Don’t Fix What Ain’t Broke: Why Shadow Should Stay Small

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In its promotional efforts before release, Camouflaj wisely kept secret that around 90% of the game Batman: Arkham Shadow unfolds within Blackgate Penitentiary. During gameplay previews, only glimpses of Gotham City were shown as Batman navigated from the sewers to the Bowery, ultimately meeting Commissioner Jim Gordon on the roof of the Pigsty. While some trailers did subtly suggest Blackgate’s interior, players were aware they would frequently play as Bruce Wayne without the Batsuit throughout the game’s storyline spanning a week.

In the game, “Batman: Arkham Shadow“, you’ll find numerous hidden items scattered throughout Gotham City. You can revisit these locations conveniently by returning to the Batcave.

Regardless of the approach taken, the claustrophobic ambiance in this potential Batman: Arkham Shadow sequel is quite impactful, mirroring the isolation and opulence that Batman: Arkham Asylum portrayed. It effectively showcases Blackgate and its inhabitants, much like how players got to know the characters housed in Arkham Asylum. Interestingly, Batman: Arkham Asylum was followed by an open world in Batman: Arkham City just two years later, marking a significant shift. However, if there is indeed a sequel to Batman: Arkham Shadow, it might not have to replicate the same scale or interconnectedness of its map as Arkham City did.

Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City are Worlds Apart

The game Batman: Arkham Asylum is incredibly modest in the action-adventure genre, with a persistent feeling of confinement and fear permeating throughout Arkham Island. The experience of exploration is enriched by Riddler’s trophies and puzzles (like gathering maps, demolishing chattering teeth, and deciphering riddles from scanning surroundings), along with messages from Spirit of Amadeus Arkham and patient interview tapes. The narrative advancement takes players through various locations: the Visitor Center, Intensive Treatment Center, Medical Facility, Penitentiary, Arkham Mansion, Botanical Gardens, Arkham Asylum’s underground sewer system, and the Arkham Asylum itself.

In the original game, these areas must be traversed sequentially and in specific manners based on how the narrative influences the environment’s state. Beyond investigating within these dungeons and the courtyard linking them, there are no optional quests to engage in. Therefore, it’s surprising that 2009’s Batman: Arkham Asylum was succeeded by 2011’s Batman: Arkham City, which offers an open world design with a focus on additional missions rather than the linear progression we experienced earlier.

Although it might not match the colossal scale of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt or surpass Asylum’s map in terms of land area, City’s open world stands out due to its design for side quests and expansive traversable space, which represents a significant change. What makes this more impressive is the introduction of an engaging new traversal mechanic that allows players to dive during glides, gain altitude by pulling up, and extend their flight with grapnel-boosts, propelling them as far as perch points and gargoyles can take them. It might not be surprising for a sequel to Batman: Arkham Shadow to follow the same trajectory, but it may not necessarily be required or ideal.

Batman: Arkham Shadow’s Sequel Staying Tight Could Be in Its Best Interests

From a fan’s perspective, if Batman: Arkham Shadow were to unfold entirely within Gotham City, it might create a captivating, immersive, and interconnected urban landscape. Blackgate, in this scenario, would serve as an expansive, interwoven district with dungeons for exploration and revisitation, where both Batman and Irving “Matches” Malone tread their paths.

Batman: Arkham City was an incredible accomplishment for Rocksteady to create within a relatively short development period, and it significantly shaped the appearance of the Arkham series for years to come. However, Shadow demonstrates that the tighter formula of Asylum remains as timelessly relevant.

In essence, the follow-up to our game might take on any size without feeling compelled to match the scale of expansion seen from Arkham Asylum compared to Arkham City. This is due to the success of the intimate atmosphere in Arkham Asylum. It’s challenging to envision a non-open world Batman: Arkham title set in Gotham City not being well-received. Regardless, there’s anticipation for the possibilities that could arise in a sequel to Batman: Arkham Shadow and how open its environment might be.

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2025-04-03 23:47