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- Batman Arkham Shadow captures the essence of the original series despite being VR-only.
- Developer Camouflaj does a great job delivering a good Batman story, surpassing its predecessors.
- The future of the Arkham series finally looks optimistic, and I hope that future games are just as good as Arkham Shadow, if not better.
The turmoil Rocksteady had with the Arkham franchise within the past few years had me scared for the series. With the release of Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, I thought that we finally bid farewell to the Dark Knight.
I was wrong to ponder, though. Shortly after, Batman Arkham Shadow was teased, a prequel to the Arkham trilogy. I had my doubts about the game, especially considering it was a Meta Quest 3-only VR title.
With the launch of the game, my opinions have vastly changed. If anything, I’m actually optimistic about the future of the Arkham series. Batman Arkham Shadow is hands down one of the best VR games, and I suggest everyone give it a go.
Why It Matters: Things haven’t gone well for the Arkham franchise since 2015’s Batman Arkham Knight. The first mainline game in the franchise, a VR title, was a letdown for many people, but regardless, it’s a solid game.
Camouflaj Perfectly Captured The Feel Of Earlier Arkham Games
Compared to 2016’s Batman Arkham VR, a short VR experience developed by Rocksteady themselves, Arkham Shadow is a full-fledged VR game with almost 10 hours of main story content.
Maybe one of the reasons why the project is so great is that Rocksteady didn’t take the lead on it; instead, it was developed by Camouflaj, the same studio behind Iron Man VR. Anyhow, Arkham Shadow is on the list of my favorite VR games, right next to Half-Life: Alyx.
Being a VR-only title doesn’t hold back Arkham Shadow from being a full-fledged Arkham experience. It may also be the closest experience I’ll ever have to being Batman myself.
Everything that made the original Arkham games special is still prevalent in Arkham Shadow, and it feels closer to the original Arkham Asylum. Despite being a VR title, the game’s map is semi-linear with tons of side content, such as puzzles hiding behind Rat King Idols, similar to Riddler trophies.
Combat is the game’s standout feature and the most distinct of any VR game. You have to follow certain prompts on the screen, highlighting enemies coming from different directions and pointing out their weak spots. Once you get ahold of the combat, it feels very nice, and beating the thugs has never felt so much better.
I was also hesitant about how the stealth would translate to a VR game, but developer Camouflaj nails this aspect quite well, too. You can jump on different gargoyles, utilize Bats’ wide array of gadgets, and take down enemies in whatever way you want, giving you the same freedom as the Arkham trilogy.
Arkham Shadow Does Justice To Undermined Arkham Villains
The blueprint for the gameplay was already there, and all developer Camouflaj had to do was translate that into a VR Game. The most difficult aspect was nailing an actual great Batman story that would be on par with the trilogy, and that’s something quite hard to achieve.
Still, Camouflaj exceeded my expectations and delivered an all-original Batman story that even topped its predecessors. Without giving too much away, Arkham Shadow is a more grounded story focusing on the Dark Knight’s detective skills, similar to the Matt Reeves movie.
The story takes inspiration from The Batman Animated Series, one of my favorite non-comic Batman renditions. The Rat King is none other than Harvey Dent before he actually became Two-Face.
Being self-conflicted, even Harvey didn’t know what he was doing until he truly came to terms with his new alter-ego and fully adopted the Two-Face persona. Developer Camouflaj understands Harvey’s character better than anyone else and actually gives him the focus and highlight he deserves rather than being the typical thug that Rocksteady portrayed him as.
I’m excited about future Arkham games, as Warner Bros. hasn’t called quits on the series yet. Roger Craig Smith is a worthy successor to Kevin Conroy as Batman, and I’m excited about the energy he will bring to future Batman games.
Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋
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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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