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Batman: Arkham Shadow

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Batman: Arkham Shadow is a virtual reality video game developed by Camouflaj (with several employees of Rocksteady Studios providing assistance) and published by Warner Bros. Games for the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S. The game is not only the sequel to the 2013 video game Batman: Arkham Origins, but also a direct continuation of events from its 2013 spin-off Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate. It is the sixth main game in the Batman: Arkham Series and was released worldwide on October 22, 2024. Chronology-wise, this story is placed third in the series and is followed by the events of Batman: Arkham Origins Multiplayer.

Synopsis[]

Set between the events of Batman: Arkham Origins (2013) and Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009), the game follows a young but confident Batman, who must prevent the Rat King from executing public office officials, such as District Attorney Harvey Dent and Police Commissioner James Gordon, and unleashing chaos in Gotham City on the Fourth of July. Among the game's supporting cast are Dr. Harleen Quinzel, Otis Flannegan, Lyle Bolton, Barbara Gordon, Alfred Pennyworth, and Dr. Jonathan Crane.

Plot[]

On Independence Day, a movement led by the Rat King seeks to destroy Gotham. Batman saves several police officers from being held hostage by the Rats in the sewers, although one of the officers dies. Batman also learns that the Rat King is planning an attack dubbed the "Day of Wrath". At the GCPD headquarters, Batman meets with Commissioner Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent to discuss the Rat King. After Dent leaves, a sniper attempts to assassinate Gordon and is pursued by Batman. Batman identifies the shooter as Shrike and learns that he is planning to display Rat King propaganda at the Monarch Theatre. Shrike attempts to kill Dent, but is defeated and commits suicide by lighting himself on fire. With much of the public believing he murdered Shrike, Batman assumes the identity of Irving "Matches" Malone to infiltrate Blackgate Penitentiary and discover the Rat King's identity.

At Blackgate, Malone discovers the prison's security to be run by the private military firm TYGER, led by Lyle Bolton, who has a disdain for criminals and often mistreats the prisoners. Over several days, Malone mingles with fellow inmates during the day while changing into Batman to investigate during the night. Malone meets Takeo Yamashiro, who questions Malone and takes him to meet imprisoned crime boss Carmine Falcone. Malone also attends therapy sessions with Jonathan Crane and Harleen Quinzel, during which the latter becomes suspicious of the former.

Malone deduces that Falcone might have information on the Rat King and unsuccessfully attempts to track him. The next day, Bolton beats Falcone in front of the prisoners and challenges one of them to stand up for Falcone. Malone defeats Bolton, but is placed in solitary confinement, his cell being next to the Joker, who recognizes him as Batman. Upon being released by Falcone, Malone witnesses the quarrels between Quinzel and Crane and investigates the latter. Upon rescuing Quinzel from TYGER, Batman discovers that Crane has been experimenting on his patients using hallucinogens.

Upon returning to his cell as Malone, he is brought to an interrogation room where Gordon and Dent are waiting, the next day. They reveal to Malone that Yamashiro is missing, and that his real name was Chris Nakano, an undercover police officer. Gordon and Dent state that Nakano's body is missing and believe Malone killed him as Malone protests his innocence. At the pre-trial hearing, Crane attempts to drug Malone with his hallucinogen, but the latter knocks it away, causing it to splash onto and disfigure the lefts side of Dent's face. Believing that Malone intentionally attacked him, Dent swears revenge as he is taken to the hospital.

Taken back to Blackgate, Malone is placed in a gas chamber by Bolton, who has decided to kill him using the attack on Dent as a pretext. He escapes with the help of the Rats, who believe Malone to be the Rat King. Batman boards a ship with many inmates awaiting in cells, Nakano among them, and discovers that the Day of Wrath is an attack on the GCPD and that the Rat King is an alternate personality of Dent. After the ship crashes into the GCPD building, Batman finds Dent holding Joe Chill, one of the inmates he befriended as Malone, at gunpoint. Dent reveals Joe to be the killer of Bruce Wayne's parents and attempts to execute him, but Batman stops him by unmasking himself as Bruce. While Chill leaves after apologizing, Dent struggles to process the revelation of his friend's double life and attempts to jump off the building, but is saved by Bruce.

