Gotham Knights Early Hands On Impressions

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Engine: Unreal Engine 4

Mode: Multiplayer Coop and Single Player

Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows

Developers: WB Games Montréal, QLOC

Genres: Action Light Role-playing Fighting Adventure Game

So I was able to put a few hours into Gotham Knights and decided to write a quick hands on impressions article detailing my experience up to Mission 1.4. First off, the Batman is dead. The first ten minutes of starting Gotham Knights makes it clear that I, me, you, whatever it’s clear the Dark Knight is indeed dead. Just before Bruce’s demise he issues a “Code Black” to his Bat Family.

The Bat Family consists of the Gotham Knights you play as in-game. So far, I only got the chance to play as Barbara Gordon aka Batgirl and Jason Todd aka Red Hood. Rest of the Bat Family I’ll play as is Timothy Drake aka Robin and Nick Grayson aka Nightwing.

I choose Batgirl first and played through 1.1 and 1.2 of Kirk Langdon’s missions that introduces some basic gameplay mechanics such as solving investigations, stealth mechanics, attacking, the batcycle and Belfry sequences.

Early on Gotham Knights throws a ton of information your way when you unlock the Batcomputer at the Belfry. The Belfry is the main HUB in-between Night Patrols. You can change characters, train, talk to Alfred and the other Knights. The story also continues off when you return to the Belfry after patrols.

This isn’t Arkham. Batman is dead. As I said earlier, I been playing as Batgirl and Red Hood, both have uniquely different combat mechanics. Batgirl seems more like Batman as she can hack and stealth takedown Freaks easier. Red Hood is a tank who has range weapons combat that is much more effective than Batgirl’s ranged abilities.

Visuals are good but performance is abysmal playing on the Playstation 5. Textures are great but character models art-wise I tend to disagree with. I do love how Gotham looks all ray-traced out at night. It’s beautiful but performance is choppy. Gotham Knights is the choppiest Playstation 5 game I played yet I believe. Thirty frames per second too? Not good.

I’m at the point early on (1.4) where I’m completing random objectives throughout Gotham as they pop up. Such as Officers Under Attack, Crime Scene Investigation, Armored Truck Robbery and Criminal In Hiding. I find myself interrogating many Mobsters and Freaks which unlocks intel that unlocks more objectives.

It seems achieving “Knighthood” status for all characters early on will be very beneficial for traversal etc. You unlock crafting early on (1.2). I’ve already crafted Red Hood upgraded armor. You have to return to the Belfry to check out upgraded crafted weapons and armor if you crafted them during patrol.

So is it fun? Yes it’s fun……. just enough. Gotham Knights is it’s own game with playable characters who have their own mechanics but level up together. Gotham Knights has a light RPG aspect to it with “XP” tied to almost everything. I haven’t played any coop. My goal is to beat the game solo then play coop.

So far Gotham Knights is adequate. It’s good. I hate the performance though. It’s way too choppy on the Playstation 5 for a measly thirty frames per second. Visually it looks good.

I do like playing as different Knights while patrolling Gotham. Story really hasn’t caught on yet. Music and sound are okay. Expect a full review at a later date. Thank you for reading – Jason