Protect the night .

Tim Schafer, the game designer behind Psychonauts and Brutal Legend, once said that video games are “wish fulfillments”. This entails that the key to a successful game is one that follows characters whom players wish to be.

The latest game from Rocksteady—Batman: Arkham Knight—offers gamers the chance to once again become Batman, a noble vigilante traumatized by violence. As one of the world’s most idolized characters, the Dark Knight is a surefire asset for a product. As the third installment of Rocksteady's Batman series (after Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City), there is pressure in delivering a video game that tops its predecessors.

It is a relief to admit that Batman: Arkham Knight is indeed an unforgettable experience. Batman's mythos and universe are too unique to elude greatness. This game masters environment, gameplay, combat, villains, allies, and story beyond expectations in a video game.

Environment

Dirty streets. No place like home.

Read a book or watch a movie. The audience realizes the setting has got to be as interesting as the main character is. The level of set design in Batman: Arkham Knight goes beyond comprehension. Gotham City is expanded five times its previous incarnation in Arkham City. Arkham Knight introduces three major districts: Magani Island, Founder's Island and Bleake Island.

Each city area is given meticulous detail and personality. Various buildings evoke imagery of gothic, industrial, sci-fi, and noir all in one. Players will not visit the same place twice as they patrol the streets of Gotham. The city is not exempt from having its own Chinatown district, either. An environment with this much depth wouldn't be possible without the evolution of the next-generation console.

The designers of Arkham Knight have employed all technical resources in Gotham's creation. Gamers will find a city-wide war zone only the Batman can take control of. Gotham's filthy alleys will inspire Players to clean up crime. Architecture at its finest.