All Batman: Arkham Games in Order (2024 Edition)

While superhero fiction has now started dominating the movie industry, the same is not true for gaming. There are very few superhero games out there, and only a few have managed to create a fanbase. One such super video game is the Batman: Arkham series.

Batman: Arkham is a franchise with some of the best superhero games on its roster. Furthermore, it’s the only franchise that dates back and still offers an impressive gaming experience. 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 briefly review every Batman Arkham game. Furthermore, we will discuss the correct play order if you’re overwhelmed by all the installments.

Without any further ado, here’s a list featuring all 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 emphasizes combat and puzzle-solving. There’s a Detective mode for puzzle-solving, using which you can find clues, enemies, and valuable objects. As expected, the game also focuses on stealth. Batman is known for his gadgets and acrobatics, which the game also emphasizes.

Batman: Arkham Asylum has a Metroidvania gameplay experience. For those unaware, this means that the map is not fully unlocked; certain areas are locked. To unlock those places, you 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 and gameplay experience are impressive. The core gameplay mechanics are still the same, but there are some notable additions. For example, a fast-travel system allows you to travel to other areas of the world quickly.

The Detective Mode has been greatly improved. It now 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. In our opinion, this is a pretty nice addition.

Batman: Arkham Origins also introduces a multiplayer mode, allowing you to play with your friends in a Batman & Robbin vs. Joker & Bane battle. Although Origins introduced many new things, 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

Batman: Arkham Knight, released in 2015, is the last entry in the main franchise. Rocksteady Studios handled the development for this title, which 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.

5. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2024)

• Release date: January 30, 2024
• Platform: Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

Although this game doesn’t focus on Batman and Gotham, Rocksteady Studios, the developer, has confirmed that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a direct continuation of the previous game and part of the Arkhamverse.

It’s a third-person action-adventure shooter game that revolves around Task Force X, and its open-world setting allows players to explore the streets of Metropolis with ease!

For those who are unaware, Task Force X consists of Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark. Each squad member has a unique skill set and abilities. These characters are assembled to stop Brainiac, the alien invader, and get rid of any Justice League members who have fallen under his influence.

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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, it is available for Android and iOS platforms. Although 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 iOS and Android. The game is developed using Unreal Engine 3 and is free-to-play, just like its predecessor. Arkham Origins Mobile looks and feels similar to Lockdown. It’s more of a mobile version of the original Arkham Origins, having the same storyline.

The developers added two fighting stances —a defensive stance and an offensive stance. Defensive reduces damage when hit, while offensive delivers attack damage. Throughout the story, you need to monitor 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’ll have to find another 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 Batman franchise, available for Android and iOS. Unlike previous mobile games, this title is developed by Turbine and takes 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 allowed players to play as Batman in virtual reality. It was developed by 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, with a gameplay duration of around two hours or less. This makes sense, as the idea behind the title was to showcase VR capabilities and what the future of the franchise could be if it leveraged them.

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.

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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 follow the in-game universe order, which is chronological. Following this order, you’ll experience the storyline linearly, which is the apparent advantage here.

Here’s what the in-game universe order looks like:

• Batman: Arkham Origins
• Batman: Arkham Asylum
• Batman: Arkham City
• Batman: Arkham Knight
• Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League

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
• Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League

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.

Conclusion

Batman: Arkham games are some of the best superhero titles and have set a standard. The franchise’s performance and ability to create a large community are testaments to the superhero genre’s potential in modern gaming. It all boils down to the gameplay experience, which only a few have managed to nail.

Unlike other game publishers, this franchise has a limited number of main installments, which focus more on quality. Many other popular series have messed up on this.

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?!

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