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When Batman: Arkham Asylum came out in 2009, the Caped Crusader waged a one-man war against the super powered inmates of Arkham Asylum. In the sequel, Batman: Arkham City, Arkham Asylum expanded and consumed a section of Gotham, and Batman's no-longer-young ward Robin and his former protege Nightwing were forced to pitch in. Arkham City's Harley Quinn's Revenge DLC let players take Robin and Nightwing for a spin in the game's challenge maps, but Batman's sidekicks stuck to the shadows during the game's main story mode.

However, Rocksteady Studios revealed that the Bat-Family won't be sitting on the sidelines for Batman: Arkham Knight. In his latest adventure, Batman will need all the help he can get, as Robin, Nightwing, and Catwoman join the fracas as playable characters.

In Rocksteady's inaugural entry in the behind-the-scenes video series "Inside Arkham," the studio's developers discussed some of the key elements first revealed in Arkham Knight's "All Who Follow You" trailer. The trailer, which featured footage of Batman teaming up with Robin and Nightwing to perform tandem attacks, segued into a discussion between scriptwriter Martin Lancaster and senior animator Adam Vincent, who unveiled the game's "Dual Play" system. Lancaster confirmed that these team-ups aren't a teaser for a co-op mode; instead, these Dynamic Duos form a new system in which Batman can call on his friends for assistance.

With Dual Play, Batman can call for help in combat or while stalking thugs in predator mode. Once the other character enters the scene, players will be able to switch between Batman and his helper on the fly. As Vincent explained, this will open up new ways to approach a fight, allowing players to instantaneously jump between the characters as needed, letting characters split duties (i.e., one character focuses on brawling, while the other performs stealth takedowns), and enabling brutal team finisher moves.

Lancaster also praised Dual Play's ability to build the Arkham universe through gameplay, stating:

It's fantastic because we're able to build these relationships, not just through cinematic sequence, but right through the gameplay in every aspect of the game.

In addition to the Dual Play system, the video touched upon the roles of the game's ever-growing cast of supporting characters. Inventor Lucius Fox will now serve as Batman's resident tech expert, supplying the Dark Knight with upgrades for the Batwing and Batmobile. The Riddler will return, but with an army of robots set to infiltrate Gotham. Batman will also have to contend with Azrael, the mysterious vigilante on a holy mission to replace Batman as Gotham's new protector.

While Batman: Arkham Origins left many hardcore Bat-fans disappointed, Rocksteady seems to be going all-out for their send-off to the Caped Crusader. With all of this content, Batman: Arkham Knight could end up being the best entry in the franchise.

Batman: Arkham Knight releases on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on June 23rd.

Source: Arkham Insider