Review – Batman: Arkham Shadow

The Batman Arkham games are often, and rightly so, regarded as some of the best super hero video games ever made. I’d say even if you aren’t a Batman fan, they’re some of the best action games out there. Trying to adapt all of the gameplay elements from these games into VR seems like a massive undertaking. We got a small taste of dawning the cowl in VR with Batman: Arkham VR, but that was a very small experience with no combat gameplay from the series. That is until Camouflaj, the same studio that did the fantastic Iron Man VR game, decided to not only make a full fledged Arkham game, but did so in a brilliant way that fits an original story within the Arkham timeline.

Batman: Arkham Shadow is actually a direct sequel to Batman: Arkham Origins, which means we are still dealing with a young Bruce Wayne who is still very confident, but feeling out his emotions. In Shadow you’re tracking down The Rat King, a villain who is is setting up a plan to destroy Gotham on The Fourth of July, known as The Day of Wrath. Each chapter essentially counts down until the The Day of Wrath, as you rescue familiar faces and even go undercover in Blackwater as a prisoner. As I mentioned above, this a full fledged Arkham title with around a ten hour run time and featuring the series’ combat and predator challenge rooms.

The overall structure of the game feels a lot like playing through Batman: Arkham Asylum, but in full VR. Obviously, it has its own setting and level designs, but the linearity of it and balance of combat, predator, and detective moments feels more like Arkham Asylum. Throughout the run time you will be visiting sewers, caverns, theaters, Blackwater Prison, and all sorts of familiar areas that are ripe for the gameplay design. As you progress through the story you will also unlock additional gadgets like the decoder for hacking, the explosive gel, as well as unlocking alternate capabilities of the gadgets through the upgrade system.

Batman: Arkham Shadow gives you the full freedom to move around these levels as you would in the traditional games. Using the Batclaw to zip up to edges, free climbing pipes or bricks, using the explosive gel to create paths or traps, solve puzzles, and of course using your wings to glide to destinations. I will tell you what, it never gets old reaching down to grab your cape, raising it up to your sides and gliding to your destination. Especially when there is a light source behind you and you see your shadow with the wings and ears, it’s just an absolute delight. 

Speaking of puzzles, there are no Riddler puzzles to solve or trophies to get, but there are Rat Statues and communication systems to destroy. There are a decent variety in puzzles that will have you use a lot of your gadgets, free climbing, and timing in order to get by. Climbing on the pipes above an electric floor in order to get to an angle where you can throw a Batarang at a button to shut it off. Or series of valves you’ll need to turn off or turn on to keep continuing through a path. They aren’t difficult, but they are a nice change of pace between the combat sections.

Camouflaj implemented the full suite of Arkham‘s free form combat system, but with some obvious tweaks for VR. As you engage an enemy, a series of prompts with pop up showing you which direction to strike from, a series of punches to follow in order, or a straight barrage of punches until the countdown is depleted. There are also prompts to do finishing smashes, or grabbing an enemy and completing a takedown move.

Countering works by simply punching off screen towards the blue pop up indicator and you will instantly move to the enemy and continue attacking them. The red indicators are for moves you can’t counter and will have to either dodge away from or do a counter dodge by flipping over them. You’ll also be able to use your Batarang to stun enemies or use your cape to wing and stun enemies to open their guard. It’s hard to show combat in pictures, so check out my gameplay below!

Stealth and Predator Mode work as they traditionally do offering a more open room layout with plenty of perch points, grates to hide in, walls to blow up, traps to turn on, or various distractions to activate to pull guards attention. Up on the perch points you can swing around to each one, hang from them and snatch enemies to then throw them down hanging by their feet. Or you can activate your glide kick which will lock you into an animation since you can’t really control your feet anyway in VR. Stealth attacks can be from sneaking behind, doing corner take downs, or jump out of floor grates. Activating detective mode of course allows you to see through walls with enemies and interactive items highlighted.

VR comfortability and tracking are some of the biggest issues when it comes to VR and luckily Batman: Arkham Shadow excels in both categories. The game offers a myriad of comfortability options as you’d come to expect from a high budget title with an experienced VR developer behind it. That being said, I played with full locomotion and no comfortability options and despite some stuttering when initially loading into a larger area, gameplay was fluid and never gave me motion sickness. Tracking is also very smooth and responsive, with only an issue here and there when reconnecting to your hand from being away from the Quest 3’s cameras. Otherwise, this is one of the more polished VR games I’ve played in a while.

Visually Batman: Arkham Shadow is one of the best looking VR games I have played which makes it even more impressive considering its on standalone mobile hardware. The clever ways of filling in and hiding larger views of the city in order to mask the hardware limitations are done very well, although you will notice it in certain areas. All of the main areas of the game are very well detailed with trash, clutter, graffiti, and damage portraying a city rundown by the increasing criminal activity. Character models are good, they retain that very exaggerated thick-designed art style from the Arkham games. However, this is where you’ll notice a bit more of the lower resolution textures because you’re up close and personal with them.

Sound design is also extremely well done with a great performance by Roger Craig Smith as all of his characters (Batman, Bruce Wayne, and Irving “Matches” Malone) in the game providing convincing changes to his speech for each. Of course, there is a star studded cast with Troy Baker as Harvey Dent, Tara Strong as Dr. Harleen Quinzel, Khary Payton as Otis Flannagan, and more. Needless to say the voice acting from the main characters to the normal bad guys is fantastic. The sound design features the signature crunchy and cracking combat effects making each strike sound and feel impactful, as well as its great soundtrack that really pulls you into that classic Batman feel.

This is now the second major exclusive game that Meta has dropped for its Quest 3 headset and just like Asgard’s Wrath 2, Batman: Arkham Shadow is an absolute hit and must-play for any VR fan. The absolute care and quality Camouflaj has put into this title is breathtaking. Being able to fully adapt every aspect that the series fans expect from Arkham games into VR is astonishing. As well as being able to fit in a full length, unique story into the timeline without ruining the other games should be applauded. It’s almost a shame Shadow is exclusive, because everyone should be able to play this, but this is absolutely a killer app that Meta needs.

Graphics: 9.0 One of the best looking VR games I have seen. Limitations of standalone hardware are prevalent in certain areas, but overall fantastic looking.	Gameplay: 9.0 Having the full gameplay capabilities from the Arkham games is a feat to pull off in VR and Camoflaj nails it. Some small tracking issues here and there, but nothing terrible.
Sound: 10 All the classic sound effects from the Arkham games are here as well as the great soundtrack. Unfortunately, no Kevin Conroy, but Roger Craig Smith (Arkham Origins) does great.	Fun Factor: 9.5 Stepping into the role of Batman with the full gameplay suite from the Arkham games is an absolute delight and needs to be played by all VR and Batman fans. This isn’t a VR experience, it is a full Arkham title.
Final Verdict: 9.5

Batman: Arkham Shadow is available now on Meta Quest 3.

Reviewed on Meta Quest 3.

A copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow was provided by the publisher.