How The Batman Arkham Series Redefined a Genre

There was a point that most of us encountered back in 2009, one that changed the superhero genre forever. As we optimistically glided, punched and kicked our way through the early stages of Batman: Arkham Asylum, introduced to a fascinating story, interesting characters and mechanics that actually worked, we were stumbling across the seeds of one of the finest series of the generation, let alone one of the finest superhero games.

There’s one moment that stands out for me. It’s not the constant chains of endless combos, or the now iconic setting, but rather when the game takes a break from the usual. It’s when, for the second time Batman has succumbed to Scarecrow's fear toxins, and in a hallucinogenic state, relives the night of his parents murder and the foundations of his relationship with Jim Gordon. The change of pace comes from left field, and rather than yet another session of mindless brute smashing, it brings home the true character of Batman and his motive and state of mind, something you rarely see in a game of this ilk.

The doesn’t normally happen because very often superhero games are film-tie ins, squeezing all the action and drama of a 90-minute movie into a six-hour game with no room for character or class. This often means cramming in unnecessary platforming sections, adding repetitive boss battles and stretching out the narrative with more filler than a WAG’s forehead. Things feel out of place, particularly with the movie still fresh in your mind’s eye and makes for nothing more than a dogged experience, think of games like Catwoman, or to a lesser extent the Spider-Man tie-ins or The Incredibles all of which were average at best.

The Arkham games do have these features, but not one feels shoehorned in or that it shouldn’t be there. Platforming sections are how Batman stalks his prey, the boss battles are clever and considerately thought though and as for narrative filler, there is none, every line feels like an essential piece of the ark. Villains aren’t just thrown in to make up the numbers, they are part of the notorious Arkham ethos after all, and whether you’re avoiding enchanted flora in the botanical gardens or a humanoid crocodile in the sewers, it’s all there on purpose.

The Batman Arkham series doesn’t rely on a narrative penned by someone else, they aren’t tasked with shaping interactivity into a film and throwing it out to coincide with premieres. Instead they created a unique superhero experience and wove in their own story, similar to what happens when an author is commissioned to create a one-off graphic novel for instance. You’re not controlling Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man or Halle Berry as Catwoman, you’re controlling the Batman, in a situation you are experiencing for the first time.

And this must have been a difficult decision to make, it would have been far easier for Rocksteady to simply squeeze out a Nolan-inspired Batman game. After all, 2009 was the height of the Bale Batman europhira which was striking the planet at the time.

The story is one of the finest Batman tales you’ll come across in recent years. With the cast of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprising roles that had previously edged them towards the top of the ‘best Batman/Joker’ list, making it even more of a mouth-watering experience. And it wasn’t an unintentional move hiring these voice actors, but one that means the characters, at least to some degree, are already familiar and established. It not only makes for a memorable game, but a fine addition to the caped crusader’s back catalogue in all forms.

With Batman: Arkham Knight, Rocksteady are taking the next step forward in innovation. A developer, who have already made the brave narrative move to kill off Batman’s most revered foe, The Joker, are poising to end the trilogy with the same passion and heart they started it with; introducing a new villain, The Arkham Knight. And they’re not doing it by halves either. Establishing his background through a series of comics and teasing us with tidbits of information: he might soon be as iconic as The Crown Prince of Crime.

When the Arkham series started back in 2009, we were doubtful it would be anything other than a bland footprint in the stagnated genre. What we got instead was a game that took advantage of the ever improving third-person mechanics of last generation, and amongst the market of FPS’ and RPGs laid strong foundations for what a superhero game could and should be. With the Arkham trilogy heading towards a climactic conclusion, and superhero fandom reaching an all-time high in the cinema, now is the perfect time to establish the superhero genre amongst the finest in the business. Let’s just hope that means more Arkham-inspired games and less Superman 64, there’s only so much kryptonite fog we can put up with!