History VideoGame / BatmanArkhamKnight

* OminousMusicBoxTune: One riddle requires finding an abandoned building where a creepy music box is playing by a grave. The music being played is the nursery rhyme "Solomon Grundy," with the implication that the unded monster of the same name is alive and well.

* HighSpeedHijack: A cool thing Batman can do is the open-world is jump onto the hood of a rioter's car, throw out the driver, and then jump off before a bomb he planted explodes.

** Man-Bat's sidequest involves tracking him down throughout the city and tackling him as a short cutscene plays of Batman wrestling the monster to the ground befroe he can take flight again.

* MirroredConfrontationShot: Done in promotional artwork (and the back of the game's box) with Batman and the Arkham Knight.
* MissionControlIsOffItsMeds: [[spoiler:Joker]]. But then again, when was the last time he was ''ever'' on his meds?
* TheMole: [[spoiler:Officer Wicker]] is The Riddler's mole in the GCPD. [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential You have the option of openly interrogating him in front of his coworkers.]]

* OffhandBackhand: Batman can pull a few of these on the thugs about to attack him [[spoiler:while he is interrogating the Penguin for information]]. He can also do this [[spoiler:on the fear toxin-induced thug about to attack him while he's replacing the damaged power core of the Batmobile with the Nimbus cell]].

->''''Gotham needs something more, something worse, to defend her. She needs a new myth, a legend more powerful than I can be right now. A legend that can only rise from the ashes of the Batman.''''

->''Gotham needs something more, something worse, to defend her. She needs a new myth, a legend more powerful than I can be right now. A legend that can only rise from the ashes of the Batman.''

* ExtremelyShortTimespan: "Comicbook/TheLongHalloween" could be a subtitle for the game, given how much Batman can do on a single October 31st night.

* DeathByAdaptation: [[spoiler:Edward Burke -- having previously appeared in DC properties as either [[ComicBook/BatmanAndTheOutsiders the second Planet Master]] or [[{{Series/Smallville}} a duplicitous U.S. Senator]] -- is here a wealthy industrialist with a terminally ill daughter, who built Seagate Park for her at the suggestions of his psychologist, Dr. Quinzel, and her friend, "Jack White". Like the park owner in ''The Killing Joke'', he too is unknowingly poisoned with Joker toxin; after his daughter passes away, "Jack" gives him some pills to help commit suicide, and he dies screaming with laughter.]]

* ObviousRulePatch: While playing as [[spoiler: Red Hood]] in the Bank challenge maps, if you use [[spoiler: his Dual Handguns]] to take down a thug, other thugs nearby will hear it despite the alarm being supposedly too loud to hear anything (including their own guns). This is done for balancing reasons, as silent instant Takedowns from anywhere on the map would trivialize any challenge.

--->'''Two-face Thug:''' I'm imagining! Gotta be imagining it! Who'd chain a body to a wall?

Unlike the previous three games, ''Arkham Knight'' is exclusive to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne, and [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows Windows]] [=PCs=]. It is the only game in the ''Arkham'' series to receive a Mature rating from the [[UsefulNotes/EntertainmentSoftwareRatingBoard ESRB]] and 18 from [[UsefulNotes/PanEuropeanGameInformation PEGI]][[note]]With the exception of ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamVR''[[/note]], also making it the first ''Batman'' video game to ever receive both ratings. It was released on June 23, 2015 on all platforms, then taken down from Steam for a period of 4 months, until October 28th, 2015.

A UsefulNotes/MacOS and Linux/ [=SteamOS=] port was also planned for release in Late-2015, and was to be released by Creator/FeralInteractive, but plans were scrapped and canned in Early 2016. A UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch port was released on December 1, 2023 as part of the ''[[CompilationRerelease Batman: Arkham Trilogy]]'', along with ports of its two precedessors, ''[[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum Arkham Asylum]]'' and ''Arkham City''.

