Poll: Which Batman: Arkham Game Is the Best?

City.

Asylum for me. I still remember how excited I was that they finally made a good Batman game

Easily Asylum. Yes City and Knight have big game worlds, however they both didn't capture my imagination the way the original did. I thought Origins was awful.

I choose asylum purely because I loved the boss battles in that game. The only one I haven't played and don't own either is blackgate.

Asylum had by far the best story and setting, whilst I can kind of miss it's scaled back combat and gadget options. From the very beginning the story has purpose and direction which both of the sequels seemed to discard, especially City. Bigger doesn't equal better, also who doesn't love been constantly taunted over the tannoy by the Joker. Also while the Bane battles were a bit repetitive I'd take them over the several thousand drone battles I've had to do so far in Knight.

Havent finish Arkham Knight yet so I cant vote.

Haven't finished arkham knight yet, but from everything I have played of it.. I find it incredible. I loved all other arkham games as well, and I thought I was possibly going to feel some franchise fatigue especially because so many games ripping off the batman combat system lately... but nope. This game is amazing. Love the batmobile so much. Riddlers racetrack courses are so fun.

I haven't played Knight yet so I can't really vote. However I liked Origins. I liked the settings and the story. I found the others somewhat tiring in the end.

Asylum

Origins was awful, City Good, but Asylum is really the best game to capture Batman atmosphere and gameplay.

@adf86 for me personally the story in Asylum better reflected some of those in the comics and the intimate nature of the setting coupled with the focused story allow the characters room to breathe and relationships to be explored. Whereas in City I felt they were just checking off names half the time (I'm looking at you Mr Freeze) and could never seem to decide who was the main protagonist from one moment to the next. Some additions were great such as gliding around the city and as nice as it looked it felt a bit lifeless. Also the Riddler trophies were horrendously overused compared with how well they were introduced in the original. Finally I admit the boss battles were improved but it also lacked something a bit special like the Scarecrow sections.

Ultimately I've really enjoyed all 3 (never played origins for some reason) but if you put all 3 in front of me I'd play Asylum. Speaking of which are we getting a remaster?

I've played Arkham but I'm just starting City before moving onto Knight.

Nice one we were running something similar in the forums and couldn't separate Asylum and City. Good work.

Shoot, Asylum was just so awesome.... But Knight thus far has me hooked with it's way more... Mature nature I guess is what I'd call it. The story is really good, and I adore Scarecrow as a villain (slight spoiler ahead) and the Joker popping up from the gas affecting Batman super early on was a super treat, even though it made me jump at first. Overall, Arkham Knight can POTENTIALLY dethrone Asylum as my favorite, but sneaking in the sewers while avoiding Killer Croc is kinda tough to beat. Also, playing as Adam West Batman is an absolute joy in Knight.

Asylum no doubt...

Batman: The Movie by Ocean Software.

@ApostateMage loved it too. Nice to know I'm not the only dinosaur here

I just got knight today, so i can't vote for that one, but i will choose City even though i really loved origins and asylum.

I haven't finished Arkham Knight yet, which so far is excellent I am enjoying it a lot more than city. I just hope the leaderboards work soon, but I am definitely playing it again once finished with leaderboards up.

@BetweenTheTrees
There had been a couple pretty decent Batman games before Asylum but that was definitely the first good 3D Batman. I'd also rank it as the best in the trilogy, followed by Knight and then City.

Asylum laid the ground work for the brilliant combat system - which has been used by other developers in some form now - and had the tightest narrative. And while the world was more pseudo-open than full open it was still plenty of fun to explore. I think the closer confines might've benefited the game to some degree although I love gliding around in City and Knight.

I just started playing Arkham Knight, so for me this vote is a little to premature.
Plus I like to take my time.

I haven't finished arkham knight but for the full package I think arkham knight although the boss fights are sorely missing. But the batmobile and side missions are the best and you can argue the original story of asylum was the best. I think arkham knight has more longevity with the dlc's and aso the content already packed in the game.

@ApostateMage haha that was an awesome game on the Amiga.

