While superhero fiction as a genre has now started dominating the movie industry, the same is not true for gaming. There are very limited superhero games out there, and out of them, only a few have managed to create a fanbase. One such super video game is Batman: Arkham series.
Batman: Arkham, as a franchise, has some of the best superhero games on its roster. Furthermore, it’s the only franchise that dates way back and still offers an impressive gaming experience even to this day. Batman: Arkham is infamous for its action-packed gameplay, intriguing storylines, and interesting characters.
Since the franchise has multiple games, you might be curious to know how to play Batman: Arkham Games in order. If that’s the case, you’ve come to the right page, as we’ll take a look at all the games released throughout the years!
All Batman: Arkham Games in Order
In this comprehensive listicle, we’ll take a look at every single Batman Arkham game in brief. Furthermore, we will discuss the correct play order if you’re overwhelmed with all the installments.
Without any further ado, let’s jump right into the Batman: Arkham Games in chronological order.
Main Installments:
1. Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)
- Release date: August 25, 2009
- Platform: Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Mac
Batman: Arkham Asylum is the first installment in the franchise, released in 2009. The game is inspired by comic book mythos. You play Batman trying to stop your archenemy, The Joker, from destroying Gotham City. In the asylum, the Joker releases an unstable medicine, turning locals into dangerous lunatics.
Arkham Asylum heavily focuses on combat and puzzle-solving. For puzzle solving, there’s a Detective mode using which you can find clues, enemies, and valuable objects. As expected, there is a focus on stealth as well. Batman is known for his gadgets and acrobatics, which the game also highly focuses on.
Batman: Arkham Asylum has a Metroidvania gameplay experience. For those unaware, this means that the map would not be fully unlocked; certain areas would be locked. To unlock those places, you would need special tools or abilities or reach a certain level.
2. Batman: Arkham City (2011)
- Release date: October 18, 2011
- Platform: Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Mac, Wii U
Next up is Batman: Arkham City, which was released two years after the first installment. This second installment in the Batman: Arkham games in order was also developed by Rocksteady Studios.
The game’s storyline continues after a year of the events of Arkham Asylum. Gotham City authorities have now created Arkham City, which is a huge prison.
The Joker is already inside the prison, but Batman has also ended up there. How? Well, TYGER mercenaries have captured Bruce Wayne since his double identity is now revealed. The whole storyline revolves around you trying to find a way out of prison before Ra’s al Ghul destroys Arkham City.
Catwoman is a playable character in this game, but for a small portion. Furthermore, the villain roster includes The Joker and Two-Face. The core gameplay feels similar to the predecessor but is much more refined now with various new additions.
Arkham City was a critically acclaimed title and considered a classic among some of the popular games of that year.
3. Batman: Arkham Origins (2013)
- Release date: October 25, 2013
- Platform: Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U
Batman: Arkham Origins may be the third entry in the franchise, but it serves as a prequel to the first entry in the franchise. The storyline revolves around Batman trying to hunt down Black Mask, who has put a bounty on his head. Thanks to the bounty, eight lethal assassins of the world are now trying to kill Batman.
The storyline is impressive, and so is the gameplay experience. Core gameplay mechanics are still the same, but there are some notable additions. There’s a fast-travel system allowing you to travel to other areas of the world quickly.
The Detective Mode is now much more improved. It has a rewind and fast-forward feature, allowing you to see crime scenes later in your Batcomputer. You can also enter a Batcave whenever you want to upgrade or customize your gears. It’s a pretty nice addition, in our opinion.
Batman: Arkham Origins also introduces a multiplayer mode, allowing you to play with your friends in a Batman & Robbin vs. Joker & Bane battle. Origins introduced many new things, but still, the game received low reviews compared to the previous two titles.
4. Batman: Arkham Knight (2015)
- Release date: June 23, 2015
- Platform: Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Released in 2015, Batman: Arkham Knight is the main franchise’s last entry. Rocksteady Studios handled the development for this title, and it makes sense, considering the first two titles in the franchise have set a certain standard.
