Batman: Arkham

Batman: Arkham (also known simply as Arkham) is a series of action-adventure video games based on the DC Comics character Batman, developed by Rocksteady Studios[1][2] and WB Games Montréal, and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The first two Rocksteady games were written by veteran Batman writer Paul Dini and featured voice actors Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprising their roles as Batman and the Joker, respectively, from the DC Animated Universe (DCAU). Conroy and Hamill returned to voice their characters in the fourth main installment of the series, Batman: Arkham Knight. Additional voice actors who reprised their characters from the DCAU include Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn in Batman: Arkham Asylum and Robert Costanzo and CCH Pounder as Harvey Bullock and Amanda Waller in Batman: Arkham Origins, respectively. The franchise consists of four main titles, with additional mobile games, and a virtual reality game, Batman: Arkham VR. A spin-off, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, also developed by Rocksteady, is set to be released in 2022. The continuity established by the games is often referred to as the "Arkhamverse", and is part of the larger DC Multiverse.

Batman: Arkham
The "Bat" logo for the series, as seen on the Batman: Arkham Collection (2013) box art, featuring the color schemes (from left to right) used on the Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, and Arkham Origins logos
Genre(s)Action-adventure, open world, stealth
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)
Writer(s)
Platform(s)
First releaseBatman: Arkham Asylum
August 25, 2009
Latest releaseBatman: Arkham Collection
September 6, 2019

The Arkham games depict Batman's conflict with various supervillains from his rogues' gallery, primarily his archenemy, the Joker. In the first game, Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009), the Joker comes up with an elaborate plot to take over the eponymous Arkham Asylum and trap Batman inside with all his incarcerated foes, while he is working on another, more sinister plan involving a super-steroid called "Titan". In the second game, Batman: Arkham City (2011), set one year later, Batman is imprisoned in Arkham City, a new super-prison based in the decaying urban slums of Gotham City, and attempts to uncover a sinister scheme orchestrated by the prison's warden, Hugo Strange. Meanwhile, the Joker is dying from a disease inflicted by the unstable Titan, and forces Batman to find a cure by infecting him as well. The third main game in the series, Batman: Arkham Origins (2013), is a prequel set several years before Arkham Asylum, and follows a younger and less-refined Batman, who becomes the target of eight deadly assassins hired by the crime lord Black Mask to kill him on Christmas Eve. In the fourth installment, Batman: Arkham Knight (2015), set nine months after Arkham City, the villain Scarecrow forces a citywide evacuation in Gotham and unites some of Batman's greatest enemies in an attempt to destroy him once and for all, aided by the mysterious Arkham Knight, who has a personal vendetta against the Dark Knight. Batman's quest to stop the two villains is made more difficult by a disease inflicted by the late Joker, which is slowly transforming him into the Joker himself.[3] In the upcoming spin-off, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2022), the eponymous Suicide Squad must stop Brainiac, who has mind-controlled the Justice League and taken over the city of Metropolis.

The main installments in the Batman Arkham series have been met with widespread critical acclaim, with praise for their narratives, voice acting, world design, graphics, and gameplay systems and design, along with the faithfulness to the source material.

Games

Games, by year and platforms
Title Year Console PC Handheld Mobile
PS3 PS4 PS5 Wii U X360 XOne XSX Mac Win 3DS Vita And iOS
Batman: Arkham Asylum[upper-alpha 1] 2009 Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No No No
Batman: Arkham City[upper-alpha 1][upper-alpha 2] 2011 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No No No
Batman: Arkham City Lockdown 2011 No No No No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Batman: Arkham Origins 2013 Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No No No
Batman: Arkham Origins (mobile) 2013 No No No No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate[upper-alpha 3] 2013 Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes No No
Batman: Arkham Knight 2015 No Yes Yes No No Yes No No Yes No No No No
Batman: Arkham Underworld 2016 No No No No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
Batman: Arkham VR 2016 No Yes No No No No No No Yes No No No No
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League 2022 No No Yes No No No Yes No Yes No No No No
Notes
  1. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were released as part of the Batman: Return to Arkham collection.
  2. The Wii U edition was released under the title Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition.
  3. The console and PC editions were released under the title Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate Deluxe Edition.

Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)

Batman: Arkham Asylum, the first game in the series, was written by veteran Batman writer Paul Dini and developed by Rocksteady.[1] The game takes place entirely on Arkham Island, which houses the eponymus Arkham Asylum, home of Batman's most notorious foes. The story sees Batman having to once again stop his archenemy, the Joker, who instigates an elaborate plot to seize control of Arkham and trap Batman inside with many of his incarcerated foes, while threatening to detonate bombs hidden throughout Gotham City should anyone else intervene. While fighting through the Asylum's inmates and attempting to restore order, Batman learns that the Joker has gained possession of a large quantity of Titan, an experimental chemical based on Venom, the drug used by Bane to enchance his powers, and must destroy it before the Joker can use it for his nefarious schemes. Arkham Asylum also features downloadable content (DLC) that adds extra challenges and the Joker as a playable character (only on the PlayStation 3 and Return to Arkham versions).

Batman: Arkham City (2011)

Batman: Arkham City is the sequel to Arkham Asylum and features a bigger cast of characters and a story again written by Paul Dini, along with Paul Crocker and Sefton Hill. Set one year after Arkham Asylum, the game sees Batman incarcerated within Arkham City, a new super-prison based in the decaying urban slums of Gotham City and established by Quincy Sharp, the former warden of Arkham Asylum-turned-mayor of Gotham. While contending with various inmates taking advantage of Arkham City's lawlessness, Batman must uncover the secret behind a sinister scheme, code-named "Protocol 10", orchestrated by the facility's warden, Hugo Strange. At the same time, the Joker is slowly dying due to the unstable properties of the Titan formula in his blood (having injected himself with Titan in a failed attempt to defeat Batman at the end of the previous game), and infects Batman with his blood to force him to find a cure. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprise their roles of as Batman and the Joker, respectively.

Arkham City is the first game in the series to introduce side missions, each focusing on different villains whose schemes Batman must thwart. It also features DLC that adds Catwoman as a playable character, with her own campaign that takes place at the same time as the main story. In addition to Batman and Catwoman, the challenge mode also features Nightwing and Robin as playable characters. Another DLC, entitled Harley Quinn's Revenge, adds a second campaign, set after the events in the main story, which features both Batman and Robin as playable character, and sees them attempting to defeat a vengeful Harley Quinn, who has taken over the Joker's gang following his death.

Batman: Arkham Origins (2013)

Batman: Arkham Origins is a prequel set several years before the events of Arkham Asylum. It was developed by WB Games Montréal and written by Assassin's Creed and Prince of Persia writers Corey May and Dooma Wendschuh. The game is the first in the series to feature multiplayer gameplay, developed by Splash Damage.[4] The story follows a younger, less refined, and less experienced Batman, who has a bounty placed on his head by Black Mask, drawing eight of the world's deadliest assassins to Gotham City on Christmas Eve. While attempting to bring Black Mask to justice, Batman is hunted by the police, who see him as nothing but a dangerous vigilante, and has to face other villains taking advantage of the chaos. The plot features key moments in Batman's career, such as his first encounter with the Joker, and the beginning of his partnership and friendship with James Gordon. Arkham Origins has the same setting as Arkham City - downtown and east Gotham - but with several changes to reflect the different time periods, as the area has yet to be transformed into the super-prison. Roger Craig Smith and Troy Baker voiced Batman and the Joker, respectively, replacing Conroy and Hamill from the previous two games.[5]

Like its predecessors, the game features DLC that adds extra challenges, as well as Bruce Wayne and Deathstroke as playable characters. The Cold, Cold Heart DLC adds a new story-driven campaign, set a week after the events of the main story, on New Year's Eve; it depicts Batman's first encounter with Mr. Freeze, borrowing heavy inspiration from the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Heart of Ice".

Batman: Arkham Knight (2015)

Batman: Arkham Knight is the sequel to Arkham City and the biggest installment in the series; it was intended to be the final Batman: Arkham game.[6] It was developed once again by Rocksteady, and released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows on June 23, 2015.[7] Set nine months after Arkham City, the game sees the return of the villain Scarecrow, who forces a citywide evacuation in Gotham and unites several of Batman's greatest villains in an attempt to destroy the Dark Knight once and for all. Scarecrow is aided by the mysterious Arkham Knight, who has a personal vendetta against Batman and seems to know all of his secrets. Although aided by his allies, Batman's quest to stop the villains is made more difficult by a disease inflicted by the late Joker, which is slowly transforming him into the Joker himself.[8][9] Arkham Knight is set in uptown Gotham, located west of downtown and east Gotham (Arkham City and Origins' setting), and composed of three main islands: Bleake Island, Miagani Island, and Founders' Island. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprise their roles as Batman and the Joker, respectively.[10]

