Arkham Shadow’s Joker is a Lesson for Future Arkham Games

Batman: Arkham Shadow fought to earn its legitimacy as an Arkham game in its pre-release marketing. Ironically, not only does Batman: Arkham Shadow gracefully and skillfully adhere to the formula it inherits when it needs to but it also dissociates from it when appropriate, which was incredibly brave and successful in terms of how Camouflaj went about its narrative pacing. Moreover, Batman: Arkham Shadow decided it would pay immeasurable tribute to the two games that came before it in the timeline: Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate.

Batman: Arkham Shadow takes a great deal of care in exploring miscellaneous enemies whose names probably won’t be remembered by many who played either Origins, let alone its Initiation and Cold, Cold Heart DLCs, or Blackgate, and it does so because it takes place almost entirely inside the walls they were imprisoned in. Similarly, being set in Blackgate Penitentiary meant it would be almost impossible to completely shy away from name-dropping or referencing Joker in any way. Shadow’s treatment of Joker is truly commendable in this sense and is hopefully what its inevitable successor will adopt as well.

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Batman: Arkham Shadow’s Joker is a Perfect Balance of Fan Service and Environmental Storytelling

By not actually visually representing Joker and only hearing him through a wall (as well as Echoes of the Past collectibles, a ‘For a Good Time’ payphone message, and a patient session tape with Dr. Harleen Quinzel), Shadow doesn’t abuse its depiction of the homicidal clown, nor does it pretend he isn’t around when he should be. It’s brilliant that he can be heard through a cell in solitary confinement—precisely where anyone would expect Joker to be held after literally inciting three riotous breakouts at Blackgate in the last six months.

It’s doubly brilliant that Joker instantly sees straight through Bruce’s Malone voice to discern it’s Batman he’s talking to, at least if players do choose to respond. It’s only surprising to see Joker not be a main antagonist in Batman: Arkham Shadow because he’s been the lead villain in nearly every other Arkham game, with that even being technically true of his incorporeal manifestation in Batman: Arkham Knight.

Batman’s Arkhamverse Has Still Had Enough of Joker for a Little While

It’s a bit of a tumultuous and bittersweet topic because, on the one hand, Troy Baker’s Joker is terrific and it would be great to hear more of his distinctly sassy and mischievous portrayal in the near future. On the other hand, Shadow merely unlocked the door leading to Two-Face’s crimes in Gotham City and hearing more of Troy Baker’s Harvey Dent/Two-Face dichotomy, especially early on in the Arkhamverse timeline, would be equally excellent.

If at all possible, because of how prominent and inseparable the Clown Prince of Crime is from the rest of the established franchise, it would be a boon if Batman: Arkham Shadow’s successor—whether it is exclusive to Meta Quest 3 or not—has little if not no Joker interaction. To avoid or tuck him away fully may not be realistic, as Shadow demonstrates, and yet other characters are deserving of the limelight Joker commonly and effortlessly monopolizes in the DC mythology at large.

Systems

Franchise

Batman: Arkham

Released

October 21, 2024

Developer(s)

Camouflaj

Engine

Unity

ESRB

T For Teen // Violence, Mild Blood, Language

Supported VR Headsets

Meta Quest 3

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

PC Release Date

October 21, 2024

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