Batman Arkham Knight review

PS4 / X-One / PC

Step aside Joker, there’s a new villain in town… Could the Arkham Knight be Batman’s greatest adversary (and game) yet?

It all began way back in 2009 when developers Rocksteady astounded the gaming world with Batman: Arkham Asylum, a tour de force of impeccable gameplay and incredible graphics. This was Batman as no-one had ever seen him before, the comic book brought the life in spectacular style.

Now six years later, Batman: Arkham Knight brings us to the conclusion of the epic series, with Rocksteady saving the best to last. This is an open-world of perfection, with puzzles, foes, quests and more collectables than you can squeeze into a utility belt – and with the graphical power of the next generation of consoles, it’s never looked better.

The world of the Caped Crusader is an incredibly addictive place to visit. The enthralling storyline combines elements of all previous games, along with introducing us to a new villain – the formidable Arkham Knight himself.

You’ll be able to team up with some familiar faces at various points in the game, including Commissioner Gordon, Nightwing, Catwoman and Robin. And you’ll be glad to hear the usual motley crew of adversaries are all here too, including the Joker, Scarecrow, Two Face, Penguin and Poison Ivy.

Gotham city is a vast playground of adventure that ensures wherever you decide to explore, you will always find something interesting to get stuck into. The Riddler puzzles from previous games are back, and they are littered across Gotham, each brining a unique puzzle to solve in order to collect them all. Likewise, the other elements of the other games, such as Batman’s detective mode and gadgets are all here too.

The one major addition to the game is for the first time you are given the opportunity to drive the Batmobile. Or should I say, Bat-tank, as that’s more what it’s akin to here. Decked out in armour and equipped with a multitude of gadgets, not only does the Batmobile help you get from A to B, but it is also equipped with enough weapons to take on an army. At various points you will find yourself up against armoured vehicles and missile launchers as you strive to clean the streets of crime. Again, as with Batman himself, the Batmobile is upgradable, allowing you to customise it as you wish.

Add to all this the AR Challenges and boss fights, and you have one extremely polished game indeed. I could ramble on for hours, praising this game. It really is that good. This is a game with pedigree – a modern day masterpiece, and future classic in the making.

Mark Pilkington