You’ve just button mashed your way to another DKN Top 5. In our latest observance of Batman’s 75th Anniversary, we pick what we feel to be the best Batman video games. Outside of live action films, this may very well be the most popular medium Batman has appeared in. Sure, the cartoons are popular, but are more so enjoyed by die hard fans. Video games are one of the most popular art forms in the world today and Batman, especially thanks to the Arkham franchise, has become a marquee player in this this realm of entertainment.
Since the 1980s, Batman has had many interactive adventures. Some were very bad, some were guilty pleasures, and some are arguably the best Batman stories/ experiences in any medium. Finding the right way to pull off the superhero formula is a problem that has plagued video game developers since the medium’s infancy. Perhaps the reason that some development teams have cracked the code, at least with Batman, is because he doesn’t have superpowers. They don’t have to worry about getting flying mechanics right (aside from gliding) and can focus on martial arts maneuvers and detective aspects. The Arkham franchise has especially thrived on those key points. Others like the Lego games and platformers based on the earlier films just found ways to make an enjoyable game that happened to have Batman in them.
What I love about some of the games on our list is that they make you feel like the Dark Knight, even if he is just an onscreen surrogate. There’s something that makes him feel altogether different from any character you could ever play as. For just a few hours, I’m Batman and nothing in my path can possibly stop me. If you can find resonance in my previous sentence, then perhaps you know what it is to be Gotham’s guardian.
Without further delay, here are our picks:
5. BATMAN: VENGEANCE (2001)
There isn’t a game out there that pulled off recreating the world of Batman: The Animated Series in a 3D environment better than this. You felt like you were truly immersed in that world and the similar character designs and returning voice actors from the series certainly helped. This one is elevated above similar efforts because it wasn’t a simple button masher. It featured great 3D platforming and intuitive, unique boss fights to boot.
4. LEGO BATMAN (2008)
This has probably become the biggest Batman video game franchise aside from the Arkham series. Unlike its darker sibling, which may prove too mature of an experience for younger fans, the Lego Batman series has found a way to enthrall Batfans of all ages. The cutesy, blocky representations of Gotham’s heroes and villains have struck a chord with gamers and the franchise shows no signs of slowing down.
3. BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS (2013)
This game had it all: great martial arts based combat, an in depth detective mechanic, and the biggest chunk of Gotham City to fully explore in a game to date. Oh yeah, let’s also not forget how the storytellers absoluetly nailed the first encounters between the Joker and Batman in the “Arkhamverse”. I especially liked when we saw just how the Joker “fell” for him. Roger Craig Smith did a fantastic job as a younger Dark Knight and Troy Baker truly is the heir apparent to Mark Hamill. This entry also made the best use of Bane – I think I actually felt it when he punched me.
2. BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM (2009)
This is the game that many fans thought was the first to truly nail the Batman formula and successfully launched a wonderful franchise. While the overall environment isn’t as grandiose as its followups, it featured many dynamic environments that contrasted each other; we were able to explore a high tech prison, a beautiful mansion, and a lush botanical garden, just to name a few. It kind of felt like a more mature extension of the animated series, yet built its own mythology. I still get great enjoyment from the Scarecrow encounters, the Killer Croc nailbiter, and the Poison Ivy boss fight. Arkham Asylum, we love you.
1. BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY (2011)
Remember when I said earlier that some Batman video games are possibly the best stories featuring the character in any medium? This is a prime example. I’m amazed how so many heroes and villains made it into the game and were perfectly utilized and depicted. Big guns like Joker and Ra’s al Ghul got the limelight, but then we also had the likes of Hush and Mad Hatter playing nice little roles. And let’s not forget about those boss fights: the duels with Solomon Grundy, Ra’s al Ghul, and Mr. Freeze were truly unforgettable. Exploring a gorgeously decayed corner of Gotham with a Kevin Conroy voiced Batman caused me to play through this one an obscene amount of times.
Do you agree with our list? Did any of your favorites not make the cut?