06 November,2022 07:08 AM IST | Mumbai | Jaison Lewis
Gotham Knights
We have had a fairly good run of Batman games from Warner Bros so far, starting with Arkham Asylum in 2009. But, what if Batman was killed? What happens then to his legacy? These are exactly the themes explored in Gotham Knights, the latest Batman-themed game from Warner.
Batman gets killed in the first few minutes of the game, in a cutscene, no less. After his demise, all his proteges (Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood, and Robin) and Alfred get together to complete what Batman started. The good news is you can play any campaign with the superhero of your choice. However, most of the leg work is pretty much the same, no matter whom you choose. You will still be swinging or driving around the city trying to run errands, defeat criminals, and investigate the death of Batman. The combat style, though, for each character is a little different, which offers some redemption. For example, you can be stealthy as Robin or as gun-toting vigilante as Red Hood.
The game sounds great on paper, especially if you have seen the visuals of the city, and Gotham actually looks great. It's moody, dark, gritty, and perfect. However, combat in Gotham Knights is abysmal, and it feels slow, boring, and just too repetitive. In fact, this game has too much repetition and grinding for rewards that ultimately don't make much of a difference. The city also doesn't feel as alive as, say, the city in Spider-Man. Those little touches of interacting with random citizens on the street are missing from the streets of Gotham. They feel empty at times. Don't get me started on the vehicles in the games, the controls are very floaty. It's like the team that designed the vehicle haven't ever driven a good car. Think Cyberpunk 2077's vehicles with ten times the floatiness tacked on.
The game has bits of RPG elements as well. You can collect skill points and get your character buffed up. Though, the buffs don't bring enough of a change in the gameplay. However, I did love the choice of costumes available for each character. You can customise the costumes with a look you like and also use some of the pre-made ones for nostalgia. The way to collect parts of these costumes is a little complicated, and you may need to replay stages several times with different characters to unlock gear. If you want to do the whole 100 percent completion, you may want to look up some guides. Otherwise, you will have to grind through a lot more than you need to.
The little puzzles in the game that you need to solve are well thought out, but the system feels like it is designed for hand holding, so you don't get stuck in the game. It is something that isn't necessary. Gotham Knights can also be played co-op. However, this is restricted to just two players. So, you and your friends can't play all the characters at the same time, which is a lost opportunity.
Visually everything looks stunning. The characters are designed well, and as mentioned, the city looks great. However, it must be noted that the game is locked to 30 FPS. In this day and age, where 60 fps is the bare minimum for gamers, this game is annoyingly stuck at 30 FPS, even on the latest generation of consoles. The game has nothing much to offer, in the story department. It starts off well and seems promising . However, the resolution of your grand quest dwindles to a few cut-scenes you saw coming a mile away, which is not something you want at the end of a game. The dialogue could also use a touch of work to make it less cringy.
The verdict is simple. If you are looking for the second coming of Arkham Asylum, it's best you refresh those old games and play them again. This is nowhere close to that experience. Gotham Knights are probably for Batman fans who would probably add this to their collection and never play it. If you do want the game, I would suggest waiting for a major price cut before investing. There are plenty of games coming in the next few months that deserve your money more than this.
