (Arkham Knight, the game, and not the character) realises that and skips the idea of challenging boss fights. It goes where no Batman game has gone before : inside the psyche of the Batman himself. His guilt, the repercussions of his actions, the fallout of his decisions. And how the world around him reacts to him. Yes this game has the biggest collection of villains you'll ever find, and it's a treat for everyone who has been reading the current crop of comics, but none are meant to challenge you physically. But it is the overwhelming odds they pose being present simultaneously, all the while Batman battling his demons from what he did in the last game (see, I didn't spoil it for you in case you haven't played it), that pushes the character psychologically. You are very well aware, if you have played any previous entry, that Batman will overcome the adversities one by one, methodically, as you would have him, and come out on top scratch less on the inside, while his costume shows the marks of battle of the game you have been playing for 25 plus hours. But not this time. This time the scratches are much deeper, and are not meant to leave him quite so easily. As for the Batmobile, if you think the game forcing you to use the latest feature , the biggest upgrade to the previous game, is a drawback, then ask yourself: Is Sam Fishers night vision dispensable in the Splinter Cell series ? Is Harry Potter wand an extra ? Is Zelda's sword an added prop merely ? The Batmobile is meant to be there with the Batman, on the war zone, where he prefers to be alone, without the company of other mortals to slow him down. It is meant to be his biggest help and gadget , over and above the myriad he already possesses in his utility belt. It's not just a part of his game, it is the game along with him. You will learn how to use the various features of the Batmobile in very different circumstances, and you will realise how impossible it would have been to overcome AK without it. You can still glide over the city as you please, and can summon the Batmobile when you want, where you want. There is no aspect of being forced here whatsoever. Batman's supporting cast is much larger now too, each character has a bigger role to play, and play with them you shall as well. Although free roaming with Nightwing and Robin remain out of reach, the team up missions are a delight in an otherwise similar combat and predator experience. Additional purchases will give you more maps to complete and earn upgrade points, and story packs will tell a small story with each new character, all meant to be enjoyed along with the base story serving as a reference point. Narration being its strongest suite, and polishing up the combat and predator mechanics, this game beefs up the experience of being Batman over the excellent Arkham City. By the end of 30 hours, or more (I played 60 plus) you will feel badass, and look badass. You will have control over the character, and the city. You will experience a night in Gotham City that is meant to change the Batman from the inside. A depth no game has delved into before of a character so widely known.
