After extensive play at launch and another full campaign run on Xbox Series X, Gotham still looks superb, the combat remains satisfying and the Batmobile is still great fun.
Quick Verdict
Batman: Arkham Knight still holds up remarkably well more than a decade after release. I played it heavily when it launched in 2015 and later completed the campaign again on Xbox Series X. That replay alone accounts for 28 hours and 24 minutes, with plenty more time spent on the original Xbox One version.
The combat remains satisfying, Gotham still looks superb and the story is one of the game’s biggest strengths. One of its most divisive features is also one of its highlights here: the Batmobile. Driving through Gotham, using it during missions and taking down gangs never feels like an unwanted distraction.
Tech Torque Media score: 9/10
Review Information
| Game | Batman: Arkham Knight |
| Edition owned | Premium Edition (main game and Season Pass) |
| Platform tested | Xbox Series X |
| Recorded Series X playtime | 28 hours 24 minutes |
| Previous experience | Extensively played on Xbox One from the 2015 release |
| Completion | Main story completed on Xbox One and again on Xbox Series X |
| Achievements | 66/113 – 940/2,000 Gamerscore |
| Developer | Rocksteady Studios |
| Publisher | Warner Bros. Games |
| Original release | 23 June 2015 |
| Review status | Long-term hands-on review |
| Overall score | 9/10 |
Returning to Gotham More Than a Decade Later
Batman: Arkham Knight has been part of my Xbox library since 2015. I completed the main campaign back then and spent plenty of extra time exploring Gotham, tackling side missions and working through its wider content. Years later, I went back and finished the game again on Xbox Series X.
The 28 hours and 24 minutes recorded on Series X therefore only tell part of the story. Arkham Knight also fits into the wider Xbox history covered elsewhere on Tech Torque Media. What stands out most on returning is just how little the game feels like something from 2015. Rocksteady’s visual design, combat systems, Gotham City and cinematic presentation have all aged exceptionally well.
Story: One of Arkham Knight’s Greatest Strengths
The story remains one of Arkham Knight’s biggest strengths. Scarecrow’s threat hangs over Gotham while Batman deals with a city full of familiar enemies, but the mystery surrounding the Arkham Knight provides the campaign with its strongest hook.
This review will not reveal where that storyline goes. Even more than a decade later, there will be players experiencing the Arkham games for the first time, and the reveal deserves to work as intended.
The twist lands well the first time and still works on replay. Knowing the outcome does little to weaken the story because the performances, relationships and villains around that central mystery are strong enough to carry it.
Combat Still Feels Excellent
The hand-to-hand combat remains another major strength. Arkham Knight takes the flowing system established by the earlier games and gives Batman enough tools to make larger encounters feel controlled without making them effortless.
Moving between enemies, countering attacks and using Batman’s gadgets still feels satisfying. Once the rhythm clicks, a large group of enemies stops feeling like a string of individual fights and turns into one continuous encounter.
On Series X, the controls still feel natural rather than dated. The fundamentals simply work.
The Batmobile: Still a Highlight
The Batmobile remains the most divisive part of Arkham Knight, but it is still one of the game’s highlights for me.
Driving across Gotham gives travelling between objectives another dimension, while the way Rocksteady works the vehicle into missions and encounters keeps it relevant beyond simple transport. The story sections built around it are enjoyable rather than something to rush through.
Using the Batmobile to clear gangs around Gotham is fun too, making movement through the city feel like part of the action instead of downtime between missions.
The extra vehicle and character skins add to the appeal. The Premium Edition includes the main game and Season Pass, bringing a sizeable collection of Batman and Batmobile looks to switch between. The movie-inspired suits and classic Batmobile options add personality and give repeat playthroughs a little extra variety.
For this review, the Batmobile is not Arkham Knight’s major weakness. It is one of the reasons the game remains so enjoyable.
Gotham Still Looks Remarkably Good
Arkham Knight still looks genuinely impressive for a game released in 2015.
Gotham has a strong visual identity rather than relying purely on technical horsepower. The lighting, weather effects and overall darkness suit Batman perfectly, while the detail across streets, rooftops and major locations gives the city a convincing sense of scale.
On Series X, its age rarely dominates the experience. Strong visual design survives hardware generations far better than raw technical spectacle alone, and Arkham Knight is a great example.
Sound and Voice Acting Complete the Atmosphere
The audio holds up alongside the visuals. The voice performances give Batman and Gotham’s villains real weight, while the music and environmental sound reinforce the feeling that something is always happening somewhere in the city.
The sound design remains effective throughout, especially when paired with Gotham’s visual presentation. Gliding over the city, entering combat or moving between missions rarely feels flat or lifeless.
Riddler and the Side Content Are Worth Doing
Arkham Knight’s side content feels worthwhile rather than like busywork between story missions. The Riddler storyline is particularly enjoyable, especially the sections involving Catwoman.
