Gotham Knights: 10 Tips For Beginners

After years of anticipation, gamers will finally be able to experience Gotham Knights and play as Batman's proteges. The new superhero RPG will put gamers right back into the world of Gotham City, filling the void of the Batman: Arkham games.

However, Gotham Knights is a completely different experience in every way, from the customization of multiple characters to featuring radically different styles of gameplay. As a result, some players may be going in with the wrong ideas, so they will need to keep some tips in mind when they start.

This Is Not An Arkham Game

From before its initial announcement to even nearing launch, there has been a big misconception about Gotham Knights being connected to the famous Batman: Arkham games. That is not the case as many times now, WB Games Montréal developers have stated many times that Gotham Knights stands on its own.

It is another open-world game set in Gotham City, but there are many differences between the two franchises. Not only are the worlds different, but Gotham Knights has vastly different gameplay. So, it is wise for new players to go in with the mindset that this is a brand-new superhero RPG and not a sequel to Batman: Arkham Knight.

Experiment With Each Knight

After the first mission, the player is given the opportunity to swap between any of the four radically different members of the Bat-Family to find who suits their play style. For example, Batgirl is more of a full-on brawler who mixes some range into her combat, providing the closest experience to Batman for those wanting to scratch a Batman: Arkham itch.

Nightwing is a lightweight fighter who relies on acrobatics and dodging to win the fight while also supporting his teammates. Red Hood is a tank that is much slower but deals heavy damage and is the best marksman of the four. Robin is a master of stealth and technology, but his bo staff can still deal some damage.

Vertical Traversal Is Vital

There are multiple ways of traveling across Gotham City in Gotham Knights: the Knights all have access to the Batcycle to ride across the streets, the technologically advanced Knight Bat for fast travel, and they all wield their own grapple gun.

What is more important, however, is that the map in Gotham Knights has much more verticality to it. There are multiple levels to Gotham City and the enemy factions can be up high or down below. That's where each Knight has their own unique traversal ability to master, from Batgirl's cape glide to Red Hood's Mystic Leap.

Master That Evade Button

This is going to throw off longtime players of Batman: Arkham games, but there is no counter button or block button. Instead, the combat in Gotham Knights is more akin to the Marvel's Spider-Man games where dodging attacks at the right time is essential to combat.

The enemies in Gotham Knights can swarm and overwhelm the player, even in co-op. Some enemy attacks can only be dodged and if timed perfectly, the characters' counterattacks are not only satisfying to look at but will make big fights so much easier to deal with.

Co-Op Is Not Mandatory

From the beginning, it was announced that Gotham Knights would feature online co-op with one other player to create a new Dynamic Duo. This understandably caused concerns that players would be forced into a live-service title akin to Destiny 2 where some missions can only be done with co-op.

Gamers can rest easy knowing that the entire game can be played solo or with a friend. The online is all optional and is merely meant to be a fun addition for friends and/or family to enjoy Gotham Knights together, except for the Heroic Assault mode being added to the game in November as one of many DLC add-ons and it is purely online but still optional.

Team Synergy Is Key

While there are certain games that allow a player to drop in with other players and essentially fend for themselves, co-op for Gotham Knights is much better when the Dynamic Duo works together. Even though the co-op is 100% untethered, allowing players to be on opposite sides of the map if they choose.

However, so much of Gotham Knights and its missions, activities, and instances can be plotted out with a partner thus making for a smooth run. One player could tackle enemies in one part of a room, while the other takes down the rest in another spot.

No Level-Gating

Another concern some gamers had was how the open world worked since Gotham Knights is indeed an RPG. Fortunately, the vast map of Gotham City is completely free to explore at any character level. There are no sections that require the player to grind and level up to explore.

On top of that, all Knights level up at once so if a player wants to play as all characters in one playthrough, they don't have to grind Robin to get to the same level as their Batgirl, for example. Robin will have the same amount of ability points gathered for him.

Skill Trees Are Important

In the Batman: Arkham games, the upgrades that Batman receives are quite linear and don't allow for a lot of variation as they were mainly upgrades for the wide variety of Batman gadgets. In contrast, Gotham Knights definitely commits to being an RPG where each of the Knights has four skill trees to spend ability points on.

There is the freedom to try and unlock every ability but the developers have said that gamers are more likely to commit to only two trees per character. It allows each playthrough to be different with the trees giving the players the chance to focus on different aspects of the Knights and modify the classes to be more than how they start.

Explore The Belfry

The majority of the player's time will be spent on the open-world map of Gotham City, but the Knights have a new home in the form of the clock tower known as the Belfry. This iconic DC superhero lair is filled to the brim with activities including a workbench to customize the Knights with costumes and gear.

Fans of Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin, and Red Hood can also enjoy more character-driven scenes with the four Knights interacting with each other as well as Alfred through pivotal moments that showcase character development. There are also plenty of Easter Eggs to find, including emails from other famous DC heroes.

Choose Carefully When To End The Night

The entire campaign of Gotham Knights takes place over the course of many nights instead of one night like in the Arkham games. Each night, the map of Gotham is filled up with quests and side missions with many of them specific to that night.

The player is free to end the night whenever they choose, but whatever is left undone that night cannot be completed the next night. Completionists should be warned about this, but this could allow some players to structure their playthroughs. Maybe certain missions can be left behind for another playthrough to allow more variety.

NEXT: 9 Best DC Animated Movies To Watch Before Playing Gotham Knights

Source:gamerant.com