GAMERS DECIDE - Batman Arkham Asylum

Batman: Arkham Asylum Walkthrough Guide (Secrets, Bosses, Start to Finish)

AmilC — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 04:21:46 +0000

Batman: Arkham Asylum Walkthrough Guide (Secrets, Bosses, Start to Finish)

Hey fellow gamers, here’s a full-on, start-to-end, walkthrough guide for playing Batman: Arkham Asylum. Please note, that although these video demonstrations are for a PC, I have this game on my Mac computer. Therefore, my control references will be Mac based. So, read on, have fun, and get ready to get your Bat-game on.

Walkthrough videos by michaeltm83

Part: 1 - Be The Fighter And The Hero

Well, time to loosen up those muscles and get those juices flowing. Drop these creeps, Batman!

The gameplay starts with you, as The Batman, escorting a captured Joker into Arkham Asylum. The first big gameplay scene begins when Batman’s archenemy escapes and leaves you to fight your way through the inmates he just released. On your computer, use your cape stunning ability to daze and confuse your opponents by clicking the “E” key. That’s the best special-move you have access to, for now.
Once you’ve defeated the inmates, look for a ventilation shaft. You’ll find it next to the entrance that’s been blocked off by an electric gate. Force open this vent shaft by repeatedly pressing the spacebar. Your first Riddler trophy is in this vent.

One leading cause of indigestion: a bat-kick to the gut.

Head-up the ramp just right across from the vent. You’ll want to wait for The Joker to deactivate the electric gate before you try to go through. Of course, he’s setting you up for a trap, but hey, you’re Batman, you’re going to go for it anyway.
There’s a room just right off to the left, once you make it to the top of the ramp. Enter this room and destroy the Joker teeth. You can use your batarangs to do this by holding down the “Q” and pressing the “V” key.

Yes, Gordon, Batman does know it’s a trap. So, what’s your point?

Head down the hallway and fight your way through a couple of thugs. At the end of this hallway, you’ll run into an Arkham security guard. Talk to this guard, and he’ll point you in the direction of Victor Zsasz. The latter will have a hostage you’ll need to be rescuing, so, be ready for that.
You’ll want to make a left at the turning-point, on your way to Zsasz’s location.
Be sure to talk with Aaron Cash before you enter the room where Zsasz is, he’ll be the one to explain the situation in more detail.

Have your fun while you can Zsasz, because you’re going down in a few minutes.

After you have defeated Victor Zsasz, look for two nearby ventilation shafts. Inside one of these shafts, you’ll find another Riddler trophy that you’ll want to collect, before moving onto your next rescue mission.
Once you’ve taken the trophy, go over to the next vent. This one will take you back to the security guard who originally pointed you towards Zsasz.

Work those muscles, and show that ventilation grid who’s boss, Batman.

Make your way to the decontamination room. Here is where you’ll face your next rescue challenge. Since the door will be locked, you’ll want to grapple to the area up above your head. There’ll be another vent shaft you’ll need to make your way through to get into the decontamination room.
Once you’ve rescued the security guards, and, yes, the escaped inmate as well, you’ll want to use your detective mode to locate the control box for the ventilation fan. Aim pressing the “Q” key, with a batarang to hit the control box. This will activate the vent fan and clear out all the Joker toxin.
Something to keep in mind as you progress throughout the game: keep an eye out for those Joker teeth and those Riddler trophies, since collecting these items will increase your chances of leveling up and being able to upgrade your skills and your gadgets. Personally, I would just collect the ones that are in visible range or otherwise easy enough to find, just to keep the momentum going and stay focused on the main mission. Of course, whether or not you take this approach yourself is up to you.

Don’t leave the Arkham guards hanging. They are, after all, on your side.

Part: 2 - The Big, The Mean, And The Low-Lifers

They really don't come any uglier than this green-eyed creep, let me tell ya.

