The newly revealed Gotham Knights is now confirmed to be set in a new corner of the DC Multiverse rather than serving as the next game in the Batman: Arkham series. After years of various teases from the development team at WB Games Montréal, Gotham Knights premiered as part of the DC FanDome digital event. The game will pit the Bat Family (Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin, and Red Hood) against various Gotham baddies as they uncover a plot orchestrated by the mysterious Court of Owls. The game has a focus on two-player co-op, with characters forming superhero team-ups and accomplishing challenges together throughout various levels.
The premiere included a teaser trailer that introduced the games concept as well as the community's first look at Gotham Knights gameplay. Batgirl and Robin infiltrate a facility owned by Mr. Freeze that's releasing tons of cryogenic gas into Gotham's atmosphere. The trailer has the two heroes infiltrating the hideout, punching goons (with damage numbers that come off them with every hit), and eventually hacking the doomsday device. Mr. Freeze then emerges for a quick shot at a boss battle, although the gameplay cuts off before players get a look at the ending.
It was a good choice for the debut of Gotham Knights, as it showcases a character that played a prominent role in the Arkham series acting differently. That's because this is a new Mr. Freeze and a new Gotham City. Other tip-offs in the trailer include Barbara Gordon being Batgirl instead of Oracle and narration confirming the death of Commissioner James Gordon, a character that survived Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham Knight. While many of the gameplay elements will look familiar to the fan of past Batman games, this release will start things fresh and tell a new story in Batman's universe, according to a WB Games Montreal statement shared with ComicBook. Just without the Caped Crusader himself at the helm.
The recently posted Official Gameplay Walkthrough shows off a few more interesting tricks that these new characters can pull off. Robin has a teleportation move that he learned from "accessing the Justice League's satellite," and the trailer shows him throwing several goons around with the ability. Meanwhile, Batgirl seems to have learned the most from this universe's rendition of Bruce Wayne, as several of her moves map over directly from Batman's abilities in the Arkham games. Barbara also brings in her own style of weaponry, including a rather prominent energized tonfa that she uses throughout the level.
The presentation of Gotham Knights at DC FanDome showed off a game that provides just the injection of energy that the Arkham series has needed for years. After four games, the formula had grown stale, and the multiple playable characters that Rocksteady kept putting into side missions and challenge rooms felt like a missed opportunity. With four playable heroes (not those kinds of heroes) and a new storyline, anything is possible once again. Will players see a different rendition of the Joker? Will Catwoman still have a heroic side in this setting? Will Anarky reign outside of a lame side activity? Those questions will linger until 2021 when Gotham Knights hits consoles and PC.
Gotham Knights will be available in 2021.
Source: ComicBook