The first reviews of Batman: Arkham Knight are in, and the general consensus is that this game is splendid and probably the best of the franchise.
The only significant apparent downside to Arkham Knight is the fact that it is the final Batman game. Chances are, Warner Bros. might want to keep going or create another game around another character in the DC Universe.
Don't expect it to be Superman because, for now, a Superman game is much harder to get right than anything else.
Here are what some critics had to say about Batman: Arkham Knight.
IGN: If this is, in fact, the last Rocksteady-developed Batman game, the series will end on a high note. Arkham Knight is the biggest Batman game yet, not just in map size, but in the wide range of different types of gameplay, and its collection of characters. The addition of tank combat thematically clashes with everything Batman stands for, but it is fun, and having access to the Batmobile for the first time gives us a new world of possibilities for interacting with Gotham City. Arkham Knight is an outstanding game on almost every level.
Game Informer: At the end of it all, Batman: Arkham Knight delivers a great sense of closure for this series. Rocksteady leaves a few plot threads dangling to tease and taunt us, but the grim tale that started all the way back in Arkham Asylum is done. I walked away from Arkham Knight shocked, satisfied, and in dire need of someone to discuss the story with. Rocksteady built a special experience that dazzles with its cleverness, intelligence, and ability to shift from kick-ass Batman moments to emotional gut punches to scenes stripped straight from some of Batman's greatest comic book stories. Lock yourself away, avoid social media and friends, and finish this game. You won't want this one spoiled for you.
GameSpot: What Batman: Arkham Knight does well, however, it does really well. Gotham is a dazzling playground where neon lights pierce through the rain and mist; all it takes is a single glimpse to tell you that this is a city in need. Moreover, many individual elements are so carefully constructed, and presented with such flair, that appreciation is the only reasonable reaction. Yet most of these elements - excellent acting, wonderful animations, moody soundtrack - are ones that Batman: Arkham City also excelled in, making Arkham Knight's missteps all the more noticeable. Rather than escape the pull of the games that spawned it, The Bat's newest adventure refines the fundamentals; it is a safe but satisfying return to the world's most tormented megalopolis.
It is clear this is the end of the Batman series as we know it, but good things do not last for long. We can only hope that Warner Bros. figured out how to make other DC properties fit into the video game spectrum, because it is never easy to do so.
We'd love to see Warner create a video game surrounding the Flash, Aquaman, or even Cyborg. But only time will tell if anything is done to keep DC video games alive and well.
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