The game received the most DLC out of every entry in the series, including four side missions centered around the characters Killer Croc, Ra's al Ghul, Mr. Freeze, and Mad Hatter, short story-driven missions set both before and after the main story and featuring Batgirl, Red Hood, Harley Quinn, Nightwing, Robin, and Catwoman as playable characters, additional challenges, and skins for both the characters and the Batmobile (which makes its debut in the series as a driveable vehicle)

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2022)

A Suicide Squad game was first considered a possibility following the end of Batman: Arkham Origins, which featured a post-credits scene in which Deathstroke is asked by Amanda Waller to join the Suicide Squad. In the years since Batman: Arkham Knight released, there have been rumours suggesting the studio has been working on a Suicide Squad game, but no official announcement was made from the development team or publisher.[11] In December 2016, Jason Schreier from Kotaku revealed that the title has been cancelled, and WB Games Montreal shifted their focus to the next Batman game, which was later revealed to be Gotham Knights.[12] As a result, Rocksteady Studios took over as the main developer of the game. Rocksteady was initially rumored to be working on a Superman-themed game, which they later debunked.[13] The game's official artwork was revealed by Rocksteady on August 7, 2020.[14] The first trailer for the game premiered at DC FanDome. As the game is set in the "Arkhamverse", plot threads established in the Batman: Arkham series would continue in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.[15]

The game will feature four playable characters: Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark. The storyline will focus on the squad's attempt to defeat Brainiac, who attacks Metropolis and enslaves the Justice League with his mind-controlling technology.[16]

Batman: Arkham City Lockdown (2011)

Batman: Arkham City Lockdown is an iOS and Android fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios, the creators of Mortal Kombat. Set several weeks before the events of Arkham City, the game sees Batman facing various villains who have escaped from Arkham Asylum and are causing mayhem in the streets of Gotham City, following the announcement of Arkham City. It also features voice acting, with many actors reprising their roles from Arkham Asylum and Arkham City.

Batman: Arkham Origins (mobile) (2013)

Batman: Arkham Origins is an iOS and Android fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios.[17] It plays similarly to Arkham City Lockdown, and follows the same storyline as the console and PC versions of the game.

Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (2013)

Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate is a side-scrolling game developed for the PlayStation Vita and Nintendo 3DS by Armature Studio. Set three months after the events of Arkham Origins, the story sees Batman investigating a mysterious explosion at Blackgate Prison that set the inmates free and allowed notorious crime bosses Joker, Black Mask, and Penguin to take over the prison. With the help of Catwoman, whom he encounters for the first time, Batman attempts to bring all three crime bosses to justice, in the process uncovering a dark secret about his newfound ally. A deluxe edition of the game, featuring new maps, enemy encounters, difficulty levels, batsuits and enhanced visuals, was released on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U and Microsoft Windows in April 2014.[18]

Batman: Arkham Underworld (2016)

Batman: Arkham Underworld is an iOS and Android game developed by Turbine, Inc. and released on iOS on July 14, 2016.[19] Set a few years before the events of Arkham Asylum, the game gives players control over a team of villains - including infamous Batman enemies such as the Riddler, Harley Quinn, Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, Scarecrow, and Bane - and has them build hideouts and recruit henchmen, with the goal of becoming Gotham City's "next criminal kingpin".[20] Arkham Underworld also features voice acting, with many actors reprising their roles from the main installments in the series.[19][21] The game was shut down in 2017.

