When Batman: Arkham Asylum first came out it redefined superhero games.
Its crunching, combo-based combat and fun exploratory navigation made for a heady gameplay blend. It was then followed by two, ever more excellent outings, Arkham City and Arkham Knight, each of which widened the series' scope. And a prequel game, Arkham Origins, filled out the quadrilogy.
Now, after more than six years, a fifth game with similar gameplay is heading our way - Gotham Knights. And, while it isn't technically set in the Arkham Universe, it shares similar themes and gameplay.
Here is what we know about it so far, the debut trailer and more. Enjoy.
Gotham Knights release date
After being heavily rumoured for months, Gotham Knights was fully unveiled during the first DC FanDome at the end of August 2020.
Originally planned for a 2021 release, it was put back to 2022 due to the ongoing pandemic. A more exact date has not yet been announced.
â€" Gotham Knights (@GothamKnights) March 19, 2021
Gotham Knights trailers
The world premiere trailer was released as part of the first DC FanDome in August 2021.
In it, you get to see the new cast of playable characters - with Batman presumed dead. The multiple leads also makes for an interesting jump-in, jump-out co-op experience.
A second trailer was shown during the second DC Fandom in October 2022.
It shows the main villains of the piece - the Court of Owls. The Penguin (Oswald Cobblepot) also features.
Gotham Knights plot, characters and villains
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
Set 15 years after Batman first hit the streets of Gotham, the Dark Knight is missing and presumed dead.
The city is, however, still at risk of super-villainry, so up steps the usually supporting cast of Bat family members: Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing and Red Hood.
Players get to take on each of the characters (sometimes two at once, in co-op), with different abilities at their disposal.
Batgirl (Barbara Gordon, who was previously Oracle) is the most like Batman himself, with an array of martial art skills.
Nightwing is the first Robin, Dick Grayson, who wields dual Escrima Sticks to help take out enemies.
Red Hood is also a former Robin, Jason Todd, who is more fond of using guns and tech to get his way. His appearance provides further proof that Gotham Knights is not set in the Arkham universe, as Todd turned out to be the eponymous Arkham Knight in that timeline.
Finally, a more recent Robin, Tim Drake, is more stealth focused than the others.
They will have to take on several key villains from the comic books, including Mr Freeze (seen in the gameplay walkthrough below) and, as revealed in the latest trailer, the shadowy figures of the Court of Owls.
Gothams Knights gameplay
While Gotham Knights is not based in the Batman Arkham universe, it features similar gameplay - as evidenced by a walkthrough video released during DC FanDome.
Each of the playable characters will have their own unique styles, but the open-world landscape of Gotham will feature storyline missions and, seemingly, side quests - much like Arkham City and Arkham Knight.
It is also a role-player of sorts, with characters able to be levelled up and assigned new skills throughout the game.
The biggest addition though is two-player online co-op. While the game will be able to be played in single-player in its entirety, a couple of players can take on different lead characters and play together.
Combat has been tweaked especially to suit co-op play. An interview published by GamesRadar in January 2021 explained that while Arkham players will find a familiar flow to gameplay, the system is mostly redesigned: "We have entirely redesigned the combat system in order for it to work well in co-op," said WB Games Montreal's Fleur Marty. "Of course, we're still a brawler, and some of the mechanics won't feel totally alien for people who played and enjoyed the Arkham series, but it is in many ways very different."
Gotham Knights platforms
Gotham Knights will be available for PS4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.
There is no confirmation of a Stadia version at present, nor Switch.
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