Follow the green arrow trail that The Joker has marked for you. This trail will take you straight to The Joker’s location, where you’ll have to face-off against one big and mean Titan-enhanced inmate.
You’ll want to rely on your batarangs and the double-clicking of your spacebar to out maneuver Joker’s monster to survive this fight. Aim and throw the batarangs at the creature’s face, as he’s charging towards you. This’ll temporarily blind him, so, you can run or jump out of his way.
One thing to bear in mind: you’re not trying to take down this monster. You’re just trying to stay out of his way mostly, until this guy dies do to a bad prototype version of the Titan-venom.
Something else to remember is that you can press the Tab key to access and choose your upgrades. You’ll be able to upgrade your skills, your armor, the gadgets you collect along the way, things like that. You’ll want to upgrade, regularly, to keep Batman performing at peak-levels.
You can, also, use the Tab key to access your map and your main objectives.

Just follow the green-arrow-brick-road, Batman.

You’ll want to press the caps-lock to crouch, so you can sneak up on inmates armed with guns. Right-click so that you can silently attack and overpower each of the three inmates from behind.

These guys are idiots! Batman’s sneaking up right behind them, and they don’t even know it!

Make good use of your aerial attacks, as well as your silent, sneak attacks when you’re going after The Joker’s henchmen in the Intensive Treatment lobby. They’re armed, as well, so a head-on attack would not be wise, since it would alarm them to your presence.
You will, also, want to make good use of detective mode, while you’re taking down these thugs. It would be wise to stay in detective mode, while you’re rounding up The Joker’s men, just as you see in this video demonstration.

Can you see in the dark? The answer is, ‘yes’, when you’re using Batman’s detective mode.

Part: 3 - One Order Of Raw Fighting And A Deadly Toxin To Go, Please

Whatever you do, don't inhale. I mean, seriously, just don't.

Remember to keep a look out for The Riddler’s trophies and puzzles as you progress. Collecting these trophies and solving these puzzles will buy you points that’ll help you to earn your upgrades that much quicker. I wouldn’t go too far out of my way to find these Riddler goodies, however. Stay focused on this mission at hand, and collect whatever Riddler’s left for you, if and when you can see those clues. After all, there are plenty of other ways to earn your upgrades that won’t take you too far away from your main objective.

Scope out the area, and get those Riddler clues, my friend, get ‘em all!

To use the explosive gel or any gadget, you’ll want to select that gadget from its number. The explosive gel, for example, is your third gadget. So, press “3” on your keyboard to choose that gadget. The explosive gel will allow you to blow up the wall that’s blocking your way to the alternate entrance you need to access to keep following Gordon’s trail.

Blow some stuff up and blow it up good.

Right-click during an all-out group fight to use any special moves that you might have picked up, while you’ve been upgrading throughout the game. If you haven’t upgraded lately, then, now would be a good time to do so, since some of those special moves might really come in handy.

These criminals are going to need medical attention, after Batman gets through with them.

When you’re rescuing Aaron Cash and the other Arkham employees, you’ll need to make good use of your batarangs again. Use them to activate the ventilation fans that’ll clear out the Joker toxin.
Give yourself a running start before you glide when you’re making your way around the room these employees are trapped in. You’ll have to do this to avoid getting caught in the poisonous gas that’s filled up the place.

It's the batarangs that make target practice all the more fun.

Part: 4 - The Knife Wielder And The Master Of Fear

Scarecrow really does think he can overpower The Batman, doesn't he? Now that's hilarious.

Use your cape stunning ability to defeat this knife wielding inmate, again that’s the “E” key on your keyboard. Inmates armed with knives, wearing orange jumpsuits, will be the ones that you’ll want to stun with your cape before you attack. You have to cape stun them first, because a head-on attack won’t work.

Apparently, the knife is supposed to scare Batman. Uh, yeah, okay.

When you’re facing Scarecrow, be sure to stay out of his mind-breaking gaze. If he sees you, he’s got you.
Use the caps-lock to crouch, whenever necessary. You won’t always be able to outrun Scarecrow’s gaze. So, sometimes you’ll have to crouch, so you can wait until the latter passes you before you start moving again.

Take your time, stay out of that gazing spotlight, and you just might keep your sanity.

Part: 5 - Save Commissioner Gordon, And Don't Let The Bat Get Broken

A good save and a good all-out-brawl can really help to lift your dreary spirits in the morning.

Don’t forget to pick-up secrets maps when you spot them. These maps will mark the locations of The Riddler’s puzzles and trophies on your mission map. This’ll make finding The Riddler’s clues less of a headache.