Batman: Arkham VR (2016)

In June 2016 at E3 2016, it was announced that Rocksteady was developing a Batman: Arkham game for the PlayStation VR, which released in October 2016. The game is set a few weeks prior to the events of Arkham Knight, and has players "utilize [Batman's] legendary gadgets to unravel a plot that threatens the lives of his closest allies."[22] It was released for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive on April 25, 2017.[23]

Batman: Arkham Bundle (2013)

On September 23, 2013, the Batman: Arkham Bundle was released in North America for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, as a Greatest Hits and Platinum Hits collection, respectively. It features the Game of the Year edition of Arkham Asylum, which includes the "Totally Insane", "Nocturnal Hunter", "Crime Alley" and "Scarecrow Nightmare" challenge maps, and the Game of the Year edition of Arkham City, which includes all additional content, including multiple skin DLC packs, as well as the extended story "Harley Quinn's Revenge".[24]

Batman: Arkham Collection (2013)

On November 22, 2013, the Batman: Arkham Collection was released in Europe for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The collection features downloadable versions of Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, and a physical copy of Arkham Origins. In addition, the PlayStation 3 version features the Knightfall DLC pack for Arkham Origins, while Arkham Asylum and Arkham City are the Game of the Year editions on Windows.[25]

Batman: Return to Arkham (2016)

Batman: Return to Arkham, developed by Virtuos, features remastered versions of Arkham Asylum and Arkham City using Unreal Engine 4 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Additionally, both games include all previously released downloadable content, and feature improved graphics, upgraded models and environments, as well as improvements in the lighting, effects and shaders.[26][27] The collection was released on October 18, 2016,[28] to mixed reviews.[29][30] Reviewers noted improvements to the textures and shading, but had split opinions on the graphics and lighting effects. The collection was also criticized for issues with its frame rate, having been capped at 30 frames per second.[31][32][33]

Batman: Arkham Collection (2019)

On September 6, 2019, the Batman: Arkham Collection was released in Europe for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It contains the remastered versions of Arkham Asylum and Arkham City from Return to Arkham and the premium edition of Arkham Knight. The physical edition of the collection includes discs for the first two games and a digital download code for the third game.[34]

