5/5 ★ – kubachowicki_'s review of Batman: Arkham Knight.

At long last, we’re in Gotham. This game truly makes you feel like Batman, even more than Asylum and City already did. The upgrade in graphics from Arkham Asylum and City is insane. The amount customisation for all playable characters (apart from Batgirl) and also the Batmobile is phenomenal. The music once again is great. The cutscenes are much more extensive now and I love it. The change to the map takes a while to get used to but after that it’s a nice change. The movement and overall gameplay is BY FAR the best in the series. Everything feels much more polished. Being able to change the difficulty in settings at any point now is a great change. Distance indicators are a very nice addition too. Mission select in the Most Wanted section is such a nice feature. Being able to finally see your overall progress in game was long overdue. The Batwing delivering certain items for Batman is so cool. The new gadgets are so much fun to use. Being able to switch characters between Batman and Catwoman, Nightwing and also Robin mid fight is absolutely fantastic. The dual team takedowns are an amazing addition. This story is literally Scarecrow mayhem and it portrays the character so well. His design is just amazing. 10/10. The story missions in the Most Wanted section being called “City of Fear” is very good. The interactive cremation of Joker was so strange. The fire Bat symbol was pretty cool. Starting the story with Scarecrow, followed by Two-Face and Penguin wreaking havoc in Gotham is such a good start to the story coz it perfectly depicts what Gotham City is, a crime plagued city. The monologue combined with the appearance of the Bat signal and the camera slowly going to Batman was phenomenal. I do like the first Arkham Knight Batsuit but I think I prefer the Arkham Asylum and City Batsuits. Actually seeing the Bat signal light itself is a cool little thing. Actually seeing Oracle as a hologram when her and Batman have their conversations is a cool new thing. The first entrance into the Batmobile was SPECTACULAR. Finally we get to drive it. Poision Ivy’s entrance was pretty cool. I like that first dynamic between her and Batman. We finally get the introduction of Lucius Fox. I love how we actually see Barbara in person now and it’s cool how she’s really important to the story. Conversations with Robin are cool too. It’s interesting how this time it’s Tim Drake rather than Jason Todd. The upgraded Batsuit is so lit. The Arkham Knight’s introduction was so badass. Batman and Scarecrow’s first meeting was so good. That whole conversation between Batman and Alfred when neutralising the blast radius was so great with the music in the background. Playing on the heart strings. Being able to play as Gordon for the first time was nice. Of course Joker would SOMEHOW be back. The escape from ACE Chemicals was so badass despite being really short. That emotional segment from Gordon is definitely an interesting twist in the tale. Riddler’s entrance was so typical but I love it. Catwoman’s entrance as a hostage was smart coz it played on Batman’s heart strings. I like the parallel between that and The Batman. I love that we get to see Lucius Fox in person, not just in the holograms. Nightwing’s introduction was so exciting. About time. It’s Dick Grayson too so that’s even better. Batman and Scarecrow’s second confrontation was pure brilliance. Wow. Barbara’s death was such a huge shock and I love the way they added the music to make it even more emotional. Batman’s reaction was heartbreaking but brilliant. Harley Quinn’s entrance was pretty cool. At long last, we FINALLY get Batman and Robin together. Playing as all the other characters with Batman was fun anyways, but playing as Robin with Batman is the icing on the cake. Bonus points for the trophy description saying “Return of the Dynamic Duo.” The Jason Todd parts were so shocking. The Cloudburst is insane wow. Jumping into the Cloudburst with Joker was so cool lol. The Batman vs the Arkham Knight part in the Batmobile with the cobra tanks was probably the worst part of the game. Ivy’s death was so sad but she did save Gotham. Nature always wins. The Arkham Knight’s reference to Batman Begins was pretty cool. Noooooo not the Batmobile. JASON TODD IS THE ARKHAM KNIGHT WOW. That reveal cutscene was phenomenal. 10/10. The foreshadowing of Jason in the Robin missions was done incredibly. Wow. I love how even after all this destruction, Batman STILL wanted to help Jason. The whole rooftop cutscene with Scarecrow was such a crazy turn wow. First it turns out that Barbara is alive (thank goodness), then you think that Jim betrays Batman then you find out that him and Jim double crossed Scarecrow. Elite. The new Batmobile was so good to see. The return to Arkham Asylum was FANTASTIC. Having Batman strapped the same way Joker was at the very beginning of Batman: Arkham Asylum was brilliant storytelling. Everything comes around full circle. I can’t believe they actually revealed Batman’s identity. I love how this game doesn’t just make you feel like an overpowered Batman but also incorporates his struggles and tough times. The part with Bruce’s parents was so sad but I love how it took us back to Arkham City. The Joker sequence was was so interesting. The Killing Joke. We love it. The painting of the ending of Batman: Arkham City was such a nice touch to a previous game. Joker’s cremation being shown here just like it was at the start of this game. “I am vengeance. I am the night. I am Batman.” BEST QUOTE OF THE WHOLE SERIES. Batman overcoming Scarecrow’s toxin was such an amazing moment. Jason coming to Batman’s rescue but this time no longer as the Arkham Knight but as Red Hood was incredible. Batman’s little bit of dialogue to Jim was brilliant. What an ending. WHAT A GAME. The side content is even better and even more ambitious than in Arkham City. The non villain missions are mostly repetitive though. Two Face, Riddler and Penguin are all back. Firefly’s introduction was so badass. Azrael is also back and I love how there is more to his character this time compared to Arkham City and I love how we get to play as him. It’s nice how we also learn more about the Order of St. Dumas. Having a choice as Azrael of whether to kill Batman or break the sword was great. Man-Bat’s introduction just had to be a jump scare. Deathstroke’s introduction was nice. Playing with Nightwing more was so much fun. I loved the Long Halloween reference in The Perfect Crime. Professor Pyg’s introduction was pretty good. This game introduced me to Deacon Blackfire. Never knew who he was before I played the Lamb to the Slaughter side mission. I love how Hush is back and we get to know more about him this time AND we get his reunion with Bruce as he unmasks himself. Catwoman is also back. I love how this time we actually see and fight Riddler himself rather than just hear him and see him on screens and the fight itself teaming with Catwoman was phenomenal. The brief moment of the Bat and the Cat was so nice too. Finding Batgirl’s suit was pretty cool. Being able to inspect the evidence of the villains across Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Arkham Knight in the GCPD evidence room was cool. That little Talia cutscene with her sword was a nice touch. The 100% in this game is so good. Having two variations of a “secret” ending that serve as the epilogue with the Knightfall protocol is so cool. The first one is an incomplete version of the second that only requires you to complete the story and apprehend 7/14 of the Most Wanted (side missions) and the second one is the “good” and true ending that requires you to complete the story and 14/14 of the side missions (100%). The ending itself is so emotional and heartfelt, while also leaving a mysterious element to it. Gordon’s narration was amazing as was the parallel between the family at the end, and Bruce’s parents’ deaths. It’s really cool how we get the fire Bat symbol at the start of the game and also here at the end. I love how on the credits display pictures from the whole trilogy. The little message with the Rocksteady crew was a nice touch to the fans. Getting 100% was SO much fun apart from the fact that Riddler was very tedious. The AR “challenges” were an absolute pain in the back side, specifically the Batmobile ones. A lot of them really aren’t even challenges but tedious races of either luck or trial and error that are not fun at all. I have no problems playing the story again coz it’s brilliant but once again, New Story + being a requirement for platinum is not it. Bonus points for the NS+ trophy being called The Long Halloween though coz it’s my favourite comic (in general, not only Batman). Getting platinum was mostly REALLY fun and definitely very rewarding.