In the aftermath, Chill returns to Blackgate on his own accord. Bolton is questioned and he alongside all of TYGER are dismissed from their positions at Blackgate for their violent abuse of the prisoners along with assisting the Rats. Malone is presumed to be the Rat King and still at large, despite being presumed dead in absentia, while Leslie Thompkins treats Dent for his dissociative identity disorder. Although Dent has seemingly no recollection of his actions as the Rat King, including the reveal of Batman's identity, the alternate personality tells Bruce that "this is the beginning of us".

During the credits, Thompkins informs Bruce that she has found a former Rat he had been asking about, and suggests that Bruce visit him. In a post-credits scene, Bruce arrives at Shrike's old apartment to help Dick Grayson, the former Rat that Thompkins spoke of, finish packing as he adopts him as his ward. As they leave, Dick mourns the loss of Shrike, but admits he could not be saved. However, Bruce assures him that everyone can be saved, something Dick heartfully agrees on.

Sometime earlier in the game, Batman finds a hidden ledger belonging to Falcone containing blackmail data on several corrupt political figures in Gotham, only to discover the ledger was hacked by Edward Nashton, also known as the Riddler, who not only stole the blackmail data, but also discovered information regarding an estranged relative of Falcone.

Cast and Characters[]

Arkham Shadow features a large ensemble cast of characters pulled from the large history of the Batman comic mythos. Returning characters from the previous five main games and Arkham Origins Blackgate include:

Characters making their debut in the Arkhamverse:[]

Other Characters:[]

