Batman: Arkham VR

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,033 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Batman: Arkham VR Game Cover
"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."

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Virtual Reality
  • Windows
  • Oculus Rift
  • Play​Station
  • Play​Station VR
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,033 reviews
story161 positive mentions
grinding6 negative mentions
  • story677 mentions

    The story in "Batman: Arkham VR" is generally described as engaging but disappointingly short, with most players completing it in under an hour. While the graphics and immersive elements are praised, many reviewers feel the narrative lacks depth and fails to align with the broader Arkham series, often labeling it more as an interactive experience or tech demo rather than a full-fledged game. The ending is frequently criticized for being unsatisfying, leaving players wanting more from the storyline.

    • “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 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.”
    • “The graphics, music, and direction are decent and evocative of the Arkham games, but the plot is derivative and frankly stupid.”
    • “The story is mediocre at best and not in line with the rest of the Arkham games.”
    • “The main story is only about an hour long but it's pretty good.”
  • graphics412 mentions

    The graphics in "Batman: Arkham VR" are widely praised for their stunning detail and immersive quality, often described as some of the best seen in virtual reality to date. Players appreciate the realistic environments, character models, and overall visual fidelity, which effectively bring Gotham City to life. Despite some criticisms regarding the game's short length and limited gameplay, the visual experience remains a highlight, making it a worthwhile showcase for VR technology.

    • “The graphics, music, and direction are decent and evocative of the Arkham games, but the plot is derivative and frankly stupid.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful if your PC can handle it.”
    • “The graphics are stunning - the best even.”
    • “This excuse for a batman game has worse graphics than any 'arkham' game I've ever seen.”
    • “Sadly, those graphics and the immersive quality are wasted due to quite literally a lack of content.”
    • “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.”
  • gameplay245 mentions

    The gameplay in "Batman: Arkham VR" is primarily focused on exploration and puzzle-solving, offering a short experience that many players find lacking in depth and engagement. While the VR mechanics are praised for their smoothness and immersion, the overall gameplay is criticized for being minimal, often feeling more like a tech demo than a full game, with most sessions lasting under an hour. Players recommend it for its visuals and unique mechanics but suggest it is best enjoyed at a discounted price due to its brevity and limited content.

    • “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.”
    • “The immersive gameplay and unique perspective make it a worthwhile experience, especially if you can snag it at a discount.”
    • “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.”
    • “Gameplay is minimal; this plays as a tech demo turned into a quick buck for no good reason.”
    • “1 hour worth of dull gameplay.”
    • “Gameplay is shallow in its current state, and you can tell this is a tech demo with interactive elements more so than a 'game'.”
  • replayability102 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is limited, with many players noting its short playtime of around 30-120 minutes and minimal incentives to replay after completing the main story. While some collectibles and mini-games offer slight replay value, most reviews indicate that the experience does not warrant multiple playthroughs, making it more suitable for first-time VR users or as a brief entertainment option. Despite its high production quality, the lack of substantial content for repeated play has led to mixed feelings about its value.

    • “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.”
    • “You beat the game in 35 minutes with 0 replayability.”
    • “The game is not long enough for the price and has very little replayability.”
  • atmosphere48 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by exceptional sound design, graphics, and the use of original voice actors from the Arkham series. Players feel a strong connection to Gotham's dark ambiance, with elements like fog and rain contributing to the overall experience. Despite some puzzles being easier, the attention to detail and the spooky atmosphere make it a compelling choice for fans of the franchise and virtual reality gaming.

    • “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, voiceovers are exactly like in other Rocksteady games, you can feel the Arkham atmosphere right away.”
  • optimization24 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with many users noting its excellent performance and stunning graphics, even on mid-range setups. While some experienced initial stuttering, it was often resolved by adjusting application settings. The implementation of advanced rendering techniques, such as NVIDIA's multi-res shading and static foveated rendering, contributes to a smooth experience and high visual fidelity, making it one of the best-looking VR titles available.

    • “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.”
    • “I had 180% supersampling and the performance was flawless.”
    • “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 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.”
  • emotional16 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, particularly in feeling like Batman and experiencing moments of genuine emotion, especially during impactful music cues. However, some users feel that the game falls short in providing a lasting emotional experience, citing a desire for more exploration and content. Overall, the game successfully evokes feelings of heroism and immersion, but its brevity limits the emotional depth.

    • “When the Arkham Knight score kicked in, I genuinely got emotional.”
    • “And yes, it made me feel like I was Batman.”
    • “This actually made me feel like Batman.”
  • music14 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality and strong sound design, effectively evoking the iconic Arkham series. Reviewers note that the soundtrack and audio elements enhance the immersive experience, contributing to the overall aesthetic, though some find the music's impact somewhat overshadowed by a lackluster plot. Overall, the music is considered technically proficient and well-integrated into the game's atmosphere.

    • “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.”
    • “Because the only thing I can do now is lie in the Batcave and listen to music.”
    • “Music ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ - 6/10”
    • “The graphics, music, and direction are decent and evocative of the Arkham games, but the plot is derivative and frankly stupid.”
  • grinding12 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 included a feature that allows players to skip chapters, which helps alleviate some of the monotony in repeated playthroughs.

    • “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.”
  • stability10 mentions

    Overall, user experiences with stability are mixed; while some report a smooth performance on various hardware setups, others encounter bugs and specific requirements for certain actions, such as scanning fingerprints. Despite these issues, many find the interface refined and enjoyable.

    • “Runs great on my 1070.”
    • “Runs great on my 1070.”
    • “Runs great on i5 3.2GHz CPU, 16GB RAM, GTX 960 4GB, SSD using Pimax VR; it's similar to Oculus VR headset.”
    • “Kinda buggy at times, and there are very specific ways you need to scan a person's fingerprints.”
    • “Yeah, that was mostly my time testing after troubleshooting.”
    • “It's refined, has a great interface, lots of fun, and I found nothing buggy.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is generally perceived as lacking, with some moments being amusing only in context, such as a humorous mislabeling of options. Overall, while there are occasional funny instances, they do not significantly enhance the gaming experience.

    • “It must have been a funny sight for someone sitting beside me.”
    • “Funny part is it says 'speakers' when you are selecting the 2 options, even though 'speakers' isn't an option available.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the monetization strategy is viewed negatively, with many users feeling that the pricing, such as $5 for minimal content, is excessive and akin to a cash grab. The first generation of VR content is criticized for being short and lacking replay value, further contributing to the perception of it being an unfinished product.

    • “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.”
    • “$5 is too much to pay for an advertisement.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

72% average critic score

Buy Batman: Arkham VR

Play time

3hMedian play time
88hAverage play time
2hMain story
14hCompletionist
2-29hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 26 analyzed playthroughs

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