Gotham Knights
- October 21, 2022
- QLOC
- 13h median play time
There's a lot to love about Gotham Knights, especially when fighting or traversing the city, but a few hiccups do hold it back.
In "Gotham Knights: Deluxe Edition," play as Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood, or Robin to protect Gotham City from a new criminal underworld after Batman's death. This open-world action RPG features a dynamic Gotham City with five boroughs to patrol, either solo or in co-op. The Deluxe Edition includes the main game and Visionary Pack with exclusive transmog, suit styles, gear, emote, and suit colorways.
Reviews
- story8,702 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story of "Gotham Knights" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its character-driven narrative and emotional depth, particularly in exploring the dynamics of the Bat-family following Batman's death. While some found the plot engaging and the character interactions well-written, others criticized it for being predictable, lacking depth, and feeling disjointed, especially towards the end. The game features a variety of side missions that add to the lore, but many players noted that the repetitive nature of these missions detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the story is seen as a highlight for fans of the DC universe, though it may not meet the high standards set by the Arkham series.
“The story is engaging, and the voice acting is top-notch.”
“The story is interesting enough but the clunky movement and combat take some getting used to.”
“The story is well written so far from what I've experienced, you really care for the bat family and gotham as they struggle to find their place with bruce gone.”
“The story is awful, the dialogue feels like it was written by someone who does not give a flying fuck about the characters or the world and was just given a checklist.”
“The story drags on horribly slow and is packed with filler sections that forces you to go around doing interrogations, at one point you fight [spoiler]man-bat (not the real kirk langstrom one but experiments done by the league)[/spoiler] and then subsequently have to go around the city doing this fight three more times, it then includes one in the very next mission.”
“The main story is also padded with unecessary amounts of open world encounters that will make an 8hour campaign feel like 40h.”
- optimization3,254 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The optimization of "Gotham Knights" has been a significant point of contention among players, with many reporting severe performance issues, particularly at launch. While some users have noted improvements following patches, others continue to experience stuttering, frame rate drops, and crashes, especially in open-world scenarios and while using the batcycle. Overall, the game is seen as poorly optimized, with many recommending potential players to wait for further updates before purchasing.
“Doss is very useful and well implemented, super sampling and downsizing with getting huge details with swift performance.”
“The performance is extremely optimized now, running everything at high settings at 4k with DLSS balanced on.”
“Performance issues have been mostly ironed out.”
“Over a year since the release and the game is still a poorly optimized mess, even at the lowest settings, as soon as I go outside a building my frame-rate tanks hard.”
“This game has some of the worst optimization I've ever seen, and I played Cyberpunk on launch day.”
“The performance is simply abysmal.”
- gameplay3,232 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Gotham Knights" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant flaws compared to the acclaimed "Arkham" series. While some enjoy the cooperative mechanics and character diversity, others criticize the repetitive combat, clunky movement, and lack of depth in gameplay mechanics, leading to a feeling of monotony. Overall, the game is seen as a fun experience for fans of the DC universe, but it struggles with performance issues and gameplay execution that detracts from its potential.
“The game's co-op mechanics are a highlight, making it fun to team up with a friend to explore the open world and take down enemies.”
“The gameplay is done well and all things considered is smooth and gives the player four options based on the four characters (Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin, and Red Hood) to choose how you want to play.”
“The gameplay is surprisingly enjoyable, offering new mechanics that bring a fresh experience.”
“Worst Batman game ever as in both gameplay and graphics; on a side note, it has also lost its own identity by trying to be Destiny with the gear power and level gameplay.”
“The real downsides of Gotham Knights are many, namely the horrendous gameplay, bad story progression, uncreative and repetitive side activities, etc. Its combat takes away all the things that made Batman Arkham games great, and gives us a jankier Sleeping Dogs.”
“The gameplay is bland and uninspired, but it was the writing that truly ruined this game for me.”
- graphics1,902 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Gotham Knights" receive mixed reviews, with many praising the game's aesthetic and character models as visually appealing, while others criticize the performance and optimization issues. Comparisons to the "Arkham" series highlight a perceived downgrade in graphical fidelity, with some players experiencing significant frame rate drops and crashes, particularly on lower-end systems. Overall, while the visuals are often described as beautiful and immersive, they are marred by technical shortcomings that detract from the gaming experience.
“The graphics are amazing.”
“Let's start with the good things: amazing aesthetic of city design, good looking suits and touching side story sequences.”
“Graphics really shine on character models, as well as the hundreds of stunning cutscenes.”
“Combat is mediocre, graphics are not nearly as good as other Batman games, and the story is just a snooze fest.”
“Compared to Arkham Knight, this game has worse graphics, performance, combat, and movement mechanics.”
“The graphics for this game coming out in 2022 are absolutely piss poor; for example, Arkham Knight came out in 2015 and has water reflections that gap this game; doesn't make sense.”
- stability676 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
The stability of "Gotham Knights" has been a significant point of contention among players, with many reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and performance issues, particularly during multiplayer sessions. While some users note improvements post-launch and find the game enjoyable despite its flaws, others describe it as a "buggy mess" that disrupts gameplay and immersion. Overall, the game appears to have improved since its initial release, but many still recommend caution due to its ongoing stability issues.
“I enjoyed the story; the game performed poorly at launch, but now it runs great, solid 60 fps constant.”
“On the technical side, it looks great and runs great.”
“I've experienced no bugs; the game runs great.”
“The game is also a buggy mess, I have crashed countless times until I realized that if you uncap the fps you will crash anytime you are above 60 and the game loads something new in, mainly if you are riding the bike.”
“This game is a buggy, clunky mess.”
“The game itself is horribly buggy, broken, and lazy.”
- grinding616 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received significant criticism, with many players finding it excessively tedious and repetitive. Reviewers noted that the need to grind for materials, unlock abilities, and progress through missions often detracts from the overall enjoyment, making combat feel slow and unengaging. While some players appreciate the grind as a way to enjoy the game with friends, the consensus is that it can feel like a chore, especially in single-player mode, leading to a frustrating experience for those who prefer a more streamlined gameplay approach.
“There's a good variety of suits for each hero, and you can even customize certain parts like the cowl and gloves. The gear progression, while simple, feels satisfying and isn't grindy.”
“It isn't really grindy either, and is definitely worth it.”
“It's also not that grindy during the main story mode.”
“It takes way too much grinding to just unlock certain things, with only certain events giving you the required material to craft.”
“There's genuine fun hidden within this game, some solid hours of good gameplay and entertainment but unfortunately it gets shadowed by tedious, padded, mind-numbing grind which is almost 70% of the game.”
“The mission structure is super repetitive, and it's way too grindy.”
- music172 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its atmospheric qualities and emotional impact during key moments, while others criticize its repetitiveness and lack of memorable tracks. Many players feel that the soundtrack does not live up to the standards set by previous Batman games, often describing it as limited and underwhelming, particularly in the context of the game's overall experience. Despite these criticisms, there are highlights noted, such as specific tracks that resonate well with players, contributing positively to the gameplay.
“Music is so important to me in games, and I thought the music was great.”
“Many games conquered me because of the music, Batman wasn’t different, and everyone here knows why – epic music makes any ordinary fight feel like an epic battle.”
“Not to mention these action-packed moments were made more memorable thanks to a phenomenal soundtrack that truly surprised me.”
“The music at one point made me want to vomit, and the characters are a bunch of twits.”
“The combat is dull, the boss fights are extremely basic, the music is lacking (especially that irritating music that starts up every time you ride the cycle), the open world missions and enemies are all entirely cut and paste, the villain encounters are pretty boring.”
“The whole OST/music/sound (even some noises) in Gotham Knights should be revamped!”
- atmosphere170 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its artistic direction and vibrant visuals that evoke a unique Gotham City experience. While some find it immersive and reminiscent of classic Batman narratives, others criticize it for lacking the gritty, alive feel of previous Arkham titles, describing it as uneven and at times dull. Overall, the game successfully creates a visually appealing environment, but opinions vary on its ability to capture the essence of Gotham's dark and moody atmosphere.
“Batman: Arkham Knight immerses players in a dark, atmospheric Gotham with its intense narrative and innovative Batmobile gameplay.”
“The atmosphere is very relaxing and has busy streets buzzing with life in Gotham.”
“The game looks great and has superb atmosphere, but Gotham City itself and the overall available content is a bit wanting, but not terrible and you can tell a lot of heart was put into what's there.”
“Not only were the controls changed to some MMO-type combat style, but also the dark gothic atmosphere from the Arkham series is turned into something cartoony, similar to the SR reboot.”
“The atmosphere is so random and uneven in the game I have no idea what the devs want us to feel.”
“The atmosphere is dull; the weather is barely present, and the music and sounds in the open world rarely come up.”
- emotional164 mentions
- 90 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with many players praising the heartfelt character interactions and impactful story moments, particularly surrounding Batman's death and the subsequent struggles of his allies. While some found the emotional storytelling to be compelling and engaging, others criticized it for being shallow or forced, leading to a lack of overall emotional investment. Despite these criticisms, several players noted that the game successfully evokes a range of emotions, from sadness to empowerment, particularly through its character dynamics and unique storylines.
“The game is so fun but just sad at the end of the game made me cry so much I couldn't sleep.”
“Each is going through a different emotional journey following the death of Batman, coping with it in different ways, and are struggling to fill the bat-shaped hole that Batman's passing has left on Gotham.”
“And ultimately, the depiction of Bruce as a father in varying extents to all of these characters was beautiful and touching.”
“I went into it not expecting an Arkham game and was still disappointed; 6 measly hours of unbelievably boring story missions and about 4 more of side content, some of which was fun.”
“Boring story, alright gameplay, stale character portrayals, and unoptimized to the max.”
“Side missions... yikes, just felt kinda meh besides Freeze, but his has very meh boss battles and is wildly boring story-wise.”
- humor142 mentions
- 94 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding the character interactions, witty dialogue, and absurd glitches genuinely funny. The game's lighthearted moments, particularly during combat and character banter, contribute to an enjoyable experience, especially when played with friends. However, some players also note that the humor can feel forced or overshadowed by gameplay frustrations, leading to a blend of amusing and frustrating moments throughout.
“The game's story and action are really cool, and the characters' relationships are heartfelt and funny.”
“I've had more fun playing this with my friends, laughing at the jokes you can make with the stupid moments, keeping engaged throughout the story and open world.”
“Robin makes funny comments when he punches people.”
“Is this supposed to be funny?”
“This game is so unbalanced it's not funny.”
“Please fix the game; it is so broken it's not funny. I like it, but it crashes all the time, so I guess I will put it down until it is fixed.”
- replayability106 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising the ability to play as multiple characters, which adds variety and encourages multiple playthroughs. However, many criticize the New Game+ mode for lacking meaningful challenges and content, leading to a perception of limited replay value. Overall, while there is potential for replayability through character diversity and ongoing updates, the current state leaves some players feeling that it falls short compared to previous titles in the franchise.
“Great story and cinematics, good combat system, decent graphics, great crafting system, huge replay value.”
“The game has a lot of replayability as well due to the ability to play four characters and the fact that each reacts differently to missions and story events.”
“There's seriously so much replayability value in this game and it's honestly great to see how the characters interact with each other.”
“New Game+ replayability is basically non-existent.”
“The absence of meaningful DLC content takes away from the game's replayability and leaves the community feeling somewhat abandoned after the initial release.”
“There is 0 replay value for me; I have no interest in doing New Game+ to spend more time as the other 3 characters.”
- character development104 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating the depth and backstories of the characters, particularly Robin's. While some critiques mention that the character development could benefit from more polish and emotional depth, the overall narrative and character interactions are highlighted as strong points that enhance the gaming experience. Additionally, the character designs are noted for their fidelity to comic book representations, although opinions vary on specific character aesthetics.
“The story is great, the character development, the interactions between them and the villains, the voice acting.”
“I feel like the story and character development of the main characters are phenomenal and really help tie a nice bow on the game.”
“As an avid Batman comic and media consumer, I love how dedicated the devs were to staying true to the characters; you can really tell they put their hearts and souls into this project and understand what fans have been wanting in terms of their character development.”
“It could have been more; there could have been better character development, better emotions, better co-op features... but is it truly a bad game?”
“The game mechanics, character development, and plot to me are very shallow.”
“There's little to no character development through dialogue; very little time was spent on making voice overs. For example, when interrogating someone post-grab, they said 'I'll tell you whatever you want, hero!' as if they couldn't tell by the large bat on my chest who I was.”
- monetization68 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 68 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many reviewers labeling it a "cash grab" that relies on nostalgia while lacking substantial content. Despite the negative perception, players noted the absence of microtransactions or loot boxes, which is a rare positive in today's gaming landscape. However, concerns remain about the game's upgrade system and overall value, suggesting that while it avoids aggressive monetization tactics, it still feels exploitative in its design and marketing.
“It has in-depth combat, progression, and customization not based on microtransactions.”
“The people that made this game easily could have been greedy and added a bunch of microtransactions, but they didn't.”
“And not to mention there are no microtransactions or loot box gambling in this game at all, and you can unlock heroic level gear and mods through helping out various watch members in Gotham.”
“The production teams should be ashamed that this is the story they went with; this game feels like a cash grab and a production test for future games, and it has failed.”
“This is a classic cash grab which horribly dilutes the legacy of the Arkham series.”
“A mobile game poorly ported to the PC and a blatant and greedy cash grab with little return for the cost.”
Critic Reviews
Gotham Knights review
There's a lot to love about Gotham Knights, especially when fighting or traversing the city, but a few hiccups do hold it back.
80%Gotham Knights review
Gotham Knights attempts to differentiate itself from the Arkham series with new characters and a new canon, but spends most of its length poorly imitating what made those games great.
49%Gotham Knights: PS5 Review
The literal next-generation of Arkham Knights, Gotham Knights boasts a beautiful but often repetitive package.
80%
Buy Gotham Knights
Gotham Knights (PC) - Steam Key - GLOBAL
$4.52Gotham Knights
$13.99Gotham Knights PC Epic Games Account
$17.32Gotham Knights | Deluxe Edition (PC) - Steam Gift - GLOBAL
$17.95Gotham Knights
$59.99Gotham Knights (PC) - Steam Gift - NORTH AMERICA
$60.67Gotham Knights (PC) - Steam Gift - EUROPE
$63.69Gotham Knights