  • Rat Cultists
    • Basilico (voiced by Anthony Del Rio)
    • Harris (voiced by Brian Bloom)
    • Johnsen (voiced by Brian Bloom)
    • Scarlatti (voiced by Chris Naoki Lee)
    • Pinkerton (voiced by Crispin Freeman)
    • Johann (voiced by Darius Marquis Johnson)
    • Paul (voiced by Darius Marquis Johnson)
    • Kazlachev (voiced by Jake Eberle)
    • Trevor Graves (voiced by Jim Pirri)
    • Alvaro (voiced by Lucien Dodge)
    • Monteverdi (voiced by Marc Worden)
    • Dillon (voiced by Matthew Mercer)
    • Sebastian (voiced by Piotr Michael)
    • Whiting (voiced by Ryan Colt Levy)
    • O’Connell (voiced by Scott Whyte)
    • Telemann (voiced by Scott Whyte)
    • Darcey (voiced by Zeke Alton)
    • Francis (voiced by TBA)
    • Johnny (voiced by TBA)
  • TYGER Guards
    • C.O. Kausman (voiced by Andrew Kishino)
    • C.O. Mikuzewski (voiced by Andrew Morgado)
    • C.O. Abousamra (voiced by Anthony Del Rio)
    • C.O. Hall (voiced by Anthony Del Rio)
    • C.O. Si (voiced by Chris Jai Alex)
    • C.O. O’Neil (voiced by Crispin Freeman)
    • C.O. Robbins (voiced by Darius Marquis Johnson)
    • C.O. Cunningham (voiced by Isaac Robinson-Smith)
    • C.O. Anamwathana (voiced by James Horan)
    • C.O. Green (voiced by James Horan)
    • C.O. Martinez (voiced by Jay Tavare)
    • C.O. Lamas (voiced by Jim Pirri)
    • C.O. Kohr (voiced by Jonathan Ohye)
    • C.O. Wilcox (voiced by Jonathan Ohye)
    • C.O. Messenger (voiced by Lucien Dodge)
    • C.O. Roni (voiced by Marc Worden)
    • C.O. Dominic (voiced by Peter Lurie)
    • C.O. Deamer (voiced by Ryan Colt Levy)
    • C.O. Hobbs (voiced by Scott Whyte)
    • C.O. Pearson (voiced by Seth Allyn Austin)
    • C.O. Randy Ma (voiced by Stephen Fu)
    • C.O. Waring (voiced by Stephen Fu)
    • C.O. Novick (voiced by Tyler King)
    • C.O. Joseph Smith (voiced by Tyler King)
    • C.O. Strange (voiced by Walter Grey IV)
    • C.O. Mitchell (voiced by William Salyers)
    • C.O. Huynh (voiced by Zeke Alton)
    • C.O. Scott (voiced by Zeno Robinson)
    • C.O. Charlie (voiced by TBA)
  • Falcone Henchmen
    • James (voiced by Andrew Kishino)
    • Dannenbring (voiced by Anthony Del Rio)
    • Vernon (voiced by Jasiri Booker)
    • Corti (voiced by Ryan Colt Levy)
    • Sugimoto (voiced by Stephen Fu)
    • Kolodychuk (voiced by Stephen Tobolowsky)
    • Krishnan (voiced by Tyler King)
    • Lou (voiced by TBA)
  • GCPD Officers
    • Officer O’Hara (voiced by Ali Hillis)
    • Officer Pettit (voiced by Jake Eberle)
    • Officer Hutch (voiced by TBA)
    • Officer Foley (voiced by Jasiri Booker)
  • Blackgate Prisoners
    • Bazos (voiced by Andrew Morgado)
    • Bowman (voiced by Anthony Del Rio)
    • Lagase (voiced by Chris Cox)
    • Novokhatnii (voiced by Chris Cox)
    • Gleckner (voiced by Chris Naoki Lee)
    • Baszinski (voiced by Dove Meir)
    • Meals (voiced by Isaac Robinson-Smith)
    • Spangler (voiced by Jim Pirri)
    • Weston (voiced by Jordan Reynolds)
    • Jallow (voiced by Josh Crane)
    • Brennan (voiced by Josh Keaton)
    • Frank (voiced by Josh Keaton)
    • Walker (voiced by Josh Keaton)
    • Elliot (voiced by Lucien Dodge)
    • Bastien (voiced by Matthew Mercer)
    • Zurawski (voiced by Richard Epcar)
    • Zentner (voiced by Ryan Colt Levy)
    • Sivarapornsakul (voiced by Scott Whyte)
    • Stankevych (voiced by Scott Whyte)
    • Alexander (voiced by Seth Allyn Austin)
    • Fedje (voiced by Stephen Fu)
    • Bullard (voiced by Walter Grey IV)
    • Kanchanawenich (voiced by Zeke Alton)
    • Doody (voiced by Zeno Robinson)

Henchmen in Arkham Shadow:[]

Referenced Characters:[]

Locations[]

Gotham City:[]

Other:[]

Development[]

On May 1st, 2024, the reveal trailer for the game was released, along with a note that more details will be revealed on June 7th during Summer Game Fest. The reveal trailer was met with negative feedback, mostly due to its exclusivity as a VR game.

On June 7th, 2024, the story trailer was revealed at Summer Game Fest. Details revealed that the game is set between events of Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Asylum, taking place around The Fourth of July, and will feature the origin stories of Harley Quinn, Scarecrow and other well-known villains. The Rat King is also confirmed to be the game's main antagonist. Roger Craig Smith is revealed to be reprising the role of Batman in the game.

On August 20th, 2024, the official gameplay trailer was revealed at Gamescom 2024, showcasing combat, predator, traversal, detective mode and further story elements. This trailer was better received, specifically due to it showcasing how the rhythm-fluid style of the Arkham series' combat translated into VR for the first time.

On September 25th, 2024, the release date (October 22) was announced at Meta Connect along with another announcement that the game is being bundled with a new VR Headset called the Meta Quest 3S which will cost $299 and will release on October 15.

On October 19th, 2024, the voice actor for Jonathan Crane was officially announced to be Elijah Wood in the fourth and final Camouflaj pre-release Q&A video for Arkham Shadow.

On October 22nd, 2024, the game was released on the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S.

