Gotham Knights is an upcoming two-player co-op game focusing on Gotham City after the death of Batman. Four members of the Bat-family are called on to step up to replace the Dark Knight as protectors of the city in Bruce Wayne's wake. Robin, Nightwing, Red Hood, and Batgirl have all answered the call to keep Batman's legacy alive, and to keep Gotham safe from its rogues' gallery looking to prosper in the void left by Batman's death. The prospect of the game immediately got fans excited, but it would do well to avoid falling into that same void by ensuring Gotham Knights is more than just a co-op Batman: Arkham follow-up.
It's impossible to separate Gotham Knights from Batman completely. The game will likely feature Batman villains, and the thrust of the narrative deals with the death of the Caped Crusader. That being said, the various characters players control in Gotham Knights will be given a chance to really distinguish themselves from the Bat-family patriarch. This isn't the first time players have gotten to play as various other Gotham vigilantes, the Batman: Arkham series allowed players to use different characters like Robin, Nightwing, and even some of the villains throughout its story and combat challenges. However, this time around the former sidekicks are the main focus.
Stepping Out From Batman's Shadow in Gotham Knights
From a gameplay perspective, it will be a challenge to make the characters feel distinct from each other, let alone Batman. Most of the characters are utilizing weapons and gear designed for Batman. It's been awhile since there have been any updates on Gotham Knights, but what little fans have seen is heartening in that regard. While Batgirl, Robin, and Nightwing all wield tech originally designed for or by the Dark Knight, it seems their individual strengths come through. Robin's smaller stature makes him somewhat better at stealth, Batgirl seems like the most tech-oriented, and Nightwing has some of the most brutal combat options. The main challenge will be making their gameplay feel distinct from the Batman: Arkham series.
Using mechanics like the Predator Mode from the Arkham series could be useful, but could also make the game feel like a reskinned version of the older games. Finding unique ways to emphasize each vigilante's strength will be vital. On the other end, Gotham Knights has an opportunity to explore the different personalities and approach to justice each character holds. Especially interesting is going to be the dynamics between the Robins past and present. Seeing Dick Grayson's Nightwing, Tim Drake's Robin, and Jason Todd's Red Hood interact in Gotham Knights has a lot of possibilities. Exploring these things could help Gotham Knights (and its heroes) step out from Batman's shadow.
Going back to the gameplay, personality differences should come through in the characters' abilities as well. It's an important part of Red Hood's character that he is more violent than the others, and more prone to playing executioner. This is crucial in defining him compared to other Robins in Gotham Knights. It's already been shown that he will use his trademark twin pistols, but just how far Warner Bros. is willing to go with his attacks is yet to be seen. it's interesting that the developer decided to use Tim Drake in lieu of Damian Wayne for Robin, as this could have set up an even split among the character's crimefighting approaches.
Fans are excited about Gotham Knights, despite how much Warner Bros. has been affected by industry-wide delays. Even with small bits of information known about the game, it has a lot of potential. While it would be easy to take so much of what made Batman: Arkham successful and apply it to a co-op format, Gotham Knights has a chance to do something truly fresh with the well-tread IP.
Gotham Knights is currently in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.