Batman: Arkham Shadow is an excellent return for the Darkish Knight, and it expertly adapts the sequence for VR on Quest 3 and Quest 3S. Learn on for our full assessment.
From the primary second you see your pointy ears casting a shadow onto the bottom in entrance of you, Camouflaj invitations you to say “I am Batman.” 2016’s Arkham VR from Rocksteady was disappointingly temporary, and it left me wanting a full-length sport for a very long time. Following Camouflaj’s work on Iron Man VR, it is instantly clear that Arkham Shadow understands the task.
What’s it?: A primary-person VR unique entry within the Batman: Arkham sequence.
Platforms: Quest 3 and Quest 3S (reviewed on Quest 3)
Launch Date: October 22, 2024.
Developer: Camouflaj
Worth: $49.99 – free with new Quest 3 or Quest 3S headset purchases till April 30, 2025.
What follows is a compelling story that is totally gripped me as a Batman fan, and we discover Gotham Metropolis besieged by the mysterious Rat King, whose followers threaten to execute them in a “Day of Wrath.” Whereas it is set earlier than Asylum, Shadow may be performed with out prior data of the sequence, although long-term followers could also be happy to search out just a few references to Origins all through.
Given how typically we have seen VR diversifications segmented right into a mission-based construction – which I settle for works higher for some video games than others – Arkham Shadow utilizing one steady marketing campaign works exceptionally nicely. You are not merely selecting your mission from some menu, you are an everyday fixture on this world. Past some flashback sequences and the opening, there are not any breaks within the narrative circulation and the story development is clean.
You utilize a laser pointer to pick out dialog topics within the menus, which is a bit awkward, however the character interactions are nice general. Instantly handing NPCs key gadgets is a small however notable element that reinforces your sense of presence on this world. That is pushed by a compelling script that retains up an air of suspense, and every character’s strains are delivered nicely by a powerful voice solid.
You are quickly put to work within the sewers of Gotham, following a result in discover the Rat King’s followers. Between precise rats scurrying away within the distance, moody lighting, and the sluggish dripping of water, there is a suitably tense ambiance that feels lifted out of a comic book guide. Nice sound design and a few spectacular visuals for Quest 3 additional improve this.
There are moments the place you possibly can inform Arkham Shadow is doing its finest to maximise efficiency, which sadly means compromising elsewhere. Flat textures had been noticeable throughout just a few environments, and hair seems to be fuzzy on some characters.
Batman tales typically excel when he is working as an investigator, and the well-known Detective Mode returns in full glory. Holding your controller subsequent to your headset and clicking the set off to activate it feels intuitive, which highlights any potential clues, close by enemies, or interactable objects. Trying to find proof is not significantly onerous because the related objects are clearly highlighted, however this feels pure whereas sustaining the tone of the flatscreen entries.
The identical may very well be stated for Batman’s devices, which you will steadily unlock because the marketing campaign progresses. Utilizing the explosive gel is so simple as reaching to your waist, grabbing the machine, and squeezing the set off to put it down. Equally, gadgets like smoke bombs may be conveniently grabbed out of your costume’s forearm, and gliding throughout environments by holding your cape on either side feels nice.
The subsequent part incorporates gentle story spoilers, so we have included that in a collapsible part beneath
Gameplay is break up between two segments that alternate at totally different factors within the marketing campaign, and we’ll maintain this as imprecise as we are able to. Bruce Wayne is compelled to go undercover in Blackgate Penitentiary as an inmate underneath a distinct title, and you will discover the notorious jail with out your traditional arsenal of weapons.
It is a good distinction that makes you’re feeling such as you’re truly undercover, and the broader jail delivers some nice environmental storytelling. Overheard conversations, TV broadcasts, newspapers, and extra lean into VR’s immersive strengths nicely, offering a wider context of what is taking place round Gotham past Bruce’s speedy standpoint.
Camouflaj clearly paid shut consideration to the supply materials and that is finest exemplified in fight. What’s right here appears like Arkham Knight from a first-person perspective, and incapacitating enemies by means of an inverted takedown – a.ok.a., grabbing them from excessive up and leaving them dangling the wrong way up underneath a vantage level – feels even higher in VR. There is a good rhythm in fight by mixing button presses which is somewhat flatscreen spinoff with responsive movement controls.
