Arkham Knight is the final game in Rocksteady's Batman trilogy and looks set to be one of the best Batman games yet. Picking up one year after the events of Batman Arkham City, Arkham Knight sees Batman at the full-height of his powers and, more importantly, finally in possession of a fully driveable Batmobile. It's also the first (and last) Batman game to launch on PS4 and Xbox One, giving Rocksteady the chance to really make Gotham City the best version it can possibly be for the dark knight's final chapter.
Not much is known about the story yet, but the titular Arkham Knight doesn't seem to be referring to our man in black. Instead, it's supposedly a new villain that's not an existing DC character, but Rocksteady has remained tight-lipped about his identity. Luckily, the studio's been much more forthcoming about what we can expect to see in the game itself, so here's everything we know about the game so far.
Batman Arkham Knight release date
Originally scheduled for 2014, Arkham Knight was pushed back to this year and is currently scheduled for a worldwide release on June 2nd 2015. This is earlier in the year than normal, as previous Batman games such as Arkham City and Arkham Origins have traditionally launched in October. This could be to avoid conflict with other high-profile titles due out this year such as Uncharted 4 or Rise of the Tomb Raider, but at least it will keep you going during the usual summer games drought.
Batman Arkham Knight gameplay
At its core, Arkham Knight plays much like previous Arkham games, but there have been several small changes and upgrades to help make the game's various systems easier to use and more fun to play. The grapnel gun, for instance, which Batman uses to hoist himself to new heights, can now be used twice in one go, allowing Batman to chain together different moves to help him reach different areas. It can also be used to change directions during flight.
This is important, as the world's sheer size (it's five times larger than Arkham City) means you'll have more scope to glide and dive at faster speeds. Batarangs and the line-launcher can also be used while gliding now, giving you a greater variety of attacks and strategies while airborne. You can even use batarangs to scout the area for additional intel so you can work out the best approach.
Combat has been tweaked as well to allow Batman to counter attacks and throw enemies into each other to deal more damage without breaking your overall combo. Environmental items such as power generators can also be used as finisher moves, too. Batman can even disarm enemies with additional items such as baseball bats and use said item until it breaks.
Enemy attacks are more varied now as well, and the 'Arkham Knight' seems to have kitted out his invading army with a lot more firepower as well. This is in part to balance out the nigh-on indestructible Batmobile, but it also makes travelling on foot a far more dangerous place for our caped crusader. Luckily, Batman has a new Fear Takedown ability to help him take down more foes at a faster pace. As long as you remain undetected, you'll be able to take down up to three enemies simultaneously. After the first kill, time will slow down, letting you scope out your next target. A quick button press does the rest of the work.
Batman Arkham Knight trailer
While the identity of the Arkham Knight remains a mystery, that doesn't mean Batman's other rivals have been forgotten about. In the official trailer below, it looks as though Two-Face, Harley Quinn and The Penguin will all be joining forces to take down Batman once and for all. While the CG trailer doesn't show any actual gameplay, it certainly sets a foreboding tone that will no doubt shape Batman's motivations in this game as he faces his toughest challenge yet.
More telling is the latest Ace Chemicals Infiltration trailer (below). Here, we see the Batmobile in all its in-game glory, roaring into the facility as it leaps over a blown-up bridge. As it lands with a bump, it looks as though it will be highly manoeuvrable in tight spaces, as it can strafe and shunt to the sides with a blast of its throttle. You'll also be able to perform special moves from the Batmobile's cockpit, such as leaping out to deliver a swift glide kick or launch straight into glide mode.
Batman's combat also looks to be much more fluid this time round, letting him link graceful combos with gorgeous cinematic camera angles to help accentuate each punch. This cinematic flair runs deep through the rest of the game, too, as shown by the beautiful slow-mo camera work when Batman slides in the already airborne Batmobile and when he kicks in glass window pane mid-flight.