Batman is a popular comic book character which has sparked series and franchises within the movies, television programs, to video games. When it comes to video games, we’ve seen Batman appear on titles for decades. We look at the various Batman video games to launch into the market and offer out personal favorite titles to hit store shelves.
These are our favorite Batman video games to have ever released. Let us know what your favorite Batman video game is in the comments down below.
Batman: Arkham City
The sequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City was a video game that has our caped crusader locked up in Arkham City, a massive prison that resides in the more urban slums of Gotham City. Within the game, players can freely explore Arkham City as they attempt to unravel this mysterious Protocol 10 scheme which is being executed under Hugo Strange, Arkham City’s warden.
Combat and detective gadgets make a return from Batman: Arkham Asylum. However, the game adds a new mechanic, one that would be familiar to fans of Batman. This time around, Batman now has the use of his cape which will allow players to reach a greater distance.
As mentioned, players can freely explore Arkham City, which is a plus as the game offers Batman a few extra side missions instead of forcing players to continue through the game’s narrative main campaign.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
The game which sparked the Arkham series, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a must-play. Released back in 2009, Batman: Arkham Asylum was developed under Rocksteady Studios and became a massive hit. The game featured a story crafted by Paul Dini who was known for his work on a few different Batman projects.
Overall, the story followed Batman as he delivers Arkham Asylum his archenemy, the Joker. However, quickly into the game, Joker manages to escape with a grand plan of trapping Batman within the Asylum filled with several of his infamous enemies.
Adding to the fact that Batman will have to face against his villains, our Dark Knight finds himself running against the clock as the Joker reveals several bombs throughout Gotham City. This is a third-person action-adventure game where Batman not only has his trained fists to fight off enemies but arrays of gadgets that will help puzzle solve or gather clues.
Batman: Arkham Knight
If you’re coming from Batman: Arkham City and looking to get a bit more of the caped crusader then Batman: Arkham Knight is one title not to miss out on. The video game acts as a sequel to the Arkham City release where the game picks up one year following the Arkham City events.
Within the game, Scarecrow had unleashed an attack on Gotham City causing a massive evacuation. Teamed up with a mysterious enemy known as the Arkham Knight, Batman is left within a barren city filled with his greatest foes.
Much like Batman: Arkham City, Arkham Knight allows players to freely transverse through the world map and take on additional side missions. Likewise, developers, Rocksteady Studios introduced a new element to the franchise, the Batmobile.
Batman’s famous vehicle is not only used to help our hero to travel throughout the city, but also a means to solve puzzles along with acting as another combat tool.
Batman: The Telltale Series
Telltale Games really doesn’t disappoint with their episodic releases. The developers have handled a number of franchises such as Batman. The Telltale Games title is a bit different in comparison to other Batman video games within this list.
For instance, Batman: The Telltales Series plays out similarly to other Telltale Games which are typically point-and-click adventures. The story is not tied to any previous Batman works in particular, but it still retains the same overall concept of Bruce Wayne becoming Batman in order to clean up the mean streets of Gotham City.
With the glooming deaths of his parents haunting Bruce, players will ultimately make big decisions on how Bruce Wayne behaves as himself and as the Batman. Overall, the main enemy within the game is a terrorist group known as the Children of Arkham, though as you pursue this group, Telltale Games will toss big decision your way which will determine just how the story progresses.
The game contains a total of five episodes and there is a sequel currently in-season known as Batman: The Enemy Within.
The Adventures of Batman & Robin
Going back to the days of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sega Genesis, developers Konami and Clockwork Tortoise delivered a fantastic beat-em-up Batman title known as The Adventures of Batman & Robin. Released back in 1994, the game was a side-scrolling adventure title in which Batman and Robin helped keep the city clear from the variety of enemy scum.
While the game is dated in terms of mechanics and certainly visuals, The Adventures of Batman & Robin still holds up as a fun retro title that you can enjoy to this very day. Most of the fan favorite Batman villains such as The Joker, Poison Ivy, The Penguin, Two-Face, The Scarecrow, among several others, are present as bosses to defeat.
Likewise, there are a few gadgets to equip and use within the levels as a means to help defeat an enemy or solve a puzzle.
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
Developed by Traveller’s Tales, Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes gives fans of first Batman Lego title a bit more to go through. Acting as a standalone sequel to Lego Batman: The Video Game, players will see Batman and Superman team up in order to defeat Joker and Lex Luther.
The game features an open world setting, Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes offer gamers a chance to play as a number of different DC Comics characters such as the Green Lantern, Superman, The Flash, and Wonder Woman.
Much like a number of these installments on this list, Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes offers a few gadgets to use against enemies or solve puzzles.
Lego Batman: The Video Game
Traveller’s Tales, much like Telltale Games, has worked with a number of franchises over the years. However, instead of releasing episodic point-and-click adventures, which are often more pointed towards a mature audience, Traveller’s Tales instead delivers Lego games.
Released back in 2008, Lego Batman: The Video Game offers a new adventure for gamers to go through as the Dark Knight.
Much of the game is similar to past Lego titles from the developers. Gamers will be going through fighting off enemies, collecting Lego pieces, and lastly, solving a variety of puzzles.
The plot of Lego Batman: The Video Game follows, Batman and Robin as they hunt down and stop some of Batman’s greatest foes. Riddler, Clayface, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, Penguin, Bane, Killer Croc, Man-Bat, Catwoman, Joker, Harley Quinn, Scarecrow, Mad Hatter, and Killer Moth have managed to escape Arkham Asylum causing mass chaos within Gotham City.
Batman: Arkham Origins
Developed under WB Games Montreal and acting as a prequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum is Batman: Arkham Origins. This particular story takes place five years before Arkham Asylum which features Batman who is still learning the ropes of being Gotham City’s protector.
The story follows Batman who becomes a target after a hit was placed on this masked vigilante by a crime lord, Black Mask. This has caused a number of top-notch assassins to travel into Gotham City in order to claim the prize money, during the mix Joker takes the opportunity to cause a new scheme against Gotham City as a whole.
While much of the same gameplay mechanics from the Arkham franchise is present, most gamers see Origins as the weaker title from the series.
