Video game review: An epic final flight for Batman in ‘Arkham Knight'
Rocksteady Studios proved with 2009’s “Batman: Arkham Asylum” that a video game inspired by superhero mythology could be an impeccably cerebral affair, not just another name association money grab.
The company affirmed that with the 2011 follow-up, “Batman: Arkham City,” by increasing the Dark Knight’s wingspan in a larger landscape with more fluid movement.
In Rocksteady’s final take on the Caped Crusader, “Batman: Arkham Knight” ($59.99, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC), the developer has again expanded its virtual Gotham, injected a playable Batmobile and raised the stakes for billionaire superhero Bruce Wayne. As a character ominously notes at the beginning of the adventure, this one is all about “how the Batman died.”
Following years of peace and quiet from Gotham’s supervillain population, the mind-bending baddie Scarecrow has returned on Halloween night to threaten Gotham with a citywide chemical attack, forcing a mandatory evacuation of citizens – except the rioters, maniacs and militia members who stayed behind.
That militia is reporting to Scarecrow’s cohort, a masked Batman lookalike calling himself the Arkham Knight. He has a very mysterious vendetta against Batman. Scarecrow is also coordinating chaos with other members of Batman’s rouges’ gallery, including repeat offenders Riddler, Two-Face and Penguin and newbies like Man-Bat and Firefly.
In response, Batman is bringing more superfriends to the fight. Rocksteady has smartly woven such allies as Alfred, Oracle, Robin, Catwoman and Nightwing into a plot that features more twists and turns than a roller coaster at an amusement park. He’s also coming equipped with new gadgets like a voice modulator and weapon disruptor. Oh, and that tanklike Batmobile, too.
In the end, “Arkham Knight” is an epic and satisfying conclusion to a groundbreaking series that proved a pop-culture icon could be thrillingly brought to life in a virtual world. Superman should be jealous.
This story was originally published June 26, 2015 at 6:07 PM with the headline "Video game review: An epic final flight for Batman in ‘Arkham Knight'."