Batman Arkham Knight Review

Batman Arkham Knight marks the end of Rocksteady’s Arkham trilogy, concluding with some of the most exciting storylines and gameplay that leaves you a little sad when finishing the game. However, with a plethora of sidequests alongside the main questline, not to mention a guarantee of six months worth of dlc to come, Arkham Knight will keep you captivated for a long time. In this review I won’t be focusing in depth on the details of the story and so will be spoiler free.

When Arkham Knight was first announced as an 18 rating, I was intrigued to see how much the series had progressed in terms of mature themes. It is obvious once played why this decision was made, with one of the most dark entries in the series. Rocksteady have exceptionally adapted the darker themes of certain Batman comics, but have added their own flair to make a unique experience. As it is a video game, it is arguable that some of the more disturbing themes that have been portrayed through the comics are potentially more disturbing through the immersion of the gaming medium. However, this takes the characterisation of Batman and characters from this world to another level, and this emotional involvement makes the gameplay even more entertaining. What is also great about the use of darker themes in Arkham Knight is that horror elements tie in through the use of typical horror tropes (jump scares), but also uses a kind of psychological horror. Without being a stark horror game, Arkham Knight is able to weave horror elements to assist crucial game moments, showing Rocksteady’s mastery of the Batman universe that they have acquired by the end of the Arkham trilogy.

In terms of gameplay, there are only a few minor issues to an otherwise flawless game. The combat system has been reinvigorated with Batman being able to be more interactive with the environment, using walls, rails etc. to add interesting dynamics to knocking out enemies. Predator scenarios have also improved, with the introduction of multi-fear takedowns to quickly sort out an area, yet this is balanced with new types of thugs that appear in each scenario, making you think more tactically than previous games. There has been a lot of gripe with the introduction of the Batmobile in this game, but I believe that it was important to have this in the game as it is a significant part of the Batman universe, and for me completes taking on the role of Batman. There was a nice balance between the driving elements and the tank elements, with tank combat making fun but sometimes challenging gameplay. However, I can agree that at times it did feel a little overused, and perhaps lessened the excitement of being able to control the Batmobile later in the game. The new mission radial menu is a simple yet effective way of keeping track of all your missions and being able to swiftly switch between any mission whenever you choose to. It will also become your best friend when you realise that to unlock the full ending to the game, you must complete every side mission 100%. I really liked this as it felt like you were getting your money’s worth by wanting to complete the game 100%, but also you could truly understand every aspect of the story, giving you a somewhat better understanding of the ambiguous ending. I was slightly disappointed with the final ending, feeling a little bit rushed to me, but with later dlc to come it may enhance the meaning of the ending; at least I’m hoping it will.

Arkham Knight’s graphics are incredible, with undoubtedly some of the most realistic character models I have seen on a next gen game. There was something so satisfying about the clarity of rain drops sliding down Batman’s cape as you soared across Gotham, and the falling raindrops surrounding you as you dived back down into the streets. The detail of the wear and tear of Batman’s outfit, as well as the Batmobile, truly made the most out of the PS4’s graphics capabilities. Although, at times the graphics would lessen and it would take a few seconds to kick in, however this was a very minor issue.

Overall, Arkham Knight is the perfect ending to Rocksteady’s Arkham trilogy, using the intricate story and game mechanics that it had built in previous games, but weaving in darker themes and captivating story dynamics that encapsulates the Batman universe perfectly in video game form. I believe Rocksteady have made such an impact on the video game industry that it will be hard for any other superhero games to live up to the Arkham series, however by the end of Arkham Knight it has made me want to revisit the rest of the Arkham series once again.

Telltale’s Game of Thrones Episode Four: Sons of Winter Review

In typical Game of Thrones style á la TV, episode 4 of Telltale Games’ take on the Game of Thrones world picks up in both speed and excitement as we pass the halfway mark in its season. In this episode characters get a chance of revenge and redemption from previous adversity they have faced throughout previous episodes, leading to interesting and thought provoking choices to be made. What I enjoyed about this episode was that it refocused on the theme of family, something that is a crucial element in Game of Thrones, allowing you to take back control of the story to help the Forrester family who appeared to be in a lot of trouble in previous episodes. However, done equally as well as the TV series, sometimes the choices you make with good intention can lead to dire consequence, and this episode laid the groundwork for this to take place with a shocking cliffhanger ending. Building on my thoughts from the previous episode, I still stand by my statement of Mira being the most interesting character to take control of. Her story seems to have taken on a more political role, an element of the TV series that leads to gripping storylines that take place in King’s Landing. Mira also had a lot more options for interacting with the world around her, making it a more immersive story. Without spoiling too much Gared’s story has thankfully strayed far off a copy of Jon Snow’s story, however his part in the episode felt the slowest, more like filler. Asher’s story definitely stood out from last episode, having interactions with the mother of dragons herself, Daenerys Targaryen, and a stealthy interaction scene which was tense but enjoyable. Overall, the pace of this episode in comparison with the rest of the season has definitely picked up for the better, and maintains a healthy balance between storytelling, player interaction in the game, and the effects of your choices on the story.