Gotham Knights review

The DC Caped Knight is a true icon whose legacy can be found in every culture tree. From comics to movies to video games, Robert Cain and Bill Finger's bat-masked vigilante has left viewers in awe and awe from the moment it was introduced back in 1939.

Although Batman has previously appeared on consoles, it was thanks to the efforts of Rocksteady that Batman: Arkham Asylum, released in 2009, was able to capture and convey the essence of the Dark Knight. Thanks to the brutal combat system and indescribable gothic design, the game became an instant hit, prompting the authors to create sequels. Arkham Origins is an overlooked part of the series. WB Montreal has made it clear they can create an immersive experience with Batman at the helm, but now the Canadian team has tried to prove they can create quality content with supporting actors at the forefront. Let's figure out if Batman's companions from Gotham Knights were able to replace the hero and give no less quality experience?

The Dark Knight is dead. While those associated with Bruce mourn, the world is filled with new criminal groups. While each character is connected to Batman, they have different motivations, beliefs, and goals. Because of this, it is difficult for them to work as a team, but they have to investigate the death of the Dark Knight. Grieving for their mentor and seeking vengeance, the four heroes team up to protect the city and become Gotham's new defenders.

Death in the family

By communication between the characters, you can build the nature of their personality. Jason Todd's irascible antics belie Dick Grayson's honest demeanor, creating an exciting dynamic within the group. It's incredible to watch them grow as individuals and gradually develop as a team. Care and attention to the cast successfully elevate them above secondary roles.

During the day, you are in the bell tower, your base of operations. Here you can collect clues from your night patrols, upgrade your gear, and change your main character. WB Montreal allows you to choose who you want to play, where you want to go and so on. All characters follow the same control system, making it easy to switch between them. Their strengths and weaknesses vary, so you can choose the hero that best suits your style. Batgirl has several gadgets, while Red Hood can use weapons and explosives. Robin is skilled in stealth, while Nightwing is an acrobat with deadly melee skills. The character list allows you to experiment and play the game in different ways.

Rise of the Knights

At night, you are the protector. Wearing a superhero costume, you must explore Gotham, get involved in crimes and investigate notes. The Batman universe is full of unique and dangerous villains, and many of them appear in Gotham Knights. You need to hunt down and fight famous personalities like Harley Quinn, Mr. Freeze and so on. Watching how the death of the Dark Knight affects his opponents is fascinating and further highlights his impact on society. Although the conversations with the antagonists follow the same focus, the dialogue changes depending on the hero. This makes the battles feel unique, thus taking a convincing step forward in the direction of replay value.

The story missions are varied and easily develop the overall narrative. To progress through the story, you will have to fight different types of enemies and investigate murders. In addition to this, there are challenges that reward you with crafting materials, and crimes that happen every now and then in different parts of the city. The latter can be repeated, since there is a strictly specified number of types of crimes. You can team up with a friend or take on a horde of minions on your own. The co-op works well, but is not required.

Not to be confused with Arkham!

While the artwork in Gotham Knights is similar to the Arkham series, it is not a sequel and takes place in a completely different world. Therefore, it will take some time to reprogram muscle memory and adapt to the combat system. However, once you do that, the game becomes great. Although it builds on its predecessors, the action game changes key elements to create its own identity. You can still glide gracefully through the environment playing a symphony of pain, but the iconic counter is missing. Instead, the game focuses on the dodge mechanic. To avoid damage, you must dodge or move away from the attack at the moment when the visual cue appears on the screen. This, along with professional timing, will increase the rating and allow you to unlock the special ability.

In addition to the melee attack, there is a special button for ranged combat. Thanks to this, you will be able to create quick combos to take down enemies in a clever and cinematic way. Carefully crafted animations complete fights to make you feel like a real tough guy. With an intuitive and simple design, Gotham Knights is accessible to everyone. New movements and techniques are introduced gradually so as not to overload your brain. New opportunities are constantly opening up to destroy enemies.

The city is huge, with three islands and several districts that make up the land. To travel the world, you can surf the night sky or race through the streets on a batcycle. It is possible to use the fast travel system. Unlike the Arkham series, the streets of the world of Gotham Knights are filled with people who verbally support or oppose your actions. Buildings add verticality to the gameplay. The combination of neon lights and gothic architecture creates a stunning aesthetic that accurately captures the bleakness of Gotham.

The Knights of Gotham are brave and courageous. The developers are removing the protagonist of the universe to focus on those who are often relegated to the background. The attitude towards the new team is just fantastic. Although the combat system is different from Arkham, it still shines and successfully builds on the original formula. Some missions are repeated, and the passage lacks speed. Still, Gotham Knights is a joy to play and perfectly captures the birth and rise of DC Comics' new avenger group.