If I remember rightly turning the corner in the batmobile involved hooking lampposts with the grapple gun!? Very strange, but great nonetheless

Who thinks its weird that arkham knight has a M rating ? I don't see it being anymore violent or bloody or gory compared to the other batman games. There is no cursing and even those that died you don't see any blood. This is good as far as I'm concern but just curious what you guys thought. I am at the level with robin and batman returning prisoners back to their cell. I am not giving anything away since we all know robin is in the game.

I think the fact batman has a no kill code has always been a reason I loved him as a hero plus he is a human vs superhuman etc.

I have only played Asylum and City so far. I like batman but with Asylum I started playing and got bored, then played it all weekend and thought it was really good. So I got City and playd a couple of hours but bored again and haven't been able to pick it up since. It's wierd because I usually prefer open world games but Gotham seemed a bit empty, however I may be wrong as I had only just scratched the surface of the game. Also going back on my 360 is a pisstake. Going to wait for Shadow of Mordor to come, finnish that then try play through last gen batmans then get Arkham knight as it looks awesome.

Asylum. While City is the better game in every single way, it just didn't have the feel that Asylum did so has always been a little behind it for me. Origins was just a disaster, Origins Blackgate is surprisingly decent and probably third best. Knight? Incredible technical marvel but as a game it's absurdly dull and annoying (hello Batmobile).

@rykkchii @dodoo It was an awesome game, each level was different... platformer, driving, puzzle. Loved it.

@ApostateMage @rykkchii @dodoo

Batman the movie wasn't the best Batman game ever this is

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1uZWqn9deA4

Its Batman by Jon Ritman for the Amstrad released in 1985 in this video you see batman running for the batmobile. Everyone needs to look at these amazing graphics.

Not being a comic book fan, and so not really caring if the storylines are staying true to form, I enjoyed the first two very much. I was also enjoying the 3rd till I couldn't find where I was meant to be going. I even ended up looking online for help, which I hate doing on a first play through. With lots seemingly in the same boat and no real answer I'm guessing there was a glitch so that's gone on hold... maybe permanently. 4th instalment won't be played till GOTY edition comes out. But it looks great. They just lost me with the over the top season pass pricing.

Arkham Knight is the best. The gameplay is the most refined, and the narrative is the best in the series from what I've played so far. The story was City's weak point, it wasn't bad, but Origins and Asylum had better stories by a good bit.
@Tasuki You should play Origins, it was a great game, it had the best story pre-Knight too.

To me it's Arkham Asylum. Amazing story and atmosphere.

@Ewflex I feel like this one deserves it's rating from the start. I feel like the whole theme of it is a bit much, and the violent imagery may be a bit much for rated T.

Personally I think the Rocksteady Trilogy are the best. Picking 1 of them over another is difficult.

Asylum probably had the best and most focussed story and being the first game that actually felt like a Batman game should be. The atmosphere was right and the pacing too.

City's story wasn't as focussed but it opened the skill set a bit more and gave you a bigger area to be the Batman. Knight built upon what City did more than Asylum - giving us a bigger 'playground' and of course introduced the Batmobile too. I do think 'Knight' puts too much emphasis on the Batmobile in its Riddler puzzles and some of the quests/missions etc but overall I think its the 'best' game to fully be the Batman. Story-wise, I think its possibly better than City but not much better. City also had a great cast of villains.

So for me it boils down to 'do I go for Story' in which case 'Asylum' wins or 'Game-play mechanics and full Batman experience' in which case 'Knight' wins. All 3 Rocksteady games though are definitely worthy of the Game of the Year and I would certainly recommend them all.

I guess I was the only person to vote blackgate, I haven't played origins or asylum, I thought city was boring.

Out of the two I've played so far, I'd say I enjoyed City more. BUT, that could be because I played Asylum on the hardest difficulty on my first time through, which probably put me off it a bit as some of the bosses were a real nightmare.

I'd have to replay Asylum to really pass judgement between those two though. Hopefully should be in more of a position to comment on City vs Knight later on, as I'm expecting my copy of AK to arrive today!