Arkham Knight picks up the story one year after the events of Arkham City. This time, the villain in question is Scarecrow, who, as you expect, is planning to destroy Arkham City. But that’s not it! Scarecrow is getting help from Arkham Knight, who has reunited several villains to destroy Batman.
Storyline-wise, Arkham Knight is a very impressive installment. The gameplay is also very much refined and uses the same old mechanics. It feels refreshing and smooth, which is what the loyal fans required. The game has new additions, such as Batmobile, that you can drive and use in combats. Batman now has advanced gadgets and gears. Furthermore, the open-world environment is now massive.
Batman: Arkham Knight brings back a lot of characters, and it makes sense, considering it’s the epilogue of the franchise. We’re looking at Robbin, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Two-Face, The Riddler, Poison Ivy, and Simon Stagg.
Spin-Offs of Batman: Arkham Franchise:
1. Batman: Arkham City Lockdown (2011)
- Release date: December 7, 2011
- Platform: Android, iOS
Batman: Arkham City Lockdown is a mobile spin-off of the 2011 Batman: Arkham City. Developed by NetherRealm Studios, the game is available for both Android and iOS platforms. Even though it’s a spin-off, the game still revolves around the Arkham universe.
The story is set before the events of Arkham City. In this game, Batman captures numerous villains who escaped from Arkham Asylum. These villains also include the primary ones, namely Two-Face, Deathstroke, Solomon Grundy, and The Joker.
The gameplay is straightforward and quick to learn for a mobile game. It has basic abilities such as dodging attacks, attacking, jumping, crouching, etc. Sadly, the title is no longer available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
2. Batman: Arkham Origins (Mobile) (2013)
- Release date: October 16, 2013
- Platform: Android, iOS
Another mobile-focused Batman game developed by NetherRealm Studios is available for both iOS and Android. The game is developed using Unreal Engine 3 and is free-to-play, just like the predecessor. Arkham Origins Mobile looks and feels similar to that of the Lockdown. It’s more of a mobile version of the original Arkham Origins, having the same storyline.
The developers added two stances for fighting – a defensive stance and an offensive stance. Defensive reduces damage when hit, while offensive delivers attack damage. While going through the story, you need to keep a check on your health bar and energy levels, both of which can be restored using points.
As expected, the game is no longer available on the official app stores, so you would have to find some other way to download it.
3. Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (2013)
- Release date: October 25, 2013
- Platform: Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U
Apart from mobile spin-offs, we also have a spin-off title for Windows and consoles called Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate. Developed by Armature Studios, it’s a 2.5D side-scrolling video game that acts somewhat like a sequel to Arkham Origins.
The game takes place three months after the events of Arkham Origins. The game follows Batman as he attempts to stop a prison riot at the Blackgate Penitentiary. The Penitentiary is taken over by three villains – Joker, Penguin, and Black Mask. The game also fills the gap on how Batman met Catwoman.
To make things easier, there are no level mechanics that you need to achieve to progress further. The rest of the gameplay elements look the same, focusing on combat, stealth, gears & gadgets, and, of course, melee attacks.
The game was initially released for Nintendo 3DS, so it has a more handheld focus experience.
4. Batman: Return to Arkham (Remaster) (2016)
- Release date: October 18, 2016
- Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Batman: Return to Arkham is a 2016 remaster of the two popular titles, Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. The remaster was designed for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to deliver an updated gameplay experience. The pack uses Unreal Engine 6 to bring remastered graphics, audio, and textures.
The story and the mechanics and combat experience remain the same. Apart from visuals, there were heavy improvements in terms of performance for the consoles. This remaster is not developed by Rocksteady, so many fans skip the title and prefer going for the GOTY editions.
5. Batman: Arkham Underworld (2016)
- Release date: July 14, 2016
- Platform: Android, iOS
Batman: Arkham Underworld is yet another mobile spin-off in the franchise available for Android and iOS. Unlike previous mobile games, this title is developed by Turbine and follows a very different approach.
