Batman: Arkham Shadow VR Review – You Are Batman!

Batman: Arkham Shadow

Batman: Arkham Shadow is a milestone VR release on several fronts from VR game developer, Camouflaj. Fresh off their previous superhero VR game, Iron Man, Meta tagged them to develop a superhero game that would coincide with the launch of the Meta Quest 3S. The 3S is a more affordable version of Meta’s premium headset, the Quest 3. Meta wanted a spotlight game to highlight the 3S launch and the spotlight they wanted was the Bat Signal.

What new, and exclusive, VR game could generate the most gamer and media attention than Batman? Short of another Half Life VR game, which would require the cooperation of Valve, I can’t think of another. Can you? A Batman VR game is a sure-fire winner. Especially when the character already has a proven track record with its Arkham series of flat games. Fans have been dying for a new Arkham game for over a decade now.

So Meta is willing to foot the bill for a high quality, dare we say AAA, Batman Arkham game done in VR. The mission was not only to create a Batman VR game but to create one that carries on the tradition and expectations of the previous games. This vision meant all aspects. Not just the look, but the mechanics and the equipment Batman uses. Also, the production values would require top notch voice acting too.

It is impressive just how much Camouflaj has recreated in VR so many of the Arkham game characteristics. It’s all here. The detective vision, the grappling hook, the batarangs, the puzzles, the trophies – this time they are for the Rat King, the Character Viewer,the Challenge Maps, the smoke bombs, and, of special note, the combat. Camouflaj worked closely with Warner Bros. Interactive to get their game as close to the DNA of its predecessors.

Arkham Shadow Story

Story-wise Arkham Shadow takes place between Arkham Origins and Arkham Asylum. Thus, we play a younger Batman, with Roger Craig Smith providing the fresh voice, after the passing of Kevin Conroy. Smith doesn’t miss a stride and gets to play a Batman, who is still learning and is prone to losses of self-control and lets his emotions, especially anger, get the best of him.

Besides the new gaming possibilities VR brings to Batman, Arkham Shadow focuses on a lessor known villain, the Rat King. Rat King has a cult following where his minions are so devout they willingly give up their lives in his service. The game’s story uses a running clock approach; the Rat King promises a Day of Wrath, when he will take revenge on those who oppress the weak.

Arkham Shadow further mines Batman lore and has segments of the game where Bruce Wayne uses an alter-ego of his, Matches Malone, a low level thug to infiltrate Blackgate Prison. The trail to track down the Rat King leads there to mob boss, Carmine Falcone, who is supposed to know the identity of the Rat King. Once there, Batman has Alfred set up a makeshift Batcave under the prison, a la like the one that was set up under Arkham Asylum. For that segment of the game, you alternate between Batman and Malone.

Players experience Arkham Shadow from a first-person perspective. This change in POV presents a major change in how combat is done. The game uses a series of predetermined moves to imitate the combo style of fighting from the flat Arkham games. They display as either directional arrows or as target icons superimposed over attackers. What, at first blush, is the most controversial aspect of this VR game turns out to be its biggest delightful surprise.

Real Physical Combat

Sure, you don’t have complete control over how to dispatch an enemy, but the immersive nature of the combat wins the day. Having to actually throw punches, jabs, combos, and counters is the one standout aspect of Arkham Shadow that really makes you feel like a badass Batman. An excellent side benefit, it’s a great workout too. Combat experience opens up new abilities and you’ll soon break legs with great ease.

You can also flip over enemies and punch them from behind. For armed enemies, you can engage a dodge mechanism by flicking on the right joystick in any direction but forward, that’s used for the flip. To avoid knife attacks, you have to physically dodge them. These moves, batarangs, and explosive charges let you create combo attacks to overcome every challenge.

The gargoyle heads also appear in the game and offer the same functionality. You can swing from one to the other to avoid or escape enemy detection. You can also launch take downs from them or hang from them to quietly take enemies off the floor and leave them hanging. So do the wall and floor grates. You use the wall grates to access areas without detection. With the floor grates, you can sneak behind unsuspecting foes and swoop up to take them down silently.

The famous Batman cape gets the VR treatment too. In combat, you imitate grabbing it and bringing it up across your face to stun opponents. This is a great defensive/offensive tool when surrounded by enemies. Some enemies are armored or armed and need to be stunned before you can land any effective blows. You can also use the cape for traversal. You grab both ends and lift your arms up before you step off a ledge so that you can glide to a new destination. Very immersive.

Tools And Detecting

In terms of tools, you also have the grappling hook, which employs just a button press. You also have detective vision, which uses VR motions to activate. You raise a hand to the side of your head and tap your temple. The detective vision totally mimics the view seen in flat games. Your vision turns the environment into a wire mesh representation with points of interest or interactivity highlighted with a yellow glow.

On the detecting side of things, you’ll be analyzing crime scene data. You can identify chemical compounds and use their traces to track down your quarry. Sound familiar? Also familiar is the use of detective vision to solve how to gain access to smashable rat statues. You also be working out codes to unlock doors to access new areas or locating grates to access ducts.

Graphically, Camouflaj has done an amazing job of cramming as much of the Arkham aesthetics into a standalone headset as possible. Visually, but at higher frame rates and resolution, the game is reminiscent of Arkham Asylum on the Xbox 360. Even though you don’t get to see Batman in third person, you can look down and see your costume and your arms and gloved hands. What is really cool in VR is seeing the shadow your character throws.

As impressive as the Quest 3/3S presentation is, I can’t help but pine for a PC or PSVR 2 presentation of the game. The few open areas reveal the limitations of standalone VR. You only get glimpses of Gotham City. There’s no open world free wandering in Arkham Shadows. The game story is linear and so is your journey. Also, the old gaming technique of loading new areas while traveling in an elevator or waiting for a large door to open is present too.

Camouflaj Delivered

Quibbles aside, this is an outstanding piece of work by Camouflaj. Making a VR Batman game comparable to the flat versions is no small feat. You get all the elements of an Arkham game. There’s exploration, combat, detective work, stealth, and puzzle solving. While it may not have the scale of a flat Arkham game, it has an engaging story with unexpected twists as you try to track down who is the Rat King.

What is also heartening is Camouflaj will continue to update the game with free content such as additional Challenge Maps. If you’ve yet to experience VR and are a big Batman fan, you’ll never get a better or more affordable opportunity to try it out with a Quest 3S/Batman bundle. Or really feel like Batman.

***Batman Arkham Shadow Meta key provided by the publisher.***