Summary
Batmanis arguably one of the most famous and iconic superheroes of modern culture. With several decades of adventures and experience under his belt, Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego has been the inspiration for various comic book issues, TV shows, movies, and, of course, a considerable number of games based on his vigilante activities.
TheBatman gaming universeis vast, featuring titles for all ages and tastes. Games likeLEGO Batmanoffer family-friendly fun with complex puzzles and a wholesome ambiance, whereas masterpieces, like theArkhamseries games, are great for older players who want a more serious challenge. Here are some of themost immersive Batman games.
Originallyreleased for the SNES,The Adventures of Batman & Robinisn’t really immersive by today’s standards due to its outdated graphics and limited game mechanics, but back in the day, it was a formidable title that many players fell in love with.
Revolving around Mr. Freeze’s evil plan to freeze Gotham after freeing dangerous criminals like the Joker, Two-Face and others, this game will have players fighting for justice one punch at a time.The Adventures of Batman & Robinis a classic nostalgic title that shines because of its 16-bit style and entertaining encounters.
Although LEGO entered the virtual world of videogames in 1995, it wasn’t until the late 2000s and early 2010s that the company started to truly double down on their efforts and partner up with multi-million dollar IPs, such asStar Wars,Harry Potter,Batman, and more.LEGO Batman: The videogamefocuses on a massive breakout from Arkham Asylum organized by the Penguin, the Joker, and the Riddler. Batman and Robin will be tasked to find the escapees and return them to face justice.
Like other LEGO games, this title is much more oriented towards being a family-friendly experience rather than being a narrative masterpiece. However, it still has several great moments and various obstacles that require focus and collaboration, offering an immersive experience to anyone who plays it.
Set specifically eight years before the events ofArkham Asylum,Batman: Arkham Originsserves as a great prequel for the title that started it all. During Christmans Eve, a multimillionaire crime boss known as Black Mask puts a bounty of a whopping $50 million on Batman’s head. Batman will have to survive the eight criminals who will attempt to kill him in order to collect the handsome reward.
This title is not only very immersive because of its world design, but also thanks to its concept, where, instead of hunting for criminals, Batman becomes the prey.
While many Batman games only focus on the vigilante side of the character, one of the things that makeBatman: The Telltale Seriesso great, is that it also touches on Bruce Wayne’s life. For the majority of the game, the narrative is split fairly evenly betweenthe masked vigilanteand the billionaire philanthropist, but sometimes, players can choose to approach one situation as either one.
While the combat mechanics are fun, they pale in comparison to those in theArkhamseries, which are famous for letting players chain different attacks and take on several enemies at once. When it comes to this title, it’s all about the narrative, and the graphic novel style it has about it.
Batman Arkham Knight’s enticing story revolves around Batman, Scarecrow, the Arkham Knight, and Deathstroke. Like other games in theArkhamseries, this title features an open-world that, while not as big as those that can be found in other titles, still delivers a great experience and allows players to explore Gotham.
The staple combat mechanics and the great gadgets that Batman can use are nothing new in the series, but the world feels improved, more alive, and overall more complete, which adds to the experience and makes this title very immersive to play.
Batman: Arkham Asylumis a timeless classic. Not only was it released more than a decade and a half ago, but it’s also responsible for birthing one of the most successful and entertaining franchises focusing on superheroes and vigilantes. As the first installment of theArkhamseries,Batman: Arkham Asylumgot a lot of things right, including its combat mechanics. And for those it got wrong, there were its sequels to correct whatever needed attention.
Since it was the first time players got to experience Gotham in the way this game presented it, not only was the experience unique, but also very immersive, as everything felt fresh. Superhero videogames were nothing new at the timeBatman: Arkham Asylumwas released, but this title helped raise the bar considerably for further projects in development.
As the direct sequel toBatman: Arkham Asylum,Batman: Arkham Cityfollows the masked vigilante as he tries to uncover the secrets behind Arkham City, a super-prison controlled by no other than Hugo Strange, who, in this title, acts as the warden of this massive correctional facility. Following various game mechanics from its predecessor,Batman: Arkham Cityallows players to face off against many enemies and use different gadgets to navigate through the world.
Featuring an open-world map, this title offers a very immersive experience that will make players feel like they’re donning the Batman outfit themselves, lurking in the shadows to fight crime and uphold justice.
As far as the gaming experience goes, no other title in the Batman video game universe has ever taken things as far asBatman: Arkham Shadow. This title has only been out for a few days at the time of writing this article, which means that players haven’t had too many chances to play it fully. However, so far, the reviews are mostly positive, with many fans commenting on how immersive the experience is.
As opposed to other Batman games, this title uses a first-person perspective, whichfits the VR experiencewell and makes players feel like Batman himself. By using different hand gestures and motion, the game allows players to throw Batarangs, use their intercom system, and select items from their weapon wheel. All in all, while other titles in the series offer an immersive experience, none of them can top the adrenaline of walking in Batman’s shoes from a responsive first-person perspective.