Characters

Character Main games Mobile games VR games Film
Batman: Arkham
Asylum
Batman: Arkham
City
Batman: Arkham
Origins
Batman: Arkham
Knight
Suicide Squad:
Kill the Justice League
Batman: Arkham
City Lockdown
Batman: Arkham
Origins Blackgate
Batman: Arkham
Underworld
Batman: Arkham
VR
Batman: Assault
on Arkham
2009 2011 2013 2015 2022 2011 2013 2016 2016 2014
Cast
Bruce Wayne
Batman
Kevin Conroy
Kimberly Brooks (child)
Kevin Conroy Roger Craig Smith Kevin Conroy   Kevin Conroy Roger Craig Smith Kevin Conroy
Bane Fred Tatasciore JB Blanc No voice actor JB Blanc   No voice actor
Frank Boles Danny Jacobs
Aaron Cash Duane R. Shepard, Sr.   Duane R. Shepard, Sr.
Sarah Cassidy Kimberly Brooks
Joe Chill TBA   No voice actor Glenn Wrage  
Jonathan Crane
Scarecrow
Dino Andrade John Noble Dino Andrade   Christian Lantz
Barbara Gordon
Oracle / Batgirl
Kimberly Brooks Kelsey Lansdowne Ashley Greene
James Gordon Tom Kane David Kaye Michael Gough Jonathan Banks Michael Gough Chris Cox
Pamela Isley
Poison Ivy
Tasia Valenza   Tasia Valenza   Amy Carle No voice actress
The Joker Mark Hamill Troy Baker Mark Hamill   Mark Hamill Troy Baker   Mark Hamill Troy Baker
Waylon Jones
Killer Croc
Steven Blum Khary Payton Steven Blum Khary Payton Steven Blum  
Basil Karlo
Clayface
Tom Kane
Duane R. Shepard, Sr.
Rick D. Wasserman
Edward Nashton
The Riddler / Enigma
Wally Wingert Wally Wingert Matthew Gray Gubler
William North Roger Rose
Harleen Quinzel
Harley Quinn
Arleen Sorkin Tara Strong   Tara Strong   Hynden Walch
Jack Ryder James Horan
Scarface Mark Hamill No voice actor   No voice actor No voice actor
Quincy Sharp Tom Kane
Martha Wayne Tasia Valenza No voice actor Andrea Deck  
Thomas Wayne Kevin Conroy No voice actor Kevin Conroy  
Gretchen Whistler Adrienne Barbeau
Penelope Young Cree Summers
Victor Zsasz Danny Jacobs No voice actor No voice actor Christian Lanz
Ra's al Ghul Corpse only Dee Bradley Baker Dee Bradley Baker
Talia al Ghul Stana Katic
Oswald Cobblepot
The Penguin
  Nolan North Nolan North   Ian Redford Nolan North
Julian Day
Calendar Man
  Maurice LaMarche No voice actor
Harvey Dent
Two-Face
  Troy Baker   Troy Baker   Troy Baker   Troy Baker   No voice actor
Tim Drake
Robin
  Troy Baker   Matthew Mercer   Troy Baker Tom Austen  
Thomas Elliot
Hush
  Kevin Conroy   Kevin Conroy
Nora Fries   No voice actress Cissy Jones
Victor Fries
Mister Freeze
  Maurice LaMarche
Cyrus Gold
Solomon Grundy
Fred Tatasciore Fred Tatasciore
Dick Grayson
Nightwing / Robin
  No voice actor Josh Keaton Scott Porter No voice actor  
Selina Kyle
Catwoman
  Grey DeLisle   Grey DeLisle Grey DeLisle
Michael Lane
Azrael
Khary Payton   Khary Payton
Floyd Lawton
Deadshot
  Chris Cox   TBA   Chris Cox   Neal McDonough
Mister Hammer Fred Tatasciore
Alfred Pennyworth   Martin Jarvis Hugh Fraser Martin Jarvis
Sickle Steven Blum
Roman Sionis
Black Mask
  Nolan North Brian Bloom Brian Bloom
Hugo Strange Corey Burton Corey Burton
Jervis Tetch
Mad Hatter
  Peter MacNicol
Vicki Vale Grey DeLisle Jules de Jongh Jules de Jongh
Ferris Boyle Stephen Tobolowsky
Howard Branden Chris Fries
Lester Buchinsky
Electrocutioner
Steven Blum
Harvey Bullock Robert Costanzo
Tracey Buxton Laura Waddell
Candy Masasa Moyo
Copperhead Rosa Salazar
Alberto Falcone Quinton Flynn
Martin Joseph Khary Payton Khary Payton
Kirigi Kaiji Tang
Ricky "Loose Lips" LeBlanc Steven Blum
Gillian B. Loeb Jon Polito
Garfield Lynns
Firefly
Crispin Freeman
Cyrus Pinkney Maurice LaMarche
Shiva Kelly Hu
Angel "Bird" Vallelungua Christian Lanz
Amanda Waller CCH Pounder   TBA   CCH Pounder CCH Pounder
Slade Wilson
Deathstroke
Mark Rolston   Larry Grimm
Henry Adams Garrick Hagon
Christina Bell Jules de Jongh
Deacon Joseph Blackfire Marc Worden
Johnny "Charisma" Browne Michael Rosenbaum
Lucius Fox Dave Fennoy
Kate Kane TBA
Albert King Issac Singleton Jr.
Francine Langstrom TBA
Kirk Langstrom
Man-Bat
Loren Lester
Lex Luthor Keith Silverstein
Officer Owens Dave Boat
Nyssa Raatko Jennifer Hale
Warden Ranken Dee Bradley Baker
Simon Stagg Philip Proctor
Jason Todd
Arkham Knight/Red Hood
Troy Baker
Raymond Underhill JB Blanc
Lazlo Valentin
Professor Pyg
Dwight Schultz
George Harkness
Captain Boomerang
TBA Greg Ellis
Nanaue
King Shark
Joe Seanoa John DiMaggio
Kal-El / Clark Kent
Superman
TBA
Brainiac TBA
Kano No voice actor
Rick Flag Adam Baldwin
Ben Turner
Bronze Tiger
Gary Anthony Sturgis
Carmine Falcone Jon Polito
Achilles Milo TBA
Anatoli Knyazev
KGBeast
Nolan North
Louise Lincoln
Killer Frost
Jennifer Hale
Eric Needham
Black Spider
Giancarlo Esposito

Other media

Music

The first two games were composed by Nick Arundel and Ron Fish. Origins was composed by Christopher Drake, with Arkham Knight being composed by Arundel and David Buckley. Several soundtrack albums have been released.

