Marvel’s Spider-Man vs Batman Arkham Trilogy

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It’s often said that the Batman Arkham series ranks among the best video game franchises ever created, with Arkham Asylum setting a new standard for the gaming industry upon its release in 2009.

In 2018, when Sony launched Marvel’s Spider-Man, it posed a challenge to the esteemed Arkham series by introducing a fresh, yet recognizable perspective within the realm of superhero storytelling.

Ever since that point, supporters of either team have debated passionately about which series takes the crown. Regardless of your allegiance, I aim to delve into every angle and ultimately settle the question: Which superhero gaming franchise reigns supreme?

In my analysis, I’ll focus solely on the Arkham series developed by Rocksteady, excluding Batman: Arkham Origins from consideration.

8.
Story

Batman Arkham Trilogy

The series progresses from pursuing the Joker at Arkham Asylum to defending Gotham City and battling the complete lineup of Batman’s enemies in Arkham Knight, demonstrating exceptional narrative skill throughout.

In each installment of Spider-Man, the narrative is captivating; however, the pace tends to lag, particularly at the beginning. It’s been noted that the sections featuring Mary Jane (MJ) from Marvel’s Spider-Man 2018 were met with significant criticism, and a similar issue persists in Spider-Man 2.

Simultaneously, the Batman video games excel at maintaining an almost perfect rhythm for their narratives. Furthermore, the Arkham trilogy places Batman in a situation where he is racing against the clock, thereby instilling a strong feeling of immediacy.

In Arkham Knight, a unique portrayal occurred where Batman seemed to hallucinate the Joker and gradually slipped into madness and loss of bodily control – a narrative twist that was unprecedented compared to Arkham City’s storyline featuring Hugo Strange conducting live broadcasts about Protocol 10’s impending launch, while players were left puzzling over its nature.

7.
Characters

Marvel’s Spider-Man

Compared to the Arkham trilogy’s compelling narrative, its character growth could use some improvement in both depth and arc progression.

The narratives within the games are reminiscent of traditional Batman tales. In each installment, players find Bruce Wayne confronting his rogues’ gallery and performing feats that seem improbable only through his unique identity.

As a gamer, I’ve come to know Bruce pretty well, and he generally stays true to his original character. There aren’t many sudden shifts in personality or significant transformations in him or any other characters, which is just what I’d anticipate from my gaming experience.

Instead, these tales tend to prioritize immersing readers in a Batman-centric experience over developing well-rounded characters’ arcs. However, they offer intense, thrilling narratives that keep you hooked.

In contrast to other superheroes, Spider-Man’s storyline not only involves battling a variety of villains but also emphasizes character interactions. The relationships between Peter, Doctor Octavius, Miles, MJ, Yuri, Harry, and the symbiote evolve significantly across the games, making these characters feel more authentic and relatable.

6.
World and Atmosphere

Batman Arkham Trilogy

I have my own taste, and I’d rather delve into a gloomy, gothic urban jungle shrouded in darkness than soar above a lively, crowded New York City as Spider-Man, anytime.

Each Batman game effectively brings its environments to vivid life, immersing you in the experience of being Batman while you navigate the gloomy hallways and shadows.

Indeed, it’s not feasible to make a side-by-side visual quality assessment between the two franchises since Insomniac’s first Spider-Man game was released three years after Arkham Knight. The final installment in the Arkham series truly tested the capabilities of Unreal Engine 3 and remains visually impressive to this day.

5.
Combat

Batman Arkham Trilogy

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but acknowledge the influence the Batman Arkham trilogy had on the Spider-Man series. However, it’s unfortunate that the combat in the Spider-Man games hasn’t quite captured the spark that defined the Arkham trilogy, maintaining its unique charm and appeal.

Rocksteady effectively enabled players to experience the role of Batman, where they dictate the tempo of each confrontation with enemies. Initially, the battle begins at a leisurely pace, allowing you to gradually build up your combo. As this progresses, your damage output, speed, and margin for error all escalate simultaneously.

Regarding devices, Arkham City and Knight provide a wider selection for your use in battles. When an opponent rushes at you, you can swiftly hurl a batarang, causing them to fall instantly.

In the Spider-Man series, the tempo of each battle seems consistently unchanging, leading to a sense of monotony that becomes particularly noticeable during climactic scenes.