Asylum although City and Knight have more refined gameplay the atmosphere/feel found in Asylum is just better (really not sure how else to put it) plus Asylum has the best story City's was weak and Knight's was predictable.

@B3ND3R normally I would agree on violent games but these days video games with M rating is by far more gory, graphic with blood splatter than batman Arkham knight. It's a violent game for sure but it isn't visceral. Like even the people that shoot themselves the camera pans away from them. When u look at the person on the ground the blood isn't in their face. I agree to some extent it's a M rating but their is no cursing and the violence is almost like blockbuster PG 13 movies where 100 people die but you don't see blood most of the times. Their no sex in batman arkham knight also. I'm at 70% done in main story so I will see if my opinion change.

Open world made the series lose all the details that made the first one so great. Oh and shoehorning as many villains as they can only made the later games less imposing as the first one where you fight Joker.
Only thing I don't like about Asylum is the final boss....Joker becoming the hulk is not doing his character any justice.

@Ewflex From what I've played of it, I agree. One of the parts mentioned for the M rating was stupid considering the stuff in some T rated games. The dark tone and themes isn't a reason for an M rating, and it's not like the games haven't been there before, just a bit less consistently. I feel for people who can't/won't play it now when it's when it's not really worse than the other games.

Defo Knight for me. City and Asylum were both fantastic but seeing as I LURVE the Batmobile ... its a no brainer! Just mopping up few last side missions b4 I complete but, have to say, Knight is incredible!!!

Asylum, without a single doubt. Arkham Knight is one of the best modern day action games with combat tighter than the Levi's I bought Saturday and don't wanna return because I want them to think I'm a 33/38. But Asylum is the best Batman game and I don't think a Batman game like that will ever be created again. Rocksteady couldn't pull the same trick twice obviously and opted for an open world, which I totally understand, but the more they zoom out the less it's an actual Batman game.

Now it's time for Rocksteady to tackle another DC super hero and I hope it's Superman; with an emphasis on Superman's mental well being, his fears and anxieties and by giving him more human like qualities there is a chance we'll once again feel like we did back when we played Asylum.

Typing this makes me wonder why we haven't got any decent Wolverine games, he has enough emotional luggage to fill 10 games and then some. But it seems only Rocksteady has the magic touch.

@Jaz007 The scene where spoiler Batman watches Joker shoot Gordon's daughter probably wouldn't have flown in a rated T game.. Not that it really matters though. It's just one of those things I could see someone at the ESRB getting in a tizzy over.

@Boerewors
I hope Rocksteady doesn't make a Superman game, honestly. It doesn't matter which studio it is, I don't believe it's possible to make a good Superman game. Nobody has been able to do so. At least with the Batman games there were a few good sidescrollers before Rocksteady made the first good 3D one.

@Gamer83
I can't imagine anything more scary, than having nothing to fear... Rocksteady could totally work with that. Superman is purely a name which describes his physical strengths, maybe he's not so super as we think....

But you're right bout the other games though, Batman has had some pretty decent 2d adaptations and no one found a way to make the whole superman thing work. And just dumping him in Metropolis where he reigns supreme would be boring, but make it more "asylumy" and you've got yourself a game.

@Boerewors An action packed Wolverine game is something I could get behind. Give me the yellow, black, and blue suit, though!

@themcnoisy I hope you're not being sarcastic. The 8 bit Batman's were great. I'm particularly partial to Batman the Movie and Batman the Caped Crusader on the C64 which played like an interactive comic book (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV7rWYajg_g)

Played 4 Batman games and Asylum is my favorite one.Open world is great and all but i really enjoyed the claustrophobic feeling of Asylum.The story was dark and i couldnt wait to find out how the game will end.Arkham Knight is a beautiful game but i hated the Batmobile so much!The Boss fights were frustrating as hell and that just killed my interest.Instead of being engaged I was enraged with the gameplay.Seemed to me that half of the game I was just learning what I can do with a stupid car.Story was great but the execution killed it for me.