Batman: Arkham Asylum tie-in

A 16-page, single-issue comic, Batman: Arkham Asylum – The Road to Arkham, was included in limited editions of Batman: Arkham Asylum. It is a prequel to the game and is written by Alan Burnett and illustrated by Carlos D'Anda.[35]

Batman: Arkham City tie-ins

Starting in May 2011, DC Comics released a five-issue miniseries titled Batman: Arkham City. The miniseries was meant to bridge the gap between the story of Arkham Asylum and Arkham City the game. The series is written by Paul Dini, who wrote both Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, and is drawn by Arkham Asylum and Arkham City concept artist Carlos D’anda. The miniseries picks up one year after Arkham Asylum, where former Arkham Warden Quincy Sharp, now mayor of Gotham City, has decided to close down Arkham Asylum. He decides to create “Arkham City” as the new “home” for all of Gotham City's thugs, gangsters and insane criminal masterminds, set in the heart of Gotham City. Inmates are under the watchful eye of Dr. Hugo Strange, and can roam free and do whatever they want as long as they don't try to escape.[36]

In addition, 8-page digital-first interludes were released to expand on the story included in the miniseries, were written once again by Dini as well as Derek Fridolfs and drawn by a variety of artists. The interludes focus on Batman's enemies as they vie for power within Arkham City. The interludes were later included in print in the Batman: Arkham City collected edition.[36]

Batman: Arkham Unhinged is an original digital comic series that released in October 2011 alongside Arkham City, the game. Derek Fridolfs is the main series writer and is drawn by many different artists. The stories spin directly out of events in the game itself, or are flashbacks to events prior to either game, allowing expansion on the background of the characters as they may have existed pre-Arkham City. The stories focus on Batman prominently, but some highlight the villains and the supporting characters as well. The stories were later released in print form.[37]

Additionally, Batman: Arkham City – End Game was released in May 2012 as digital-first comics, and later in print, and is set after the events of Arkham City and before its downloadable content, "Harley Quinn's Revenge". The story is written by Derek Fridolfs with art by Jason Shawn Alexander.[38]

Batman: Arkham Origins tie-in

Batman: Arkham Origins is a digital-first comic, based on the game of the same name. Batman: Arkham Origins is the first title to feature the new DC2 Multiverse technology, that features dynamic artwork, action sounds and the ability to integrate a soundtrack, and allowing the reader to determine the fate of each storyline and character, with multiple options and end results available in each comic chapter.[39] The comic, set across eight chapters, is a prequel to the game's story, and was created by digital studio, Madefire.[40]

Batman: Arkham Knight tie-ins

Batman: Arkham Knight is a digital-first prequel comic to the game of the same name. Written by Peter J. Tomasi, with art by Viktor Bogdanovic and Art Thibert, and covers by Dan Panosian, the comic picks up after the events of Arkham City. It was released digitally in February 2015, with the first print release featuring a collection of the digital issues in March 2015.[41][42]

Batman: Arkham Knight – Batgirl Begins is a promotional one-shot comic that was distributed for free at San Diego Comic-Con International. Written by Tim Seeley and illustrated by Matthew Clark and Wade Von Grawbadger, the comic tells the story of Barbara Gordon's first adventure as Batgirl.[43]

Batman: Arkham Knight – Genesis, is a six-issue series written by Peter Tomasi and illustrated by Alisson Borges, that explores the origin of the Arkham Knight.[44]