** Among the new alternate costumes for Batman in ''Knight'' are an unblemished version of the suit he wears from most of the game, ''Justice League 3000'', the Michael Keaton Batsuit, his costume from the ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanGothamKnight Gotham Knight]]'' short "Field Test", [[ComicBook/BatmanGrantMorrison Zur-en-Arrh, Dick Grayson's second Batsuit]][[note]]Dick's batsuit during ''Prodigal'' was the same costume Bruce was wearing at the time[[/note]], ''ComicBook/FlashpointDCComics'', ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', and a modified version of the ''Beyond'' suit. Returning costumes include his costumes from ''Asylum'' and ''Origins'', ''TDKR'', ''Year One'', ''Batman Incorporated'', ''Noel'', his first appearance costume, the Neal Adams suit, and the Adam West suit.

A Season Pass for multiple [[DownloadableContent DLC]] packs was announced. This included pre-order DLC as Red Hood and Harley Quinn. This was followed by a {{Prequel}} set before ''Arkham Asylum'' (''A Matter of Family'') starring Batgirl, several challenge rooms and Batmobile race tracks. This in turn was followed by additional post-launch content, with episodes featuring other members of the Batfamily and a villains pack (''The Season of Infamy'') featuring Killer Croc, Mr. Freeze, Ra's al Ghul and the Mad Hatter.

Unlike the previous three games, ''Arkham Knight'' is exclusive to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne, and [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows Windows]] [=PCs=]. It is the only game in the ''Arkham'' series to receive a Mature rating from the [[UsefulNotes/EntertainmentSoftwareRatingBoard ESRB]][[note]]With the exception of ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamVR''[[/note]], also making it the first ''Batman'' video game to ever receive this rating. It was released on June 23, 2015 on all platforms, then taken down from Steam for a period of 4 months, until October 28th, 2015.

A UsefulNotes/MacOS and Linux/ [=SteamOS=] port was also planned for release in Late-2015, and was to be released by Creator/FeralInteractive, but plans were scrapped and canned in Early 2016.

Unlike the previous three games, ''Arkham Knight'' is exclusive to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne, and [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows Windows]] [=PCs=]. It is the only game in the ''Arkham'' series to receive a Mature rating from the [[UsefulNotes/EntertainmentSoftwareRatingBoard ESRB]], also making it the first ''Batman'' video game to ever receive this rating. It was released on June 23, 2015 on all platforms, then taken down from Steam for a period of 4 months, until October 28th, 2015.

* ObviousBeta:
** The PC version had to be removed from stores more than once due to the amount of bugs and crashes that many players experienced.
** It should be noted that the other versions, while miles ahead of the PC port, aren't exactly bug free. As WebVideo/SomeCallMeJohnny [[https://youtu.be/1_Hfo70-dVo?t=12m22s observes]] in his review of the [=PS4=] version, the game can suffer from numerous glitches even on console, including the game failing to load environments, Batman getting stuck in place, and even full on crashing.
** While the challenge map updates were greatly appreciated, the team clearly had limited time and/or resources when making them. For example, Harley's and Red Hood's stories feature the Blüdhaven police and Black Mask's thugs as enemies, and they have unique dialogue when talking about the two (anti-)villains. In challenge maps, they are never referred by name, the unique enemies and lines are absent[[note]]all characters share the basic EnemyChatter, but references to Batman are just removed if the player is not playing as him. Robin, Nightwing and Catwoman get some personalized lines, however. Female characters are referred with the correct pronouns as well.[[/note]] as are some of their gimmicks such as Ivy's man-eating plants and bulletproof enemies. As almost all of the challenge maps were designed with Batman's abilities in mind, some characters suffer a bit (most notably, Catwoman can't climb 99% of ceilings).

* TankGoodness: The Batmobile here is more of an armoured car since it uses wheels instead of tracks, but still fits the trope. Sort of. 'WebVideo/HonestTrailers called it "Arkham: VideoGame/WorldOfTanks".

** If the player chooses to complete the main story before doing the [[spoiler: Hush]] side mission, Batman and Lucius will have different dialogue

* DarkReprise: A sad version of Johnny Charisma's song is heard in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwd_BEGe_Zw the end credits (spoilers)]], lamenting both the end of the series and Charisma's personal downfall.

