Gotham Knights (2022) | Video Game Review
WB Games Montreal attempts to fill the Dark Knight's cowl with co-operative superhero gameplay.
What happens when you remove Batman from a Batman game entirely? That's the central question driving Gotham Knights, and the answer proves far more complicated and nuanced than anyone expected from this ambitious co-operative superhero experiment.
WB Games Montreal, the studio behind Batman: Arkham Origins, takes on the massive challenge of creating a Batman universe without its titular character while building something entirely different from Rocksteady's acclaimed Arkham series.
This review examines whether Gotham Knights succeeds as its own entity rather than measuring it against Arkham expectations. After extensive time with all four playable characters in solo and co-operative modes, the reality reveals a game with genuine strengths undermined by technical problems and questionable design decisions.
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Gotham Knights (2022) | Video Game Review |
Premise
Batman is dead and gone forever. The remaining Bat-family must step up to protect Gotham City as a mysterious organization called the Court of Owls emerges from centuries of deliberate shadow manipulation and ancient conspiracies.
Players control Nightwing, Red Hood, Batgirl and Robin as they investigate Batman's final case while dealing with classic villains like Mr. Freeze, Harley Quinn and the Penguin who sense opportunity in the Dark Knight's absence.
The setup immediately establishes emotional stakes that drive character development through the campaign. Each member of the Bat-family processes grief differently while struggling to live up to Batman's legacy. This personal journey forms the emotional backbone that elevates their crime-fighting into something more meaningful.
Inspiration from Comics
The game draws heavily from Scott Snyder's Court of Owls storyline, one of the most acclaimed Batman comic arcs of the past decade. The mysterious organization's Gothic architecture and Talon assassins translate beautifully into interactive form.
Character designs blend classic comic book aesthetics with modern interpretations that feel completely authentic to their original source material. Each individual Bat-family member represents different comic iterations effectively throughout the entire campaign.
Nightwing embodies his role as natural leader and Batman's successor. Red Hood carries the weight of his violent resurrection and complicated relationship with lethal force. Batgirl showcases her technical expertise and determination to prove herself. Robin demonstrates his analytical mind and eagerness to step out of shadows.
The game struggles with tonal consistency. The Court of Owls represents genuinely creepy horror elements, but lighter character banter doesn't mesh with darker themes, creating uneven atmosphere that prevents either tone from reaching potential.
Story and Characters
The narrative succeeds when focusing on family dynamics between the four protagonists. Watching Nightwing struggle with leadership responsibilities while Red Hood questions non-lethal approaches creates compelling character conflict.
Each hero gets meaningful story moments that develop their unique personalities beyond simple combat differences. Pacing becomes problematic during extended investigation sequences. The game wants players to feel like detectives but scanning environments for clues often interrupts narrative momentum unnecessarily.
These investigative sections work significantly better in co-operative play where multiple players can split investigative duties and share responsibilities, but solo players may find them tedious and frustrating rather than engaging or rewarding.
Voice acting brings genuine emotion to character interactions. Christopher Sean's Nightwing balances confidence with vulnerability. Stephen Oyoung's Red Hood captures internal conflict between his violent past and heroic aspirations.
The supporting cast, including Alfred's sophisticated AI presence and various Gotham allies, provides crucial emotional grounding that makes Batman's permanent absence feel genuinely impactful and meaningful rather than merely convenient for storytelling purposes.
Gameplay Features
Combat combines light and heavy attacks with unique character abilities that differentiate each hero meaningfully. Nightwing's acrobatic fighting style feels fluid and graceful. Red Hood's dual pistols create satisfying ranged combat options. Batgirl's hacking abilities add tactical elements. Robin's stealth focus rewards careful positioning.
The progression system allows significant character customization through skill trees and equipment modifications. Players can specialize builds toward stealth, combat or support roles depending on their preferred play-styles and co-operative team compositions.
This character progression depth becomes especially important during co-operative sessions where diverse team composition and complementary character builds directly affect overall mission effectiveness and successful completion throughout challenging encounters.
Traversal mechanics vary between characters but never quite capture the smooth movement that made Arkham games memorable. Grappling feels sluggish compared to Batman's cape gliding. The Batcycle provides fast travel but lacks the integrated seamlessness that players expect from open-world superhero games.
