The inclusion of the Batmobile in 2015’s Batman: Arkham Knight was one of the game’s most controversial features, but it’s actually much better than most players probably remember. Rocksteady’s last venture in the world of the Caped Crusader has been praised for many things, including its impressive graphics that still hold up in 2022, engaging story, polished combat, and intriguing side quests that can be even better than Arkham Knight‘s main story. The Arkhamverse will live on in next year’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, but there’s still demand for another proper, Batman-centric title in this well-established gaming universe.
Batman: Arkham Knight‘s gameplay and dramatic storytelling have gone a long way towards cementing the franchise’s legacy, but the game was nearly ruined for many players due to how the Batmobile worked. Perhaps the biggest criticism leveled at the game’s iteration of the Batmobile was related to lore and storytelling incongruity; Batman is known for trying to limit death and destruction as much as possible, certainly not taking part in it himself, but the Batmobile gameplay is chaotic and aggressive, transgressing this staple of the character. The vehicle’s focus on weaponry was also a point of contention, and many believe that films like Matt Reeve’s The Batman show what Arkham Knight‘s Batmobile should have looked like, that is, less tank-like, more subtle, and sans turrets and missile launchers.
These criticisms are certainly valid, as the Batmobile in Batman: Arkham Knight is far from perfect, but it has redeeming qualities that often go unappreciated. The team at Rocksteady clearly put a great deal of time, effort, and talent into designing the gameplay mechanics of the Batmobile, which comes through clearly in its sections. The animation and visual design of the Batmobile, while perhaps not to everyone’s tastes, are outstanding and have been commemorated through fan creations like the recreation of The Batman‘s chase scene in Arkham Knight. For players that can look past – or perhaps reinterpret – some of the more controversial elements of the vehicle, it will become clear that Batman: Arkham Knight‘s Batmobile is one of the game’s best features.
What Batman: Arkham Knight’s Batmobile Does Right
Even the most virulent critics of Batman: Arkham Knight‘s Batmobile likely won’t argue that it handles poorly. The weight, momentum, and speed of the Batmobile rivals that of other arcade-style driving systems like the one found in Grand Theft Auto 5. It’s remarkable that Rocksteady was able to create a car that feels speedy and efficient without sacrificing its gravitas and dramatic, imposing qualities. Thus Arkham Knight provides an environment where careening around rain-slick city streets feels better than ever, not to mention the fact that it breaks up grappling and gliding traversal, which adds invaluable variety to gameplay.
Then there’s the matter of the more self-contained Batmobile sections. While Batman: Arkham Knight may have inferior boss fights when compared to other entries in the series, the Riddler puzzle segments are nothing to scoff at, and the way that these challenges incorporate the Batmobile show how useful and gratifying mechanics like the power winch and strafe function are. Then there are the Riddler races, which combine the aforementioned thrilling sense of speed, power, and momentum with some quick critical thinking and creative problem solving. The Batman: Arkham series features hundreds of Riddler trophies and various challenges, but Arkham Knight was able to revamp this feature by injecting a dose of high-octane fun through the Batmobile.
The non-combat Batmobile gameplay segments are still subject to criticism, however. While Gotham Knights might improve Arkham Knight‘s Batmobile problems by offering less tank-like vehicles, the 2015 game’s signature vehicle is definitely not nimble. As a result of this, driving through the city will often lead to hitting numerous NPCs, which is not something Batman would typically do. The Batmobile in Batman: Arkham Knight does have some sort of magnetic field that pushes NPCs out of the way, which supposedly shields them from harm – an explanation many critics have torn down as unsatisfying and absurd. Admittedly, this explanation is a bit silly, but superhero stories, particularly those in gaming, require a greater suspension of disbelief than others, and Batman stories have gotten away with things that are far more ridiculous.
A Defense Of Arkham Knight’s Tank Sections
It’s impossible to make the case for Batman: Arkham Knight‘s Batmobile without at least addressing its controversial combat segments. Batman commits many crimes in Arkham Knight, including property damage with the Batmobile (a bill that Bruce Wayne could easily foot), but his use of Batmobile-mounted turrets and missiles appear to be the most objectionable. For one thing, detractors believe that the tank-fighting segments are simply too multitudinous, as Rocksteady opted to include a great number of them at essentially every point of the game’s campaign. The other biggest complaint has to do with Batman lore and tone, as the noble hero of Gotham is vehemently anti-gun and favors silent, indirect methods of combat and stealth over flashy and bombastic shootouts. To satisfy Batman’s non-killing agenda, Arkham Knight points out that the enemy tanks are unmanned – another explanation lambasted by critics, as the Arkham Knight could have just put humans in the tanks and Batman would have been instantly stumped.
Some critics argue that the Batman: Arkham series didn’t focus on detective gameplay as much as it should have, so complaints about these tank sections make sense. However, there’s also an argument to be made that, given the elevated threat posed by the Arkham Knight’s tanks, Batman needed to pull out all the stops. The game even prompts the player with the message to “even the odds” the first time that the Batmobile is introduced. The Arkham Knight’s decision to leave the tanks unmanned is a bit less defensible, but it can be attributed to a number of believable factors including manpower, resources, or simple short-sightedness. The tank segments, like the driving ones, are well-designed and enjoyable, which serves as a concession for players who find its lore implications less than desirable.
The Batmobile is not above criticism, and perhaps some of these complaints could be addressed in the sequel that Batman: Arkham Knight sets up – if it happens. However, its inclusion in Arkham Knight is enjoyable and worthwhile, with tight controls and a unique design. Moreover, the problematic narrative elements of the Batmobile have explanations that, while not satisfactory to everyone, are still plausible. For players who can accept these explanations, Batman: Arkham Knight‘s Batmobile will provide plenty of fun gaming moments.