On November 21st, 2024, the game received it's first post-launch patch which included several UX fixes, polish refinements, and removal of various bugs and glitches.

On December 17th, 2024, the game got a second post-launch update that added a 'Character Viewer' featuring character model showcases (alongside character biographies with voice clips) and new Challenge Maps. The patch also saw the addition of localized voiceover tracks (French, German, Italian, European Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Japanese, and Korean), more polish refinements, additional UX improvements, and further bug and glitch fixes.

On January 29th, 2025, the game had gotten a third post-launch update that added New Game Plus, a new interactive post-credits epilogue for those who completed NG+, a new Character Viewer entry for Dick Grayson, and two new Challenge Maps (one for Combat and another for Predator) that had infinite enemies, alongside more bug removals, polish fixes, and further UX refinements.

On February 27th, 2025, the game would receive it's fourth and final post-launch update that added Extreme Difficulty for the campaign, "I Am the Knight" mode for New Game Plus, some new Game Over scenes, three new Predator Challenge Maps inspired by three previous fan-favorites in the Arkham series, a new Challenge Map that is inspired by the Scarecrow Nightmares known as "Crane's Nightmare", six new voice echo collectibles, and new secret easter eggs, in addition to more bug fixes, technical polishes, glitch removals, and game UX improvements.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • It was confirmed by the developers in a Q&A video that Rat King and Ratcatcher are two different people and that Ratcatcher idolized Rat King as he did Black Mask before the events of Arkham Origins, but when Joker was revealed to have been Black Mask and not Roman Sionis, he felt betrayed and soon followed in the path of The Rat King.
  • The gameplay mechanics from the previous Batman: Arkham games will be featured in Arkham Shadow, including freeflow combat, counter attacks, predator encounters, Detective Vision, Crime Scene Investigations and gadget utilization.
  • The game features a sort of free-roaming, open-world mode where players can explore locations such as the Monarch Theatre, Bowery and Beacon Hotel in a "new perspective". The game is also confirmed to take place over several days instead of just one night like in the previous Arkham games.
  • This is the second Batman: Arkham game to be established in virtual reality, with the first being Batman: Arkham VR.
  • This is the fourth time a Batman: Arkham game was made by another gaming studio besides Rocksteady. The first was Batman: Arkham City Lockdown, which was developed by Netherrealm Studios, the second was Batman: Arkham Origins, which was developed by WB Games Montreal, and the third was Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, developed by Armature Studios.
  • In the story trailer for the game, an instrumental version of "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" by the Smashing Pumpkins plays.
  • The gameplay trailer presented for Gamescom 2024 featured three characters new to the Arkham series, Otis Flannegan/The Ratcatcher, Lyle Bolton/Lock-Up, and Arnold Wesker/The Ventriloquist. The latter was initially presumed to be Wesker because he was holding a ventriloquist dummy that was presumably Scarface. Upon release, Wesker (pre-Ventriloquist) was confirmed. Additionally, the ventriloquist dummy in his hand goes by the name Woody before eventually being renamed Scarface.
  • According to one of the Q&A videos from the creators, the game takes place 6 months after Arkham Origins and 3 months after Arkham Origins Blackgate.
  • Challenge Maps will be in the game as confirmed in a feature on September 26th.
  • Howard Branden returns, now working for TYGER after having been fired from the GCPD, sometime after the events of Origins.
  • Elijah Wood, who voices Jonathan Crane (pre-Scarecrow) in the game, is best known for his role as Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's The Lord of The Rings film trilogy.
    • Wood is the second Lord of The Rings actor to have voiced Scarecrow in the Arkham series. John Noble, who portrayed Denethor in Return of the King, previously voiced Crane in Arkham Knight.
  • Carmine Falcone, having been mentioned in previous Arkham games, makes his proper debut appearance. His last time appearing was in the now defunct online game Batman: Arkham Underworld.
  • Barbara asks Batman to call her Oracle while working with him, an alias she will reuse after being paralyzed by the Joker and retiring from the field as Batgirl.
