Batman: Arkham VR

"The Arkham series has already done a great job at putting players in the role on Batman, but the level of immersion in Batman: Arkham VR takes things to the next level."

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"Immerse yourself in the dark and gritty world of Gotham as the legendary crime fighter, Batman, in Batman: Arkham VR. Explore iconic locations such as Wayne Manor and the Batcave, and become the world's greatest detective as you solve a new and personal mystery in Rocksteady's Arkham universe, all through the power of virtual reality."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

66%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,010 reviews

story79 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Stunning graphics and immersive experience that makes you feel like Batman.
Engaging story with great voice acting from Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill.
Fun detective mechanics and puzzles that add to the overall experience.

Extremely short gameplay, typically completed in under an hour.
Limited interactivity with the environment and no combat mechanics.
High price point for the amount of content, making it feel more like a tech demo than a full game.

story
336 mentions
24 % positive mentions
74 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story in this game is generally perceived as short and unsatisfying, often completed in under an hour, which leaves players wanting more depth and engagement. While the graphics and atmosphere are praised, the plot is described as derivative and lacking in substance, with many reviewers noting that it feels more like an interactive tech demo than a fully fleshed-out narrative experience. Despite its shortcomings, fans of the Arkham series may still find some enjoyment in the familiar setting and character interactions.
- “The story is interesting and it will be familiar if you've played Arkham Knight.”
- “Great game if you love the Arkham series (atmosphere, storytelling, and voice acting). No combat or high-octane action, more crime scene investigation and puzzle solving.”
- “The graphics are amazing, the story (while too short) was mind-boggling and the overall ambiance was excellent!”
- “The graphics, music, and direction are decent and evocative of the Arkham games, but the plot is derivative and frankly stupid.”
- “The story is very predictable, but it has potential of what VR experience could bring to AAA games.”
- “The main story line is 60-90 minutes max, and then there's some add-on content that might stretch you another 30-60 minutes if you really feel like digging into it.”
graphics
206 mentions
76 % positive mentions
22 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their stunning detail and realism, often described as some of the best seen in virtual reality to date. Players appreciate the immersive environments and character models that effectively bring Gotham City to life, although some note that the experience feels more like a tech demo due to its short playtime. Overall, the visuals are considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's appeal despite criticisms of its narrative and gameplay length.
- “The graphics, sound effects, and voice acting are all spot on and there are some genuinely creepy and uncomfortable moments in the game along with the odd jump scare or two!”
- “The graphics are stunning - the best even.”
- “The graphics are incredible, and the voice acting (featuring the mighty Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy) is top notch.”
- “While it's an impressive demo of the quality of animation and visual graphics that can be achieved in VR, it's strikingly limited and leaves a lot to be desired.”
- “Sadly, those graphics and the immersive quality are wasted due to quite literally a lack of content.”
- “This excuse for a Batman game has worse graphics than any 'Arkham' game I've ever seen.”
gameplay
122 mentions
30 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Batman: Arkham VR" is primarily focused on exploration and puzzle-solving, offering a smooth and immersive experience with well-designed mechanics. However, many players find the gameplay to be limited and short, often lasting around an hour, which leads to disappointment regarding its value for the price. While the graphics and VR mechanics are praised, the overall consensus is that the game feels more like a tech demo or interactive experience rather than a fully fleshed-out game, lacking in combat and depth.
- “The gameplay is mostly puzzle-oriented and takes a lot from the detective/analyze sections from the Arkham games, and I'll tell you... it's really cool to actually play this in VR style.”
- “The graphics were really good and polished with lots of detail, the story was more like just a quick sample of what could be done in this format, but was compelling either way, and the mechanics were so interesting and well-designed for VR.”
- “Beautiful scenery, in-universe references, and smooth gameplay make for an awesome overall experience.”
- “But gameplay is lacking; all you do is get shown a trailer for a game.”
- “Gameplay is minimal; this plays as a tech demo turned into a quick buck for no good reason.”
- “The gameplay is limited to interacting with things directly in front of you or using a tool to point at highlighted parts of the scenery.”
replayability
51 mentions
20 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many reviewers noting its short playtime of 2-3 hours and limited replay value. While some players appreciate the opportunity to hunt for collectibles like Riddler's trophies and enjoy the experience with friends, others find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in depth, leading to a consensus that it may not justify its price. Ultimately, it offers a fun, immersive experience but falls short in providing substantial replayability.
- “Despite its short playtime, the game's replayability and stunning graphics make it a worthwhile investment for any Batman fan with access to virtual reality technology.”
- “Yes, it's short, but has replayability and it is an amazing experience.”
- “Everyone complains it's too short but I don't see what that even matters... it's completely worth what you pay and there is some replayability in it as well with mini games in the Batcave and just exploring different information hidden away in the game for you to find.”
- “While going around and solving puzzles is fun, the game is about 30-40 minutes tops, with no real replay value save for hunting around for the Riddler's collectibles, as always.”
- “The game is not long enough for the price and has very little replayability.”
- “Sadly it won't take you long and offers no real replayability.”
