WB Games Montreal has revealed that, while Gotham Knights will have a similar feel to the Batman Arkham games, the combat has been “entirely redesigned” so that it works well for the game’s focus on co-op play.Speaking to GamesRadar, WB Games Montreal, who developed Batman: Arkham Origins, spoke about this change and how players will be able to expect more “variety and challenge” in Gotham Knights.“We have entirely redesigned the combat system in order for it to work well in co-op,” says Fleur Marty, executive producer of Gotham Knights. “Of course, we’re still a brawler, and some of the mechanics won’t feel totally alien for people who played and enjoyed the Arkham series, but it is in many ways very different.”
Gotham Knights, which features two-player online co-op, follows the story of Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing, and the Red Hood as they attempt to protect Gotham City after the fall of Batman. There will be five boroughs of Gotham City for players and their friends to explore and many of Batman’s iconic villains to stop.
“The two-player dynamic fits the fantasy and the Gotham City setting. The ‘duo’ or team-up is such a central feature of the universe that there’s a literal shorthand for it in the comics, animation, film, and TV versions,” says Gotham Knights creative director Patrick Redding. “Gotham is a city of alleyways and rooftops, so the footprint for gameplay needs to be compatible with that.”
Even if you are playing solo, however, players will be happy to know that story progression will be shared between all the characters, so you can switch to any hero without fear of being under-leveled.
“Since the story progression is shared between all the characters, it also makes sense that you don’t have to level them up from scratch every time you want to switch. It also stays very coherent in terms of our narrative,” Marty said. “Since the other members of the Batman family are always present in some way in the background, while you’re out in the world fighting crime or unravelling the mystery, they don’t stay inactive. So it makes sense that they are also progressing and getting stronger.”
Gotham Knights will be released on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC in 2021. For more, check out the heroes’ different combat styles, why WB Games Montreal killed Batman, and how online co-op will work.
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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.