How to Play the Batman Arkham Games in Chronological Order

The Batman: Arkham video games sit alongside Insomniac’s Spider-Man as the finest comedian guide video games ever made. With the Arkham sequence, Rocksteady Studios blended wonderful freeflow fight, top-tier voice performances, and an impressed rendition of Gotham Metropolis to create an unforgettable assortment of action-adventure superhero video games.

Whereas Gotham Knights is not a part of the “Arkhamverse,” its pretty current launch impressed us to create this chronology of the Batman: Arkham video games for these in enjoying (or replaying) the finest Batman video games of all time.

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How Many Batman Arkham Games Are There?

In whole there are eight video games in the Batman Arkhamverse. That tally will climb to 9 when Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is launched in 2024. Nonetheless, solely six of the eight Arkhamverse video games are presently playable — two cell video games have been shut down/faraway from cell storefronts.

Which Batman Arkham Recreation Ought to You Play First?

There are a number of alternative ways you can begin enjoying the Batman Arkham sequence as newcomer. In the event you’re wanting to undergo the story chronologically, this can put your start line at 2013’s Batman: Arkham Origins. Nonetheless, as a result of Origins was launched years after the first recreation, it may doubtlessly spoil the older video games for you. If you’d like to expertise the sequence by launch date, you’d need to begin with Batman: Arkham Asylum.

Batman Arkham Games in Chronological Order

Under we’ve outlined two methods to method the Batman: Arkham video games: chronologically by launch date or chronologically by narrative. The selection is yours, and each attainable paths are outlined beneath, starting with the narrative chronology.

With sequence newcomers in thoughts, these temporary plot synopses comprise solely gentle spoilers akin to broad plot factors and character introductions.

1. Batman: Arkham Origins

The primary Arkham recreation chronologically is 2013’s Batman: Arkham Origins. Set on Christmas Eve in a snow-covered Gotham, Origins stars a less-experienced Batman who finds himself with a $50 million bounty on his head, drawing the consideration of Gotham’s best criminals: the Joker, Black Masks, The Penguin, Mad Hatter, Bane, Deadshot, Firefly, and Killer Croc, amongst others. The ending hints at the reopening of Arkham Asylum, organising the future occasions of Rocksteady’s recreation of the similar title.

Notably, Origins stars Roger Craig Smith as Batman and Troy Baker as the Joker, subbing in for Arkham’s common celebrity duo of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill. Whereas the Arkhamverse was established by Rocksteady Studios, Origins was developed by WB Montreal, the studio behind Gotham Knights.

A cell model of Arkham Origins was additionally launched. Whereas it performs a lot in a different way than its console counterpart — it’s a brawler developed by Mortal Kombat studio NeatherRealm — it hits the similar narrative beats.

2. Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate

Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate is about three months after the occasions of Origins. Not like the third-person adventures that comprise the mainline Arkham video games, Blackgate is a 2.5D side-scroller developed by Armature Studio (Resident Evil 4 VR).

In Blackgate, Batman investigates the titular jail, the place an explosion has freed its inmates. As the Caped Crusader, you discover three foremost areas, every managed by one among Gotham’s most infamous villains: Penguin, Black Masks, and the Joker. Different notable characters embrace Catwoman, Amanda Waller, and Rick Flag.

Roger Craig Smith and Troy Baker take one other flip as Batman and the Joker.

3. Batman: Arkham Underworld

Batman: Arkham Underworld is a cell recreation that positions you as Gotham’s latest felony mastermind, permitting you to command Batman villains akin to Harley Quinn, The Riddler, Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze, and Killer Croc. It’s primarily a free-to-play Gotham gang recruiter, in which you construct a felony hideout, recruit henchmen, and do battle. Kevin Conroy reprises his position as Batman following the mainline Arkham trilogy.

Arkham Underworld is about someday earlier than Arkham Asylum, although it possesses little significance to the total Arkhamverse narrative — which is lucky contemplating it’s not out there to obtain (Arkham Underworld was shut down in 2017, solely a yr after it was launched).

Bonus: Batman: Assault on Arkham

Batman: Assault on Arkham is an animated movie set in the Arkhamverse, roughly two years earlier than Arkham Asylum. These solely in the video games can skip the movie with out a lot impact, however these in the full Arkhamverse narrative ought to test it out — it’s out there to stream on HBO Max and occurs to be a fairly entertaining film; our assessment awarded it an 8.8, calling it “a terrific heist movie.”

Like Arkham Underworld, Arkham Assault shines the highlight on Batman’s adversaries, following Harley, Joker, Riddler, and others as they infiltrate Arkham Asylum, finally releasing lots of its most infamous inmates.

