Batman: Arkham VR | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Rocksteady Studios |
Publisher(s) | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment |
Director(s) |
|
Producer(s) |
|
Designer(s) | Ian Ball |
Programmer(s) | Ben Wyatt |
Artist(s) | David Hego |
Writer(s) |
|
Composer(s) |
|
Series | Batman: Arkham |
Engine | Unreal Engine 4 |
Platform(s) | |
Release |
|
Genre(s) | Adventure |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Batman: Arkham VR is a virtual reality adventure video game developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for PlayStation 4 and Windows. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is part of the Batman: Arkham series and the first installment to use virtual reality headsets, allowing players to experience the game world from Batman's perspective. Arkham VR was released worldwide on October 11, 2016, for PlayStation 4 and on April 25, 2017, for Windows for VR headsets (HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Valve Index).
Written by Ian Ball and Martin Lancaster, Arkham VR is based on the franchise's long-running comic book mythos. The game's storyline takes place between 2011's Batman: Arkham City and 2015's Batman: Arkham Knight , and follows Batman as he investigates the disappearance of his allies Nightwing and Robin. The game is presented from a first-person perspective, with a primary focus on using Batman's skills and gadgets to explore the immediate environment and solve puzzles.
Arkham VR received generally mixed reviews from critics, mainly for its short length and simplistic gameplay. It was nominated for multiple year-end accolades, winning several.
Batman: Arkham VR is an adventure game played from a first-person perspective using PlayStation VR, HTC Vive, [1] or Oculus Rift [1] virtual reality headsets and associated controllers to see through the eyes of the playable character, Batman. [2] The player can look around the environment freely [3] and interact with reachable items, and access three gadgets from Batman's utility belt: the throwable batarang, the grapnel gun — a grappling hook, [4] and the forensic scanner, which can be used to examine evidence and recreate crime scenes. [5] [2] The player is able to teleport to preset locations around the current environment (with movement sometimes represented by use of the grapnel gun) but the character cannot walk freely. [2]
Unlike previous Arkham games, Arkham VR features no combat and instead focuses on solving puzzles to find clues that will advance the mystery. [4] Arkham VR features optional tasks, including 30 challenges from the supervillain Riddler who adds various puzzles and concealed items to locate after the game has been completed, [3] [4] target practice with the batarang, and viewing profiles and models for the series' various characters on the Batcomputer. [5]
Arkham VR features an ensemble cast of characters from Batman comics. The main character is Bruce Wayne / Batman (Kevin Conroy) [3] —a superhero trained to the peak of human physical and mental perfection and an expert in martial arts. He is supported by his allies, Tim Drake / Robin (Tom Austen), Dick Grayson / Nightwing, and his loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth (Hugh Fraser). Batman's crusade against crime brings him into conflict with the weapon-dealing Penguin (Ian Redford), the mutated cannibal Killer Croc (Steven Blum), and the puzzle-obsessed Riddler (Wally Wingert). [6] Batman's nemesis, the psychopathic Joker (Mark Hamill), [3] appears as a hallucination following his death during the events of Arkham City , [7] after succumbing to a fatal disease caused by his previous consumption of the Titan formula ( Batman: Arkham Asylum ), an unstable steroid serum which turns people into maddened monsters. [8] [9] Arkham VR features minor appearances from reporter Vicki Vale (Jules de Jongh), Batman's parents Thomas (Kevin Conroy) and Martha Wayne (Andrea Deck), and their killer Joe Chill (Glenn Wrage). [6]
Bruce Wayne is woken by an alarm clock from a nightmare about the night of his parents' murder. He is informed by his butler Alfred that there is an urgent situation that requires his attention. Activating a secret entrance to the Batcave beneath his manor, Wayne puts on his Batsuit and gadgets to become Batman. In the Batcave, Alfred informs Batman both Robin and Nightwing have disappeared, and he has been unable to contact them. Batman activates Nightwing's tracker, which reveals he is in Central Gotham. Heading out in the Batmobile, Batman arrives to find Grayson beaten to death in an alleyway. His investigation reveals an unknown assailant brutally attacked Grayson, breaking his jaw, arm, and ribs before finishing Nightwing off by snapping his neck. The investigation also reveals one of Penguin's henchmen had witnessed the murder and fled the scene, with the assailant chasing after him.
