Gotham Knights puts four vigilantes against the city that made them. The result is a game that starts with promise and ends with a grind.
Trailer, via Gotham Knights.
The Four Heroes
Each hero carries a distinct move set. Batgirl trades heavy blows for faster strikes. Nightwing moves through the air with checks and dashes. Robin goes fast and hits hard. Red Hood brings guns and brute force to fights. Switching between them changes how a fight plays out, and that variety holds the early hours together.
The City Streets
Gotham itself is the real star. Rain-soaked streets, neon signs, and towering buildings give the city a lived-in feel. The open world is large enough to wander, and the developers clearly put effort into making each district look distinct. That care shows in every corner.
Combat Against the Scum
Fights against ordinary enemies are satisfying. Combo chains reward timing, and the dodge system lets players keep moving while striking. Bosses break the rhythm. They repeat their attacks without changing, and the game leans on health bars rather than letting players read openings.
The Story’s Weak Points
The main plot drags. Side quests fill the map with filler tasks that add little to the story. Some missions ask players to walk back to a previous location for no reason. The pacing suffers for it.
The Arkham Legacy
Gotham Knights borrows heavily from the Arkham series. That lineage is both a strength and a weakness. Players who know that older series will find familiar rhythms, but the new game never quite reaches the heights of its predecessors. The combat is solid, but the puzzles and story feel thinner.
Performance Problems
On Series X|S and PC, frame drops happen during busier fights. Load times can drag, especially between the map and the game’s menus. On PS5, the game runs more steadily, though it still shows rough edges in busy fights.
What Works
- The four heroes each feel distinct to play
- Gotham’s city streets are detailed and varied
- Fights against ordinary enemies hold up well
- A strong opening act sets up the city’s stakes
What Falls Short
- Side content fills the map with thin, repeated tasks
- Boss fights repeat the same attacks without change
- The main plot loses momentum near the middle
- Performance problems appear across platforms
A Solid Start, A Weaker Finish
Gotham Knights succeeds best when it stays focused on its heroes and the city around them. The combat systems are strong enough to support a full campaign, even when the story beneath them falters. The side content, though, asks for too much patience for too little payoff.
“The city that made them.”
That line sums up the game’s central tension. Gotham is vivid and alive, but the story behind it struggles to keep pace.
Gotham Knights is a game that starts with real promise and settles into a steady, sometimes frustrating rhythm by the end. The highs are high, and the lows are low. For fans of the setting, there is plenty to enjoy. For anyone chasing a great story, the middle hours will test their patience.
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