Kevin Conroy as soon as once more voices Batman, whereas Troy Baker voices the Joker. Notably, Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian, Breaking Unhealthy) lends his voice to Black Spider.

4. Batman: Arkham Asylum

Rocksteady’s first Batman recreation, Batman: Arkham Asylum introduces us to the Arkhamverse’s verson of the Caped Crusader (voiced by Kevin Conroy). It’s the fourth recreation in the chronology however the first to be launched. Mark Hamill’s Joker serves as the major villain, although the forged of characters additionally contains Harley Quinn, Commissioner Gordon, Scarecrow, Bane, Poison Ivy, and others.

With the assist of Harley Quinn, the Joker infiltrates the asylum to receive a super-strength serum referred to as Titan. The Clown Prince had bombs planted round Gotham Metropolis, threatening to detonate them ought to anybody come to Batman’s assist, leaving our hero to cope with the asylum’s escapees alone.

Arkham Asylum’s story was written by Paul Dino, whose lengthy historical past with the franchise contains many writing credit on Batman: The Animated Collection and Batman Past.

5. Batman: Arkham Metropolis Lockdown

Launched shortly after Arkham Metropolis, Batman: Arkham Metropolis Lockdown is a fighter set between the occasions of Asylum and Metropolis. It’s the first Arkham cell recreation to be launched and the second developed by NeatherRealm (the different being the aforementioned Arkham Origins cell recreation).

Narratively, Arkham Metropolis Lockdown options tons of Arkham staples, together with the Joker (voiced by Mark Hamill), Harley Quinn, Two-Face, Penguin, Solomon Grundy, Poison Ivy, Deathstroke, Robin, and naturally, Batman (voiced by Kevin Conroy). The story facilities round yet one more jail escape that Batman should clear up.

We’ll spoil this one since the plot is comparatively inconsequential and Arkham Metropolis Lockdown is not out there to buy: Batman prevails and returns the escaped prisoners to the asylum.

6. Batman: Arkham Metropolis

Rocksteady’s second recreation in the sequence, Batman: Arkham Metropolis takes place a yr and a half after Arkham Asylum. Following the occasions of Asylum, Mayor Quincy Sharp opens Arkham Metropolis, a piece of Gotham Metropolis walled off to home criminals. Arkham Metropolis sees Batman navigating the lawless space whereas working to thwart the nefarious, overarching plot seemingly orchestrated by Hugo Unusual.

Batman should additionally cope with a separate menace from the Joker, who’s coping with the unwell results of the Titan serum he took throughout the occasions of Asylum.

Arkham Metropolis’s story, like Asylum’s earlier than it, was written by Paul Dini.

7. Batman: Arkham VR

The sequence’ lone digital actuality recreation, Batman: Arkham VR is about shortly earlier than the occasions of Arkham Knight. It’s a narrative-driven recreation targeted on detective work as Batman tries to remedy the homicide of a detailed ally.

Given its nature as a story-heavy recreation, we are able to’t say a lot right here, however in case you have entry to a VR headset, Arkham VR is definitely price enjoying, particularly contemplating its temporary ~90-minute runtime.

The supporting forged contains Robin, Nightwing, Alfred Pennyworth, Penguin, Killer Croc, and Joker. Arkham VR stars Conroy and Hamill’s Batman and the Joker.

8. Batman: Arkham Knight

The conclusion to Rocksteady’s trilogy of mainline Batman video games, Batman: Arkham Knight raises the stakes with the sequence’ greatest model of Gotham, its most assorted forged of characters, and the introduction of a totally playable Batmobile.

Arkham Knight is about on the night time of Halloween, presumably lower than a yr after the occasions of Metropolis. Scarecrow (voiced by Lord of the Rings’ John Noble) is threatening Gotham Metropolis together with his concern toxin, whereas a brand new menace surfaces in the mysterious Arkham Knight. Batman, all the whereas, is coping with inside torment as an impact of the earlier video games.

All three threads are wrapped up by the finish of Arkham Knight’s ~16-hour marketing campaign, although you will have to earn 100% completion to see the recreation’s true ending.

As well as to Scarecrow and Arkham Knight, the supporting forged contains Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Penguin, Riddler, Two-Face, Robin, Commissioner Gordon, and Barbara Gordon.

9. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Rocksteady’s subsequent recreation is shifting away from Batman and Gotham, but it is formally “a continuation of the Arkhamverse,” in accordance to the developer. Rocksteady guarantees “numerous the threads and storylines [from past Arkham games] will come to fruition.” Whereas it’s unclear how a lot time has handed since Arkham Knight, these feedback clearly point out it is going to be set additional in the future than any earlier Akrhamverse recreation.

Kill the Justice League shifts the focus to Activity Power X, as gamers discover Metropolis as both Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, or King Shark. It’s due out on February 2, 2024.

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