The recent wave of successful comic book video games that are more than cheap movie tie-ins can be traced back to one character in particular: Batman. The Caped Crusader's escapades in the Batman: Arkham series are not only fantastic comic games, but they single-handedly ushered in a new era for the industry where superhero games actually became a viable option for development. Although the series has now come to an end, the proverbial torch of Batman games is now being passed to Gotham Knights.

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Batman Burnout After the Arkham Series

The video game industry nowadays is frequently held up by the strength of various sequels across multiple franchises. While this trend has sustained many of the best franchises over the years, there are times where a series can experience some burnout over the years. Many gamers have expressed displeasure over this sort of thing with games like Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed  in the past, and it's possible that Warner Bros. Could be trying to avoid the same fate with Gotham Knights. While the game is certainly Batman-adjacent, its co-op style and Bat Family-centered story should be enough to keep things from seeming too repetitive.

A Tough Act To Follow For Gotham Knights

batman arkham city promo art

The success of the Batman: Arkham series really cannot be overstated. The games combined crisp combat with excellent storytelling to make an overall unforgettable experience, and it's hard to find a series of comics-based games that compares to its level of quality. The series ended in a rather definitive way, with Bruce Wayne having his identity revealed and subsequently "dying" at the end of Arkham Knight. The Arkham franchise is held in such high esteem that trying to follow up on it with a similar Batman game would be a tall task. Gotham Knights benefits from being different enough that it shouldn't draw too many direct comparisons.

 Gotham Knights: Time For Other Heroes To Shine

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Batman may arguably be one of DC's biggest superheroes, but the company has a plethora of different heroes that deserve their chance in the video game spotlight eventually. Gotham Knights is taking a calculated risk by giving players a game dedicated to Batman's line of sidekicks. These characters never would have helmed their own game ten years ago, but after increased popularity among the fanbase and a good foundation laid by Batman: Arkham, they now have a legitimate chance. The same sentiment is being shown by Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, giving DC's band of misfits some time to shine.

As disappointing as it may be for Batman fans, Gotham Knights is probably going to be the next best thing to a new Batman game for awhile. The World's Greatest Detective possibly the best series of games a comic book character could possible get, and now it's time to pass that success on to some other heroes to see if they can share in Batman: Arkham's achievements. Batman fans can find some solace in the fact that they can have a Batman-like experience once again in Gotham Knights, but it might be time to accept that there won't be another solo game until some other DC heroes get their shot at a video game adaptation.

Gotham Knights is currently in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

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