There are many reasons why the Batman: Arkham games are so good: the stealth, the combat, the characters themselves...but there's one reason that fans may overlook.
The games have always sported an all-star cast of Batman alumni, with several major voices returning from the beloved Batman: The Animated Series. The cast makes a huge difference, despite the fact that it may be easy to miss - without the right voice, Batman loses all of his impact.
Remember when the voice actor changed for Batman: Arkham Origins, and the Dark Knight never sounded quite right? It's that sort of thing - without the right cast, the story (and the game as a whole) just wouldn't carry the same weight.
Of course, that's not to say there's no room for new faces: it's clear that Rocksteady Games wants Batman: Arkham Knight to be the best game it possibly can, and as such, the studio's gathered up some of the best voice actors in the business for its final Dark Knight outing:
Players should immediately recognize the voice of Kevin Conroy: he's one of the most iconic voice actors to ever play the Dark Knight, and he's reprising his role from Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. It's great to hear his Bat-voice again: while the actor from Arkham Origins wasn't terrible by any means, Conroy's voice is a perfect fit for Batman, and the game's just not the same without him.
There are a few new faces, however: Jonathan Banks (or Mike from Breaking Bad) has taken over as Jim Gordon. From the brief clips fans have seen, it looks like Banks will do a fantastic job as Gordon. His voice has an appropriate weariness to it, like someone who hasn't slept in days. It looks like Gordon will have a bigger role in Arkham Knight than other games in the series - and, from the looks of things, Banks is a perfect fit.
John Noble may not be as well-known as the other actors, but his take on Scarecrow is amazing. Again, it's not the previous incarnations of the character are bad, but the deep, gravely tone of Noble's voice turns what could be a silly, over-the-top villain into something deadly. Finally, Ashley Greene reprises her role as Batman's eye in the sky - though she's not just relegated to a voice in the Dark Knight's ear this time around, and players should expect to finally meet Oracle in the flesh during Arkham Knight.
The Batman: Arkham games are known for their impeccable voice acting, and it doesn't look that's about to change for Arkham Knight. Rocksteady's assembled one of the best casts the DC universe has ever seen - thankfully, it won't be all that long before fans get to see them all in action.
Batman: Arkham Knight is set for release on June 2.
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