Though Batman: The Animated Series is often cited as being the definitive portrayal of the Dark Knight, I think my favorite products to feature the character have to be that of the Batman: Arkham line of video games. Aside from nailing the characters, I just loved how those interactive experiences immersed you in the world that is Gotham City. And in a way, it was almost like a more mature continuation of Bruce Timm’s masterwork.
If you’ve been keeping up with related news in the past few months, then you’ve likely come across rumors saying WB Games Montreal – developer of Batman: Arkham Origins – have been working on a new entry into the series, perhaps even something having to do with the Court of Owls. Rocksteady, meanwhile, had been supposedly cooking up a Superman game, though that was ultimately debunked.
Adding fuel to the fire today is Playstation Lifestyle, who’ve gotten their hands on information saying that it’s indeed Rocksteady who’s working on something called “Batman: Arkham Crisis.” Keep in mind though that nothing’s been confirmed on their end, and therefore, this is all being regarded as a rumor at this point.
Regardless, here’s what they’ve heard via an alleged play-tester:
“Supposedly, the team is aiming for a Game of the Year contender and will launch it around Halloween 2019. The story mode is rumored to have a much more complex story with 12 acts, each being around an hour long. According to the play-tester, you will have access to the Batwing instead of the Batmobile and can use it to engage in combat as well as for transportation.”
Additionally, the same source said there’ll be side missions featuring a co-op mode, and that there’ll be an open world map greater than what was boasted by Grand Theft Auto V. Also, a day/night cycle is part of the package, though I’m not sure why Batman would be operating during the daytime.
While this is all intriguing and enticing, the part about the Batwing being used for combat worries me. Like some of you, I absolutely hated anything having to do with the Batmobile in Arkham Knight, so I’m not excited by the prospect of bringing along a barf bag for what could essentially be “Ace Combat: Batman Edition.”
But if any of these details turn out to be true, my gut tells me that it’s actually WB Games Montreal working on the next potential Batman: Arkham game. My better instincts say Rocksteady has moved on, but no matter who’s at the helm, I’m pretty much guaranteed to fork over my money.