The maps are the key to unlocking The Riddler’s secrets in this little cat-and-mouse game.

Personal recommendation for completing this rescue mission: don’t bother trying to take down any of the inmates. Just sneak passed them and make your way up to the attack point. This will be where you’ll carry out your surprise attack on Harley Quinn to rescue the captured Commissioner Gordon.
I would, also, suggest that you stay crouched, while you’re sneaking your way passed The Joker’s henchmen.

These villains really need to learn to start looking up, from time to time.

Think back to when you fought the Titan-enhanced inmate. You’ll want to out maneuver Bane the same way in this boss-fight. Also, you’ll have to jump onto Bane’s back while he’s temporarily blinded to start disconnecting the tubes that are feeding him the venom.
I would recommend focusing on Bane and not worrying so much about Joker’s men. Yes, they’ll attack you, but you can just flip over them when they do by double-clicking your spacebar.
Be sure to dodge the bodies and whatever else Bane throws at you, as well. Yes, Bane likes to throw dead bodies, and yes, it sounds even creepier when I say that out loud.

Bring on the pain, Bane, and Batman, don’t skimp on the batarangs.

Part: 6 – Big Fancy Mansion; Small, Dumb Low-Lifers

These creeps are just hired help. You want the clown in charge of it all.

Make your way to Arkham Mansion. Once inside, you'll be fighting off more of The Joker's thugs. Once they're down, there will be two Arkham employees in need of rescuing.

Anytime you're ready fellas. I mean, really, anytime at all.

Part: 7 - Sometimes, Silence Really Can Be Golden

These creeps are already beaten, they just don't know it yet.

Don't stand around for too long, because you still have some more rescuing to do. First, there will be an Arkham security guard being threatened, at gunpoint, for information. After you save this man, you'll want to head over to the main library to save Aaron Cash and one other hostage from four of The Joker's henchmen. Bear in mind, however, that these men will be armed with guns, so, you'll want to use your silent-attacks to overpower them.

Hey genius, you might want to turn around and look behind you.

Part: 8 - Save Them, Save Your Sanity, And Take Some Notes

Making a deal with The Joker is like making a deal with The Devil himself, and that's no joke.

Double-back to the library where you saved those last two Arkham employees from The Joker's fake bomb. Once you're there, you'll want to use your detective mode to locate Dr. Penelope Young's notes, so Batman can dispose of them.

Sometimes it's just all about the simple location of an object, and sometimes it's not.

Watch yourself in this boss-fight. You’ll want to take down these skeleton men without being caught by Scarecrow.
My recommendation: let the thugs approach you. Don’t try to chase them or charge after them, especially if they’re backing too far into Scarecrow’s gaze.

Nothing but a bunch of skeleton push-overs for The Batman to wipe the floor with.

Keep a steady pace, as you make your way through Scarecrow’s dream-world. You don’t want to rush through this challenge, since that would be a good way to get caught by Scarecrow’s gaze.
Timing is everything at this point. Don’t take too long trying to jump past this swinging object, however, because your enemy won’t give you that kind of time.

Timing is everything and I do mean timing.

To defeat Zsasz, this time, you’ll need to aim your batarang and throw it directly at his face. Be sure to hide behind the wall, while you’re crouching, by using the spacebar. Otherwise, this little batarang trick won’t work, and Zsasz will kill his hostage.

Zsasz ain’t nothing but a mere nuisance for The Batman to knock out of his way.

When you’re fighting an inmate armed with a shock stick, you can’t take him head-on. Flip over the inmate and attack him from behind. Use the spacebar to do this.

It’s shocking as to how much of an advantage these low-lifers seem to think they have right now.

Part: 9 – Strictly A Seek-Out, Beat-Down, And Rescue Operation

People, working at Arkham, can really use some protection from all the chaos around here.

Find your way out of Arkham Mansion. Note: You might want to use your map to help you with this. Then, once you're out of the mansion, fight to get to the Arkham medic who is about to be killed by The Joker's henchmen.

After you've saved the medic, continue into Arkham Penitentiary, through the Cell Block entrance, to find and rescue the captured Warden Sharp.

Annoying and grumpy, really, not the most attractive combination for you, Warden.

