For many it didn’t sound possible, but having played through about half of Batman: Arkham Shadow I can confidently say that developer Camouflaj has smashed even the lofty expectations they set for themselves out of the park. This title isn’t just on track to be the best Meta Quest or best VR game of 2024, it could simply be the best game of 2024.
Camouflaj could have made things easy for themselves. Instead, they lit up the Bat Signal, stared down the barrel of the internet, and boldly claimed they – in partnership with Meta – would be bringing a full-on, all-new, AAA-worthy entry in the wildly popular Arkhamverse series to VR, and it would run on the standalone Meta Quest 3. No PC or console is required.
The gameplay is superb, the story is engaging (I’ll stay light on spoilers in this piece), and every time I slip on my Meta Quest 3 I’m left with this giddy excitement that leaves me unable to stop saying “I’m Batman.” Because more so than with any other game before it, with Arkham Shadow I am Batman.
I am vengeance
But no matter how often you utter that three-word phrase, even in the gravelliest voice you can muster, being Batman doesn’t make you the Arkhamverse edition of the Caped Crusader. For many, he’s defined by the series’ iconic combat, which in the flat games is almost a dance.
It’s not just about beating your foes to a pulp but executing perfectly timed dodges, and spicing things up – or getting out of a bind – with a gadget from the utility belt. Without this element, the transition to VR would feel like a shell of Arkham.
In Arkham Shadow you’re throwing the punches yourself – even rewarded with additional damage if you swing your fist a little faster – and true to the Arkham series, Shadow won’t reward you for flailing your arms about. You must honor the fight’s flow.
Straight punches alone won’t break down your foe’s guard, so the game will instruct you to mix in a left or right hook, or a series of strikes to disorientate your opponent. And don’t get greedy when trying to finish a downed foe lest you get hit by an enemy taking advantage of your distraction – instead raise your arm to block and counter their strike. Save for counters, cape stuns, and gadget attacks, your different punches have no mechanical advantage, but they do make the fight feel much more realistic, and encourage you to take a slower more rhythmic approach as you’re rewarded for striking your foes correctly, not simply striking them.
Taking a stealthier approach in predator mode can also be a good idea, with Arkham Shadow bringing those encounters to VR too. The stealth takedowns are so much fun, popping out of a grate to choke out a goon, or doing an aerial kick before disappearing in a cloud of smoke never gets old.
Playing through the game on Hard, I did initially feel the combats were a little easier than I had hoped but as the game progresses, and enemies gather progressively more aggressive weapons like firearms and stun batons, they will put up much more of a fight. Which makes defeating them all the more exhilarating.
Is Batman the suit, or the man inside?
It’s not just the Arkham games that Shadow takes inspiration from. It also takes cues from the Telltale iteration of the character with a heavier reliance on narrative and character interactions than other Arkhamverse entries.
Picking up a few years after the events of Arkham Origins, Batman has come into his own as the protector of Gotham but as a new Cult of the Rat King threatens to send the city into chaos with their ‘Day of Wrath’ the Dark Knight is on a race against the clock to thwart their scheme or risk losing his city.
On this mission you won’t always be wearing the intimidating cowl, and when you’re out of it you have a chance to interact with other characters and roleplay a little with short dialogue trees.
Don’t expect your RP to suddenly alter the course of the story, but it does provide you with a chance to play into Batman’s detective side a little more – beyond the detective scenes the game establishes – and explore the world of the Arkham characters in a more direct way than simply finding a collectible with an attached bio or side story.
That said, there are still collectibles to search for. Rat idols and radios replace the classic Riddler Trophies; some are looked for with optional puzzles of varying difficulty, while others are simply tucked out of the way and reward you for exploring off the beaten path a little. If you miss any of these – or the other collectibles like carvings, memories, and my personal favourite: phone numbers – maps hidden in each area will highlight where they’re located so you return to pick them up later in your playthrough, though some won’t be accessible until you have the correct gadget.
On the topic of puzzles, I love that Arkham Shadow – true to its interactive VR nature – finally gives you solutions like monkey baring across pipes. In the main Arkham series there are puzzles which definitely felt they could have been solved if Batman simply put in the effort to climb a surface or two. It turns out he can climb, he just gets lazier in the years after the events of Shadow.
The great VR game we deserve, and the one we need
There are a quick couple of gripes I want to highlight.
I did experience a few minor bugs in my playthrough. Some interactable items and climbable surfaces aren’t correctly highlighted in detective mode, I was soft-locked at a few points which required me to reboot the game to a previous checkpoint, and some of the collectible phone numbers I found didn’t register or seem to work (even though I took screenshots to remember them for later). Nothing was game-breaking, and Arkham Shadow otherwise ran smoothly – even reloading a checkpoint wasn’t punishing given how frequently they are handed out – though I expect there will be a patch that’ll clean up a few of these elements.
It also relies entirely on smooth control stick-based motion rather than offering teleportation as an option. Gameplay-wise this is the better choice, and Arkham Shadow does provide some motion sickness-reducing tools like customizable vignette intensity – which makes a black ring appear around your vision while you move – however, it can be a little disorienting to VR newcomers.
Thankfully, none of these issues could come close to spoiling the fun of being Batman.
I still need to play more of Arkham Shadow to decide my full verdict – I want to see if the story can stick the landing, and if it continues to keep scenarios fresh or if things eventually get stale – but based on my experience so far Batman: Arkham Shadow is an incredible title, maybe even the best VR game ever made. I don’t throw that praise around lightly, Arkham Shadow deserves this because it’s everything you would want from a VR Arkhamverse game, while also adding enough of its own unique gameplay and story elements to not simply feel like a port of Asylum or Origins.
If you don’t have a Meta Quest 3 – either as a VR newcomer or as someone with a Quest 2 on the fence about upgrading – this title is worth getting one to play, especially as it’s currently being given away for free with new Quest 3 headset purchases. You could also get a Meta Quest 3S if you’re on more of a budget as Arkham Shadow is playable and free with that headset too.
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hamish.hector@futurenet.com (Hamish Hector)
