Summary
Batman: Arkham Shadowhas only offered cinematics in its announcement teaser and story trailer and therefore it’s difficult to assume how Camouflaj’s Meta Quest 3 exclusive will look until gameplay is revealed at gamescom in August. A few in-game screenshots have cropped up, however, and fail to portray Gotham City in nearly as much of a post-apocalyptic state as it is in the aforementioned cinematics. This could be representative of only a slice of the game, but having the city blanketed in flame and Rat King rioters is a phenomenal aesthetic thatBatman: Arkham Shadowwill hopefully be leaning into.
Arkham Asylumbirthed the Arkhamverse canonwith a niche and rare aesthetic by stranding itself entirely on Arkham Island. Since then, the series has arguably maintained relatively uninteresting takes on Gotham City regardless of how visually impressive they are. EvenArkham City, which attempted to bridge the gap between an institution full of antagonists with the Batman mythology’s more metropolitan and commercial Gotham City, is spread thin in terms of its themes and identity.Arkham Shadownow has an opportunity to revel as a prequel where fires are aglint in thousands of red rat eyes.
The Atmosphere of Batman: Arkham Games Peaked with Asylum and Origins
Arkham City’s titular compound hardly makes any sense narratively;Arkham Origins’ Gotham Cityis canvased in snow and consequently bereft of the detailCitymaintained while also not adequately explaining why there are no civilians in the streets; andArkham Knight’s Gotham City is glossy and hyperrealistic but all of that beauty is marred by an ugly occupation of endless militia forces.
BesidesCity,Asylumhas debatably been the onlyArkhamgame to have a distinguishable identity established in its setting. Of course, becauseShadowis a sequel toOriginsandBlackgateit would make sense for it to behave similarly to those titles and capture an identity closest to them in tone. As a prequel,Originsis chiefly captivating because players get to see the earliest iterations of characters such as Bane or Riddler before they become the more classic villains they’re depicted as in later entries.
Shadowwill now serve the same purpose with antagonists such asRatcatcher, Scarecrow, and Harley Quinn. But instead of relying on a wintry Christmas Eve aesthetic for its entire identity as WB Games Montreal had withOrigins, Camouflaj has poured gasoline all overShadowand lit it ablaze with characters who are perfectly suited to an atmosphere of horror and mania.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, while not anArkhamgame, belongs to the Arkhamverse as its latest and most present-day installment. Even besides Rocksteady’s plunge into a quirky and humorous perspective from Task Force X as they become involved in multiverse shenanigans,Kill the Justice Leaguelacks its own identity.
It’s highly comparable to the unrelatedSuicide Squadmovies that came before it as well as invoking more of azanyGuardians of the Galaxydynamiclike many pieces of media tend to nowadays, and it’s so far removed from what made theArkhamgames special that it’s difficult to associate it with them beyond certain characters making the cut.Asylumremains the most confident and stalwart in its authenticity butOriginsis a huge monument in the franchise as a prequel.Shadowwill hopefully be followingOrigins, if notAsylum, with its own standout identity when it launches later this year.
Batman: Arkham Shadow
Become Batman in this official new entry into the Arkham franchise.It’s the Fourth of July, and Gotham City is under attack by a new threat: the mysterious Rat King and his cultish devotees. As widespread rioting engulfs the city, Batman races to prevent this so-called “Day of Wrath” before it all goes wrong.Experience the World of Batman Like Never Before:Immerse yourself in all the grit of Gotham City with the power of VR, and take down its most notorious criminals.Hard-Hitting Arkham CombatRealized exclusively for VR—choose from fan favorite gadgets and bold fighting styles reimagined from the beloved Arkham franchise.Friends, Foes and Other Familiar Faces:Meet Dr.’s Quinzel and Crane before they became Harley Quinn and Scarecrow, as well as other iconic characters including Harvey Dent, Jim Gordon, and Ratcatcher.