In Spider-Man games, many foes act like they have endless health since you often have to repeatedly press the same button to defeat them, making it feel like an interminable battle. However, there’s also a swift tactic: lift the enemy into the air, wrap them with webbing, and then toss them to the ground for an immediate, underwhelming knockout.

4.
Traversal

Marvel’s Spider-Man

When it comes to navigating through the game, nothing compares. Insomniac has truly excelled in the movement mechanics, making the swinging feature in Spider-Man games the finest yet.

While Arkham games provide basic methods for moving around via gliding and grappling, Spider-Man 2 expands your possibilities with wall scaling, soaring through the Manhattan cityscape, executing aerial stunts, and even gliding when you momentarily lose track of Gotham’s Dark Knight.

The gentle rocking is so calming and captivating that you might not even realize there’s a quick-travel feature in the game.

Incorporating the Batmobile into Arkham Knight by Rocksteady was intended to facilitate faster travel, but unfortunately, it ended up causing more problems than solutions, as the Batmobile has been widely criticized as a significant drawback in Batman: Arkham Knight.

3.
Side Content

Batman Arkham Trilogy

In this category, it’s clear that the Arkham trilogy outshines the Spider-Man series significantly, given that its side content is rather sparse and uninspiring.

Instead of the main storyline, Spider-Man primarily focuses on additional content such as searching for hidden items, accomplishing tasks, and a handful of side quests that involve swinging through the city and fighting some goons.

Rather than delving too deeply into the various activities available in Spider-Man, I usually prioritize completing the main story missions and engage with side content primarily for gathering resources required to enhance my gameplay experience.

Additionally, apart from Arkham Asylum, the Batman trilogy offers a wealth of side material that includes intriguing mysteries and distinctive tales.

Or,

In contrast to Arkham Asylum, the Batman trilogy is rich with supplementary content featuring enigmatic mysteries and exclusive stories.

Or,

Beyond Arkham Asylum, the Batman trilogy abounds in extra features that delve into puzzling mysteries and unique narratives.

In Batman: Arkham Knight, it’s the additional content that truly stands out (apart from the Batmobile missions), with tales like Perfect Crime, Heir to the Cowl, and In From The Cold surpassing the side missions in the Spider-Man series. And this barely scratches the surface of all the extra content Arkham Knight has to offer.

2.
Boss Fights

Marvel’s Spider-Man

Including Batman: Arkham Origins in the comparison would make for a challenging matchup between the two franchises, given that it boasts the most impressive boss battles within the series.

However, focusing on the Rocksteady trilogy, it’s evident that Spider-Man outshines most other Arkham games, particularly those excluding Origins, as they tend to disappoint in terms of boss fights.

As a devoted fan, it feels as if Rocksteady lost a bit of their touch with Arkham Knight. Don’t get me wrong; they made an effort to address this by introducing some intriguing boss battles. However, the fact that most of these encounters demand the use of the Batmobile, which I consider the game’s least enjoyable feature, is a letdown.

I was deeply disheartened when the game built up such anticipation for Deathstroke, only for it to turn out into a tank battle instead.

Instead, let me put it this way: To my surprise, Spider-Man 2 kicks off with an engaging action sequence and an impressive boss battle against The Sandman. This unexpectedly powerful start took me by surprise in the superhero genre.

1.
Winner

Batman Arkham Trilogy

Making this decision wasn’t straightforward, given my deep affection for Spider-Man. I’ve not only been an avid player of the Insomniac series but have also delved into other Spidey games such as those based on Sam Raimi’s trilogy, Ultimate Spider-Man, Web of Shadows, and the Amazing Spider-Man titles.

Without a doubt, both characters hold a special place for me. Moreover, each franchise has ascended to the peak of its genre, delivering an authentic representation of their characters. Essentially, they both shine uniquely and deserve high praise.

It’s also possible to think of Batman and Spider-Man as two different aspects of a single character. On one hand, you have Spider-Man, who’s full of wit and humor, often interacting in a more casual setting. Conversely, there’s the darker figure of Batman, known for his relentless pursuit of justice, operating covertly under the cover of night. Each franchise brings a unique perspective to the superhero narrative.

Eventually, the Arkham Trilogy emerges victorious as the superior superhero video game series of all. But keep in mind, with Insomniac set to produce more Spider-Man games down the line, the throne might shift. For now, Batman can take comfort in knowing that his title as best will likely hold strong for a while longer.

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2025-05-28 19:11