The game is set a few years before the events of Arkham Asylum. The game features voice acting from the main installments. It’s a strategy game where you control a team of villains, including various popular villains such as Riddler, Harley Quinn, Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, Scarecrow, and Bane.
With this team, you build hideouts and recruit henchmen. The goal here is to become Gotham City’s “next criminal kingpin.”
6. Batman: Arkham VR (2016)
- Release date: October 2016
- Platform: PlayStation VR, Windows
Batman: Arkham VR was a unique spin-off designed exclusively for PlayStation VR. The game brought a unique experience of you playing as Batman in virtual reality. It was developed by none other than our beloved Rocksteady.
Set in the Arkham universe, the game takes place a few weeks before the events of Arkham Knight. The game focuses less on the action or combat but more on the puzzle-solving. You use multiple gadgets to find clues and unravel a plot that threatens the lives of your closest allies.
The game is very short and has a gameplay duration of around two hours or less. It makes sense as the idea behind the title was to showcase the VR capabilities and what could be the future of the franchise leveraging it.
Batman: Arkham VR is available for PlayStation and Windows (via HTC Vive or Oculus Rift). If you have the rigs with you, we recommend checking this one out.
In Which Order Should You Play Batman: Arkham Games?
There are two orders for playing the Batman: Arkham games. The first is the release order, and the second is the chronological order, also known as the in-game universe order.
Release Order
Of course, playing in the “release order” has certain benefits. It’s the intended way of exploring the franchise in the eyes of developers and creators.
There are numerous flashbacks in Batman: Arkham Origins that would make for an exciting experience. Furthermore, the developers have hidden easter eggs in Arkham Origins, which makes the whole franchise even more fun.
The only downside of exploring the release order is the non-linear story. If that doesn’t bother you, we highly recommend checking out the release order, which looks like this:
- Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)
- Batman: Arkham City (2011)
- Batman: Arkham Origins (2013)
- Batman: Arkham Knight (2015)
In-Game Universe Order
For those looking for other ways to explore the series, you can go ahead with the in-game universe order, i.e., the chronological order. Following this order, you’ll experience the storyline linearly, which is the apparent advantage over here.
Here’s what the in-game universe order looks like:
- Batman: Arkham Origins
- Batman: Arkham Asylum
- Batman: Arkham City
- Batman: Arkham Knight
The above two orders are strictly designed for the main installments, and you would miss out on the gaps the spin-offs fill.
If you’re looking for a more focused and detailed storyline, we recommend checking the order below.
- Batman: Arkham Origins
- Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate
- Batman: Arkham Asylum
- Batman: Arkham City Lockdown
- Batman: Arkham City
- Batman: Arkham VR
- Batman: Arkham Knight
In our opinion, the above gameplay order is the best among the three and should be explored if you’re looking for a detailed storyline or are a big fan of the franchise or DC comics in general.
Upcoming Games in Batman: Arkham Universe:
While we might not have seen any new game since the Arkham Knight of 2015, it doesn’t mean the franchise is done for the good. Another game in development would launch in the coming months.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
- Release date: 2024 (Tentative)
- Platform: Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Rocksteady Studios is now working on a new title dubbed Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The game is part of the Arkhamverse continuity and might not directly involve the Arkham universe. It’s a third-person action-adventure shooter game that revolves around Task Force X.
For those who’re unaware, Task Force X consists of Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark. Each squad member has their own unique skill set and abilities. The game will allow you to explore the open world of Metropolis.
Conclusion
Batman: Arkham games are some of the best superhero titles and have set a standard. The fact that the franchise has performed well and managed to create a big community is a testament that the superhero genre in modern gaming has potential. It all boils down to the gameplay experience that only a few have managed to nail.
Unlike other game publishers, this franchise has a limited number of main installments focussing more on quality. That is something many other popular series have messed up on.
For some reason, if you haven’t yet explored this franchise, we highly recommend doing so. And now that you know exactly how to play the Batman: Arkham games in order, what are you waiting for?!
