Batman: Arkham Origins was originally released in 2013 and developed by WB Games Montréal, who stepped in whilst Rocksteady focused on Batman: Arkham Knight, the follow-up to Batman: Arkham City. At the time, I recall many people dismissing it, as its launch was overshadowed by reports of technical issues and a fairly lukewarm reception; and this was long before Arkham Knight’s infamously troubled PC release a few years later. Admittedly, that reputation had kept me away for years. I had expected something rough, perhaps a diminished shadow of its predecessors, and only recently decided to give it a go, as I was in a Batman mood after recently reading Grant Morrison's classic Batman: Arkham Asylum graphic novel from 1989, which this series drew inspiration. To cut to the chase, I was pleasantly surprised. Not only is the game solid, but it also delivered some of the series’ most memorable moments, and I’m glad I didn’t let old reviews put me off.

Firstly, Arkham Origins is set as a prequel to the rest of the series. The story opens at Blackgate Prison, where Batman foils a breakout orchestrated by the ruthless crime lord Black Mask, immediately establishing the stakes and his early role in Gotham City. From there, the action moves into a snow-covered Gotham on Christmas Eve. Batman, only two years into his crusade against crime, becomes the target of a massive bounty placed by Black Mask, which draws a deadly group of assassins into the city. This sets the stage for a perilous night filled with challenges, detective work, boss fights, and a conspiracy that stretches far beyond the initial contract on his head. The Gotham City Police Department is also wary and obstructive, seeing Batman as a dangerous vigilante rather than an ally, complicating his efforts further at this stage. The story also introduces younger versions of familiar characters, such as Jim Gordon before he became Commissioner, and his daughter, Barbara Gordon, and, of course, Alfred. Without giving too much away, the Joker eventually emerges as a central figure (again), and the way his dynamic with Batman is portrayed is one of the strongest aspects of the series. Their tension recalls the psychological edge of Arkham Asylum, but here it is presented in a rawer, less polished manner, reflecting Batman’s relative inexperience.

Gameplay-wise, Arkham Origins sticks closely to the foundations laid by the earlier games. The freeflow combat is as fluid, responsive, and satisfying as ever, rewarding you for chaining combos together and getting the timing just right. That said, after three entries it can occasionally feel a touch button-mashy or a bit routine, though that’s more a matter of how much freshness you’re after rather than a flaw in the formula itself. Even so, it’s still one of the slickest melee systems you’ll find in modern action games. The stealth-based Predator encounters remain a highlight too, letting you plan out a room, pick enemies off one at a time, and leave the survivors in a panic. Still, in each Arkham game, I can’t help but chuckle at how blind the thugs can be; for the most part, they’ll fail to notice Batman crouched on a gargoyle directly above them, even moments after he’s vanished from sight mid-encounter. Of course, the system has to be a bit “gamey” to work, but now and then it does dent the immersion. On the gadget front, there are some fun additions. The Shock Gloves are absurdly powerful yet ridiculously fun to use, making fights easier but never less entertaining, whilst the glue grenades, essentially a swap for Arkham City’s ice grenades, have their own tactical uses in both combat and puzzles. The detective sequences are also noteworthy. Reconstructing crime scenes with Batman’s gadgets was amongst my favourite moments because it slowed the pace and emphasised the investigative side of the character. They reminded me slightly of Condemned: Criminal Origins (also with “Origins” in the title), though filtered through a Batman lens, and I only wish the game had leaned more heavily into this mechanic to set itself apart from Arkham City. Broadly, the mechanics stick with the familiar, layering in just enough refinements to keep things consistent with the rest of the series. Whether that’s a strength or a drawback depends on how much novelty you’re craving. Personally, I didn’t mind, though after long sessions I did start to feel a little worn out from the endless brawls.

Gotham City itself also deserves some praise. The map is roughly double the size of Arkham City, and whilst it can feel sparse in places, the snowy, Christmas-time atmosphere gives it a unique charm and the noir-like vibe lends the city a haunting yet festive feel. Gliding across the skyline in the snow is also strangely serene at times. Random crimes and encounters help the city feel alive, and the soundtrack underscores the loneliness of Batman’s early years perfectly. However, the side content is rather hit and miss, even with side villains like Mad Hatter and Anarky adding some flavour. The Most Wanted missions and detective cases can feel repetitive, whilst Enigma’s datapacks quickly become tedious. They are useful for farming XP to unlock gadgets and combat upgrades quicker, but I eventually stuck to the main story. Still, completionists and achievement hunters will find more than enough.

The boss fights, though not all, are another highlight. The Deathstroke duel is easily my favourite, combining solid fighting with cinematic flair, and genuinely feels like a clash between equals. Bane also appears multiple times, which can feel a little repetitive, but reinforces his presence in the story. His final encounter adopts more of a cat-and-mouse style rather than a simple slugfest, which felt refreshing and suited the narrative context. Some might have expected a Joker boss fight to finish the game, but I appreciated the developers’ choice, as it fit the story better, even if it felt slightly anticlimactic.

I also felt the voice acting (and writing in general) elevated the overall experience. Roger Craig Smith convincingly portrays a younger, rougher, slightly hot-headed Batman, whilst Troy Baker’s Joker is chilling, unpredictable, and arguably one of the standout performances in the game. Even though Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill did not return, I felt the new cast captured the essence of their young characters exceptionally well, even if they will never eclipse the originals.

There's also a multiplayer mode, which unsurprisingly doesn't work anymore since the online service was shutdown in December 2016. From what I’ve seen, it was an interesting concept where you play as gang members battling Batman and Robin. On the brighter side, the game includes a New Game+ mode, letting you carry over your previous unlocks into a tougher difficulty setting.

As I mentioned, my biggest concern going in was technical instability. Arkham Origins had a reputation for that initially, but my experience was far smoother than I expected. The only issues I encountered were a crash to desktop when leaving a level through a door, and a funny but frustrating glitch where Bane and Batman clipped through a wall during a scripted sequence and fell into the void.

In conclusion, Batman: Arkham Origins turned out to be a far stronger game than I had anticipated. The story is gripping, some boss fights are among the finest in the series, and the performances give the narrative real weight. Gotham’s wintry setting provides a memorable atmosphere, and even though side content can be uneven and the game doesn’t innovate much beyond its predecessors, it still delivers a thoroughly satisfying Arkham experience. Technical issues were very minimal in my playthrough and didn’t spoil the fun. For years, I assumed the game was just a filler or misstep, but now I see it as a worthy Arkham entry. Try it out! And honestly, playing it around Christmas could feel like the gaming equivalent of watching the first Die Hard.

Definitely not a bad game. It'd probably be okay if this is your first Arkham game, but it feels confused in both tone and gameplay and sometimes even narrative consistency in the Arkham games (Which yes, it is canon). I won't go too in depth just for the sake of keeping this review short, but there are gadgets Batman does not have in Asylum, the game is way easier than Asylum and City, and the game tonally feels very distant from the Arkham trilogy with a large focus on either trying to be blockbuster levels of "wow, epic", like the Christopher Nolan movies or being extremely comical... like the Deathstroke boss fight or just about any time a woman shows up in this game. Once again, not horrible, but it doesn't feel like too much with such big shoulders this tiny game needs to try and stand on.

(At least it's not Gotham Knights... or Suicde Squad)

It's cool.