WB Games Montréal's Gotham Knights has an incredibly rich selection of villains to choose from, but it should avoid utilizing too many of the ones previously featured in Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham games. Penguin and Mr. Freeze had key roles in the Arkhamverse and both are confirmed to appear in Gotham Knights already, and while they are core Batman characters that are difficult to omit, the latest Batman game could benefit from spotlighting the Dark Knight's lesser-known adversaries. WB Games Montréal is already doing this to a degree with the Court of Owls, but there are other, more obscure Batman villains that would help make its take on the Caped Crusader feel more distinct.
Gotham Knights is WB Games Montréal's first video game since 2013's Batman: Arkham Origins, and takes place in a different continuity to that of the Batman: Arkham games. The game focuses on the Bat Family and not Batman himself, who dies at the beginning of the story. Players will instead take control of Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin, and Red Hood in an open world Gotham City, coming up against the Court of Owls as they attempt to restore order. Montréal has only revealed three of Gotham Knights' villains thus far, but two out of three shown off had key roles in the Batman: Arkham series.
Rather than replicate the roster seen in the Batman: Arkham games, Gotham Knights may be better served by utilizing the lesser-known characters in the Caped Crusader's rogues gallery. A similar approach was taken in the comics following Bruce Wayne's disappearance at the end of 2009's Final Crisis, with writer Grant Morrison kicking off their Batman Reborn era with villains like Professor Pyg, Toad, and the shadowy Leviathan organization. These villains and more all have something to bring that could make them very effective enemies in Gotham Knights' story and open world.
Villains Not From Arkham Gotham Knights Could Use - Lock-Up
Lock-Up is a rather interesting villain in the sense that he hates other villains. Lyle Bolton is an abusive Arkham Asylum guard who believes that all of Gotham's criminals are irredeemable, and uses his position to torture them even when they behave themselves. However, Batman believes these villains can be helped, and is disgusted by Bolton's methods. After being exposed by Batman and stripped of his position, Bolton takes up the moniker of Lock-Up and starts hunting not only criminals, but those he considers to be the cause of Gotham's problems, such as the media and Gotham's police force, who he considers too soft.
In Gotham Knights, Lock-Up could be performing his own idea of law enforcement, kidnapping criminals and trapping them in a prison of his own creation. He would probably refer to Batman's death in Gotham Knights as a good thing, since it would allow him to pursue his brutal brand of justice with fewer obstacles. A chapter with him as the main villain could also introduce sympathetic or reformed villains such as The Orca and Humpty Dumpty as allies, fully willing to work with the heroes to escape from Lock-Up. Batman has been accused of enjoying hurting villains, but he would never stoop to Bolton's level, and his students would follow his morals. Although Red Hood may seem like the most likely opponent for Lock-Up considering his own criminal past, Lock-Up's worldview and hatred for Batman means that he could conceivably fight against any of the protagonists.
Adding Lock-Up would not only provide a unique enemy to fight, but also give some commentary on what has happened to Gotham after Batman's death, and what sorts of threats Gotham Knights' playable heroes will have to face in his absence. With Gotham descending deeper into chaos, men like Bolton could become serious threats. The heroes would need to act quickly in order to establish their role as protectors of the city, preventing Bolton from taking that title for himself.
Cluemaster Could Be A Perfect Riddler Substitute In Gotham Knights
Arthur Brown is a former game show host whose anger at his failed career led him to a life of crime as The Cluemaster. An extraordinarily callous man, Cluemaster attempted to kill his own daughter when she learned about his crimes. He develops a motif similar to the Riddler, leaving clues at the scenes of his crimes because he believes that no one is smart enough to find him. However, while Edward Nygma has sympathetic moments and even tries to do good on occasion, Cluemaster has no such redeeming qualities. Cluemaster was referenced in Batman: Arkham Knight, but only in one conversation, never making an appearance proper.
If he appears in Gotham Knights, Cluemaster would likely be committing crimes with glee, feeling intensely smug with the belief that no one can decipher his clues, similar to Riddler's depiction in most comics and in the Batman: Arkham series. However, with the detective skills of Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin, and Red Hood in Gotham Knights, his plans would begin to fall apart, and his arrogant personality would refuse to accept that. As the heroes close in, Arthur could get angrier and angrier, and the fury clouding his mind would prove to be his ultimate undoing. Similar to how Harley Quinn made Batman: Arkham villains look like fools, Batman's own proteges can exploit Cluemaster's flaws to bring him down. The final confrontation with him would be less of a fight due to Cluemaster's cerebral nature, and more of a fitting humiliation as four heroes prove that they outclass him in intelligence, which is the thing he uses to hold himself above everyone else.
Cluemaster would be a good way to inject a straightforward mystery storyline into Gotham Knights. Each of his crimes could provide a map to the next through the clues he leaves, leading players on a chase throughout Gotham. In addition, considering his origin as a disgraced game show host, good writing and a strong voice actor could make him a very entertaining figure once he shows up in person.
Great White Shark Could Be An Ideal Gotham Knights Villain
First referenced in game form in Batman: Arkham Asylum, Warren White was a white-collar criminal who ruined the lives of countless innocent people. After being sent to Arkham Asylum, home of many Batman antagonists, his life rapidly unravels. His callousness about his crimes combined with his unpleasant personality make him hated by Arkham's other inhabitants, and The Joker even calls Warren the worst person he's ever met. After being locked in a freezer, Warren's skin turns bright white and he is disfigured in a way that makes him resemble a shark. Calling himself the Great White Shark, he became a crime lord who manages to control his gang even from the inside of Arkham Asylum.
In regards to WB Games Montréal's new title, Shark would be up to his old schemes, running his criminal operations out of Arkham Asylum, which could feature as a location in Gotham Knights' story. True to his self-obsessed personality, he would feel invincible without Batman around to stop him. After all, Batman has plans for almost every enemy, and his sidekicks don't have his genius reputation. However, once enough evidence has been uncovered to decisively reveal him as the culprit of his schemes, the heroes could head into Arkham Asylum to apprehend him personally. With Arkham being one of the most famous locations in the Batman franchise, a mission taking the player there would be an easy choice. Plus, it would provide an opportunity for some potential cameos of other criminal characters. In addition, considering how hated Shark is, most inmates who aren't working for him would probably gladly let the heroes walk by to confront him.
Shark is so easy to hate that he would make an excellent game villain. Building hateable villains can help players get more invested in defeating them. For example, Hush was a great villain in Batman: Arkham, and his horrific and petty cruelty made fans eager to see him get taken down, and Warren White has that same sort of energy. It would be wise to take plenty of opportunities to show his personality before the final confrontation in order to built up resentment for the player. Executed properly, taking down Warren White could be a deeply satisfying endeavor.
Gotham Knights is already shaping up to be one of the more unique Batman video games by focusing on the Bat Family instead of the Dark Knight himself, but it should take a similar approach to villains to make it even better. There are loads of DC super villains yet to have key roles in Batman's games, and an event as momentous as his death could act as the perfect catalyst for the more obscure figures to take their shot. Doing so would further distinguish Montréal's depiction of Batman, and ensure that Gotham Knights' universe feels fresh.