Note: This game was played on a Playstation 4
In light of Metal Gear Solid V being released today, how about a belated review for Arkham Knight? I mean, it seems only fitting if you ask me. Let's start by saying this: Batman Arkham Knight is Rocksteady's third and most likely last entry into the series. It follows Batman's antics on a night in which Scarecrow and the mysterious Arkham Knight team up to try and bring the Bat down.
Just like every other Arkham game, all of this takes place over the course of one night, which is a taxing endeavor for anybody involved --especially for Mr. Wayne himself, who's whacking thugs all night long. Oh come on! Saying Bruce Wayne is Batman is not a spoiler! Even your dog knows that. You don't have a dog you say? How about a--it doesn't matter!
Now that we covered what's going on in the game, let's talk a little about the mechanics and gameplay. The game controls exactly like the previous games, which is not a bad thing at all. There are minor tweaks here and there that they've added in this new version, but for the most part everything else is all the same. Combat is just what you'd expect from a Batman game, smooth and fun. They have very slick menus --which by the way are very simple and minimalist, and I mean that in the best possible way!
I told you not to wear a mask... You're hiding all the good stuff!
One of the most notable things they added to the game was the batmobile. You spend almost half of the game in it, which could be a blessing or a curse, depending on how you view it. You see, at first I didn't like it at all. Anything about it. You can read my early impressions of the batmobile right here. I thought the driving was too wonky and fighting those gosh darned tanks all the time... Mother of God! I just wanted to be Batman, not this stupid tank.
But then, it started to grow on me. I don't know if it was Stockholm syndrome or what, but I really enjoyed driving around all over Gotham in it after some time. Now, the tank stuff on the other hand... It became more tolerable, but I could've done without it. I think the problem was that they just tried to shoe-horn it in every single moment they could. They beat you with it until you just couldn't anymore. But I mean, it's all a matter of tastes, right?
The story in this game is really great. It's very riveting filled with masterful voice acting performances and some very funny moments you wouldn't have thought would come packed in a Batman experience. It kept me engaged all the way through to the end. If you're a Bat-nerd, all of the lore you've come to love and expect from a Rocksteady game is also here, so don't fret. Some of the side quests aren't as interesting as the main story, but they're there if you feel like having some extra Bat-time --and if you feel like watching the real ending. Let's also touch on the fact that this game is enormous. You've got at least 20 hours and that's just playing the main quest. It could be even more. So there's plenty of Bats to go around.
The game looks gorgeous, too. The graphics are very crisp and it runs very smoothly for the most part --although I did experience a little bit of slow-down in certain parts, which wasn't a surprise considering how big the game was. But they really cram it with enemies on the screen and you can tell that they tried to get the most out the console's power.
All in all, this game was a very enjoyable experience which deserves to be played whether or not you're a Batman fan or just an action adventure nut in general. It'll reel you in with a great story and gameplay. If you want to be the Bat, I would highly recommend it for you.