\u201cWhat would Gotham be without Batman?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a question that feels almost sacrilegious, but is one Gotham Knights answers in thrilling detail \u2013 developer WB Games Montr\u00e9al exploring what happens to a city stripped of its iconic protector.<\/p>\n
As shown in the first preview back when the game was first revealed<\/a>, instead of taking on the mantle of the Caped Crusader, Gotham Knights puts you in the spandex-clad shoes of Batman\u2019s prot\u00e9g\u00e9s in single player or two-player online co-op. Play as Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin, or Red Hood as they join forces to mourn their mentor and keep the city safe. One will become the Defender of Gotham by the game\u2019s close, but it\u2019s up to you to choose which character that should be as you experience their journey of grief, duty, and\u2026 weightlifting. There\u2019s a lot of gym work going on in the Belfry.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Nightwing is definitely a gym fanatic. Harley Quinn doesn\u2019t give him the nickname \u2018Nightbutt\u2019 for nothing.<\/em><\/p>\n After visiting the WB Games Montr\u00e9al studio for two hours of hands-on play, it\u2019s fair to say that decision won\u2019t be easy. The hands-on showcased a few areas of the game at different points in the story. Firstly, a look at the start of our crime fighters\u2019 journey as they\u2019re reeling from the loss of Batman and picking up the mysterious work he left behind, and then jumping to a few hours in for the start of Harley Quinn\u2019s villain arc (and then later still for her boss battle), offering a better look at the powers these superheroes can wield.\u00a0<\/p>\n You can switch between the four playable characters with a quick trip to the Belfry, aka Gotham Knights\u2019 central hub, and while they all share a core control scheme when it comes to melee and ranged combat prompts, Gotham Knights does an admirable job of infusing each hero with their own distinct personality and unique abilities.<\/p>\n Batgirl is a hacker specialising in one-to-one combat, with a fluid approach to movement and disarming enemies that feels not dissimilar to classic Batman. Armed with tech abilities such as overcharging enemy weapons for bioelectrical damage or using AR mode to hack into nearby devices, her combat feels powerful and precise, a testament to Bruce Wayne\u2019s training that she\u2019s honed into her own style.<\/p>\n Nightwing can be your support figure with abilities that buff allies, but he also excels in acrobatic beatdowns and pinballing between enemies during battle. Playing as Nightwing is a more frenetic experience; he thrives when taking down large groups of enemies with lightning-quick movements, getting in before they can hit back \u2013 as well as the aforementioned Nest power that provides a defence bonus and healing to friendly figures for stronger teamwork.<\/p>\n Then you\u2019ve got the younger Robin \u2013 a master of stealth, utilising sneak attacks and pouncing from above, while completing the quaternity is Red Hood, an aggressive gunfighter who dishes out justice in a rain of bullets.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Red Hood dominates with his twin pistols, but isn\u2019t shy about delivering a hefty blow with his fists in closeup combat. Both his ranged and melee abilities are enhanced with spectral, otherworldly powers thanks to his backstory of coming back from the dead.<\/em><\/p>\n These differences are made all the more spectacular thanks to Gotham Knights\u2019 approach to Momentum, a combat mechanic where you fill up a bar with perfect dodges to unleash special moves that make use of each hero\u2019s personal style. You can also fill up your Momentum bar with timed strikes, a precise press of the square button when you\u2019re about to land an attack that makes it even more potent. It\u2019s a satisfying, rhythmic beat in the combat that makes the fighting feel like dancing \u2013 it\u2019s only if your character takes an errant fist to the face that the flow is broken. Understandably.<\/p>\n Nightwing, for example, does an acrobatic leap that pings him off the heads of his enemies, while Batgirl releases a storm of vicious Batarangs \u2013 each move feels natural to the character you\u2019re playing as. Branching skill trees facilitate a level of customisation that makes each character feel tailored to your unique style, with each character possessing three unique skill trees they can select powers to upgrade within through AP collected by completing missions.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Each Knight can tap into elemental powers for extra damage, such as Batgirl\u2019s Bioelectrical Elemental Effect that shocks enemies when their weapons are overcharged.<\/em><\/p>\n For Batgirl these are Justice, Grit, and Oracle, reflective of combat, stamina, and hacking abilities respectively, whereas Red Hood has Marksman, Brawler, and Vengeance for shooting, melee, and damage. Every Knight also has a personalised knighthood tree to spend AP in that encourages their progression to taking on the late Batman\u2019s now-empty position, replete with unique, powerful abilities \u2013 like each Knight\u2019s traversal method (think the Flying Trapeze for Nightwing, and Spectral Platforms for Red Hood) across Gotham. This all works incredibly well to maintain a sense of individuality, which is important in two player co-op when both players can select the same member of the Bat Family.