The Batman Arkham Collection — a series of three full-length single-player action adventures — is currently on sale for just $8.99 for Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One. This is a great deal considering that this trilogy is usually worth $59.99 (roughly 86% off) and also because, in my opinion, Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, and Arkham Knight are honestly some of the very best games ever created.
Before Insomniac’s Spider-Man burst its way onto PlayStation and PC, Batman Arkham was the genre-defining superhero series that first truly taught us what it meant to have a good superhero game. In many ways, the mechanics, combat, puzzle solving, exploration, and boss fights that Rocksteady Studios created for this series have gone on to define many other games out there, lifting the standard from what was available before. What’s more, the superb acting performances provided by Mark Hamill as The Joker and the late Kevin Conroy as Batman are extremely well executed and beautifully show the complex relationship between the two characters.
Batman Arkham plotlines
Not familiar with the Batman Arkham games or want a refresher? I’m more than happy to talk about these awesome storylines. Here’s a quick rundown for each game with as few spoilers as possible.
Batman Arkham Asylum
The game opens with Batman escorting the Joker to Arkham Asylum. Batman, fully aware that he can never let his guard down around his nemesis, is quick to react whenever something strange starts to happen. However, it turns out that getting Batman into Arkham was the Joker’s plan all along.
Joker stages a riot, unlocking the most powerful supervillains contained in the asylum and now it’s up to Batman to defeat everyone and restore order to the facility. You’ll encounter dozens of villains like Harley Quin, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, and more as well as easter eggs for other major characters from the comics. You’ll also use Batman’s arsenal of gadgets to solve puzzles, reach new areas, and defeat opponents. All the while, Joker and his cronies taunt you and frequently make changes to the environment, so you’ll need to keep on your toes.
Combat is very satisfying and builds upon itself as Batman unlocks new abilities and gadgets. You’ll be able to access new locations as you learn new skills and will find plenty of secrets hidden around the grounds while defeating some of Gotham’s most notorious baddies. It’s a fantastic game and one that’s considered to have greatly influenced the gaming industry due to its polish and clever design.
Batman Arkham City
Arkham City is often hailed as the very best of the three games and for some, it is even considered to be one of the best games of all time. The story opens by explaining that Dr. Hugo Strange has taken control of a part of Gotham and turned it into an enormous prison enclosure known as Arkham City. At the start of the game, Bruce Wayne is falsely accused and thrown into the prison slums, but he soon dons the cowl and starts busting baddies.
The prison city is divided into gangs ruled by significant supervillains like Two-Face, Penguin, the Joker, and Mr. Freeze. So, Batman must spend his time going between these territories and defeating his foes while uncovering Strange’s dangerous plot. One of the things that makes navigating around Arkham City so fun is that players can use a grappling hook to launch into the air and then glide over the city using Batman’s cloak. Every once in a while, the player takes control of Catwoman and will be tasked with completing a few missions involving her own side story.
It’s a fantastic game that’s once more filled with satisfying combat, dozens of easter eggs, and plenty of optional sidequests. Plus, the story is very detailed and ends in a powerful way. On another note, one of my favorite bands, Coheed and Cambria, wrote a song for Arkham City called Deranged, which echoes the game’s plot and talks about the complex relationship that Batman and Joker have. It’s fantastic so I’ve embedded the song above for you to enjoy.
Batman Arkham Knight
It’s Halloween and Scarecrow has threatened that he will unleash his new fear toxin on Gotham once his countdown reaches zero. As such, the majority of people have evacuated the city, leaving Gotham occupied mostly by police, henchmen, villains, or members of the Bat Family.
Due to the events of previous games, Batman is currently infected with a serious disease and often sees The Joker by his side. Unwilling to pass his crime-fighting responsibilities to Robin, Night Wing, or Oracle, Batman sets out to stop Scarecrow all the while fighting his infection. However, he soon comes upon a strange new figure known as the Gotham Knight who leads a powerful militia with advanced war tech. So now, he’s not only struggling to save himself, but he must thwart these powerful military forces and stop Scarecrow from releasing the fear toxin.
The map in Arkham Knight is much larger than the previous two games as it spans the entirety of Gotham City. Once more, players can explore the city by grappling and gliding or they can hop into the Batmobile and tear up the streets.
Of the three games, Batman: Arkham Knight is the only one available via Xbox Game Pass. So if you want to experience all three of these amazing games, this Batman Arkham Collection deal is the best time to do so.
