Why Batman fans now have the perfect excuse to get into VR

As an experienced gamer for 25 years, it’s not often that I feel overwhelmed when playing something new. By and large, any gamer who has a good understanding of how to effectively use a controller’s two analog sticks can do well when playing something for the first time (for most games).

This was not the case when I first booted up Meta Quest 3. Experimenting with my old roommate’s Oculus has given me a bit of a head start on navigating menus over the last few years, and in fact playing things back with the new virtual reality (VR) headset felt like I was doing that Start hobby from scratch. Play Fruit Ninja VR, Beat Saberthe virtual chat room Meta Horizon worldsAnd Asgard’s Wrath 2very few of my skills as an enthusiast translated directly to the immersive format. Even improve games Tetris effecta fairly straightforward twist on the puzzle classic, was a bit overwhelming with its trance-like barrage of audio-visual noises.

Surprisingly, playing a game in a group made it much easier for me to get started with VR – Batman: Arkham Shadow.

Batman: Arkham Shadow is currently an exclusive meta quest. It’s even free on the 3 and 3S models of the headset. As the name suggests, this is a new entry in Rocksteady’s (and WB Montreal’s) critically acclaimed Arkham series. Arkham Shadow takes place six months after 2013 Arkham Origins and follows Batman’s pursuit of a mysterious new villain called the Rat King. This version of the Dark Knight is a younger, less experienced vigilante, giving the narrative room to subvert expectations.

Arkham Shadow It just starts, and that’s a godsend. The game’s default settings lack vignetting, a soft black border that surrounds the player’s vision and helps reduce motion sickness. In addition, the player’s movements are displayed on the analog stick of the left controller. The discrepancy between moving smoothly through a space in the game and standing still in real life immediately made me feel uneasy (the bad kind). The resulting images can be overwhelming for VR beginners. (Note for players entering the game for the first time: Select Comfort difficulty when prompted when you first start, then adjust accordingly afterward. Your brain/eyes/well-being will suit you thank.)

However, once I got my VR sea legs ready to go, I was shocked at how easy it was to step into Batman’s shoes. A big part of this is how well developer Camouflaj has translated all of the series’ iconic mechanics into the new format. One of the first things you do as a player is enter a ventilation shaft. I walked over and grabbed it, just like I’d seen Batman since 2009 Arkham Asylum, took it out and pushed it aside.

The more controls the game included, the more I realized how prepared I was as an Arkham player. Within minutes of learning the basics of stealth knockouts, punching throws, counterattacks, and sliding, I found myself pantomiming animations I’d seen hundreds of times with great success. And while it felt familiar, you also have to give credit to the development that made such wildly different actions feel fantastic in a fully 3D space.

The built-in novelty of using Batman’s non-lethal arsenal adds a level of nerdy joy that makes the game a blast to play through. Pulling out smoke bombs and Batarangs from your suit or using the Batgrapple like Bruce Wayne would is a novelty that never gets old. Activating Detective Sight (to solve environmental puzzles and monitor pursuing enemies when they are outnumbered) with a tap of the temple feels as intuitive as it does natural.

The most important part of this exceptional package is how closely it mimics the series it belongs to. This isn’t a Gotham side story with familiar-looking character models. This is a completely new chapter in the series. Voice actor Roger Craig Smith returns to give an excellent performance as the title character and is a hit in the role the second time around. The locations are familiar and feature the same Gotham grit. There are collectibles to find, Riddler trophies to collect, and locked areas that can only be unlocked with certain Bat-devices. It’s a video game through and through, where the VR features don’t feel like fun gimmicks, but rather a real extension of the four previous games.

This is no shadow of the other games I’ve played so far. I’m sure the more I get used to using a VR headset, the easier it will be for me to familiarize myself with how they work. But there was something extremely comforting about playing a game I was very familiar with, but with a change of perspective. For long-time gamers, especially those who have played the hugely popular Batman Arkham games: Arkham Shadow is the perfect introduction to the world of VR like never before.

Batman: Arkham Shadow is now available on Meta Quest devices.