Some moments detract from the immersion barely, just like the UI notifications popping as much as say enemies will shortly assault you from a particular course. May this have been achieved with extra spatial audio cues to sign the place an assault is coming from? Nonetheless, it is not a significant downside general. Once you’re pulling off satisfying finishers like breaking limbs or pushing them into your knee, this quickly turns into an afterthought.
There’s sufficient enemy variation to maintain this attention-grabbing. For instance, foes holding a stun baton cannot be attacked upfront and want you to leap behind them by pushing the appropriate analog stick ahead, adopted by pushing them off steadiness with a punch. Others wielding blades have to be dodged first by bodily ducking or shifting left or proper, adopted by a swift counterpunch, whereas heavier armored enemies may be surprised with a cape twirl. That is capped off by some nice boss battles, which I will not spoil right here however these fights are stunning in scale and problem and immensely satisfying to beat.
Batman: Arkham Shadow affords three preset consolation profiles you possibly can choose when enjoying for the primary time. Motion is restricted to synthetic stick-based locomotion, whereas each snap and clean digital camera turning are supported with adjustable angles and velocity. Vignettes may be set for common locomotion, rotation, and any involuntary motions. Fight may also be bodily intensive at instances.
Participant top may be calibrated at any time by holding down the menu button on the left Contact Controller. Your dominant hand may be chosen. Display screen shaking results may be turned off and doing a 180° flip has an elective fade to black. Velocity line results may be disabled or enabled when shifting shortly. Fight widget brightness is adjustable, and you may select a yellow or blue colour for it.
Subtitles are elective, you possibly can add the speaker’s title to it and the textual content measurement may be adjusted. Controller vibration may be disabled. Arkham Shadow additionally allows you to change your object seize enter between palm going through the thing or your index finger pointing on the object. You can even swap the place in your stock for gadgets like smoke bombs.
Lastly, there’s an possibility to make use of Dynamic Decision. Activating that is designed to assist preserve framerate whereas rendering an optimum decision, mechanically adjusting decision “throughout heavy GPU work and growing picture high quality the place attainable.” We turned this setting on throughout the assessment and observed this decision change throughout a number of situations.
There’s a lot to do past the principle marketing campaign, although that is largely restricted to destroying units of things. You will not discover any Riddler trophies like in Arkham Knight however the Rat King’s left loads of radios broadcasting his speeches throughout the streets so that you can destroy. Rat statues and different objects add to this, so it pays to fastidiously discover.
You have additionally obtained Challenges that award as much as three stars. Fight is a fast rush that is a good way to coach throughout a number of rounds, rating you on points like fluid motion, various your assaults, and never being hit. Timed Predator challenges are additionally enjoyable and concentrate on three set objectives, like sliding into an enemy and knocking them out whereas on the ground.
I want there have been greater than three challenges every, although Camouflaj confirms it is offering free updates to the sport “over the following few months” with extra Problem Maps. I can not assessment what’s not in entrance of me however different promised post-launch updates, particularly a Character Viewer and localized voice appearing, are additionally welcome information.
It is unlucky then that I encountered a number of efficiency points throughout my assessment that prompted onerous crashes, most of which had been late-game. Camouflaj says they’re already fixing my most notable issues with a v1.01 hotfix, which ought to go dwell “in just a few days.”
Counting the challenges and time spent discovering nearly all of the Rat King radios and rodent statues, Arkham Shadow took me roughly 12 hours to beat with out utterly exhausting the aspect missions. That is roughly on par with Arkham Asylum whereas conserving you bodily match because the Darkish Knight, and Camouflaj’s title by no means feels overly lengthy or abruptly minimize off.
Batman: Arkham Shadow – Remaining Verdict
Batman: Arkham Shadow is a formidable entry that appears like the sport I have been ready for since 2015. I beforehand known as Murderer’s Creed: Nexus an indication of what a full-fledged VR entry can do for a giant sequence, and that rings true as soon as once more. This is not some fast VR spin-off and I am impressed by how nicely Camouflaj captures the temper of Rocksteady’s video games.
Arkham Shadow feels trustworthy to the flatscreen Arkham video games whereas innovating in its personal method by means of VR-specific design. Fight stays acquainted but extremely satisfying, Detective Mode appears like a pure match for first-person gameplay and the sturdy narrative held my curiosity all through. With the flatscreen video games, you by no means stepped into the caped crusader’s footwear however with the VR sport, I did not need it to depart them.
UploadVR makes use of a 5-Star score system for our sport evaluations – you possibly can learn a breakdown of every star score in our assessment tips.