The psycho inmates won’t stay down when you hit them. You’ll want to make sure they’re out cold before moving forward. So, hold down the control key and right-click to knock these guys out, cold.

The lunatics are seriously running wild in this nuthouse.

Next, you will need to head over to the Guard Room, where there will be two more Arkham security guards for you to save from Harley Quinn's death-trap.

Part: 10 - A Shockingly All-Out Fight, And Psychos On The Lose

Time to drop these creeps and The Joker's trash-talking girlfriend.

Continuing on, you'll have no choice but to run right into Harley Quinn's little shock-trap. This time, you'll have to fight off The Joker's henchmen, as you avoid the random electric shocks from the security grids on the floor.

Shock these low-lifers with your unstoppable beat-down moves.

Part: 11 - Be Silent With The Gunmen, And Be Quick With The Heavy-Hitters

This isn't going to be an easy win for you. You better come with the-right-stuff for these fights.

Find your way to the Botanical Gardens. Once you're inside, you'll have to fight your way through some inmates, working for The Joker, to rescue another Arkham employee who is being held hostage. After that, you'll have two more civilians to save, before you can continue on to the next big fight.
As with the Bane boss-fight, you’ll want to make good use of your batarangs and Batman’s maneuvering skills to defeat these Titan-enhanced inmates.
Jump on one monster’s back, while he’s blinded from your batarang. You can use him to smack around the other guy. Also, remember to avoid those bodies that are being thrown at you. The less hits you take the better.

The bigger and the uglier they are, the harder they fall.

Part: 12 – A Helping Hand From An Enemy And An Ally

Sometimes, you need to turn to an enemy to get the job done.

Go to Poison Ivy. She'll tell you where the plant spores are that you can use to make the anti-toxin, which you'll be using later in the final fight against The Joker.
Fight your way back to Arkham Mansion. So, you can find out, from Aaron Cash, where Killer Croc's lair is.
You can kill Poison Ivy’s energy ball shooting plants. Destroy their energy balls using your upgraded, multi-target batarang. Then, run up to the plants and use the spacebar to kill them.

Apparently, not all plants are good for the environment.

Part: 13 - The Joker's Men And Scarecrow's Gaze? This Ought A Be Good

It's the mind games that'll really test your level of mental discipline.

Get back to Intensive Treatment, and take down The Joker's men.
After you've taken care of the inmates, you'll find yourself trapped in another one of Scarecrow's dream-worlds. Think back to the last Scarecrow challenge. Avoid his gaze, and move carefully throughout Scarecrow's dream-world to break free of his mental-hold on you.

Scarecrow's got The Batman right where he wants him, in his nightmare of a dream-world.

Part: 14 - Several Plant Spores And One Killer Crocodile

This is Killer Croc's turf, and you're nothing but food to him.

When facing Killer Croc, you’ll want to make good use of your batarangs. Aim them at his face and throw to knock him off the platforms. Also, remember to walk and not run, unless your prompted to do so.

Killer Croc is hungry. Don’t let The Batman become his main course.

Hold down the right-clicker as Killer Croc is approaching you. Then, set-off the explosive gel that was planted earlier, once Croc is standing directly over it.

You are about to go down, Croc, literally!

After you've defeated Killer Croc, you'll want to head back to the Batcave to manufacture the anti-toxin from the plant spores you collected.

Part: 15 - Time To Put Your Close-Combat Fighting Skills To The Test

The Joker's not playing around anymore. You better get ready to bring it, Bats!

In a closed-in area like this, the best way to win the fight is to use the monster to knock down most of the thugs. Personally, I would suggest that you keep most of your focus on your Titan-enhanced opponent, until you’ve defeated him.
After the monster’s down, you can clean up house, as you take out The Joker’s men. Of course, by now, this part of the fight should be pretty second-nature to you.

Batman’s trapped in this room with the Titan-monster? Yeah, it’s the other way around, I think.

Part: 16 - If You Can Resist Her, You Can Defeat Her

She'll show no mercy, when she pulls you straight into the ground, if you give her the chance.

