This is how it happened, this, is how the Batman died, yes these words really say it all for me. As you begin the conclusion to Rocksteady’s Batman trilogy these are the words you hear, these words grab your interest and draw you into Gotham City to want to understand what is going to happen. The idea of a statement urging into a game is always an interesting concept as the game tells you the ending long before you even reach it and you spend the game going through all the specifics and understanding the events that led up to the statement. So did Batman actually die, well I can’t tell you as you need to play the game but sadly this is the best concept for why this is a potential Game of the Year for me, the masterful foreshadowing that drives the story forward.
After three great games Rocksteady has shut the book on Batman and has closed things up in the best possible way, Arkham Knight is the perfect conclusion to a great franchise and bids Batman a solemn but much deserved farewell. With Arkham Knight Rocksteady chose to throw everything at the game that was completely possible, and apart from a small selection of frustrating and/or annoying components (World of Tanks: Gotham City edition anyone) there is quality that screams from every corner that truly defines Arkham Knight as the perfect swan song to a fantastic trilogy.
I will admit to having issues with traversal methods in both Arkham City and Arkham Origins as they were tedious, but Arkham Knight completely fixed everything as the game offered not one but two different methods of getting around. Taking to the rooftops and soaring across the skies as Batman is almost always a thrill, but the inclusion of Batman’s iconic vehicle the Batmobile made the game a whole lot more exciting as you flew through the streets of Gotham at high speeds and it made getting around less of a chore.
The perfect dance of the Batman Arkham combat finally found the perfect balance, as the game expanded upon what the previous games did but also added and improved. Before enemies just felt unfocused and when given the option to use stealth and be Batman you just had to wait and pick off your targets, now enemies listen to orders and evolve based on how you choose your approach now being more reliant on you switching out your strategy at a moment’s notice.
If it could be improved or could be done in Arkham Knight it was, the game was full of enjoyable side activities, a deep plot line, and multiple characters who were playable at a certain point, and was all around just enjoyable. Arkham Knight is without a doubt one of 2015’s best games, we may have had to bid a solemn farewell to Batman and the Arkham trilogy but it goes out strong. Certainly Batman Arkham Knight is worth being considered a Game of the Year, and I really hold this game in high regard, but will Arkham Knight take out Game of the Year? Well we will have to wait and see.
In case you missed them my precious nominees include:
