I live for games that prove critics wrong, and Gotham Knights is one of those games, but it would seem that Gotham Knights never stood a chance. Weeks before the game had even launched, people already hated it. There’s just been this perpetual negative narrative surrounding it that seemed like people hated the game purely because it dared to exist.
But if there is one thing that I’m always ready for, it’s a challenge, and after weeks of the internet informing me that the game would be LITERALLY UNPLAYABLE, I knew I had to give it a try. Before anyone says anything, let me preface this review by saying that as much as I love comics, the only games based on Marvel or DC characters that I consider to be genuinely great are the Spider-Man titles.
And I don’t want to hear any comparisons to the Arkham games either because what has suddenly become everyone’s favourite games were themselves on the chopping board of popular opinion not so long ago #neverforget. But now that that’s all out of the way let’s talk about the real reason why we’ve all gathered here today, Gotham Knights.
If you want to avoid committing to reading a full, long, rambling review but still want to know if your purchase will be justified, then here are the cliff notes. Gotham Knights has a surprisingly great story that gamers and comic book lovers alike are sure to enjoy. The combat is fun and makes you feel as badass as you look. The city is great to play around in, and the cutscenes are just the right amount of cinematic, humorous and engaging.
Without ruining the story, you’ll be playing the game as Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing, and Red Hood. They are all in the middle of an investigation into Batman’s death. Now, the investigation part of the game is okay. I mean, it’s no CSI, but it’s also not utterly terrible; it just is. The one great thing about the investigation parts is how well they tie into the narrative, involving the player in the story as it unfolds.
And overall, the story is the best part of the game. I have little love for DC’s live-action interpretations. Still, their animated movies and shows have always been excellent, and that same majesty was at work here. The cutscenes, main quests and side missions are all equally entertaining and if you play the game for no other reason, let the story be it.
The four protagonists can be swapped, allowing you to play around and feel which character speaks to you the most. Each character has unique combat and parkour abilities, so certain characters will better suit specific playstyles. During my playthrough, my partner and I played Batgirl and Red Hood predominantly, but each of the four characters had their moments to shine.
In a nutshell, Robin is best for stealth gameplay. Nightwing is excellent at evading; Batgirl shines when it comes to hacking, and Red Hood is your guy for making things go BOOM—talking about playing through the game with my partner. The entire game can be played two-player co-op, regardless of if you want to roam around the world together or progress through missions. The co-op is one of the reasons I fell for this game right from the start.
Sure playing through it alone is fine, but playing with someone there next to you – makes the whole experience feel right. Also, the co-op is implemented well and never feels like a last-minute afterthought. For those who want to play with more friends, a new mode is arriving this month called Heroic Assault which will allow four people to play together instead of just two.
However, one essential thing to note about the co-op is that the game doesn’t support split-screen or local co-op and is entirely online-based. But now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s a cold and rainy day outside, and Gotham isn’t going to fix itself.
