Gotham Knights, the open-world action RPG from WB Games Montréal, steps into the spotlight left by the Batman: Arkham series, offering a fresh perspective on Gotham City with Batman’s protégés at the helm. While it doesn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessors, Gotham Knights delivers a compelling narrative and character-driven experience that Batman fans will appreciate, despite some noticeable flaws.
This new adventure puts players in control of Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood, and Robin, tasked with solving Batman’s final case following his demise. Mirroring the open-world design of Arkham City, Gotham Knights presents a sprawling Gotham brimming with crimes to thwart, collectibles to uncover, and intricate storylines to pursue.
One of the game’s strongest suits is its portrayal of the four protagonists. Each character’s personality aligns closely with their comic book counterparts, enriched with numerous references to their shared and individual histories. Small details, like Barbara Gordon’s emails from her roommate or Dick Grayson’s Blüdhaven coffee mug, add depth and authenticity, making them feel like genuine extensions of their comic book origins. The game also thoughtfully explores each character’s unique grief and trauma following Batman’s death, adding emotional resonance to the narrative. Nightwing grapples with leadership, Robin mourns his mentor, Batgirl copes with the loss of her father while holding the team together, and Red Hood confronts his past trauma. These emotional layers are woven into touching vignettes and cutscenes, showcasing each character’s distinct personality and organically enriching the core story.
alt text: Close-up of a Talon enemy from Gotham Knights
Surprisingly, Gotham Knights boasts a more focused narrative compared to the often overstuffed Arkham games. Instead of cramming in every Batman villain, Gotham Knights gives each established character a meaningful role, particularly the villains. The Case Files system, which provides focused side missions for each character, offers a promising avenue for future content and establishes villains as credible threats rather than disposable obstacles.
The combat system, however, presents a mixed bag. Each character possesses a unique combat style and abilities, though they share a common control scheme. The lack of a target lock and a camera that often prioritizes the nearest enemy over the player’s objective can make combat feel clunky and frustrating, particularly when facing enemies vulnerable only to specific attacks.
The Momentum System, which fuels special abilities through successful dodges and attacks, adds an interesting layer to combat. However, the way these abilities are unlocked can make early combat repetitive and limiting.
Another combat flaw is the frequent encounters with large enemy groups, reminiscent of the Arkham games. Unlike Batman, who could rely on stealth, Gotham Knights characters often lack effective ways to thin out enemy groups strategically, making these encounters feel unnecessarily challenging, especially in single-player mode. Some missions clearly designed for multiplayer further exacerbate this issue in solo play.
alt text: Robin from Gotham Knights perched atop a building
The open-world Gotham, while visually impressive, feels oddly empty at times, serving primarily as a backdrop for missions rather than a compelling space to explore. While there are plenty of activities, they often boil down to stopping crimes, collecting items, or scanning landmarks. Though some puzzle-based missions offer engaging diversions, the repetitive nature of many side quests can lead to boredom.
The randomized equipment system, while offering customization options, feels convoluted and unnecessary. The lack of clear context for equipment quality and limited control over item acquisition detracts from the experience. A skill tree system, similar to how abilities are unlocked, would have provided a more satisfying progression system.
Despite concerns about performance, the visuals in Gotham Knights are generally satisfactory. While not as graphically impressive as titles like Horizon: Forbidden West, the graphics are stable and rarely suffer from noticeable issues. The stiff voice acting, however, proves more distracting than any graphical shortcomings.
Ultimately, Gotham Knights is an enjoyable superhero game that offers plenty of content. While it doesn’t surpass the Arkham series, it provides a fun and engaging experience, especially for those looking to immerse themselves in the world of Batman’s extended family. With room for improvement, Gotham Knights lays a solid foundation for future installments.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Gotham Knights was released on October 21st for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Microsoft Windows. This review was conducted on a PlayStation 5 using a copy provided by the publisher.
