The “Batman: Arkham” series of action-adventure video games has been one of the most popular video game franchises around primarily because it features one of the most popular DC Comics superhero characters of all time, the Dark Knight no less.
Since 2009 when the first video game of the franchise, entitled “Batman: Arkham Asylum” came out developed by Rocksteady Studios, the series has churned in a total of four games, four portable game versions, a VR game version, and two game collections.
The two game collections of the franchise are “Batman: Arkham Bundle” and “Batman: Arkham Collection” which were both released back in 2013. A third game collection will be coming this month and it is going to be “Batman: Return to Arkham.”
“Batman: Return to Arkham” is actually a collection of the remastered version of “Batman: Arkham Asylum” and “Batman: Arkham City” using the Unreal Engine 4 for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. It is set to officially roll out to the current generation gaming console on October 18.
Using Unreal Engine 4, developer Virtuous Games has tweaked and improved all the game’s visuals. Everything from lighting to character models has visual upgrades. The upgrades provide a fairly valid reason for anyone who has already played the games to want to try the new releases.
Both games shall include all previously released DLCs and feature improved graphics, upgraded models and environment, and improvements in the lighting effects and shades for both games.
More importantly, critics believe that the release of “Batman: Return to Arkham” gives the perfect opportunity for the new generation of players to experience earlier games in the series, details Gotta Be Mobile.
Putting it in simpler terms, “Batman: Return to Arkham” is a remake and a massive collection of previous games in the series. Warner Bros Interactive, the publisher that owns the rights to the Batman franchise and other DC Comics heroes, is hoping that players who did not get the original game will want to try out “Batman: Return to Arkham.”
A comparison video
Warner Bros Interactive and Rocksteady released early last month a comparison video of “Batman: Return to Arkham” to highlight it to its predecessor games in the previous generation gaming consoles, reports Polygon.
The five-minute comparison video matched up the PlayStation 3 versions of “Batman: Arkham Asylum,” released in 2009 and “Batman: Arkham City” released in 2011 against the PlayStation 4 update.
It seems very clear that the colors are brighter, surfaces have the greater definition, and the shading is more sophisticated in the PlayStation 4 update compared to those in the previous generation gaming console.
Warner Bros Interactive announced “Batman: Return to Arkham” in May and said that the game collection would be launched on July 26. Subsequently, a delay was announced at the end of June because of the game’s frame rate problems as well as other issues with porting the games to the current generation gaming consoles.
The game publisher back then also disclosed that “Batman: Return to Arkham” shall cost $49.99 when it is officially released in North America, €49.99 in the UK, and £39.99 in Europe.
Anecdotal evidence
When the game was announced by Warner Bros Interactive in May, critics and gamers had nothing back then except the anecdotal evidence.
The game’s launch seemed like a sure thing, with ratings boards and retailers all pointing to the title’s imminent launch. Still, Warner Brothers said nothing about the title.
The game publisher also announced that “Batman: Return to Arkham” is only coming to modern video game consoles, which means that only Xbox One and PS4 players can expect the game. PC users would definitely not be able to enjoy the game.