Review: Batman: Arkham Knight

Rather than having the game built on the newest version of the Unreal Engine it runs on a heavily modified version of Unreal Engine 3, which Rocksteady had been working on throughout the production process of the franchise. From a technical perspective it’s hard to say wether the game would perform better on newer software, but Arkham Knight looks and plays as next-gen as it gets. The game isn’t the first open-world game we’ve been introduced to throughout this generation, but it may be one of the moodiest and deep worlds that’s been showcased in the genre. Whilst games like The Witcher and such take their crown in providing luscious open worlds of nature and such, Arkham Knight preforms the feat of showcasing and urban and moody setting that is as much of a character as its protagonist in a way. The only remark that I can make here is that it does seem a little too light on civilian activity, but this is explained by the plot.The city has been modelled to great detail, with crisp and clear characters to finish to ensemble. The entire world is presented in a dark but vivid manner as the lighting engine and design compliment the layout of Gotham City, wether it be the street lights of a dark alley or the bright and colorful neon-signs that grace the rooftops of Gotham. Destruction is also present to a certain degree, as certain aspects of the open world are destructible to the sheer violence the Batmobile may cause. (A little fun fact, I may have caused more damage than Arkham Knight and Scarecrow ever did throughout the game.)

Performance-wise the game runs at a solid 30 frames per second, though the engine is somewhat tested at times when there’s a lot going on at the same time. These dips usually take place during Batmobile sequences, especially when there’s a notable amount of destruction and/or particle effects being showcased on screen at once. In the grand scheme of things these dips seemed to be a minor hinderance though, as in over 12 hours these dips may have only covered a few minutes of gameplay in total, providing a very smooth experience overall, which is quite a feat when you look at some of the on-screen action. In the case of the PlayStation®4 version the game is showcased at a resolution of 1080p, which delivers a clear and visually pleasing presentation. Additional filters such as film grain are present, though it doesn’t seem to interfere with the visual presentation to a problematic level, and depending on your likings it may add a nice cinematic touch.Batman: Arkham Knight takes a lot from the previous installments when it comes to gameplay, though it adds its own fair share of gameplay elements that are either enhancing the former or providing completely new elements to the franchise. The basis of combat is quite similar, and may play identical for many, but the refinements in both animations and arsenal create a system that is as visually pleasing as it is to master. The FreeFlow combat system is still a matter of reflexes in many ways, but taking your time to learn all the combinations and techniques is a fun and quite strategic element that really does satisfy when used properly. The combinations with the expanded arsenal of gadgets make it clear that the Arkham franchise is still one of the strongest contenders in the genre when it comes to providing a deep but easy-to-use combat system.

Traversal has undergone similar changes, but this is also largely influenced by the fact that there’s a little not-so-small addition to our arsenal of toys: the Batmobile. The Batmobile in Arkham Knight isn’t simply a means of transportation as it is more of an extension of his arsenal of gadgets, albeit a bit too large to fit on his belt (god knows what else he’s got in that belt though.) The Batmobile is used in many ways, ranging from combat to puzzles and advanced traversal, providing a much needed addition when it comes to providing gameplay variety to the franchise. Combat, traversal and such are a joy to endure thanks to the great gameplay design and handling, but the sheer amount of emphasis on its contents does create another problem. Whilst it creates a lot of much-need variety it also takes some of it away due to the fact that the amount of content based around it is simply staggering sometimes. Ranging from long sections of the campaign to the secondary objectives, though to be fair most of it is well-designed.The main story gives players about 8 to 12 hours of content to play around with, depending on how players wish to spend their time in between missions. Players are free to go through the story as fast as possible (most of the time), but they can also take intervals saving the city from the hands of its enemies. Most of the secondary objectives are similar in set-up to the campaign itself, though each series of objectives provides its own short story arc, which has players complete them in order to add each accompanied villain to the line-up at the GCPD police station. After each series of events the player has to bring each captured major enemy to the station using the Batmobile, at which the rogues gallery behind bars. This isn’t without reward, as everything helps you work towards the satisfying finale.

The issue that can be found with some of the secondary objectives are those that are easily identifiable with most open world games, which is variety. This issue is only as great as the player can make it however, as the game does effectively encourage you to switch objectives as you go. Not only is there an easy menu that will help you choose what you want to do throughout, but there are also visual cues on your rader that will give you a notice towards previously undiscovered missions, which may lead you to divert from your previously set path. The game is optimally played by diversifying your activities by finding a balance between the main story and the secondary objectives. This doesn’t just give you a fuller experience but it also helps you gain upgrade points for combat, gadgets and the Batmobile, which are heavily needed as you progress throughout the game’s narrative. Saving everything for the endgame can lead to frustration in the long run, as the similarity of missions in the same series can lead to repetitiveness when played through in succesion. This is as much of a knock to gameplay design as it is to player styles, as it leans towards changing many of our habits concerning secondary objectives, whilst providing a somewhat more tedious experience for players who want to save everything for last (which I don’t advise.)Ending a trilogy in the videogame industry can be as tedious as it is in filmmaking, but Rocksteady has managed to deliver a narratively comprehensive and engaging experience that is accessible to both returning and new players. Experiences may vary when it comes to variety in gameplay, but ultimately Batman: Arkham Knight succeeds in what every superhero game wants to do: make us feel like we’re actually the hero in question. This may be the last we’ll see of Rocksteady and Batman in a while, but if anything they’ve managed to go out with a bang, which is already quite a feat by itself.