Performance
Technical problems plague the experience across all platforms. Frame rate drops occur frequently during combat encounters with multiple enemies. Loading times between districts feel excessive, breaking immersion during patrol sessions.
Visual fidelity impresses during cut-scenes but suffers during actual gameplay. Character models look detailed up close but lose quality at distance. Environmental textures occasionally pop in noticeably during traversal sequences. These technical issues don't break the core experience but create consistent frustration.
The always-online requirement creates stability concerns. Connection issues can interrupt solo campaigns unexpectedly, forcing players to replay sections. This design choice undermines what could be solid single-player experiences for players without reliable connections.
Audio and Sound Design
The soundtrack captures Gotham's noir atmosphere while incorporating each character's musical themes. Combat music adapts dynamically to action intensity, though it sometimes overwhelms dialogue during busy sequences. Environmental audio brings Gotham to life with distant sirens, chatter and atmospheric sounds.
Voice acting quality remains consistently high and impressive throughout the entire campaign experience. Character interactions feel completely natural and unforced, particularly during co-operative banter that develops organically during missions.
Villain performances capture classic interpretations while adding new dimensions that fit perfectly within post-Batman narrative context. Each antagonist feels authentic to their comic origins while adapting meaningfully to this unique storyline where Batman doesn't exist.
Sound effects during combat pack appropriate punch, though some abilities lack the distinctive audio identity that would help differentiate characters during chaotic multiplayer encounters. Environmental destruction sounds convincing but weapon impacts could definitely use more distinctive character-specific audio design.
Content Value
The main campaign provides approximately 20-25 hours of content, which feels appropriate for the story being told. Side missions expand this significantly, though many involve repetitive patrol activities that don't match the main story's narrative quality.
Collectible hunting adds additional playtime for completionist players. Character progression systems encourage multiple playthroughs with different heroes, though the core missions remain identical regardless of character choice.
Each hero's unique abilities and distinctive combat styles create somewhat different gameplay experiences and tactical approaches, but not enough meaningful variation to justify full campaign repetition for most casual players seeking fresh content.
Post-launch content support has been minimal, with no major expansions or significant updates addressing core technical problems. This limits long-term value for players seeking ongoing content similar to live-service games or extensive single-player DLC offerings.
User Experience and Replayability
Co-operative play represents the game's strongest element when technical issues don't interfere. Coordinating different character abilities during combat encounters creates satisfying tactical gameplay. Each hero's unique traversal and combat options complement others in meaningful ways during well-designed missions.
Solo play suffers from design choices clearly optimized for group coordination. AI companions don't exist, leaving single players to handle encounters balanced for multiple heroes. This creates artificial difficulty spikes that feel unfair rather than challenging.
Bug frequency remains concerning even after multiple patches. Progress occasionally fails to save properly. Audio desynchronization occurs during some cut-scenes. Certain collectibles don't register completion correctly. These technical problems create unnecessary frustration during otherwise enjoyable gameplay sessions.
New Game Plus allows character progression to carry forward but doesn't significantly alter the core campaign experience. Multiple difficulty settings provide some replay incentive, though they primarily adjust damage values rather than introducing new mechanics.
Final Verdict
Gotham Knights succeeds as a co-operative superhero experience focused on family dynamics and character growth while struggling with technical execution and single-player balance. The core concept works when systems function properly but issues prevent it from reaching the potential that its strong character work deserves.
Perfect for fans of co-operative action games, Bat-family comics and players seeking character-driven superhero narratives with friends. Less appealing for solo players, technical perfectionists or anyone expecting Arkham-quality gameplay refinement.
The co-operative focus and technical requirements create barriers for casual players seeking straightforward single-player experiences. At current pricing, patient buyers will find better value waiting for deeper sales and potential technical improvements.
The strong character development and co-operative gameplay provide genuine enjoyment when everything works correctly but the technical problems and repetitive content structure limit recommendation for full-price purchases.
Rating: 7/10
Solid co-operative gameplay and excellent character development undermined by persistent technical issues, repetitive mission design and balance problems that prioritize multiplayer coordination over accessible single-player experiences throughout the campaign.
Where to Play:
Gotham Knights is available digitally on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Physical editions for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S launched alongside the digital release, with Standard, Deluxe and Collector's Editions at retail.