Batman: Arkham Knight is scheduled for release this year on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and developer Rocksteady have shared with Game Informer magazine that “Arkham Knight” is not just the game’s title, but also the name of a new character.
The Arkham Knight is a new archrival to Batman, who has been created by DC’s Chief Creative Office, Geoff Johns. The character will present a challenge to Batman in a number of ways. Batman will once again be voiced by Kevin Conroy, and voice actors for the game’s villains be returning to their roles from Arkham City as well.
On the gameplay front, Rocksteady say that the structure of Gotham City has been rethought to accommodate the Batmobile and street traffic. Batman: Arkham Knight takes place in a central zone of Gotham, which is about five times the size of Arkham City. It’s divided into three islands, and Rocksteady say the goal is to create a rich and dense open-world, as opposed to the largest open-world.
As far as the Batmobile is concerned, you’ll be able to call upon the car at the touch of a button. It’s able to perform burnouts, jumps, boosts, and “rotate in a circle at a full stop” to get you pointed in the right direction. You’ll be able to swap between being in and out of the Batmobile depending on what the mission at hand requires. When you’re within range of a key point, you’ll also be able to eject right out of the Batmobile and into a fast glide.
Finally, story-wise, Rocksteady revealed that Batman: Arkham Knight takes place one year after Arkham City. Since the events of Arkham City, the crime rate has dropped, but naturally Batman continues to fight crime. Oracle will play a bigger role in the game this time around, and you’ll actually get to see her. Like in the pre-New 52 comic continuity that most are familiar with, Barbara was paralysed by the Joker.
[Source Game Informer via CVG]