Batman travels in the Batwing to confront the Penguin in his Iceberg Lounge club. Penguin reveals the henchman was killed in an explosion which destroyed half of his Iceberg Lounge before he could reveal the identity of who killed Nightwing; this is implied to be the work of the same assailant. Batman infiltrates the Gotham morgue to examine the victims and is able to piece together shrapnel from the explosive. Batman learns the charge belonged to a demolitions company working on a sewer project beneath Founders Island. By focusing his search in this area, Batman is able to make radio contact with Robin. Tim warns he is being held captive to lure Batman into a trap.
As Batman moves through the sewers, he hears intercom announcements from the deceased Joker. Batman finds Robin in a cage, but while attempting to free him, he is also captured. Robin notes Joker-styled graffiti on the cage and assumes their captor is emulating the Joker. The Joker's voice rebukes Tim, letting him know he is dealing with the real Joker. Batman and Robin are prevented from escaping by Killer Croc and use the electrified cages to temporarily stave off his attacks. Robin escapes, but is violently crushed by Croc after getting out of his cage.
Batman's cage suddenly transforms into an elevator descending into the depths of Arkham Asylum. Batman interacts with a few prison cells before the last reveals a captive Joker. Batman is soon locked alone in a cell himself, which begins to change, displaying scrawled and bloody accusations of "killer" and "HA" on the walls. It is finally revealed Batman himself murdered Nightwing, blew up the witness, and lured Robin into the sewers. Joker had temporarily seized control of Batman's mind and body through a transfusion of his infected blood. Left utterly horrified at this discovery, Batman looks into his cell's mirror to see Joker as his reflection. The Clown Prince of Crime announces that the "dynamic duo" are together at last before laughing maniacally, followed by the lights going out.
Throughout the game, there are several clues pointing towards the fact that the events depicted are merely a nightmare, likely caused by the Joker's infected blood in Batman's system. The sound of an alarm clock can be heard on multiple occasions, as are different versions of the lullaby "Rock-a-bye Baby". A radio station broadcasts a coded message that when decoded, reads "WAKE UP BRUCE". Additionally, The Penguin, after being captured by Batman for interrogation, screams "WAKE UP YOU IDIOT" at his unconscious thugs, rather than the grammatically correct "WAKE UP YOU IDIOTS", as this is Bruce's subconscious talking to himself. This is further confirmed by the game taking place before the events of Batman: Arkham Knight where both Nightwing and Robin are alive and Batman is dealing with the effects of the Joker's infected blood, which include severe and constant hallucinations like those seen in this game.
In June 2016 at E3 2016, it was announced that Rocksteady was developing Batman: Arkham VR for the PlayStation VR, which was released in October 2016. The game has players "utilize [Batman's] legendary gadgets to unravel a plot that threatens the lives of his closest allies." [10] Following a five-month period of exclusivity for the PlayStation 4, [3] the game was released for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive on April 25, 2017. [1] Rocksteady teased the plot for Arkham VR in the Arkham Knight downloadable content "Crime Fighter Challenge Pack #6", which allowed players to explore the Wayne Manor and interact with a piano to reveal a hidden wall containing references to a murder, shrapnel, and the Penguin. [11] The game was built using Unreal Engine 4. [12]
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | (PS4) 74/100 [13] |
OpenCritic | 56% [14] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Destructoid | 6.5/10 [15] |
Edge | 7/10 |
Game Informer | 7.5/10 [16] |
GameSpot | 7/10 [17] |
IGN | 7.2/10 [18] |
PlayStation Official Magazine – Australia | 8/10 |
USgamer | 3/5 [19] |
Road to VR | 8/10 [20] |
Batman: Arkham VR received "mixed or average" reviews from critics for the PlayStation 4 version of the game, according to review aggregator Metacritic. [13]
Zero Punctuation 's Ben Croshaw called the PSVR version "incredible garbage" and "a half hour CD-ROM virtual tour from mid to late 90s", [21] later nominating it as one of the worst games of 2016. [22] The Official UK PlayStation Magazine listed it as the seventh best PSVR game. [23]
The Game Critics Awards awarded the game as Best VR Game. [24] The National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers awarded the game in the category Direction in Virtual Reality. [25] At IGN 's Best of E3 2016 Awards the game won in the categories Best Puzzle Game and Best VR Experience. [26] At the Italian Video Game Awards the game won in the category Most Innovative Game. [27] At the Develop Awards the game won in the categories Best Sound Design and Best Visual Design. [28] At the IGN Awards 2016 the game won as Best VR Game and as People's Choice Best VR game. [29] At the PlayStation Blog Game of the Year 2016, the game won as Best PlayStation VR Game. [30] At the BAFTA Games Award the game as nominated in the categories Best British Game and Game Innovation. [31] [32]
In Europe, it was the biggest selling PSVR game of 2017. [33] [34]
Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu is a 2003 action beat 'em up video game released for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance and GameCube consoles. It was developed and published by Ubi Soft in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics. The game is based on the television series The New Batman Adventures and features most of the voice actors reprising their roles. The story follows the Batfamily as they face a new adversary, a superpowered Asian warlord known as Sin Tzu, on the anniversary of Batman's parents' murder.
