Highlights
- Critics of Gotham Knights were concerned about the portrayal of the iconic characters, as the game introduced elements that weren't well-received by DC Comics fans.
- The traversal abilities of the Bat Family in Gotham Knights faced criticism, particularly Nightwing's glider design and Red Hood's mystical leap, which seemed random and deviated from canonical lore.
- Robin's ability to teleport in the game was seen as overpowered and contentious, while the use of Tim Drake's iconic Bo Staff for combat only left room for future games to explore more creative ways to utilize it.
October 21, 2023, marked Gotham Knights' first anniversary. Unfortunately, the initial release of Gotham Knights was marred by controversy for myriad reasons. One of the most concerning issues DC Comics fans had with it was how WB Games Montreal chose to portray the iconic characters. Even though there are several recognizable attributes in each of the Bat Family members, the title added a few never-before-seen elements that weren't all well-received.
While there hasn't been any official news about whether Gotham Knights will receive a sequel, the chances of seeing Batman's apprentices in another game are extremely likely. A new game could come from WB Games Montreal, Rocksteady Studios, or a different studio. Regardless, the developer could build on the foundations of Gotham Knights while allowing for more comic-book-accurate depictions of the heroes.
The Bat Family's Traversal System Should Be Stylized And True to Characters' Lore
The traversal abilities that were introduced in Gotham Knights were not exempt from criticism, though they weren't under fire for the reasons one might think. It seems most of the playerbase has been fine with completing Knighthood Challenges to unlock the ability. Instead, the focus appears to be on the way that the four are traveling.
At the forefront of the controversy is Nightwing's glider. Though it encapsulates Dick Grayson's history with Haly's Circus, some people are upset with its design. A few voices have gone so far as to say it appears like a Fortnite glider. The question became so widely circulated that a creative director for Gotham Knights addressed it by saying that the "'Flying Trapeze' was inspired by a couple of ideas" that ultimately "fits Nightwing's approach to everything."
While there were people who liked the call-back to his acrobatic past, Nightwing's winged suit from the 1997 animated series, The New Batman Adventures, might have been better received. Unfortunately, even though Batgirl's Cape Glide may have stolen that opportunity from him, Nightwing still has a chance in a sequel or an entirely new title.
Red Hood's travel style in Gotham Knights also garnered quite a bit of attention. Some enjoyed his new ability to leap large distances while others wondered how this made sense. According to the developers, the Mystical Leap developed after Jason's resurrection in the Lazarus Pit. This power set felt a bit random to some people, though it is true canonically that the anti-hero has Lazarus-enhanced capabilities. However, enormous jumps aren't usually part of this skill set, so future iterations of Red Hood may want to reconsider this.
Furthermore, the Bat Family is known for being extremely capable without the use of superpowers, with a few exceptions such as Duke Thomas and Jason Todd. As such, Robin's ability to teleport in Gotham Knights is especially contentious. The ability felt unnaturally OP for the character, even if it was explained away as technology. Interestingly, Tim Drake is seen wielding his iconic Bo Staff in the game, but it's only ever used for combat. In a future game, it might be interesting to see him use it more. Perhaps this could be a means to vault around on Gotham's rooftops.
Overall, based on the commercial success of Gotham Knights and the Batman: Arkham series, it's clear that these DC Comics characters are incredibly popular. Whatever the future has in store for the Bat Family, whether it be a sequel to WB Games Montreal's 2022 game or not, potential developers must capture the Bat Family's personalities and skill sets accurately. Of course, a new game focused on the Gotham City vigilantes could be in the works with these ideas already in mind.
Gotham Knights is available now for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
