Ten years ago, Batman: Arkham Knight was released and could have, and maybe should have, been the final game in the Arkham series and the Arkhamverse timeline. A lot of effort was clearly put into giving a sense of closure in this game. Even though the door was left slightly open for future stories, the ending of Arkham Knight felt like the cleanest and most satisfying way to close the Arkhamverse.

But today, Batman: Arkham Knight is seen as just another entry in the franchise, and not always in a positive way.

After 10 years, Batman: Arkham Knight has become the most debated game in the series (excluding Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which is in the Arkhamverse timeline but not seen as a true Arkham game). Some of the design and story choices in Arkham Knight are both praised and criticized. And with rumors suggesting Rocksteady might go back to making more Arkham games, Arkham Knight now seems like it lacks the strong ending it was once known for.

🔹 Batman: Arkham Knight’s Visuals Have Hardly Aged a Day

Even though Batman: Arkham Knight is now 10 years old, its graphics are still better than many modern games. The open-world version of Gotham City is rich in detail, and the lighting effects help a lot with that realistic feel.

However, the game had a rough launch on PC. Crashes related to graphics and memory still happen today, especially when smoke or fog effects are turned on.

Also, in trying to look more realistic, the game lost some of the unique comic book style that earlier Arkham games had. Whether that’s better or worse depends on personal taste.

🔹 Chronological Arkhamverse Game Order:

1. Batman: Arkham Origins (2013)
2. Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (2013)
3. Batman: Arkham Shadow (2024)
4. Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)
5. Batman: Arkham City (2011)
6. Batman: Arkham Knight (2015)
7. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2024)

🔹 GCPD is an Immersive Hub

One of the best parts of Batman: Arkham Knight is the GCPD (Gotham City Police Department) hub. This area is filled with NPCs whose dialogue changes based on what’s happening in the story. There’s also an evidence room with villain memorabilia and cells that show how many criminals have been caught.

What stands out most is the holding cells. Players can personally arrest villains, drive them to GCPD in the Batmobile, and talk to them anytime after that. This gameplay loop is very rewarding, and other superhero games have not used this idea in the same way since.

🔹 Batmobile Remains the Most Divisive Feature

One of the biggest features of Batman: Arkham Knight is the Batmobile. Some players loved it, while others did not enjoy it at all. Still, it played a major role in the game and changed how it felt to play.

The Batmobile included:

• Standard driving with Afterburner for chases and races
• Battle Mode for shooting drones and tanks
• A power winch used to pull objects, power things, and upload viruses

The Batmobile added a lot to the gameplay. It may not be for everyone, but the developers clearly put a lot of effort into it. It remains one of the boldest features in any Batman game. Whether you like it or not, it made Arkham Knight unique.

🔹 Combat and Stealth are the Best in the Series

Combat in Arkham Knight built on everything from previous games and made it even smoother. Environmental objects in the environment can be used during fights, and the freeflow combat feels better than ever.

One of the most interesting upgrades was Dual Play. In certain parts of the game, Batman could team up with other Bat-family members, and players could switch between them in combat.

Stealth gameplay also improved with new gadgets and the Fear Takedown feature, which lets Batman take out several enemies at once in a fast and cinematic way.

🔹 The Plot Twist Is Still Disappointing

The big twist in Batman: Arkham Knight is the reveal that the Arkham Knight is Jason Todd. But this twist didn’t feel earned, because there were almost no hints earlier in the series that Jason Todd even existed in this timeline.

Because of this, the twist didn’t feel like something players could figure out. It seemed designed more to surprise the player than to surprise Batman. This made the reveal feel less fun.

In comparison, Batman: Arkham Shadow gave players enough clues to guess that Joe Chill was Bruce Wayne’s parents’ killer. That kind of reveal is more satisfying, even if players figure it out early.

🔹 Open World is Beautiful but Poorly Paced

The open world in Arkham Knight is big and detailed, but its pacing can feel frustrating. The Batmobile can’t be used everywhere until certain parts of the story are completed. Some side missions also get locked behind story progress.

The Riddler trophies can’t all be collected early because they appear slowly as the game continues. Finding all 243 Riddler items takes a long time and can become tiring, especially with tasks like destroying crests or pulling bug containers with the Batclaw.

Freeing Catwoman in the Riddler quest line is a fun goal, but getting all the riddles is still difficult. The final fight with Riddler in his mech is exciting, but replaying everything on New Game Plus would’ve helped avoid the chore-like feeling.

🔹 Suicide Squad Undermined Arkham Knight’s Ending

Batman: Arkham Knight tried hard to give Bruce Wayne a final farewell. But Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League changed that with a new story that brought him back.

For example, Bruce was shown to return as Batman and join the Justice League, which made his earlier decision to retire from being Batman seem unimportant. It took away the meaning of that choice.

The only good news from Suicide Squad is that Batman is alive. But even that doesn’t fix how Arkham Knight’s ending was weakened. The game once stood as a bold and emotional conclusion. Now, it feels like part of a timeline that keeps changing.

Even so, Batman: Arkham Knight is still a fantastic sequel to Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, with great combat and visuals. But the story no longer holds the same weight it once did.