Skip to main content

The bat looks better than ever in this ‘Batman: Return to Arkham’ video

Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham games are some of the most technically impressive titles available on console, and last year’s Arkham Knight is among the most gorgeous games of the generation, with incredibly detailed character models and a beautiful setting. Fortunately, the Batman: Return to Arkham collection looks like it will bring Rocksteady’s previous games very close to the high bar set by the finale.

In a new side-by-side video showing off the original PlayStation 3 version of Batman: Arkham Asylum compared to the remastered version on PlayStation 4, the improvements are evident almost immediately. Water now reflects an eerie, soft glow from the streetlamps above, and Batman himself looks better than ever. Rain collects on top of his cowl, and his muscles cast a shadow on him that make his suit significantly spookier than before.

Recommended Videos

Lighting effects indoors are also much more impressive in Return to Arkham, giving the game a dark, ominous atmosphere that wasn’t as pronounced in the original game. The Joker’s graffiti previously appeared to almost blend in with the wall’s textures, but it now stands out with sharper colors and a deeper green that should be easily spotted by even the speediest players.

The improvements are slightly less obvious in the game’s sequel, Arkham City, as Rocksteady’s masterpiece has held up remarkably well in the five years since its release, but fire now looks like fire instead of the “idea of fire,” and the city’s neon signs give off an intense and realistic flicker.

Batman: Return to Arkham was originally scheduled for a July release, but it suffered a last-minute delay in order to give developer Virtuous Games more time to polish it. It will now arrive for both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on October 18, and includes both Arkham Asylum and Arkham City as well as all their DLC.

Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
I’m thrilled about Batman: Arkham’s move to VR — and you should be too
Batman stands in front of a bat shadow in Batman: Arkham Shadow.

Gamers woke up to some very surprising news on Wednesday, May 1. Game Awards creator Geoff Keighley revealed via X that Rocksteady's beloved Batman: Arkham series was making a comeback. Batman: Arkham Shadow would launch later this year, with more details coming in June during Summer Game Fest. It was a cause for celebration ... until people read the fine print.

Batman: Arkham Shadow is a Meta Quest 3 exclusive.

Read more
The next Batman: Arkham game is a Meta Quest 3 exclusive
Batman stands in front of a bat shadow in Batman: Arkham Shadow.

A new Batman: Arkham was just announced, but it's not what you'd expect. Titled Batman: Arkham Shadow, it's a VR title made exclusively for the Meta Quest 3.

Not much is known about the game's story, with the tagline in a Meta blog post simply stating the following: "Evil stalks the streets. Gotham City is in danger. And you’re the only one who can save it." Shortly after the announcement, Geoff Keighley confirmed on X that we'll get more details on the game during his Summer Game Fest 2024 showcase on June 7. For now, the following teaser, which ends with Batman setting off a smoke bomb to get away from a horde of rats (is Ratcatcher in this game?), will have to suffice.

Read more
Hogwarts Legacy works better as a TV show than as a video game
A student waving a wand in Hogwarts Legacy.

In its long history as a franchise, Harry Potter's video games have never really been a central part. The novels were hugely popular, as were the feature film adaptations, while the games were on a separate tier for die-hards who couldn't get enough of the world. With Hogwarts Legacy, that paradigm may be about to shift.

The game is certainly the most full-throated effort to launch Harry Potter into the realm of video games, and it seems like it's largely been a success. Hogwarts Legacy has performed well critically, and it seems to be moving a decent number of units as well.

Read more