  • This game marks one of the rare occasions in the franchise in which Joker isn't the main antagonist or involved in the plot, although he does make a voice cameo when situated in a cell next to Malone. Joker makes reference to this when he tells Batman (having correctly deduced him to be Malone in disguise from his voice) that he isn't involved in the Rat King's plot.
  • Initially, this was the one of the few main titles in the Arkham series, and the second following Arkham Origins Blackgate, to not feature the Riddler in any physical or vocal capacity. However, it was still the first main game in the series to not have any Riddler challenges and collectibles be featured in the game, instead being replaced with Rat King collectables such as propaganda radios.
    • As the game is set during Batman's third year of crimefighting, Nigma would have needed time to build up his Riddler persona, steal money to hire thugs, devise his death traps and discern which thugs to hire based on eidetic memory and espionage capabilities, possibly explaining his lack of involvement in the events of the game.
    • Additionally, there are numerous references to "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?", the fortieth episode of Batman: The Animated Series, overall, which saw Riddler make his debut in. The references primarily focus on the game the Riddler designed known as Riddle of the Minotaur.
    • Oddly enough, despite not appearing at all, physically or vocally, Riddler was listed in the German and Mexican-Spanish versions of the game's voice cast during the credits. This might have been a developer oversight or he may been intended to have been an additional phone number in the game that the player can scan and listen to on release.
      • This confusion would be resolved with the release of the V1.4 update, in which Batman can visit Carmine Falcone's secret vault in Maximum Security, where an Enigma Datapack can be found. It has an audio recording from Enigma himself (now already going by the Riddler) that can be played. Wally Wingert reprises the role for this vocal cameo.
  • Arkham Shadow marks the first game since Arkham Knight to feature Batman as the playable title character, after the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League in February 2024 and Batman's more antagonistic role in that game.
    • The game also marks the first time Batman has been voiced by a different actor in the series following the death of Kevin Conroy in 2022, with the actor in question, Roger Craig Smith, reprising the role after having voiced a younger version of the character in Arkham Origins and Arkham Origins Blackgate.
  • When encountering the Rat in the Monarch Theater's projection room, there were hints strongly implying he was actually Dick Grayson before taking on the role of Robin (and later, Nightwing). Some of these hints involve his battle stance (holding two broken pieces of wood as weapons much like Nightwing would do with his Escrima Sticks), his hairstyle being close to the one from Arkham Origins' now-defunct multiplayer mode and an easter egg reference in Malone's apartment where a newspaper cut-out of the Flying Graysons' deaths can be seen in the beginning of the game, suggesting Grayson had joined the Rats not long after his parents had died.
    • The release of the first post-launch Q&A video for the game, as well as the November patch having new game over scenes, confirmed that Grayson was indeed the Rat from the Projection Room. Additionally, the January 2025 update for the game features a "lore-expanding" scene after the post-credits depicting the first proper meeting between Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson.
  • This game marks the first physical appearance of Arnold Wesker in the Arkham series, after being referenced in a character bio and having his name be on Joker's "party list" in Batman: Arkham Asylum.
    • This also marks the first time both Wesker and Scarface are shown together in the same game, as Scarface made an appearance in Asylum, City, and Batman: Arkham Knight without either Wesker or his replacement as the Ventriloquist.
  • Arkham Shadow marks the first time Jonathan Crane's face has been fully shown and intact in an entry of the Arkham series; as he would remain masked throughout Arkham Asylum and appears with a heavily reconstructed face in Arkham Knight made to resemble a burlap sack following his mutilation from Killer Croc's attack.
  • Both Jonathan Crane and Harley Quinn wear accessories on their person that foreshadows their eventual supervillain personas; Crane is shown wearing a neck tie resembling a noose, while Quinn wears earrings in the shape of black and red diamonds.
  • This is the second entry in the Arkham series to have no involvement from Nick Arundel, who composed the music for previous entries in the Arkhamverse. The composer for this game was Kazuma Jinnouchi.
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