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just within their skill trees these characters differ. Cinematic Director of WB Games Montr\u00e9al, Wilson Mui, revealed Gotham Knights\u2019 cinematics are designed with each individual protagonist in mind \u2013 meaning that often four completely different versions of the Knights\u2019 reactions to the world around them have been voiced, mocapped, and scored to capture each character\u2019s authentic personality in the moment.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve essentially got four different experiences in one, with the option to swap between characters each night you go out on patrol in the city, or stick to one favourite to see their storyline through in its entirety. Coupled with costume collections that make for a constantly customisable superhero look \u2013 with various parts of each full suit able to be changed up as you see fit \u2013 as you progress through the narrative, you\u2019re spoiled for choice when it comes to shaping the game however you like.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Playing as Robin whilst interacting with the villains of the game reveals just how new he is to the superhero business. This is reflected in his first uneasy encounter with Dr Quinn \u2013 unlike his more experienced counterparts that have a personal rapport.<\/em><\/p>\n Ultimately the four protagonists have a common goal: to protect Gotham by taking down opportunistic criminals and piecing together clues to larger events, while uncovering insidious secrets buried deep in the city\u2019s foundations. Traverse the five boroughs of open world Gotham on the end of a grappling hook or on the back of the Batcycle (which, crucially, comes with a dedicated wheelie button) as you pursue leads on the Rogue\u2019s Gallery of villains.<\/p>\n Of course, perhaps the most infamous of all these villains is Harley Quinn, who\u2019s characterisation has been adapted from the manic pixie dream girl we\u2019ve become familiar with in popular media to a more mature, somehow even more chaotic psychiatrist, one that can flourish in a city now devoid of Batman\u2019s protection. Harley is allowed to stretch her wings as an independent being, which can mean only one thing: Gotham is about to get a whole lot messier. Luckily for us, she\u2019s taking the Knights along for the ride.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Mr. Freeze, Clay Face, and Harley Quinn all appear in Gotham Knights, grappling with how they exist in and interact with a Gotham sans Batman.<\/em><\/p>\n Finding supervillains comes through detective work when patrolling the night-time streets of the city, taking down petty criminals in search of clues and information that lead to where they\u2019re enacting their devious plans. Harley, however, we already know the whereabouts of thanks to some previous crime-busting shenanigans: Blackgate Penitentiary. This is where we first meet her in the hands-on, surrounded by rioting prisoners, flaming walls, and far too many party balloons for someone who should really be sitting quietly and thinking about what they\u2019ve done.<\/p>\n As it turns out, Gotham without Batman might seem strange, but the reality is an exciting deviation from the stories we\u2019ve heard before. It\u2019s an uncanny approach to the DC legend, fresh and familiar at the same time, but a new era of protagonists means a whole new world of opportunities to explore in turn.<\/p>\n Gotham Knights launches for PlayStation 5 on the 21st of October, 2022.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Gotham Knights: Four game experiences in one<\/p>\n \u201cWhat would Gotham be without Batman?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s a question that feels almost sacrilegious, but is one Gotham Knights answers in thrilling detail \u2013 developer WB Games Montr\u00e9al exploring what happens to a city stripped of its iconic protector.<\/p>\n As shown in the first preview back when the game was first revealed<\/a>, instead of taking on the mantle of the Caped Crusader, Gotham Knights puts you in the spandex-clad shoes of Batman\u2019s prot\u00e9g\u00e9s in single player or two-player online co-op. Play as Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin, or Red Hood as they join forces to mourn their mentor and keep the city safe. One will become the Defender of Gotham by the game\u2019s close, but it\u2019s up to you to choose which character that should be as you experience their journey of grief, duty, and\u2026 weightlifting. There\u2019s a lot of gym work going on in the Belfry.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Nightwing is definitely a gym fanatic. Harley Quinn doesn\u2019t give him the nickname \u2018Nightbutt\u2019 for nothing.