atmosphere
24 mentions
63 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, enhanced by exceptional sound design, graphics, and the use of original voice actors. Players feel a strong connection to the dark ambiance of Gotham, with many noting the effective use of fog and rain effects that bring the environment to life. Overall, the game's attention to detail and atmospheric elements make it a standout experience, particularly for fans of the series.
- “The sound design is also well-done, with atmospheric music and sound effects that enhance the game's immersive experience.”
- “The atmosphere is also outstanding, where fog and rain effects really bring the cityscapes and underbellies to life.”
- “You really do feel like you're Batman; you really do feel the dark atmosphere of Gotham.”
- “This is all about atmosphere and Arkham VR excels at this.”
- “You really do feel like you're Batman, you really do feel the dark atmosphere of Gotham.”
- “Technically it's really good: graphics, music, and voiceovers are exactly like in other Rocksteady games; you can feel the Arkham atmosphere right away.”
optimization
12 mentions
42 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with many users reporting smooth performance and impressive graphics, even on mid-range setups. While some experienced initial stuttering, it was often resolved through adjustments, and the implementation of advanced rendering techniques like NVIDIA's multi-res shading contributed to its visual fidelity without sacrificing performance. The consensus is that the game delivers a top-notch VR experience with minimal performance issues.
- “While my computer and headset are still fairly top-of-the-line, the game is so expertly optimized that anyone with a decent setup could appreciate it just as much.”
- “Great implementation of NVIDIA multi-res shading/static foveated rendering to get the highest visual fidelity out of the engine at the lowest performance cost, demonstrating that first-generation VR is more capable than you thought it was -- this game looks better than anything available for VR with smooth performance to boot.”
- “Pro's: top-notch graphics and optimization.”
- “I did get some stuttering initially, but for some reason making the focused window a different application solved that.”
- “Sitting there with the Oculus Rift on my head, arms hanging down at my sides and mouth open for at least 2 minutes, and then the stuttering rant in the form of: are you f***ing kidding me?”
- “While my computer and headset are still fairly top-of-the-line, the game is so poorly optimized that anyone with a decent setup could struggle to appreciate it.”
emotional
8 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, particularly in feeling like Batman and engaging with the narrative's darker themes. The music, especially the Arkham Knight score, evokes genuine emotions, enhancing the immersive experience. However, some users note a desire for more content to prolong these emotional moments.
- “When the Arkham Knight score kicked in, I genuinely got emotional.”
- “Love this VR game, it really made me feel like I'm Batman.”
- “This actually made me feel like Batman.”
music
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and ability to evoke the atmosphere of the Arkham series, with well-executed sound design that enhances immersion. Reviewers note that the soundtrack and sound effects are beautifully crafted, contributing to a compelling audio experience, although some find the overall plot lacking.
- “The sound design is also well-done, with atmospheric music and sound effects that enhance the game's immersive experience.”
- “Technically it is really good: graphics, music, and voiceovers are exactly like in other Rocksteady games; you can feel the Arkham atmosphere right away.”
- “All beautifully done, with fantastic graphics, music, and atmosphere.”
- “The graphics, music, and direction are decent and evocative of the Arkham games, but the plot is derivative and frankly stupid.”
- “Because the only thing I can do now is lie in the Batcave and listen to music.”
- “Music ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ - 6/10”
grinding
6 mentions
0 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, often requiring a significant time investment that feels overwhelming. However, the developers have mitigated this frustration by allowing players to enter and exit chapters freely, enabling them to skip repetitive moments and maintain engagement.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I actually didn't finish all the Batman games; they got tedious.”
- “I also feel that I should mention the merciful decision by the developers to allow players to enter and exit chapters at their own whim, so that moments of suspense which might become tedious in later playthroughs can simply be skipped.”
stability
5 mentions
40 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
Overall, user experiences with stability vary; while some report a mostly smooth experience with no significant bugs, others encounter specific issues, particularly with fingerprint scanning. The game performs well on a range of hardware configurations, including mid-tier setups, suggesting that stability may depend on individual system specifications and usage.
- “Runs great on my 1070.”
- “Runs great on an i5 3.2GHz CPU, 16GB RAM, GTX 960 4GB, SSD using Pimax VR; it's similar to the Oculus VR headset.”
- “Kinda buggy at times, and there are very specific ways you need to scan a dude's fingerprints.”
- “Yeah, that was mostly my time testing after troubleshooting.”
humor
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is hit or miss, with some moments eliciting laughter, particularly for those observing others play. However, there are also instances of confusion, such as a misleading option labeled "speakers" that adds to the comedic experience. Overall, the humor may appeal more to spectators than to players themselves.
- “It must have been a funny sight for someone sitting beside me.”
- “The funny part is it says 'speakers' when you are selecting the 2 options, even though 'speakers' isn't an option available.”
monetization
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling that the $5 charge for advertisements is excessive. Additionally, the first generation of VR content is perceived as short and lacking replay value, further contributing to the sentiment that the offerings are more exploitative than fully developed.
- “$5 is too much to pay for an advertisement.”
- “Cash grab”
- “The first generation of VR content tends to be really short, experimental stuff with little to no replay value - more of a quick cash grab, rather than a finished product.”