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.