The best way to win this boss-fight against The Queen of All Plants is to avoid Poison Ivy’s energy balls by flipping out and away from their line of fire.
Aim and throw your batarangs at Ivy when she’s exposed. Also, avoid getting caught by her deadly vines, while you’re fighting the Arkham security guards that she has under her control.

And to think, Batman chose today, off all days, to forget to bring his weed-killer.

Part: 17 – The Joker Thinks He’s King of All of Gotham City; Show Him Why He’s Wrong

Sure, you made it this far, but now, it's time to take on your greatest foe in one final death-battle.

In this final boss-fight against The Titan-enhanced Clown Prince of Crime, you’ll want to switch over to your batclaw gadget. You’ll need it to help you defeat The Joker.
Keep your distance from the clown, while he’s swiping away trying to knock you down. Remember, the less injuries you take now, the more of a hit you’ll be able to take when you’re fighting Joker’s henchmen.
You can, also, make use of The Joker’s explosives. Since their set to follow you wherever you go, you can run or flip away from them towards the thugs, preferably when they’re grouped together. Do this and when the explosives go off, they’ll knock down the inmates for you. You might even have time to do a, right-click knock out move on some of them, while they’re down, if you move quickly enough.
You’ll want to use the batclaw to pull The Joker down to your level, while his back is turned, after you’ve defeated his men. While Joker’s stuck in the floor, you can attack him. This entire routine will have to be done repeatedly, until you’ve successfully defeated Batman’s archenemy.

The would be Clown King of Gotham City. Knock this creep off his thrown, Batman!

You may also be interested in:

Main Image caption:

Batman doesn't hate The Joker. He's just mad, because he doesn't look this good in purple.

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Ranked: The Top 6 Best Batman Games to Play in 2016 and Beyond

augustwright — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 21:03:29 +0000

Grab your gadgets and become the night in this roundup of the 6 Best Batman Games for 2016.

Since the first Batman game in 1986, gamers and comic book fans alike have been following the franchise’s continually growing list of Batman comics, merchandise, movies, television shows, and video games. Appearing in 50 games across multiple platforms—from MS-DOS to NES to Playstation—and starring as the lead character in more than half of these titles, Batman has become a household name.

While awaiting the much anticipated Batman by Telltale Games (release date of September 2016) as well as the tentative June 2017 release of Injustice 2, we’ve compiled a list of the 6 best Batman games to play in 2016 and beyond. Grab a snack, hit the lights, and become the night in our countdown of the best Batman titles.

6. Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman: Arkham Asylum Official Trailer

Batman: Arkham Asylum scores at Number 6 on our list because of its unique storyline, its utilization of the puzzle system, and its freeflow combat system. This nightmare-fueled narrative begins when Batman accompanies the Joker to Arkham Asylum. Once inside, the Joker escapes and reveals that he’s sprung a trap for Batman—one that involves kidnapping Commissioner Gordon and threatening to detonate numerous bombs around Gotham City if anyone attempts to enter the asylum. As Batman, your mission is to save Commissioner Gordon while taking out as many of Gotham City’s villains as possible. If getting to defeat many of the canonical villains isn’t exciting enough, you’ll also have the opportunity to face off against Scarecrow, who uses his fear toxin to make Batman hallucinate some… pretty disturbing things.

Batman! Look out behind you!

Using a mix of direct combat and stealth, as well as Batman’s usual roundup of gadgets, you’ll travel deep into the asylum, defeating shirtless, steroid-fueled prisoners. Your index finger will definitely get a workout as you punch, kick, and chop your way through the enemies, scoring combos, regaining health, and earning EXP with each kill. Probably one of the most interesting features of the game is Batman’s “Detective Vision,” which players must utilize in order to solve some of the game’s puzzles. The addition of “Detective Vision” not only gives this game a new dimension, but it also gives your index finger a break from furiously clicking your mouse.

Many of Gotham City’s ICP fans end up in Arkham Asylum.

If you’ve already played this game and you’re thinking about playing it again, look for the Game of the Year version because it can be played in 3D on any 2D television. Just pick up a pair of anaglyph 3D glasses to experience all the spooky, action-packed goodness in 3D.

Batman: Arkham Asylum PC Gameplay.

