Rocksteady's Arkham Games Are All About The Joker

Batman is arguably one of the most popular, if not the most popular, super hero properties around. Mr. Wayne and the legacy of the Bat have traversed various mediums, from comics to novels to television shows to the blockbuster films with more success than any other vigilante out there. Though there are some less than great adaptations, Batman as a franchise has arguably been successful moving between mediums on every front, including video games, and none of the Batman games are as iconic as the Arkham franchise, and for good reason.

In 2009, with the release of Batman: Arkham Asylum, Rocksteady did what many thought was the impossible: the studio put players into the shoes of Batman in a way that made them feel like the Dark Knight. Powerful enough to take on 10 men at once, but not impervious to bullets, with access to a plethora of wonderful toys on the utility belt that felt like natural extensions of the character for not only combat, but environment traversal and puzzle solving, Asylum set the standard for all super hero games going forward. It wasn't just the gameplay though. Rocksteady came into the world with a large respect for the mythos of the character and his world, with a strong story that was accented by the familiar voices of Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy that not only added quality to the project, but a heavy dose of nostalgia for anyone who grew up with Batman: The Animated Series. Hell, even writer Paul Dini jumped on to help flesh out the story. Asylum made everyone a believer again. There can be a good comic book game, and Batman can make a great setting for games. Though I could gush all day on the mechanics of the series, or the world that is set up in the franchise, what I really want to talk about today is the overarching narrative of the Arkham universe. Specifically the story of Batman and the Joker, because the Arkham games cover this relationship so well.

This is How the Batman Died: Not With a Whimper, But a Bang - The Batman: Arkham Knight Take Your Time Review

Quick Note: Though the Batmobile can be hit or miss at times, the city of Gotham has never been bigger nor felt more alive. Whether beating up thugs or tearing up the streets in the car, it feels good to be the Bat. A few story beats fall flat, but this is by far one of the best Batman stories told by Rocksteady and one of the most fun open world experiences out there.
 
At the start of development of Arkham Knight, Rocksteady set out to make the largest, best Batman game the studio thought possible to end the trilogy with a bang. After reaching 100 percent completion in the game and letting the ending movie and credits wash over me, it dawned on me just how successful the studio was in creating that game. Though Arkham Knight has a few misses, this is the perfect game for Rocksteady to go out on and the perfect game to make you feel like you ARE the Batman.

Gaming Memories of This Generation

Gaming can offer so many experiences. The joy of reaching a high score on the leader board. The anger of getting shot in the back. The competition between you and your best friend as you race around the track. It’s amazing just how many different emotions and feelings you get from one game and how different those emotions are from others who play that same game. This is why games are art: they connect us, on an emotional level that is hard to tap into on any other medium. With the ending of the current generation in sight (though not quite here yet) there’s been a lot of reflection on the best moments of this past 8 years in gaming. Here are a few of mine. Spoiler Alert for those who have yet to play Journey, The Last of Us and infamous 2.

Batman on the Go Is Missing a Few Gadgets in the Utility Belt

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Quick Fix: Though there is an interesting story for hardcore Batman fans, this attempt at bringing the fantastic series to portable consoles falls flat with shallow combat, boring level design and an overall bland aesthetic. For hardcore Dark Knight fans, wait for a price drop before you consider. 

Not long ago in 2009 Rocksteady Studios proved to the world that a great Batman game was not just feasible, but would be so good that it would launch a series that is the standard for open world superhero games today. And while it’s no surprise a new Batman hits consoles this fall for a third time, the Arkham series is finally transitioning to handhelds, though not without some caveats.

In Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate you take the reins as Batman once again as he infiltrates the prison Blackgate after a massive explosion has released the Penguin, the Joker and Black Mask. Cutscenes are done in a comic book style animation, with the voice actors reprising their roles from Arkham Origins, which is a nice touch. After saving Catwoman from some goons, you have the choice to tackle each ‘dungeon’ of the three big bads in any order.