If a body could only play ONE Batman: Arkham game ...

[Zombra]

I have a weekly video game play date with a "gamer lite" friend who has expressed some interest in trying one of the Arkham games. Now, we cover a lot of ground in our sessions and like to sample shorter games from lots of different genres and series, but play each one from beginning to end unless we just get sick of the current game and abandon it. We're definitely not going to find the time to play more than one game in the series.

I've played and enjoyed them all to varying degrees, and I'm honestly not sure which one to recommend. Normally I'd suggest starting at the first game and playing them through in sequence, but that's not an option here.

So which one do you think it should be? Why?

 

[Ivan]

Asylum is my favorite, easily. It has the most Metroid in its DNA. Completely lost it in the sequels.

However, if your friend is a noob, do consider the other, more Hollywood entries. Said friend might be confused by the backtracking of the original.

Thus, voted kc

 

[KILLER BEAR]

From what I 've seen, the first one has the coolest atmosphere, doesn't it? Also it seems to be the most tight designed since it lacks the sandboxy stuff of the later games.

 

[Ivan]

City is very detailed, feels grimy, all in all it's very well done. However, having to traverse the city isn't particularly enjoyable (save for the flying, but that gets old p. fast. Just Cause 2/3 did it better)

 

[sullynathan]

The first ones levels are too repetitive for me, doesn't compare to a great metroidvania.

The 2nd game is far better, mostly same combat but still fun, open world is fun enough to traverse and it has far better boss fights and the level design is solid. Arguably the best superhero game. I even spent time doing the riddler puzzles and completed most of them. The quality is consistent in the game and so is the atmosphere.

Arkham origins is pretty much an expansion pack to city but they actually made the Arkham combat system have a good challenge to it. It has a large amount of boss fights and they're fun to fight. Just the side activities are boring.

 

[Talby]

Asylum. All others have no right to exist.

 

[Excidium II]

I like City more, also catwoman free roaming is neato.

 

[Invictus]

I think Asylum is the most coherent of them, with great narrative and locales but City has better combat and many more Batman villians... either way you cannot go wrong since both are awesome game
I voted City but if you try that one out you probably wont return to Asylum so keep that in mind

 

[Sam Ecorners]

Depends. Asylum is a good overall package and it's not as long as other games, City is the best for bats fans tho

 

[DeepOcean]

Play Asylum, it has all the basic gameplay mechanics will be used on the rest of the series except flying around on a city. Arkham City and Knight are unfocused games with alot of filler content, they are actually very linear games bloated by a superfulous "open world". Arkham Asylum is the most creative, with the better atmosphere and reasonably paced. Play it first, if you love it, play the rest as they are basically extra content, if you find it meh, don't play the sequels as they won't change your mind.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

City. Delicious Cat woman.

 

[Severian Silk]

Will this play session be followed by hot manly buttsecks? This will affect my answer.

 

[Zombra]

Our relationship is not of a sexual nature. Of course the right Batman game might change all that.

 

[sser]

They're all good games. I think Origins is the best of them, but doesn't receive much love on account of it being on the tail end of a repetitive design structure.

 

[Ash]

They're all shit popamole. Utter crap gameplay. Mindless awesome button tier.

 

[Zombra]

They're all shit popamole. Utter crap gameplay. Mindless awesome button tier.

Spoken like someone with 60 hours in each game "just to make sure I hate it".

 

[pippin]

City is the best Batman experience. Has the best characters. Hot Catwoman *and* voiced by Grey DeLisle.

 

[Machocruz]

Asylum for environment, atmosphere, and tightness, City for combat, characters, and catwoman ass. Asylum is my pick by a small margin.

 

[Vibalist]

Picked City, but honestly I don't know. Asylum offers less in terms of gameplay, but it was the first one and had WAY less filler and a cooler setting. It's a toss up, really.

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

I'd go with Asylum, but it's a close call.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Fuck all that and play Saboteur.

 

[Max Stats]

If your friend likes combat driving games, Knight, otherwise Asylum. It's a big open-ish game, but not too open.

 

[Ovplain]

I think I personally like City a bit more, but your 'gamer lite' friend should definitely just go with Asylum.

 

[J1M]

Asylum has the feel of exploring the island. It also has the feel of solving riddles and stalking prey from the shadows. Later entries have the feel of following the quest compass.

 

[DeepOcean]

Asylum feels like a Batman comic book story with a proper beginning, middle and end, City and Knight feel like random events that batman are somehow related and there are villains doing something that nobody is sure what. On City, you deal with Two Face, two face is gone, you deal with Penguin, Penguin is gone, you deal with Mr. Freeze, Mr. Freeze is gone none of them have more than 10 min screen time and nothing really connect their stories, while Batman Arkham Asylum has a proper introduction, foreshadow, atmosphere, background lore and all sort of good stuff that was somewhat lost after the content bloat of City and Knight.