THE Batman: Arkham The series is one of the best superhero franchises in gaming, but in what order should these games be played? Superhero and Batman games have been around for decades, but their quality has always varied. Although there were many good superhero games in the early 2000s, such as Spider-Man 2Batman has always fought. Even the Batman begins the video game was difficult despite being based on a universally acclaimed film. It’s hard to imagine a bad Batman game after seeing how Rocksteady perfected the formula for such a thing in 2009.
In 2009, Rocksteady would begin one of the most beloved video game franchises of all time with the Batman: Arkham series. Although it is primarily seen as a trilogy, there are some canonical prequels and spin-offs. So, with that said, It may seem a little scary to enter Batman: Arkham series 15 years after its beginning and figure out how to navigate it. However, there is no need to fear as this article will guide any newcomer through the Batman: Arkham series game by game.
The Mainline Batman: Arkham Series has better experience in release order
The main Batman: Arkham Saga has four games
Right off the bat (no pun intended), Anyone wanting to get into this series should start at the beginning with Batman: Arkham Asylum. While this is not chronologically the first canonical game in the series, it is the first to be released and sets the stage for the rest of the franchise. The game introduces players to the violent, almost rhythmic style of combat that made the Arkham famous games. It also managed to create a sense of mild horror thanks to its creepy atmosphere, Scarecrow’s nightmare sequences, and more.
Batman: Arkham Asylum begins with Batman bringing Joker to the iconic asylum before realizing this is all part of a larger scheme. The Joker breaks free and in turn frees all of the inmates, including some of Batman’s most formidable foes like Bane and Poison Ivy. It’s up to Batman to find out what the Joker’s big plan is and put an end to him before the sun rises. Ultimately, it results in one of Batman’s most memorable adventures in all media.
From there, that’s it It’s better to go straight to the direct sequence: Batman: Arkham Citywhich is also popularly considered the best Batman: Arkham game. After the Joker caused chaos at Arkham Asylum, Mayor Quincy Sharp (former warden of Arkham Asylum) deemed the institution no longer suitable for its inmates and chose to cordon off a section of Gotham City’s slums for a new prison. Arkham patients and Blackgate inmates were placed in Arkham City and allowed to roam freely under the supervision of Hugo Strange, a psychiatrist with his own nefarious plans.
During a press conference where he speaks out against Arkham City, Bruce Wayne is kidnapped and arrested with the inmates. Naturally, he gets to dress up as Batman and must figure out what Strange is up to. Of course, the Joker is also lurking around Arkham City, so fans can expect all kinds of hijinks from the Clown Prince of Crime throughout the game.
As for gameplay, Batman gets a variety of new gadgets and there are all kinds of advancements in hand-to-hand combat, which allows the Caped Crusader to use things like baseball bats and pipes against his enemies. Batman: Arkham City it also has a side story where players play as Catwoman, allowing fans the opportunity to take a walk on the wild side and defeat enemies with a little more skill.
After players roll the credits Batman: Arkham City, It’s time to travel back in time a little and go back to Batman: Arkham Origins. This is the first Arkham game not made by Rocksteady, but by WB Games Montréal, and features an entirely new cast of actors playing Batman, Joker and other familiar characters. Part of the reason for this is that Arkham Origins takes place almost a decade before Arkham Asylum and focuses on the second-year Batman. Most notably, Roger Craig Smith replaces Kevin Conroy as Batman and Troy Baker replaces Mark Hamill as the Joker.
On Christmas Eve, a historic snowstorm hits Gotham City as Black Mask hatches a despicable plan. The crime lord placed a $50 million bounty on Batman’s head and enlisted the help of some of Batman’s toughest villains to fulfill it. The likes of Deathstroke, Deadshot, Shiva and others spend this festive night trying to take down this younger, angrier version of Batman.
Now, It’s time for the end of Batman: Arkham series: Batman: Arkham Knight. This is the biggest of them all and allows players to drive the Batmobile for the first time in the entire series. Once again, there are big improvements to combat with things like Fear Takedowns, which allow Batman to quickly take down multiple enemies at once after emerging from the shadows. It’s easily the best Batman game and gives a more subtle sense of control over one of the most precise and dangerous superheroes out there.
The story begins just under a year later Arkham City and takes players to the streets of Gotham City proper. No more asylums, no more prison cities, all of Gotham City is a battlefield. Most of Gotham has been evacuated because Scarecrow plans to release his toxins into the city, which allows Batman’s rogues gallery to once again take control of the dirty city. As if facing a bioterrorist wasn’t enough, there’s another wrinkle: the titular Arkham Knight.
A similarly dressed mercenary/assassin known as the Arkham Knight is hunting Batman. It’s clear there is revenge on this mysterious figure’s part, but the list of possible suspects is miles long. Ultimately, Arkham Knight takes Batman to his absolute limits and delivers a pretty powerful conclusion to Rocksteady’s acclaimed story.
When to Play Batman: Arkham Spin-Off Games
The Batman: Arkham spin-offs are very different from the main series
There are some spin-offs in Batman: Arkham franchise. This is all optional, but can be played in pretty much any order except Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The somewhat controversial follow-up Batman: Arkham Knight takes place some time after the events of Rocksteady’s last Batman game. Although players could play without experiencing the previous Arkham games, it’s best to be familiar with the saga. The game directly addresses what happened next Arkham Knight and how Batman ended up in the Justice League. It is also the only game in the series where players do not play as Batman.
There are also Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, which happens a few months later Arkham Origins and is set in Blackgate Prison. VR users can check out Batman: Arkham VRa short virtual reality game that revolves around a nightmare Bruce Wayne had before the events of Arkham Knight. Finally, the to come Batman: Shadow of Arkham is scheduled for release on Meta Quest 3 on October 22, 2024 and is set between Batman: Arkham Origins and Arkham Asylum. Fans can expect a new canonical story centered around The Rat King as the game’s villain.
Ultimately, there is a lot Batman: Arkham to enjoy great open-world action games, 2.5D side-scrollers and VR games. Rumor has it that Rocksteady is coming back to make another Batman: Arkham game in the future, but so far, these reports have not been confirmed. Either way, it seems likely that Warner Bros. want to continue Batman: Arkham franchise with or without Rocksteady, given how beloved the series is.
- Platform(s)
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Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S
- Released
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October 22, 2024
- Developer(s)
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Camouflage
- Editor(s)
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Glass
- Engine
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Unit
- CERS
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T For Teen // Violence, Mild Blood, Language