Batman: Arkham Asylum, Rocksteady’s return to the influential franchise it started with Arkham Asylum, is one of the most hotly anticipated releases of 2015. Accordingly, publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has presented fans with the de rigueur range of pre-order options, including various combinations of additional content and goodies. Here’s the breakdown of what you get, depending on where you buy, as helpfully compiled on Reddit. Links to the respective, relevant retailers have been included, in case one of the options really strikes your fancy.
All pre-orders
- Harley Quinn Story Pack: play as fan favorite character Harley Quinn in these special story missions.
PlayStation 4 Exclusive
- Scarecrow Nightmare DLC Pack: Face off against a gigantic Scarecrow and his hordes of zombies terrorizing the streets in this psychedelic excursion
Limited Edition
- SteelBook Case: These guys have really cornered the market on special edition game cases, haven’t they?
- Art Book
- Limited Edition Comic Book
- Skin Pack: three special skins derived from DC’s “New 52” reboot
- Batman Statue: a 12-inch statue of Batman towering over Gotham
Batmobile Edition
- Everything in the Limited Edition except:
- Batmobile Statue: Instead of the Limited Edition’s Batman statue, you get a transforming Batmobile statue.
GameStop Exclusive
- Red Hood Story Pack: play as Red Hood in special story missions. Various characters have assumed that identity in Batman’s long history, but allusions from previous Arkham games would suggest that it will be the Joker, who originally donned the hood in 1951.
Best Buy Exclusive
- WayneTech Booster Pack:
- Explosive Gel Takedown: set traps to take out enemies remotely
- Aerial Juggle: keep your enemies suffering mid-air with well-timed strikes
- Weapon Upgrade: boost the Batmobile’s firepower
- Batarangs While Gliding: toss out multiple batarangs while flying around Gotham
Walmart Exclusive
- 4 Exclusive Harley Quinn Challenge Maps: Play as Harley in special, skill-based challenges, in addition to her story missions
- Prototype Batmobile: A re-skinned ride with “exclusive gameplay features”
Steam Exclusive
- Gotham’s Future Skin Pack: Dress up Batman as either the futuristic Batman Beyond (from the animated series of the same name) or the doughy, middle-aged Batman from Frank Miller’s seminal The Dark Knight Returns
Simple, right? How do you feel about fragmented pre-order bonuses like this? Does it make you more inclined to buy games early, or would you rather wait until a definitive edition comes out that compiles everything?
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