Warner Bros Games announced the arrival of the Batman: Arkham Trilogy on Switch. The bundle combines all three of Rocksteady’s mainline titles and introduces the series’ biggest version of Gotham and the fully-playable Batmobile.
The saga started in 2009 with the original Batman: Arkham Asylum game, developed by Rocksteady Studios and voiced by Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill. The series also includes mobile games and a virtual reality title.
Batman: Arkham Origins
Developed by WB Montreal, this prequel to the Arkham series takes place five years before Arkham Asylum and follows a younger, less experienced Bruce Wayne. Having been targeted with a bounty by crime lord Black Mask, he must battle a slew of DC villains including Deathstroke, Bane and The Joker.
Taking up residence in the same open world rendition of Gotham as Rocksteady’s previous titles, Origins delivers the same mix of free-flowing combat, stealth and exploration that made those games so good. There are a few small tweaks to the formula however; combat now features a tracking system that assesses Batman’s efficiency, rewarding his performance with experience points. Additionally, a branching upgrade system allows the player to choose between multiple paths to enhance his abilities and gadgets.
Origins also places a greater emphasis on Batman’s detective skills. Criminal scenes are scanned using Batman’s “Detective Vision” (displayed in first-person perspective) to highlight important information such as remnants of forensic traces or the location of evidence items, and holograms that act out theoretical crime scene scenarios can be reviewed at will. This is a nice touch that adds some depth to the game, though it’s not utilised as well as in the other two titles.
Batman: Arkham City
The 2011 sequel to Arkham Asylum takes the caped crusader to Arkham City, a new maximum security “home” for gangsters, thugs, and insane criminal masterminds. Batman must stop the spread of chaos caused by his arch-nemesis, the Joker, and a variety of other supervillains, including Mr. Freeze, the Penguin, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Killer Croc.
Scripted by Paul Dini, the game focuses on Batman’s confinement in the sprawling new super-prison five times larger than the original asylum and enclosing a wide range of industrial districts, iconic locations, and Gotham City landmarks. The gameplay includes combat and stealth missions that rely on the player’s ability to stalk enemies, use a variety of gadgets, and complete puzzles. The game also offers optional Riddler challenges, including a series of hidden trophies that require the player to interrogate men loyal to the Riddler and disable death traps throughout Arkham City.
The Nintendo Switch version of the trilogy, developed by Turn Me Up Games, features a transformable Batmobile and introduces new, standalone villains. A fourth game, Batman: Arkham Knight, is due for release in 2024. It is the final installment in the Arkhamverse franchise, and will bring a more action-oriented experience with enhanced combat and a more expansive open world, as well as a story that bridges the events of both Arkham Asylum and Arkham City.
Batman: Arkham Knight
The third and final game in developer Rocksteady’s acclaimed Arkham series, Batman: Arkham Knight, adds more structure to Gotham City’s streets and introduces the Batmobile. The game is played from a third-person perspective, with the player controlling Batman using combat, stealth abilities and gadgets. The game also features side missions and a rogues gallery of criminals to confront.
Throughout the game, the player controls Batman as he navigates through a world that’s five times bigger than the previous two games. The game’s combat uses a chain-attack system to rapidly disable enemies, while stealth focuses on moving around an area without being noticed, taking advantage of the environment and gadgets. The Batmobile allows Batman to traverse the map and attack from different angles.
The central plot involves a mysterious military villain called the Arkham Knight, who has an antithetical version of the Dark Knight’s principles and tactics and is bent on revenge against him. While the identity of this villain eventually fizzles out (and most fans will have guessed the answer before they even see the reveal), the game is still loaded with smaller side stories and strong performances from the likes of Mark Hamill, John Noble and Kevin Conroy. In addition to the main cast, the game also offers playable characters such as Catwoman, Azrael and Red Hood.