Troy Baker is an American voice actor and musician. He is known for his numerous roles in video games, including Yuri Lowell in Tales of Vesperia (2008), Joel Miller in The Last of Us franchise, Booker DeWitt in BioShock Infinite (2013), Samuel "Sam" Drake in Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (2016) and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (2017), Rhys Strongfork in Tales from the Borderlands (2014), Snow Villiers in Final Fantasy XIII (2010), Kanji Tatsumi in Persona 4 (2008), Vincent Brooks in Catherine (2011), Talion in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) and Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2017), Pagan Min in Far Cry 4 (2014), Revolver Ocelot in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015) and Higgs Monaghan in Death Stranding (2019) and Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (2025). Baker currently holds the record for the most acting nominations at the BAFTA Games Awards, with 5 between 2013 and 2021.
In addition to DC Comics books, the superhero Robin also appears in other media, such as films, television and radio. Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, and Damian Wayne are examples of the characters who use the name Robin.
Lego Batman: The Videogame is a 2008 action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, released for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Nintendo DS, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS X. The game is based on the DC Comics character Batman, as well as the eponymous LEGO Batman toyline.
The Joker, a supervillain in DC Comics and archenemy of the superhero Batman, has appeared in various media. WorldCat records over 250 productions featuring the Joker as a subject, including films, television series, books, and video games. Live-action films featuring the character are typically the most successful.
Rocksteady Studios Limited is a British video game developer based in London. Founded on 13 December 2004, the studio is best known for its work in the Batman: Arkham series. The company is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Games.
Batman: Arkham Asylum is a 2009 action-adventure game developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman and written by veteran Batman writer Paul Dini, Arkham Asylum was inspired by the long-running comic book mythos. In the game's main storyline, Batman battles his archenemy, the Joker, who instigates an elaborate plot to seize control of Arkham Asylum, trap Batman inside with many of his incarcerated foes, and threaten Gotham City with hidden bombs.
Batman: Arkham City is a 2011 action-adventure game developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is the sequel to the 2009 video game Batman: Arkham Asylum and the second installment in the Batman: Arkham series. Written by veteran Batman writer Paul Dini with Paul Crocker and Sefton Hill, Arkham City was inspired by the long-running comic book mythos. In the game's main storyline, Bruce Wayne is incarcerated in Arkham City, a super-prison enclosing the decaying urban slums of Gotham City. He dons his alter ego, Batman, and goes on a mission to uncover the secret behind a sinister scheme orchestrated by the facility's warden, Hugo Strange.
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is a 2012 Lego-themed action-adventure game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game is a sequel to Lego Batman: The Videogame and the second installment in the Lego Batman series. The main storyline follows Batman, Robin and later Superman as they attempt to foil the Joker and Lex Luthor's plans to have the latter become president of the United States, joining forces with the Justice League along the way. As a result, the game's cast is larger than its predecessor and includes characters outside of the Batman series.
Batman: Arkham City Lockdown is a 2011 fighting video game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is a spin-off to Batman: Arkham City, and the first mobile game in the Batman: Arkham series. Set a few weeks before Arkham City, Arkham City Lockdown follows Batman as he attempts to capture several villains who have escaped from Arkham Asylum and are causing mayhem in the streets of Gotham City. As Batman, players fight enemies using melee combat, and earn points for doing so, which can be used to upgrade Batman's stats or to unlock gadgets and alternate costumes.
