See Gotham Knights Show Off Two Of The Best Heroes In New Gameplay Demo
Gotham Knights has officially dropped an extended look video at new gameplay for the upcoming DC title, inlcuding a deeper look at two of the best heroes.
Warner Bros. Games just released new gameplay footage of a demo for Gotham Knights, offering a closer insight into two of the best playable heroes — Nightwing and Red Hood. The demo shows off some of their combat and traversal mechanics, showcasing different gears, thugs, villains, and perhaps the most heartbreaking feature of all — Batman’s shattered mask. Could this be the continuation of 2015’s Arkham Knight, in which Batman supposedly dies?
Well, no; the upcoming game, set to release on October 25 this year, is set in DC’s Batman Universe, but it’s in no way connected to the Arkham series and isn’t a sequel to Arkham Knight. How exactly Batman died is still a mystery, but the video above shows that his unofficial successors are more than capable of assuming his role, both in single-player and two-player co-op gameplay modes. According to a report by IGN, Game Director Geoff Ellenor took it upon himself to host the video, describing the short activities showcased in the Gotham Knights demo.
The opening section is called the Illegal Hack, in which a hero of your choice is busting up a gang of bank robbers trying to hack the bank’s security system. Illegal Shipment — a later section of the video — showcases Red Hood chasing a truck through the streets of Gotham and taking out the gang’s driver and the entire associated crew. The combat mechanics seem very similar to the combat seen in the Batman Arkham series, which only attest to the magnitude of those games, although there are some noticeable differences in Gotham Knight.
For example, there’s a clear focus on special attacks, next to the regular kicks and punches. From what we’ve seen, there appears to be an entire collection of move types that can serve as appropriate countermoves and attacks. This introduces a mechanic in Gotham Knights called Momentum, which builds with well-times strikes, combos, blocks, and dodges, which fill up the gauge, unlocking even more special abilities. Admittedly, this isn’t some groundbreaking innovation, but it doesn’t have to be if it works properly.
When it comes to traversing the open world of Gotham Knights, each character has access to its unique traversal system. Nightwing uses his Flying Trapeze, a jet engine-powered glider, while Red Hood uses something a bit more supernatural as he jumps across thin air, propelling himself further by using his soul energy. Additionally, all heroes have a Batcycle at their disposal as means of transportation and mission completion. The Arkham Knight series was a perfect example of how vehicular warfare works in the Batman universe.
And lastly, the gear system in Gotham Knights is much more focused on the weapon’s stat than in the Arkham series, introducing slight RPG elements to the gameplay. Each piece of gear has a different power level, armor rating, health value, and a Momentum percentage generation, as well as rarity ratings, condition stats, etc. Ultimately, it’s worth noting that this is just a demo and that a full game feature two additional heroes — Robin and Batgirl — with their unique fighting styles. The game is scheduled to release on October 25 this year, after being delayed in 2021.
