After a couple of false starts, Return to Arkham has arrived on PS4 and Xbox One. We first got wind of the game's imminent release back in May, but the following month we heard that Return to Arkham was delayed indefinitely. Thankfully 'indefinitely' turned out to be just a few months, and today Batman: Return to Arkham has arrived featuring brand new remastered versions of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City, along with all of the DLC. Using the Unreal Engine 4, the titles have been remastered and will enable gamers to get to grips with the first two Batman titles from the hugely popular Arkham series all over again. Warner Bros have previously stated that the title will include upgraded environments along with improved graphics, which is sure to make the menacing surroundings of Arkham seem all the more real. Brought to us by Rocksteady Studios in 2009, Batman: Arkham Asylum took place within Arkham and thrust Batman into action against some of DC Comics' most iconic villains. Whether it was Harley Quinn or Poison Ivy, Batman had to do battle to ensure order was restored in the asylum after the Joker had seized control. Skip forward to 2011 and 'Batman: Arkham City' was unleashed. This expanded the universe from the Asylum out into the streets of Gotham and once again the caped crusader was brought face-to-face with some of Arkham's most unsavoury inmates. Fans will be hoping that the improved graphics don't take away from the atmosphere of the first two titles. With both the asylum and the streets of Gotham both being swathed in heavy blacks, talk of 'Return to Arkham' adding a touch of brightness to the games has understandably been met with some concern. The original Arkham games were dark primarily for two reasons: one, to disguise graphic shortcomings and two, because a lot of deep blacks is going to do wonders for the atmosphere. Return to Arkham will have to get the balance between bringing the graphics into the world of next generation consoles and ensuring that the moody and ominous tones of the original two titles endures just right. A welcome change the early footage has revealed has been the advancement in textures. The new Arkham title has made wholesale changes which have ensured details, such as Batman's suit, are a lot sharper. Players will notice that his cape in particular stands out; continually catching the light as Batman sets about doling out his unique form of justice. It's not just Batman's cape that looks like it's had the Unreal Engine 4 treatment, either; a lot of the details in the faces throughout the game have been smoothed out, allowing them to more clearly emote. Perhaps the most refreshing update however is the downloadable content. Its inclusion means all of additional skins and challenge maps are available straightaway. You can even play as animated Batman or the 1970s version of the Dark Knight. So, for fans of the original titles who have since upgraded to next-gen consoles, 'Batman: Retun to Arkham' offers a unique way of seeing just how far graphics have come over the past few years, not to mention another chance to take out your day-to-day frustrations on the Joker.
Absolutely loved this series. The combat system is absolutely revolutionary and is the kind that should be incorporated into so many other games.. It's the perfect video-game adaptation of our Dark Knight.