Summary
Batman: Arkham Shadowis a Meta Quest 3-exclusive and to many Arkhamverse fans that may be a letdown since it’s only available on a niche VR platform. Regardless, it’s shaping up to be an entry in theArkhamfranchise that shouldn’t be missed out on due to how much story content it’s deriving from its place in the Arkhamverse timeline, one that the community has been aching to see developed and portrayed sinceArkham Origins’ launch.Batman: Arkham Shadowis now another prequel story and thankfully it does not seem to be cutting corners or reveling too much in established iconography.
At least based on the cinematic story trailer and who it’s revealed to appear,Batman: Arkham Shadowseems dedicated to shedding light on antagonists whose origins haven’t been depicted in the series thus far. Taking this as an opportunity to experience theorigins of Ratcatcher—not to mention the mysterious Rat King—Scarecrow, and Harley Quinn among any other antagonists is a superb reason to have a prequel, and it’ll hopefully open the door wide for more.
Batman: Arkham Shadow More Than Justifies Its Status as a Prequel Story
Every character revealed forShadowthus far besides Batman and Jim Gordon is an iconic antagonist whose origin story has yet to be told in the Arkhamverse: Otis Flannegan’s Ratcatcher, Dr. Jonathan Crane’s Scarecrow,Dr. Harleen Quinzel’s Harley Quinn, and District Attorney Harvey Dent’s Two-Face.
Ratcatcher plays an ambiguous role in the storysince he’s apparently only one of two rat-themed characters—the other being the Rat King. Still, it’s greatBatman: Arkham Shadowis placing such emphasis on Ratcatcher because he’s never been seen in theArkhamgames, only his equipment and billboards related to him as Easter eggs reflecting Batman’s larger mythology.
Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, and Two-Face are all unmistakably iconic DC villains with massive roles as recurring antagonists in the Arkhamverse, and yet how these particular iterations became who they are remains a narrative lapse thatArkham Shadowcan now capitalize on and illustrate in-game the same way that Batman originally encountered Riddler for the first time as ‘Enigma’ inArkham Originsor howMr. Freeze had his devastating origin story told inArkham Origins’ Cold, Cold Heart DLC.
Arkham Originsleaned on its subtitle with the responsibility of being a prequel story that takes place roughly eight years beforeArkham Asylumand two years into Batman’s career as the Caped Crusader. Now,Arkham Shadowcan finally be the next installment to fill in the canon’s earliest gaps with rich lore and context.
Batman: Arkham Shadow’s Twists Can’t Undermine Its Announced Antagonists
This could all be overturned by the timeBatman: Arkham Shadowlaunches if frequented Arkhamverse antagonists such as Joker appear, and there’s already a decent likelihood of that happening if Harleen has a big role and is in the process of becoming a homicidal harlequin out of an obsessive adoration for Joker. The Arkhamverse has made a name for itself by reprising Joker even when his inclusion in a story perhaps wasn’t necessary, with the detriment being that another interesting antagonist was denied the lead instead.
Black Mask has forever been downtrodden and abused in the Arkhamverse, for instance, and Joker made sure of that inArkham Origins. Camouflaj has other characters it hasn’t explicitly talked about inArkham Shadow, and surprises are welcome if it features characters who’ve also not received a whole lot of attention, but finding a way to reprise Joker again would be a mistake. Even so,Arkham Shadowwill be diving into the backstories of iconic characters and maybe even showcasing the moment when Dent gets acid splashed on him, which would be neat to witness in VR.
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.
