WB Games Montreal has let loose a lengthy gameplay video highlighting just some of the experience to be had with its upcoming action-RPG hybrid, Gotham Knights. Set within a Gotham City facing an increase in lawlessness following the apparent deaths of both Bruce Wayne and Commissioner Gordon, Gotham Knights allows players to play through the experience as any one of Nightwing, Red Hood, Batgirl or Robin, either in single-player or co-op.
Gotham Knights was always going to be up against it. The benchmark set by Rocksteady and the Batman: Arkham series is ludicrously high as it is for action games on the whole, but to sidle up alongside it as another DC entity set within that world (or similar) but not starring Batman or being helmed by Rocksteady (especially after the mixed affair that was Batman: Arkham Origins by the very same team handling this), has meant the word caution has been bandied about a bit. In the video above we get a glimpse mostly at the game's Arkham-like combat, which does look tighter than what we experienced in Origins, but whoever was demoing Red Hood really needs to work on their timing. The rest doesn't give us a lot and we really need more info on just how open the world is, how dynamic it and character progression is, and just what the makeup of each character looks like in a regular playthrough. There's a lot to like here, though: a gritty Gotham to explore, four main characters not being hand held by The Dark Knight, and each offering unique playstyles and stories. But best of all is the game follows the exploits of The Court of Owls from the Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo Batman run of comics -- a secretive organisation as old as Gotham itself who managed to operate under the nose of even The World's Greatest Detective for years before he stumbled across them. The Court of Owls is perhaps the best Gotham crime 'reset' in decades and almost makes purchase of Gotham Knights mandatory for its inclusion as the game's big bad. Still, more questions on the whole thing stand, especially as comic book nerds and Batman: Arkham experts here. But we're on the case, so stay tuned... |