Arkham Origins Review: Eight Assassins, One Good Hunt — 7.1/10

Batman: Arkham Origins sends Batman back to Gotham City before the events of the main Arkham games, and it asks players to hunt down eight assassins sent to kill him. The game arrives on PS3, PC, WiiU and X360, and it tries to balance a larger open world with the tight, focused combat that made the series famous. The result is a solid but uneven prequel that fans will enjoy more for its lore than its execution.

Trailer, via Batman Arkham.

The Assassins and Their Hunts

The central hook of Batman: Arkham Origins is the bounty on Batman’s head. Eight assassins, each with their own motives and methods, are hired to take him out. Players can choose which assassin to hunt next, and each hunt plays out as a mission that spans the city. The hunts are the strongest parts of the game. They give the player a clear goal, a distinct enemy to face, and a sense of progression that the open-world side missions lack.

The assassins themselves vary in quality. Some, like Deathstroke, are well designed and offer memorable boss fights. Others feel like filler, with fights that are easy to forget once the credits roll. The pacing between hunts is where the game stumbles. Side missions tend to repeat the same fetch quests and patrol objectives that defined the earlier Arkham titles, but without the same polish.

Gotham City and Its Problems

Gotham City in Batman: Arkham Origins is bigger than the previous games, but that size comes with costs. The map is packed with districts, tunnels and landmarks, and the game encourages players to explore them all. That exploration is rewarded with collectibles, hidden rooms and Easter eggs that reward curiosity. The problem is that the city feels empty outside of missions. Side streets are quiet, and the citizens of Gotham rarely react to Batman’s presence in ways that make the world feel alive.

The lighting is one of the few technical highlights. Gotham is dark, wet and atmospheric, and the rain-soaked streets give the game a distinctive look. The animation, however, is not as sharp. Batman’s cape catches on the wind less often than in Arkham City, and some enemy animations look stiff and unfinished. The game runs at a steady frame rate across all four platforms, though the PS3 version shows its age more than the others.

Combat, Stealth and the Cape Dancer

Combat in Batman: Arkham Origins is the heart of the game, and it mostly delivers. The cape-dance move returns, letting Batman taunt enemies into attacking while he recovers health. The gadgets are expanded, with new tools like the boomerang shuriken and the line launcher adding variety to encounters. The flow of combat is smooth, and the game rewards players who learn enemy patterns and use the environment to flank foes.

Stealth, by contrast, is a mixed bag. Batman can still glide, sneak and counterattack, but the AI for enemies is less forgiving than in the main series. Enemies spot Batman more easily, and the game punishes players who try to be too cautious. This shift in difficulty is a deliberate design choice, but it will frustrate players who preferred the stealth-heavy approach of the original Arkham Asylum.

The game also introduces a new gadget that lets Batman hack security systems and disable cameras. This addition adds depth to exploration, letting players find secret rooms and shortcuts that were previously locked behind locked doors. It is a small touch, but it shows the developers thinking about how the city can be used.

Performance Across Platforms

The PS3 version of Batman: Arkham Origins is the weakest of the four, with lower resolution and occasional slowdown during busy encounters. The PC version offers the best performance, with high-resolution textures and unlocked frame rates for players who want to push the hardware. The WiiU and X360 versions sit somewhere in between, with the WiiU showing some softness in textures compared to the other consoles.

Multiplayer is included as a bonus, though it is not the focus of the game. Players can team up as Batman or Robin to take down waves of enemies in a co-op mode, or compete against each other in arenas. The multiplayer is competent but thin, offering a few modes and little replay value beyond the main campaign.

Where It Falls Short

Batman: Arkham Origins is a good game, but it is not a great one. The pacing drags in the middle, and the open world feels like padding rather than a living space. The side missions are repetitive, and the game’s difficulty curve shifts without warning, frustrating players who expect a steady challenge.

The game also leans heavily on fan service. Characters like Catwoman and Harley Quinn appear frequently, and their appearances are often tied to collectible items rather than meaningful gameplay. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean that the game’s story is less focused than the main Arkham games. The narrative is thin, and the plot revolves around Batman’s survival rather than a deeper character study.

Hard Numbers

• Title: Batman: Arkham Origins
• Platforms: PS3, PC, WiiU, X360
• Release: 2013
• Critical score: 7.1/10

Final Word

Batman: Arkham Origins is a solid prequel that suffers from a bloated open world and a story that never quite finds its footing. The combat is excellent, the assassins are memorable, and the city looks beautiful. But the pacing and the side content hold it back from greatness. Fans of the series will enjoy the additional lore and the chance to play as a younger Batman, but newcomers may find the game’s flaws more noticeable.

The game is worth playing for its best moments, but it is not a must-have purchase for everyone. It is a decent addition to the Arkham canon, but it is not the defining entry in the franchise. Batman: Arkham Origins earns a 7.1/10, a score that reflects its strengths and its shortcomings.

1. The hunts are the best parts of the game.
2. Combat is smooth and rewarding.
3. The city is atmospheric but empty.
4. Stealth is more difficult than in the main series.
5. Multiplayer is a minor addition, not a highlight.

Arkham Origins · Batman · combat · game review · open world