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- Rocksteady’s conclusion to the Arkham series was well done with Arkham Knight, which features some of the best bosses and storylines.
- Even with major antagonists such as the Joker and Two-Face, Arkham Knight shines on lesser-known villains like Firefly and Professor Pyg.
- The game’s best side quest is Azrael’s, whose outcome is decided by the anti-hero himself.
Rocksteady’s work on the Batman Arkham games is no less than a masterpiece, and no matter how many times I replay those games, I still can’t get enough of the Dark Knight. For me, Arkham Games perfectly translates all of Batman’s mythos, unlike anyone else in the comics.
While many would pick Batman Arkham City as the best in the series, Arkham Knight is no less. The ending to the Arkham saga was on a high note as the Dark Knight saves Gotham City from impending doom by heroically sacrificing himself.
There are multiple reasons why Batman Arkham Knight is my favorite superhero video game. I love how it has so many boss varieties that are different from those of its predecessors. This time around, the game went fully open-world and showcased the detective side of our beloved superhero.
Why It Matters: Boss battles are a huge aspect of any video game and truly showcase the game’s storytelling and spectacle moments. However, with Arkham Knight, every other aspect was nailed so well that the game’s bosses often get overshadowed by the rest of the game’s elements.
Gotham’s Most Wanted
We’ve had enough of the infamous Batman villains such as The Joker, Scarecrow, Riddler, and Two-Face. Don’t get me wrong, the Arkham series nailed them and showcased why the media uses these villains all over again, but the main difference here is how Batman Arkham Knight managed to cram other lesser-known villains here, too.
To be clear, these lesser-known villains are still prevalent in other Batman media, but the mainstream audience doesn’t know them. I’d start with Professor Pyg, who had the game’s most twisted and thrilling storyline.
Professor Pyg’s saga is one of the reasons why Batman Arkham Knight has an M rating. His side missions start from mutilated corpses all over Gotham, who are just one of Professor Pyg’s victims, as he performs terrible surgeries on his victims to make them appear perfect.
Even after finding him, you’ll have to beat up Dollotrons, the victims of Pyg’s perfectionism. It’s truly horrifying to wander them off and beat them with them having no sense of pain.
Another worthy criminal is Firefly, an ex-stuntman who is yet another victim of a traumatic event that led him to become scarred and mentally sick after getting burnt. As such, his motives are to burn down Gotham and its fire stations to purge it of corruption.
His missions are Batmobile sequences, and as Batman, you’d have to chase him down as he wrecks chaos flying away. Those chasing sequences look straight out of an action movie, and Firefly’s voice acting is just the cherry on top.
Savior Or Destroyer?
In Batman Arkham City, there’s a sort of easter egg where Azrael stalks from afar in the beginning sequences of the game. However, the character is fully explored by Arkham Knight.
By far, Azrael is the most memorable character in the game, especially because he’s somewhat like Batman. Even the quest name “Heir To The Cowl” implies that he can carry on the Dark Knight’s legacy.
Azrael’s dialogue implies the end of Batman; to some extent, it is a subtle foreshadowing. Bruce considers Azrael Gotham’s next saviour, but to prove himself, he has to go through several of Batman’s trials.
You can choose the ending to this quest, either to attempt to kill Batman or walk away and continue on your own path. Trying to kill Batman does end up in the Dark Knight apprehending you and sending you to the Gotham prison alongside the rest of the criminals.
Azrael’s story was brief but an exciting one nonetheless. I was hoping for the series to discover the character more in the following entries, but it never came to fruition. Azrael is a notable anti-hero in the comics and has even taken upon the cowl when Bane broke Batman’s back.
There are several other storylines in the game that are just as exciting, such as Deacon Blackfire’s cult and Hush trying to take over Wayne’s enterprise. However, Deadshot’s boss battle was terribly done, considering how well his encounter with Batman was in Arkham Origins.
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[News Reporter]
Shaheer is currently pursuing a Business degree while also working as a part-time Content Writer. With his deep passion for both writing and video games, he has seamlessly transitioned into a role as a Journalist. Over the past two years, Shaheer has contributed as a freelancer to various websites and landed positions on acclaimed platforms like Gamerant. Currently, his role at Tech4gamers is as a Features Writer, but he also covers News occasionally. Shaheer’s favorite gaming franchises are Assassin’s Creed and the God of War series.
Get In Touch: shaheer@tech4gamers.com
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