Skip to main content

Batman: Arkham Shadow is more faithful to the series than you think

Batman stands near fire in Batman: Arkham Shadow.
Camouflaj
Summer Gaming Marathon Feature Image
This story is part of our Summer Gaming Marathon series.

During Summer Game Fest, Meta revealed a new story trailer for Batman: Arkham Shadow. While the clip only delves into story, an accompanying blog post confirms that the gameplay staples of Rocksteady’s Arkham series are all coming to VR.

Batman: Arkham Shadow was announced earlier this spring as a Meta Quest 3 exclusive. Positioned as an official entry in the Arkham game series, the news was met with a mixed reception from critics of VR. Meta has followed up with a blog post detailing exactly how the new game will play, even if it isn’t showing that in action just yet.

Batman: Arkham Shadow (Meta Quest VR) Reveal Teaser

According to the post, Batman: Arkham Shadow will bring the series’ signature freeform combat to VR. Players can punch, dodge, perform takedowns, and more just as they can on console and PC. Players can even sit on a perch and string up unsuspecting enemies, throw their Batarang to extend combos, and break away from enemy sight lines with smoke bombs.

Recommended Videos

As for traversal, players can zip around Gotham with a Grapnel Gun and glide with Batman’s cape. Stealth, Detective Vision, environmental puzzles, collectibles, and more series staples have all been adapted into VR.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

As for its story, Arkham Shadow takes place between Arkham Origins and Arkham Asylum. Players face off against the Rat King, who takes over Gotham on July 4 with the help of a cult. Commissioner Gordon and Harvey Dent are both abducted, as the Rat King looks to get revenge on those who have harmed Gotham in a “Day of Wrath.”

The new trailer at Summer Game Fest isn’t terribly informative, only showing some slick cinematics. It’s still unclear how it’ll all play in VR or what the scope of the project is. Judging on what we know so far, though, it seems like Camouflaj is doing the work to make Arkham Shadow feel like a true mainline entry rather than a VR spinoff.

Batman: Arkham Shadow launches this fall on Meta Quest 3.

Giovanni Colantonio
As Digital Trends' Senior Gaming Editor, Giovanni Colantonio oversees all things video games at Digital Trends. As a veteran…
Everything announced at THQ Nordic Showcase 2024: Wreckfest 2, Gothic, and more
Two cars crash in Wreckfest 2.

While most major video game showcases tend to happen in June, we just got one more to kick off August. THQ Nordic held its annual digital showcase focusing on a handful of the publisher's upcoming games.

The broadcast takes place ahead of this year's Gamescom, where THQ Nordic will be demoing several of the projects shown during today's showcase. While the show wasn't jam-packed with announcements, it did provide a deep dive into five games, including the newly announced Wreckfest 2 and the upcoming Gothic remake. Ahead of the show, Digital Trends attended a pre-briefing event and learned more details on each title. Here's everything that was revealed at THQ Nordic's 2024 Showcase.
Wreckfest 2 brings more customization

Read more
This is the perfect moment to buy a Meta Quest 3 for gaming
The Quest 3 and Touch Plus controllers appear in Meta's charging dock accessory.

A person is enthusiastically enjoying a game while wearing the Meta Quest 3. Meta

At this point, you're probably bought in to VR gaming or you've not. The tech has a notoriously mixed reputation among gamers, some of whom have embraced VR as a gaming option and others who still reflexive sneer at it. I've been a supporter ever since the original PlayStation VR launched as I've played plenty of great games using the four headsets I've owned over the past decade. So believe me when I tell you that this Prime Day is the perfect time to grab a Meta Quest 3, which is .

Read more
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake might divide retro and modern RPG fans
An RPG party stands in a throne room in Dragon Quest 3: HD-2D Remake.

After a long wait, Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake is finally coming to PC and consoles -- and yes, that’s its official title. The NES revival launches on November 14 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. An HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest 1 and 2 is set to follow in 2025.

Ahead of its release date reveal during today’s Nintendo Direct, I got a deeper look into all the changes coming to the game, as well as a bit of hands-on playtime. Along with making some key quality of life tweaks, the remake also features some radical changes to story and structure that will bridge it to the first two Dragon Quest games (both of which happen after 3, chronologically). Those modern touches are paired with very faithful decisions that leave the core combat of the original surprisingly untouched – a move that may divide purists and newer RPG fans.
Modern meets retro
First revealed in 2021, Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D remaster is a project from Octopath Traveler 2 studio Team Asano and Artdink. We already knew that it would give an NES classic a fresh look thanks to Team Asano's signature HD-2D art style, but details on the game have been scarce over the past few years. That seemed surprising for a remake like this, but it turns out that the project is much more ambitious than originally advertised.

Read more