Ranking Batman Arkham Games – 10th Anniversary

I have fond memories of the Arkham series, as the “remaster” of Arkham Asylum was one of the first games I ever played on a modern console (PS4). Now that 10 years have passed since the release of Arkham Knight, I figured it would be a good time to rank the games in my personal opinion from worst to best! Please note that Arkham Shadow and Arkham VR won’t be ranked because I have never played them.

(DIS)HONORABLE MENTION – SUICIDE SQUAD: KILL THE JUSTICE LEAGUE

This one barely counts (due to Arkham Batman’s cameo/appearance), but ultimately, SS:KTJL is a very disappointing game. While its gunplay might be fun in short bursts, the game is just generally very boring and bland. The open-world formula could have worked (based on Rocksteady’s work in Arkham Knight), but it seems all focus was spent on fine-tuning the game’s live service elements. This makes the gameplay feel very “rinse-and-repeat”, constantly using the same weapons to eliminate the same groups of enemies. Additionally, the story doesn’t really have much to offer in terms of writing, even if the idea of “killing the Justice League” might be an interesting concept.

FIFTH PLACE – ARKHAM CITY LOCKDOWN/ARKHAM UNDERWORLD/ARKHAM ORIGINS BLACKGATE

I’ve decided to lump these games together due to them being the “black sheep” of the series. Arkham City Lockdown is a frankly repetitive fighting game for mobile devices. It ultimately only offers some neat “skins” for Batman and an accurate atmosphere to its console counterparts, especially for older mobile devices. More fun, especially in terms of combat, can definitely be found in the mainline titles of the series.

On the other hand, Arkham Underworld (the other mobile title on this list) presents a pretty interesting concept. As the name would suggest, you take control of Arkham’s “underground” criminal activities in what essentially is a strategy game. Like other strategy games, the game allowed you to grow your “hideout” and complete other missions to gain currency. While it may be an interesting sidenote in the Arkham series, it doesn’t really compare to the franchise’s other games.

Lastly, the most interesting of these games (and the closest thing to a normal Arkham game) is Arkham Origins Blackgate. It offers a side-scrolling experience with combat, stealth, and enemies similar to what you would find in the mainline entries. The catch is that this game was for more portable and technically limited devices like the PSP and 3DS. While the game might be serviceable for those consoles, it still does not compare to mainline entries. Speaking of which, let’s finally rate them now.

FORTH PLACE – ARKHAM KNIGHT

While Arkham Knight certainly has a beautiful open world (even 10 years after release!) and fun melee combat, it has some flaws that ultimately make the game less enjoyable. For instance, the reliance on Batmobile combat in certain missions generally becomes annoying due to the vehicle’s simplicity. I think most can also agree that it has the weakest boss battles out of any mainline Arkham entry. Additionally, although there were a good handful of side missions, many felt boring and bland to complete. In general, it feels like this game could have been even better if it had been delayed further. Some issues, on the other hand (such as the extremely tedious Riddler trophies and the somewhat convoluted game ending) would probably not have started.

THIRD PLACE – ARKHAM ORIGINS

This may come as a shock to some, as many consider Origins to be the greatest entry in the series. I can definitely appreciate the story through the lens of a younger Batman, with solid performances by Roger Craig Smith as Batman and Troy Baker as Joker. The gameplay is generally faster-paced than other Arkham games, which offers a lot of enjoyment when stringing combos together. Additionally, the boss battles (especially the powered-up Bane and Deathstroke fights) are fun to play and well-designed. In some cases, these fights may even be considered some of the best bosses in the entire Arkham game franchise. While it sounds like I’m exclusively praising this game, my ranking ultimately comes down to which games in the series I’ve played more of.

SECOND PLACE – ARKHAM ASYLUM

As I previously mentioned, I personally have a lot of nostalgia for this game. However, if I am being objective, it is not the best entry of the series. While it is certainly a very important game (as it laid the foundations for the franchise’s future), its combat and open-world were features expanded upon in future entries. However, that doesn’t mean its not worth playing, especially for new Arkham fans. The game’s story features a well-crafted narrative by Batman vetaran Paul Dini, along with excellant performances by Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as the Joker. To be honest, I think any fan of Batman: The Animated Series will find enjoyment in this game and the franchise in general due to its overall tone/atmosphere and writing. The combat, even in its early stages, feels fluid and addictive to master. And while the open-world may be small due to technical limitations, there is still a lot to explore, especially considering this is before vehicles like the Batmobile were implemented into the franchise. Additionally, this is just a side note, but I believe this game features some of the best forth-wall breaks of the entire series.

FIRST PLACE – ARKHAM CITY

This probably won’t come as a shock to many. Arkham City is generally considered to be one of the best Superhero game sequels of all time, and even the best Superhero game of all time in general. This praise is warranted. City basically improves upon every gameplay system introduced in Asylum. For instance, City’s open world is signifcantly larger than the one in Asylum, while still being extremely detailed. This is both a blessing and a curse, as it increases the number of Riddler trophies needed for 100% completion. New moves and gear have been added to Batman’s arsenal. This is especially noticable in stealth mode, with the inclusion of smoke pellets. The skill tree system was upgraded, allowing for more moveset customization. The story in this game is arguably better than Asylum’s, due to having new characters such as Mr. Freeze and Ra’s Al Ghul. These characters, along with others, generally have better boss fights than Asylum. Personally, I believe the only downside City has compared to Asylum is a less effective tone, as Asylum felt grittier and darker.

Regardless of your thoughts on the Arkham franchise, it is impressive to see how far the series evolved over 6 years between the main four entries. Rocksteady Studios is a talented dev team, and it is unfortunate to see the results of their new projects, such as Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League. In my opinion, the studio should return back to basics. I think the simplest way to do this would be a remake of Arkham Asylum. While it would still require much dev work to produce, it would allow Rocksteady to work on a less strenuous project while they recouperate from previous shortcomings. I just hope that Rocksteady can bounce back in the near future before it’s too late.