<\/em><\/p>\n After visiting the WB Games Montr\u00e9al studio for two hours of hands-on play, it\u2019s fair to say that decision won\u2019t be easy. The hands-on showcased a few areas of the game at different points in the story. Firstly, a look at the start of our crime fighters\u2019 journey as they\u2019re reeling from the loss of Batman and picking up the mysterious work he left behind, and then jumping to a few hours in for the start of Harley Quinn\u2019s villain arc (and then later still for her boss battle), offering a better look at the powers these superheroes can wield.\u00a0<\/p>\n You can switch between the four playable characters with a quick trip to the Belfry, aka Gotham Knights\u2019 central hub, and while they all share a core control scheme when it comes to melee and ranged combat prompts, Gotham Knights does an admirable job of infusing each hero with their own distinct personality and unique abilities.<\/p>\n Batgirl is a hacker specialising in one-to-one combat, with a fluid approach to movement and disarming enemies that feels not dissimilar to classic Batman. Armed with tech abilities such as overcharging enemy weapons for bioelectrical damage or using AR mode to hack into nearby devices, her combat feels powerful and precise, a testament to Bruce Wayne\u2019s training that she\u2019s honed into her own style.<\/p>\n Nightwing can be your support figure with abilities that buff allies, but he also excels in acrobatic beatdowns and pinballing between enemies during battle. Playing as Nightwing is a more frenetic experience; he thrives when taking down large groups of enemies with lightning-quick movements, getting in before they can hit back \u2013 as well as the aforementioned Nest power that provides a defence bonus and healing to friendly figures for stronger teamwork.<\/p>\n Then you\u2019ve got the younger Robin \u2013 a master of stealth, utilising sneak attacks and pouncing from above, while completing the quaternity is Red Hood, an aggressive gunfighter who dishes out justice in a rain of bullets.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Red Hood dominates with his twin pistols, but isn\u2019t shy about delivering a hefty blow with his fists in closeup combat. Both his ranged and melee abilities are enhanced with spectral, otherworldly powers thanks to his backstory of coming back from the dead.<\/em><\/p>\n These differences are made all the more spectacular thanks to Gotham Knights\u2019 approach to Momentum, a combat mechanic where you fill up a bar with perfect dodges to unleash special moves that make use of each hero\u2019s personal style. You can also fill up your Momentum bar with timed strikes, a precise press of the square button when you\u2019re about to land an attack that makes it even more potent. It\u2019s a satisfying, rhythmic beat in the combat that makes the fighting feel like dancing \u2013 it\u2019s only if your character takes an errant fist to the face that the flow is broken. Understandably.<\/p>\n Nightwing, for example, does an acrobatic leap that pings him off the heads of his enemies, while Batgirl releases a storm of vicious Batarangs \u2013 each move feels natural to the character you\u2019re playing as. Branching skill trees facilitate a level of customisation that makes each character feel tailored to your unique style, with each character possessing three unique skill trees they can select powers to upgrade within through AP collected by completing missions.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Each Knight can tap into elemental powers for extra damage, such as Batgirl\u2019s Bioelectrical Elemental Effect that shocks enemies when their weapons are overcharged.<\/em><\/p>\n For Batgirl these are Justice, Grit, and Oracle, reflective of combat, stamina, and hacking abilities respectively, whereas Red Hood has Marksman, Brawler, and Vengeance for shooting, melee, and damage. Every Knight also has a personalised knighthood tree to spend AP in that encourages their progression to taking on the late Batman\u2019s now-empty position, replete with unique, powerful abilities \u2013 like each Knight\u2019s traversal method (think the Flying Trapeze for Nightwing, and Spectral Platforms for Red Hood) across Gotham. This all works incredibly well to maintain a sense of individuality, which is important in two player co-op when both players can select the same member of the Bat Family.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just within their skill trees these characters differ. Cinematic Director of WB Games Montr\u00e9al, Wilson Mui, revealed Gotham Knights\u2019 cinematics are designed with each individual protagonist in mind \u2013 meaning that often four completely different versions of the Knights\u2019 reactions to the world around them have been voiced, mocapped, and scored to capture each character\u2019s authentic personality in the moment.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve essentially got four different experiences in one, with the option to swap between characters each night you go out on patrol in the city, or stick to one favourite to see their storyline through in its entirety. Coupled with costume collections that make for a constantly customisable superhero look \u2013 with various parts of each full suit able to be changed up as you see fit \u2013 as you progress through the narrative, you\u2019re spoiled for choice when it comes to shaping the game however you like.<\/p>\n