Collections

  • Batman: Arkham City (collects Batman: Arkham City #1–5 and Batman: Arkham City - Digital Chapters #1-5; 168 pages; hardcover, October 2011, ISBN 978-1401232559; paperback, September 2012, ISBN 978-1401234935)
  • Batman: Arkham Unhinged
    • Volume One (collects Batman: Arkham Unhinged #1–5 and Batman: Arkham City - Digital Chapters #6-7; 160 pages; hardcover, February 2013, ISBN 978-1401237493; paperback, August 2013, ISBN 978-1401240189)
    • Volume Two (collects Batman: Arkham Unhinged #6–10; 168 pages; hardcover, August 2013, ISBN 978-1401240196; paperback, January 2013, ISBN 978-1401242831)
    • Volume Three (collects Batman: Arkham Unhinged #11–15 and Batman: Arkham City – End Game #1-6; 232 pages; hardcover, January 2014, ISBN 978-1401243050; paperback, August 2014, ISBN 978-1401246808)
    • Volume Four (collects Batman: Arkham Unhinged #16–20; 168 pages; hardcover, August 2014, ISBN 978-1401246815; paperback, February 2015, ISBN 978-1401250423)
  • Batman: Arkham Origins (collects Batman: Arkham Origins chapters #1–14; 160 pages; hardcover, December 2014, ISBN 978-1401248864; paperback, July 2015, ISBN 978-1401254650)
  • Batman: Arkham Knight
    • Volume One (collects Batman: Arkham Knight #1–4; 144 pages; hardcover, July 2015, ISBN 978-1401258047; paperback, January 2016, ISBN 978-1401266011)
    • Volume Two (collects Batman: Arkham Knight #5–9 and Batman: Arkham Knight – Batgirl Begins #1; 160 pages; hardcover, March 2016, ISBN 978-1401260675; paperback, July 2016, ISBN 978-1401263409)
    • Volume Three (collects Batman: Arkham Knight #10–12, Batman: Arkham Knight Annual #1, Batman: Arkham Knight – Robin Special #1, and Batman: Arkham Knight – Harley Quinn and Batgirl Special #1–2; 176 pages; hardcover, July 2016, ISBN 978-1401263393; paperback, November 2016, ISBN 978-1401265052)
  • Batman: Arkham Knight - Genesis (collects Batman: Arkham Knight Genesis #1–6; 144 pages; hardcover, March 2016, ISBN 978-1401260668; paperback, September 2016, ISBN 978-1401264444)
  • Batman: The Arkham Saga Omnibus (collects Batman: Arkham Asylum – The Road to Arkham #1 and all previous collections; 1,648 pages; hardcover, September 2018, ISBN 978-1401284329)

Film

An animated film set in the Arkhamverse, entitled Batman: Assault on Arkham, was released on August 12, 2014. Many actors involved with the games reprised their roles, including Kevin Conroy as Batman, Troy Baker as the Joker, Martin Jarvis as Alfred, and Nolan North as the Penguin. The film takes place about two years before the events of Batman: Arkham Asylum.[45] This is the first piece of media in the series not to be focused on Batman. While the character is featured in the film, he is only part of a side-plot wherein he attempts to stop the Joker from destroying Gotham with a hidden bomb; instead, the film shifts focus towards the Suicide Squad (consisting of Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Killer Frost, Black Spider and King Shark), who are sent by Amanda Waller to infiltrate Arkham Asylum and recover a classified file stolen by the Riddler.

Batman: Arkham Knight – The Riddler's Gambit (2015)

A 320-page novel, Batman: Arkham Knight – The Riddler's Gambit, by Alexander C. Irvine serves as a prequel to Batman: Arkham Knight.[46]

Batman: Arkham Knight – The Official Novelization (2015)

Marv Wolfman authored a novelization of Batman: Arkham Knight, which was released in July 2015.[47]

Merchandise

Starting in January 2011, DC Direct released two series of statues based on characters in Arkham Asylum.[48][49] As well, DC Direct, and later DC Collectibles, released four series of statues based on characters in Arkham City, starting in December 2011.[50][51][52][53] On June 5, 2012, TriForce announced that they had acquired the license to create replicas of various weapons, gadgets and iconic objects from Arkham Asylum and Arkham City.[54] DC Collectibles announced statues for release in October 2013 for Arkham Origins,[55] as well as Mattel announcing statues of their own, releasing in late 2013.[56] A board game, titled Batman: Arkham City Escape, was made available by Cryptozoic entertainment in May 2013.[57]

Appearances in outside media

The game Injustice: Gods Among Us featured the Arkham City Skin Pack, containing downloadable costumes for Batman, Catwoman, and the Joker, based on their appearances in Arkham City.[58] An Arkham City skin is also available for Harley Quinn; however, unlike the other Arkham City skins, it must be unlocked through the iOS mobile app version.[59] In addition, the Arkham Asylum arena features appearances by Hugo Strange, Scarecrow, Killer Croc, Two-Face, Riddler, and Penguin, all of whom appear as they did in the previous Arkham games. The iOS version of the game features the Arkham Origins skins for Batman, Deathstroke, Deadshot, Joker and Bane, as well the Arkham Knight skins for Batman, Catwoman, Batgirl, Harley Quinn and the exclusive character Arkham Knight. The Arkham Knight costume for Batman also appears in the iOS version of Injustice 2.