There is a lot to do if completion is the goal, but those objectives give Gotham more purpose and encourage greater use of Batman’s abilities instead of simply following one story marker after another.
The DLC Adds More Than Cosmetics
The Premium Edition content adds more than cosmetics. The Batman and Batmobile skins are worthwhile extras, but the included Season Pass also brings additional story content and playable characters.
Playing as characters including Nightwing and Jason Todd adds useful variety. Their different moves and styles help the additional stories feel distinct while still building on the combat systems that make the main game work so well.
For the official breakdown of the add-on content, see the Batman: Arkham Knight Season Pass on Xbox.
Xbox Series X Performance
Performance on Series X was generally solid, although I did run into a handful of crashes during the replay.
Those crashes happened while the game was running from an external USB hard drive, so it would be unfair to blame Arkham Knight alone. They were infrequent enough not to affect the overall experience in any meaningful way, but they are still worth noting in a long-term review.
Apart from those incidents, nothing got in the way of completing or enjoying the campaign.
Accessibility and Controls
This playthrough used a standard Xbox controller setup without extensive use of the accessibility options, so this is not intended as a detailed accessibility assessment.
With the standard setup, the controls remain comfortable and become natural quickly because combat, traversal and Batmobile inputs are used so frequently.
Longevity: Worth Completing Twice
Longevity is easy to judge here: I completed Arkham Knight when it was new, then came back years later and completed it again on Series X.
The Series X stats show 28 hours and 24 minutes, but that does not include the substantial time spent with the original Xbox One release. The same stats also record 99 Most Wanted missions completed, 229 Riddles solved, 75 WayneTech upgrades purchased and 7,128 enemies defeated. Between the main campaign, Riddler storyline, side missions, challenges, Premium Edition content and optional objectives scattered around Gotham, there is plenty here beyond simply reaching the ending.
More importantly, the extra content remains enjoyable. A huge checklist means very little if completing it becomes a chore. Arkham Knight keeps its momentum because the combat works, Gotham is rewarding to explore and even the Batmobile gameplay adds variety rather than friction.
Achievements
The Series X stats show 66 of 113 achievements unlocked for 940 of the available 2,000 Gamerscore. The list reflects just how much there is to do across the main game and additional content.
Some achievements require far more commitment than simply finishing the story, particularly once side objectives and DLC are taken into account. They work best when they overlap naturally with content already worth playing rather than feeling like arbitrary tasks added solely for Gamerscore.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Excellent story with a memorable central mystery
- Combat remains smooth and satisfying
- Gotham still looks remarkably good more than a decade later
- Batmobile missions and driving are genuinely enjoyable
- Strong side missions and Riddler content
- Excellent atmosphere, sound and voice performances
- Season Pass adds worthwhile characters, stories and skins
- Strong replay value
Cons
- A handful of crashes during the external-drive playthrough
- Full achievement completion requires a substantial commitment
- Players who dislike vehicle-heavy sections may feel differently about the Batmobile
Category Scores
| Story | 9.5/10 |
| Gameplay | 9.0/10 |
| Graphics | 9.0/10 |
| Sound | 9.0/10 |
| Performance | 8.5/10 |
| Longevity | 9.5/10 |
| Overall | 9.0/10 |
Tech Torque Verdict
Batman: Arkham Knight remains one of the Xbox One generation’s strongest games, and returning to it does not feel like nostalgia doing all the work.
The story is excellent. The combat remains satisfying. Gotham still looks fantastic despite the game’s age, and the combination of music, performances and environmental detail creates an atmosphere that few superhero games manage as convincingly.
The Batmobile remains a highlight. Its driving, mission design and role in cleaning up Gotham’s streets add variety, while the extra Batman and Batmobile skins give repeat playthroughs more personality.
There is plenty beyond the main story too. The Riddler storyline with Catwoman remains particularly enjoyable, while the extra content involving characters such as Nightwing and Jason Todd extends the experience in worthwhile ways.
A few crashes stop the performance side from being completely faultless, although the external USB hard drive used during those incidents makes it impossible to lay the blame entirely at Rocksteady’s door.
More than a decade after release, Arkham Knight has proved worth completing twice and still feels easy to recommend. That says almost everything.
Score: 9/10
Should You Play Batman: Arkham Knight in 2026?
Yes. If Arkham Knight has somehow passed you by, it is still easy to recommend in 2026, particularly if you have already played Arkham Asylum and Arkham City and want to finish Rocksteady’s trilogy.
Its age is far less noticeable than expected on Series X. Gotham still looks excellent, Batman still feels brilliant to control and the campaign remains strong even when its biggest secrets are already known.
Players who dislike vehicle-heavy gameplay may react differently to some sections, but the Batmobile is integrated well enough to feel like part of the appeal rather than something to tolerate.
You can find the official Batman: Arkham Knight Xbox listing here.
Reviewed by Ben Oliver on Xbox Series X after 28 hours and 24 minutes of recorded Series X play, alongside extensive experience with the original Xbox One release.