"Batman: Death of the Family" is a 23-issue comic book story arc first published by DC Comics in 2012 featuring the fictional superhero Batman and his family of supporting characters. The arc spans several titles featuring characters of the Batman family including: Batman, Batgirl, Batman and Robin, Catwoman, Detective Comics, Nightwing, Red Hood and the Outlaws, Suicide Squad, and Teen Titans. The story involves the return of Batman's archenemy, the Joker, and his plan to destroy all of the people Batman has come to rely on over the years: the multiple Robins, Batgirl, Catwoman, Alfred Pennyworth, and Commissioner James Gordon. The title is a reference to the classic Batman story arc "A Death in the Family" (1988), in which the Joker murders Jason Todd.
Batman: Arkham Origins is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by WB Games Montréal and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is the follow-up to the 2011 video game Batman: Arkham City and is the third main installment in the Batman: Arkham series. Written by Dooma Wendschuh, Corey May, and Ryan Galletta, the game's main storyline is set eight years before 2009's Batman: Arkham Asylum and follows a younger, less-refined Batman. When a bounty is placed on him by crime lord Black Mask, drawing eight of the world's greatest assassins to Gotham City on Christmas Eve, Batman must bring Black Mask to justice, while also being hunted by the police and having to face other villains, such as the Joker and Anarky, who take advantage of the chaos to launch their nefarious schemes.
Batman: Arkham is a superhero action-adventure video game series based on the DC Comics character Batman, developed by Rocksteady Studios and WB Games Montréal, and published originally by Eidos Interactive and currently by Warner Bros. Games. The franchise consists of four main installments and a spin-off, along with four smaller titles for mobile devices, two virtual reality games, tie-in comic books, and an animated film. The continuity established by the games is often referred to as the Arkhamverse.
Batman: Arkham Knight is a 2015 action-adventure game developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is the successor to the 2013 video game Batman: Arkham Origins, a direct sequel to Batman: Arkham City (2011) and the fourth main installment in the Batman: Arkham series. Written by Sefton Hill, Ian Ball, and Martin Lancaster, Arkham Knight is inspired by the long-running comic book mythos. Set nine months after the events of Arkham City, the game's main storyline follows Batman as he confronts Scarecrow, who has launched an attack on Gotham City and caused a citywide evacuation. Scarecrow, with the help of the mysterious Arkham Knight, plots to unite all of Gotham's criminals in an attempt to finally destroy Batman.
Batman: Assault on Arkham is a 2014 direct-to-video animated superhero film that is the 21st film of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies. Based on the Batman: Arkham video game franchise, the film was directed by Jay Oliva and Ethan Spaulding, produced by James Tucker, and written by Heath Corson. It was first screened at the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con on July 25, 2014, and it was released digitally on July 29 and on physical media on August 12.
Batman Ninja is a 2018 American-Japanese animated superhero film directed by Junpei Mizusaki, produced by Warner Bros., and animated by Kamikaze Douga and YamatoWorks, which features the DC Comics character Batman. Takashi Okazaki, the creator of Afro Samurai, is the character designer for the film. The first poster was revealed on October 5, 2017, and the trailers were released later on December 1, 2017.
The Scarecrow, a supervillain in DC Comics and an adversary of the superhero Batman, has been adapted in various forms of media, including films, television series, and video games. The character has been portrayed in film by Cillian Murphy in The Dark Knight Trilogy, and in television by Charlie Tahan and David W. Thompson in the Fox series Gotham, and Vincent Kartheiser in the HBO Max streaming series Titans. Henry Polic II, Jeffrey Combs, Dino Andrade, John Noble, Robert Englund, and others have provided the Scarecrow's voice in animation and video games.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a 2024 action-adventure shooter game developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Warner Bros. Games. Based on the DC Comics team Suicide Squad, it is a spin-off of the Batman: Arkham series, and a follow-up to Batman: Arkham Knight (2015). Set five years after the events of Arkham Knight, the game's storyline follows four supervillains—Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, Harley Quinn, and King Shark—who are assembled by Amanda Waller and sent to Metropolis to stop the alien invader Brainiac and kill the members of the Justice League who fell under his influence.
Batman: Arkham Shadow is an upcoming action-adventure video game developed by Camouflaj and published by Oculus Studios. The second virtual reality game in the Batman: Arkham series and a sequel to Batman: Arkham Origins (2013), Shadow will be released for Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S on October 22, 2024.