5. Batman: A Telltale Series

Batman: A TellTale Series Announcement Trailer

Number 5 on our list is Batman: A Telltale Series, coming out in September of this year. This Batman game ranks at 5 on our list because players will play half the game as Batman and half the game as Bruce Wayne. Unlike other Batman games, this one takes place just after Bruce Wayne decides to become Batman, allowing players to act freely since the game isn’t tied to any established storyline. The game will contain 5 episodes, the first of which will be released in September and the last in December. While other Batman titles have relied on making the environment as realistic as possible, Batman: A Telltale Series will move away from photorealism and instead rely on comic book style art.

Is he saving Catwoman’s life or dropping her from the 20^th storey? You decide.

Playing as both Bruce Wayne and Batman is exciting mainly because Bruce Wayne’s decisions during the day could potentially affect the types of activities that occur in Gotham City at night. Similarly, decisions players make as Batman may affect how things operate in Gotham during the day. Batman: A Telltale Series will likely have a high replay value because different decisions will affect the direction of the overall storyline.

Regardless of your decisions, Bruce Wayne will still have a lot of issues to deal with.

If you were a fan of Telltale Games’ The Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead game series, you’ll probably want to pick up a copy of Batman: The Telltale Series.

4. Injustice: Gods Among Us

Injustice: Gods Among Us Trailer

Titled the “Best Fighting Game” in 2013, Injustice: Gods Among Us is a multiplayer fighting game that was the highest selling title in both the U.S.A. and the U.K. during its month of release. This game comes in at number 4 on our list not only because of its mechanics, but also because of its very involved plotline. The storyline pits Batman and Superman against each other after Superman becomes a tyrannical leader and establishes a new world order. To bring peace, Batman rounds up his own army and clashes forces with some of DC Comics’ greatest heroes and villains. Sounds like the typical plot to any fighting game, but this story has more twists and turns than a hunchback with scoliosis.

Let’s just take a moment to appreciate Wonder Woman’s straight spine.

Aside from the impressive lineup of playable characters, there are a number of non-playable characters that appear in various arenas. These characters (ranging from Scarecrow in Arkham Asylum to Darkseid in the Hall of Justice) appear as hazards on the battlefield, adding a level of difficulty to certain arenas. Interactive and transitional elements add more excitement to each stage, as players can use certain objects in an arena to damage their opponent (like throwing a car at someone). The clash system adds another unique dimension to the game. In this system, players secretly bet portions of their “super meter” in an attempt to instantly win the clash—an ideal system if you’re fighting against the “hit and run away” type of player.

You’ll never win a fight against someone who accessorizes with a noose.

If you haven’t played this game yet, pick up a copy today. The sequel, Injustice 2, was recently announced in June 2016 and has a tentative release date of 2017.

Injustice: Gods Among Us Superman vs. Batman

3. Batman: Arkham City – Game of the Year Edition

Batman: Arkham City Official Trailer

Number 3 on our list is Batman: Arkham City – Game of the Year Edition. We’ve chosen the Game of the Year version because it not only extends the original game by about two hours, but it also includes seven new maps to explore, three new playable characters (Catwoman, Robin, and Nightwing), and a number of different skins for Batman, Catwoman, Robin, and Nightwing. The game itself begins when Bruce Wayne winds up imprisoned in Gotham City’s new prison, Arkham City. Hugo Strange, the villain behind Wayne’s imprisonment, is after something called “Protocol 10” and it’s your job to stop him. Throughout your journey in Arkham City, you’ll come across a number of familiar faces, including the Riddler, whose solvable riddles make up a good portion of the game’s side quests.

“Sure, I’m Batman, but my real dream was to become the ultimate riddle solver.”

Like Batman: Arkham Asylum, players will make use of the freeflow combat system as well as things like “Detective Vision” to fight enemies, solve puzzles, and progress through the game. Since this game is the second in the Arkham series, many of Batman’s gadgets and combat mechanics have been updated to improve the overall game play experience. Unlike Arkham Asylum, Batman can catch objects thrown at him, attack while gliding, and counter multiple hits at once. There are also a number of new gadgets to look forward to, such as smoke bombs and a REC stun gun.

Also, this door.

Batman: Arkham City was also the winner of several awards, including Best Action Game, Best Adventure Game, and, of course, Game of the Year. You’ll definitely want to explore all the spooky nooks and crannies in Gotham’s sprawling prison, Arkham City.