A Season Pass for multiple [[DownloadableContent DLC]] packs was announced. This included pre-order DLC as Red Hood and Harley Quinn. This was followed by a {{Prequel}} set before ''Arkham Asylum'' (''A Matter of Family'') starring Batgirl, several challenge rooms and Batmobile race tracks. This in turn was followed by additional post-launch content, with episodes featuring other members of the Batfamily and a villains pack (''The Season of Infamy'') featuring Killer Croc, ComicBook/MrFreeze, ComicBook/RasAlGhul and Mad Hatter.

** Among the new alternate costumes for Batman in ''Knight'' are an unblemished version of the suit he wears from most of the game, ''Justice League 3000'', the Michael Keaton Batsuit, his costume from the ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanGothamKnight Gotham Knight]]'' short "Field Test", [[ComicBook/BatmanGrantMorrison Zur-en-Arrh, Dick Grayson's second Batsuit]][[note]]Dick's batsuit during ''Prodigal'' was the same costume Bruce was wearing at the time[[/note]], ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}'', ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', and a modified version of the ''Beyond'' suit. Returning costumes include his costumes from ''Asylum'' and ''Origins'', ''TDKR'', ''Year One'', ''Batman Incorporated'', ''Noel'', his first appearance costume, the Neal Adams suit, and the Adam West suit.
** Robin's alternate costumes include Tim's classic and [[ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis One Year Later]] costumes, and Dick's costumes from the ComicBook/{{New 52}} and ''Series/Batman1966''.
** Nightwing's alternate costumes include his ComicBook/{{New 52}} costume and the costume from ''City''.

** ComicBook/LexLuthor makes a voice-only cameo on Bruce Wayne's answering machine, [[FictionFiveHundred expressing an interest in buying a portion of Wayne Enterprises]]. "A man like you doesn't need an Applied Sciences division, he needs another billion dollars."

** In a ''very'' easy-to-miss one, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eqJ557t9Bk examining Oracle's computer]] late in the game shows her chatting to ComicBook/{{Huntress}} and advising her to stay on the mainland with [[ComicBook/BlackCanary "BC"]].

* {{Clownification}}: It's revealed that receiving a transfusion of ComicBook/TheJoker's Titan-contaminated blood resulted in the recipient's brain being infected with a prion disease that gives them bright green eyes, green hair, bleach-white skin, and [[MonsterClown a propensity for murder]], and since [[spoiler: [[CallBack Batman was infected]] in [[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity the previous game]]]], there's also a race against time to find a cure.

** ''Arkham Knight'' opens with a brief reimagining of ComicBook/TheJoker's [[VikingFuneral cremation]] from ''Arkham City: Endgame''. Shortly afterwards, "Only You (And You Alone)" by The Platters starts playing on the jukebox at Pauli's Diner, a song the Joker got to cover in ''Arkham City''. [[spoiler:Near the end, when Joker has taken over Batman's body and is hunting the other criminals, "Only You" is playing again on a gramophone.]]

** [[{{ComicBook/Metamorpho}} Simon Stagg's]] appearance in the prequel comic, trying once again to marry off his daughter to a more "suitable" rich playboy (in this case, Bruce himself). Sapphire is not amused. [[spoiler:Metamorpho himself appears later on, as a bio-organic lifeform synthesized from Clayface mud samples and a radioactive isotope found in Egypt, and structurally stabilized with "organic matter" (namely, the body of Rex Mason).]]

** Downplayed with the King Cobra drones, which can be taken out by a Level 2 Missile Barrage or [[spoiler:being hacked with the drone virus]].

!'''Spoilers for ''all'' VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries games ''preceding'' this one will be left unmarked. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned!'''

* GrandFinale: ''Arkham Knight'' is being billed as the final chapter in the ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries'', at least as far as Rocksteady Studios is taking it. The end credits reflect this, with [[CreditsMontage a series of stills highlighting moments from Rocksteady's previous games]] and a final group shot of the entire team waving goodbye.

* KickTheSonOfABitch: Normally rooting for a cat burglar to rob a man blind would not be a cause for celebration but since the victim is Riddler, the most annoying and narcissistic character of the Arkhamverse, it's hard not to root for Selina.