Batman: Arkham Shadow Review

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Batman: Arkham Shadow Review

As a dedicated Arkham fan, I have to say that Batman: Arkham Shadow is a game that truly captures the essence of the franchise, despite a few bumps along the way. Now, I ain’t one to mince words, and I gotta tell ya, this game has more bugs than a Kentucky backyard in August! But fear not, my fellow Gothamite, for these pesky critters will soon be squashed with future updates.

2024 started out disappointingly for followers of the Batman: Arkham series. Following an eight-year wait for a fresh game from Rocksteady Studios, fans received Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, a live service extension of the Arkham universe that was met with harsh criticism and quickly abandoned by players. Given how poorly Suicide Squad fared, the announcement of the virtual reality game Batman: Arkham Shadow felt like added injury to insult. Although it might not be a traditional home console Batman: Arkham game, I firmly believe that fans disillusioned by Suicide Squad should give Batman: Arkham Shadow a try.

In the gap between “Batman: Arkham Origins” and “Arkham Asylum”, the storyline of “Arkham Shadow” unfolds on the 4th of July. This narrative follows Batman as he confronts a shadowy adversary known as the Rat King, who has amassed a cult-like following and issued ominous warnings against Gotham City. The players are tasked with unraveling the enigma surrounding the Rat King to protect Gotham, experiencing the tale entirely from Batman’s perspective.

Arkham Shadow isn’t just a trial run for a VR version of the Batman: Arkham series, as Arkham VR was more of a demonstration. Instead, Arkham Shadow is a fully-fledged video game and offers an immersive 10+ hour experience that ticks all the boxes typical of the Arkham series. Some may have initially overlooked Arkham Shadow due to it being a VR game, but they would be missing out as Arkham Shadow is indeed a genuine game and arguably the closest we’ve come to a new Arkham title since 2015’s Arkham Knight.

Batman: Arkham Shadow masterfully adapts the defining features of the conventional console Arkham series for virtual reality. Initially, my main apprehension was that the game would fall short in delivering the signature combat style of the Arkham franchise, but it surpasses all assumptions. The switch to a first-person viewpoint offers a fresh approach to Arkham‘s intense melee battles, yet developer Camouflaj has executed this transition while preserving the rhythmic intensity of the Arkham series’ powerful fights. Instead of pressing buttons to attack enemies, players physically punch them, with additional visual prompts incorporated to enhance the experience.

Batman: Arkham Shadow is a Genuine Arkham Experience

In the thrilling game of Batman: Arkham Shadow, yellow alerts appear to guide players through their battles against numerous adversaries, similar to rhythm games or fitness apps focused on boxing. These alerts serve as warnings when an enemy is about to strike, allowing players to react by moving their character to block the attack. As the game progresses, enemies become more challenging with added features like knives and armor, requiring players to dodge knife attacks by ducking and stunning armored adversaries using Batman’s cape. The combat in this game can get quite intense on higher difficulties, making it both enjoyable and serving as a genuine workout.

In terms of importance, ensuring that Arkham Asylum’s renowned combat was accurately represented in Arkham Shadow was crucial. It speaks volumes that this goal was achieved successfully. However, combat is just one aspect of the Arkham series. The atmosphere plays a significant role as well, and fortunately, Arkham Shadow maintains this element effectively. In essence, Arkham Shadow embodies all aspects of an Arkham game, offering dark, atmospheric environments, meticulous attention to detail, and subtle nods to the wider Arkham universe. Essentially, Arkham Shadow delivers the expected feel that fans crave from an Arkham title.

As you traverse through the world of Arkham Shadow, players will find themselves engaged in activities beyond merely fighting villains. Similar to the main games, Detective Vision is employed for investigating crime scenes, allowing players to scrutinize objects for valuable clues. This feature proves beneficial during Predator sequences, where stealth takes precedence over physical combat. With ease, players can leap from one vantage point to another, methodically eliminating each guard in a room, reminiscent of the Rocksteady games’ style.

In simple terms, Arkham Shadow seamlessly adapts the gameplay of the Arkham series into a virtual reality experience, and this adaptation extends to its captivating storyline as well. The Arkham games are renowned for their compelling narratives and unexpected twists, and Arkham Shadow certainly delivers on that front. This game is rich with shocking revelations and provides intriguing background information about significant Batman characters. I won’t reveal too much because I believe Arkham fans should discover this story for themselves, but suffice it to say that it stands tall alongside other games in the series.

Well, I’ve been playing this game, but let me tell you, it’s not perfect – far from the lofty heights of Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. Don’t get me wrong, there are some really cool aspects to it, but there are also some major hiccups that need addressing. The good part is, I believe some of these issues might be smoothed out with future updates.

Forget Rats – Batman: Arkham Shadow Has a Bug Problem

The game Batman: Arkham Shadow I was playing had quite a few glitches. I lost track of the number of times I had to return to a checkpoint because of a progression problem that halted my advancement. Events in the story wouldn’t occur, Batman’s hand would fail to clench into a fist, doors wouldn’t open, and numerous other problems surfaced often during my gameplay. In some particularly aggravating situations, Batman got stuck inside walls. The abundance of glitches could have been devastating in other games, but the frequent checkpoints in Arkham Shadow allow players to revert to their most recent save and resolve these issues without losing much progress. While these problems are still irritating, they’re less aggravating due to how effortlessly they can be rectified.

As a gamer diving into the world of Arkham Shadow, I’m optimistic that the game’s glitches will be ironed out with upcoming updates, making it an even more captivating experience. However, one aspect that likely won’t be addressed is the excessive backtracking. The majority of Batman: Arkham Shadow unfolds within Blackgate prison, offering a lot of repetitive gameplay segments and revisiting areas we’ve been before. For instance, there’s a section where you perform similar Predator takedowns multiple times, but with progressively more and better-equipped guards, which can get monotonous. Additionally, there are extended story sequences where you’re required to stand still and listen to characters chat. While the dialogue and performances are top-notch, these prolonged standing scenes can feel tiresome in a VR game like this one. I appreciate Arkham Shadow for providing a comprehensive gaming journey, but I believe its flow could have been smoother with some streamlining.

Besides a main narrative, the game Arkham Shadow offers additional engaging elements such as combat trials, optional riddles, and secret treasures to discover. Much like other Arkham titles, Arkham Shadow encourages exploration with rewards for venturing off the traditional path. Furthermore, its upgrade system enhances Batman’s battle capabilities, making Arkham Shadow one of the most immersive VR games I’ve experienced due to its depth.

Even still, some hardcore Arkham fans may remain unconvinced. The fact that Arkham Shadow is exclusive to Quest 3 and Quest 3S headsets may make them even more skeptical. However, I think Arkham Shadow is definitely worth picking up a Quest 3 or 3S headset for hardcore fans of the franchise, as long as they also plan on checking out other VR apps and games, of course. Batman: Arkham Shadow is a legitimately great Arkham game, one that mostly lives up to the high bar set by the Rocksteady trilogy. A few patches will go a long way in making Arkham Shadow even better, but even now, it’s an easy recommendation for Quest 3 and 3S owners.

The game “Batman: Arkham Shadow” is currently available for play on Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S VR headsets. Game Rant received a copy of the game and a Quest 3 headset for the purpose of conducting a review.

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2024-10-23 09:54