The character Arkham Knight eventually made his debut in the mainstream DC Universe. However, this incarnation is not Jason Todd, but rather Astrid Arkham, the daughter of Arkham Asylum director Jeremiah Arkham and Ingrid Karlsson. During her birth, a riot broke out during a prison transfer at the asylum. Despite the chaos, several villains assisted in delivering her safely, but one of the prisoners killed Ingrid with one of Batman's batarangs. Astrid grew up interacting with many of Arkham Asylum's patients and sympathized with their fear of Batman. After she found footage of her mother's death, she assumed Batman murdered her and trained herself for years to take away Batman's control over Gotham. She crafted the Arkham Knight identity to take vengeance on him, believing that the Arkham inmates were also his victims.

Reception

Aggregate review scores
As of May 2, 2018.
Game Metacritic
Batman: Arkham Asylum 91 (PS3)[60]
92 (X360)[61]
91 (PC)[62]
Batman: Arkham City 96 (PS3)[63]
94 (X360)[64]
91 (PC)[65]
85 (WiiU)[66]
Batman: Arkham City Lockdown 69 (iOS)[67]
Batman: Arkham Origins 76/100 (PS3)[68]
74/100 (X360)[69]
68/100 (WIIU)[70]
74/100 (PC)[71]
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate 68/100 (3DS)[72]
61/100 (Vita)[73]
Batman: Arkham Knight 87/100 (PS4)[74]
85/100 (XONE)[75]
70/100 (PC)[76]

The series has received widespread critical acclaim. Arkham Asylum held Guinness World Record for Most Critically Acclaimed Superhero Game Ever based on an average Metacritic score of 91.67,[77] but was replaced by its sequel Arkham City in 2011.[78] The game was praised as reaching to a darker side of Batman not seen in video games before. It was also acclaimed for its polished combat and stealth gameplay, as well as selection of gadgets at Batman's disposal and the extensive comic book lore and easter eggs planted all over the map of Arkham Asylum. Arkham Asylum also received positive feedback for its choice in voice actors, such as Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy as The Joker and Batman, respectively. The Guardian included the game on its list of the 50 best videogames of the 21st century.[79]

Arkham City has received the most acclaim of the series, won multiple awards, and is considered the greatest comic book video game of all time.[80][81][82][83][84][85][86] It was heralded as taking the already innovative and intricate gameplay of its predecessor and largely expanding on it, as well as opening gameplay to a larger, greater detailed and intricate map. Hamill's return as a sick and dying Joker was very well taken by fans and critics alike, as well as the addition of other villains and heroes such as Robin, Catwoman, Hugo Strange, Calendar Man, and The Penguin. Arkham City currently holds Guinness World Record for Most Critically Acclaimed Superhero Game Ever with the average GameRankings score of 95.94%.[78] Metacritic put the game among the best videogames of the decade 2010–2019.[87]

Arkham Origins, considered the weakest installment of the series, received a mixed response. The major consensus among critics was the game lacked innovation and series advancement, many of them citing the similar gameplay and atmosphere of the game before, but that it still had an interesting and engaging story. The visuals were also slightly degraded from the previous entry. This was largely attributed to the change in developers from Rocksteady to Warner Bros. Montreal. Arkham Origins was also criticized for its many bugs and glitches, especially on PC, as well as its odd and confined multiplayer. However, praise was directed at the voice cast and narrative, the game's depiction of the Joker as well as Batman's relationships with his adversaries. Most notably, critics agreed that Arkham Origins' boss battles were an improvement over its predecessors; they offered dynamic, multiphase conflicts with their own stories.[88] While not considering all equally fun or impressive, reviewers said that their variety and unpredictability provided much excitement.

The console versions of Arkham Knight received critical acclaim but slightly less than Arkham City and Arkham Asylum. However, it was still better received than its predecessor, Arkham Origins. Praise was aimed at the story, visuals, world designs, and gameplay, while most of the criticism was directed towards the game's overreliance on Batmobile gameplay sections. The Windows version of the game was poorly received, being criticized for numerous technical issues at the time of its launch, resulting in Warner Bros. removing the game from sale on Steam, and physical copies being removed from shelves, promising to work on performance issues. After its re-release, the game continued to receive criticism for lingering technical issues. The console versions were released with little to no technical problems. Mashable put the game among the best videogames of the decade 2010–2019.[89]

See also

  • Gotham Knights: An upcoming video game developed by WB Games Montréal (who developed Arkham: Origins), with similar gameplay, plot-line, aesthetic, and many of the same characters; set within an original story and separate from the Batman: Arkham games.

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