Batman: Arkham City - Game of the Year Edition Gameplay

2. Batman: Arkham Origins

Batman: Arkham Origins Official Trailer

Batman: Arkham Origins, the third game in the Arkham series, stirs up the franchise with a new multiplayer mode. What makes Origins number 2 on our list? The storyline’s artful comparison of the Joker and Batman’s personalities, which culminates with the unanswerable question: is Batman doing more harm than good? Although Origins was released after Arkham Asylum, the game takes place 5 years before those events. The game begins on Christmas Eve with Batman attempting to stop a jailbreak at Blackgate Penitentiary. After failing to stop Black Mask’s escape, Batman discovers a $50 million bounty on his head, which has attracted the attention of some pretty awesome assassins. As Batman, players will not only go toe-to-toe with villains like Killer Croc, but they will also have the opportunity to engage in some petty crimes, such as breaking and entering.

And eavesdropping! Okay, eavesdropping isn’t a crime, but it’s pretty rude.

As with Arkham City and Arkham Asylum, players will again make use of the freeflow combat system, stealth techniques, and gadgets to progress through the game. In this game, Batman can summon the Batwing so players no longer have to glide-Batclaw-glide-Batclaw-glide-fall-start over. Also unique to Origins is the new multiplayer mode, which pits Bane and the Joker’s henchmen against Batman and Robin. Players also have the option to play the “Hunter, Hunted” mode which pits six henchmen (three Joker, three Bane) against Batman in a sudden death match. Origins also has a high replay value. If players beat the game on “New Game Plus” mode, they’ll unlock “I Am the Night” mode. This special mode is extremely difficult because if Batman dies once, the game just ends.

But at least those burning flames will keep their corpses warm.

While Origins was probably the most criticized of the Batman games on this list, it’s still one of the better Batman games out there.

Batman: Arkham Origins Gameplay - Multiplayer

1. Batman: Arkham Knight

Batman: Arkham Knight Official Trailer

Last on our list is Batman: Arkham Knight, the fourth game in the Arkham series. This game ranks at 1 because of its character-driven storyline and because it improves upon nearly everything from the previous Arkham games. Set one year after the events in Arkham City, the game begins with Scarecrow releasing his fear toxin into Gotham City, causing citizens to hallucinate some pretty nightmarish creatures. When Batman goes to investigate, he crosses paths with the Arkham Knight and his band of rebels, and ends up exposed to Scarecrow’s toxin. Players who enjoyed Arkham Origins’ storyline will be excited to see some of the same plot points picked up in Arkham Knight. And since this game takes place within Gotham City, players will have the opportunity to drive a very modernized version of the Batmobile.

The sweetest ride in Gotham City—now with a Gatling!

While the freeflow combat system remains the mainstay for the Batman video game franchise, Arkham Knight builds upon this system by introducing the dual play system and by enhancing some of Batman’s gadgets. The dual play system, which can only be used after several continuous combat streaks, allows players to seamlessly switch between Batman, Catwoman, Robin, and Nightwing. Batman’s batarang now includes a scanner, which can be used for gathering information about an area, and the Disruptor (Arkham City) received several upgrades, one of which includes the ability to electrify crates (setting booby-traps for enemies).

To be fair, I’m sure Batman gave him plenty of warning before electrocuting him.

The puzzles in the game are also more intricate and more difficult than in previous titles, and some of these require the Batmobile to solve. With loads of downloadable content, players will discover even more quests, missions, and villains to defeat. As the fastest selling game in the Arkham series, it’s no wonder this Batman game sold over 5 million copies only four months after its initial release.

Batman: Arkham Knight - Harvey Two-Face Boss Battle

From his inception as a video game character in 1986, Batman has come a long way. Aside from a definite improvement in overall graphics, combat systems, and character lineup, developers have continued to please fans with each game’s unique storyline. But whether the storyline is character-driven, action-driven, or thrown out the window in favor of hack-n-slash or puzzle solving goodness, Batman has easily shifted its way into becoming one of the best superhero video game franchises of all time. If you haven’t played any of the titles on our list, start today. You won’t be disappointed.