Gotham Knights | PS5 Review

There’s nothing I love more in the whole world than the universe of DC Comics (sorry, family!), so it should surprise no one that I took a vacation for Gotham Knights because I was so excited. It’s been a long time since the last AAA DC video game, and in that time Marvel has exploded onto the scene. Is it time for WB Games to recapture their former glory?

Don the Cowl

There’s no denying Gotham Knights has one hell of an awesome setup. Batman is dead, and it’s time for his family to step up and take down the villains plaguing Gotham. It’s up to Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood, and Robin, stewarded by Alfred Pennyworth, to take down the enigmatic Court of Owls and several other, more classic rogues. That’s a premise that could excite even the most fatigued of superhero fans.

Unfortunately, the premise is better than the delivery. Despite fresh and interesting takes on Harley Quinn, Mr. Freeze, and others, this universe lets down the likes of the Court of Owls and another nefarious faction I won’t spoil here. The Court never feels like the creepy secret rulers of Gotham the plot paints them as, and really just come across as any other kind of mercenary faction. I suppose concessions had to be made in the translation to video games, but it’s just confusing how much the story builds them up just for them to essentially be Cobra from G.I. Joe.

Cowabunga

The way Gotham Knights handles its main cast of four is harder to put into words, because they fumble the bag in confusing ways. There are so many great, quiet moments of these characters coming to terms with carrying on the legacy of Batman, particularly in their one-on-one moments with each other or Alfred. But way too often they basically joke around and prank one another in ways significantly closer to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles than the Bat Family. I’ve read a lot of comics, and I can’t think of a single time Nightwing would have given Robin a wet willy, especially when trying to track down a supervillain with a doomsday weapon. I can’t even grasp what the writers were going for here, other than some kind of thin attempt at humor.

The core plot itself starts out as a fun mystery, but as things progressed I found myself more and more bored. So many times things just sort of…happen. Too many times events are poorly built towards, if even built towards at all. There’s one particular moment when a character, who has spent relatively little time with the Bat Family, is let in on their secret identities and hidden base. Sure, in the comics, this character is a trusted ally, but there’s nothing in the story of Gotham Knights that justifies this level of trust. It’s not even built up to or discussed by our protagonists; she just shows up having apparently been invited off-screen. Just a small example of a bizarre lack of forethought in earning these narrative moments.

By Night, a Knight Strikes

Gotham Knights is, by every measure, exactly like every other Action RPG released in the last several years. There’s unnecessary loot drops of various rarities, a completely boring skill tree providing an illusion of choice, weird elemental effects at odds with the setting, and a dumb Power Level that renders every other number on your character pointless. None of those things have ever really interested me in a video game, and they don’t here either.

In fact, so much of the game has the clear trappings of a live-service product. It’s obvious that’s what Gotham Knights was originally meant to be, from the loot chests in Arkham Asylum to the repeatable side activities. The contrived and painful way you have to earn each character’s traversal ability (it takes hours, and you have to do it four times), feels right out of a life consuming live-service title. Nowhere is it more present than the ending, though, where things just sort of stop at a point. A voice over lets you know that the threats you’ve been up against for the whole game are actually still out there and thriving, thus presenting an endless amount of foes to fight while leveling up. No sense of closure or character arcs at all.

Where I did find joy, though, was in the combat encounters. It starts out as a simple one-button melee game, but evolves over time. There’s a ton of variety in the enemies you’ll face, in both appearance and skill sets. You have to be very considerate of the foes you’re up against, keeping them and your available skills in mind. Your special attacks have to be earned via momentum, a bar you fill up by executing skillful attacks and dodges, and it’s something that keeps you engaged in the fight. I looked forward to seeing what types of enemies I’d be up against, and how I’d best deal with them.

 

This is Our City

Nightwing, Robin, Red Hood, and Batgirl all feel surprisingly different from one another, so it’s a lot of fun swapping between them. Besides the obvious differences, like special skills, they all just have a different weight and momentum to their attacks as well. It reminds you that these are very different kinds of heroes, and swapping between keeps the gameplay fresh for the 30 or so hours it’ll take you to roll credits.

I definitely fell into a rhythm with the game over time. I enjoyed going on a nightly patrol as a given character, seeing how much I could do using my limited health packs for that evening, and then licking my wounds back at the home base in the Belfry. While cruising out at night helping people in need throughout the beautiful and varied districts of Gotham City, I got sucked into the fantasy of being a vigilante. It felt good sneaking my way into a warehouse to bust up a drug deal or saving a person in a crashed ambulance.

The main campaign is built up of linear levels, and those too are a lot of fun. Annoyances with the boring story aside, I loved being these characters in this universe. Each level tends to bring you through a location familiar to Batman fans, and are typically filled with a surprising variety of gameplay.

For Batman

Gotham Knights is a game I ended up finding the joy in, but it’s impossible to recommend to everyone. If you’re looking for an Action RPG, there are more tightly designed ones out there. If you’re looking for an excellent DC narrative, you’re better off spending your time elsewhere. While there are certainly interesting takes on villains and well-handled quieter moments, there’s just as many character moments that will make you roll your eyes or wince with the pain of cringe dialogue. Tons of DC Easter eggs are everywhere, and while diehard fans like me will get sucked into this version of the DC universe, it’s gonna be a harder sell for more casual fans. It’s pretty much the perfect “wait for a sale” game, which isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement. Maybe next time our Knights can rise higher.

 

This review is based on a purchased copy of Gotham Knights for PlayStation 5. It is also available on Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.