Batman Arkham VR : Review
If there is one must have title to showcase your new PSVR headset to your friends, then Batman Arkham VR is it. It is easily the most impressive of the launch titles we have tried so far. While it is short in terms of game play (around 90 mins) the price point (€20) reflects this and makes it very affordable.
Batman VR can be played seated or standing, I preferred the standing option as it makes the most sense in the game world but it is not critical to the overall enjoyment. However if you chose to stand you do need a bit of clear space around you, not that you move around a huge amount, but you do end up losing track of where you are standing and might end up tripping over a coffee table or the cat.
Batman VR lets you live out an hour or two in the boots of the Bat and use some of his gadget, visit some of Gotham’s most famous locations, and interact with a section of the main characters including Robin, Nightwing, Croc, Joker, Riddler and Penguin. The presentation as you would expect from Rocksteady is top notch, and captures the look and feel of the series perfectly. We must make a special note of the voice acting which is again exceptional. The story makes use of Batman’s detective skills more than his fighting skills, a smart move for VR that still lets you experience the world as Batman without flapping your arms around trying to fight like Batman. You need to investigate a murder, a bombing, and track down a missing Robin.
Unfortunately there are a few small disappointments, my main gripe being that you don’t get to travel in any of the vehicles. During my first play through when I got to the part where you select the vehicle to travel in I was giddy with excitement. Obviously I selected the Batmobile, and thought this is going to be so awesome, I’ll get to see what it is like to climb into the Batmobile and be whisked through the streets of Gotham. I presumed it would be an on rails experience but would still be pretty cool. I clicked the button to start the mission and got a black screen, some sounds in the background, then I appeared magically in the next location! Heartbreaking.
The other slight let down is how you move within the locations on foot, Instead of walking you sort of teleport with a button press. This was a real missed opportunity, while I understand it is not a full room VR experience they could have used the same button press and had you walk to that point. It isn’t a major issue but it did jar with me a bit.
Some minor issues with the controls, while using the move controller the game had a habit of losing the tracking, when pointing up to fire the grappling hook, trying to reach items on the side of your belt, or when you have to turn around. I must admit I only had one Move controller, so this might be much better with two.
Overall: Despite the few small grievances, it is still a fantastic game. Rocksteady have created an immersive world with a nice amount of interactivity. The puzzles while not challenging are fun, and make great use of VR. The story while short is entertaining. Batman Arkham VR comes fully recommended for any VR or Batman fan.
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