Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate

Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate picks up directly from the events of Arkham Origins and takes place a few weeks later, when Black Mask, Penguin and Joker all end up in Blackgate Prison at the same time, and Batman has to figure out who is really behind the uprising and which gang truly has the upper hand. The story is told in smaller doses between the individual sectors of the prison, divided by gang, but it keeps the same tone of dark detective thriller as the big console entries, just on a more compact scale suited to the handheld and a shorter overall playtime.

Unlike the rest of the series, this isn't an open 3D world but a 2.5D side-view game in the style of a metroidvania – Batman gradually acquires gadgets like the grapple hook, the remote electrical charge, or a remote-controlled flashlight, which he uses to unlock new paths through the prison, and both the combat and stealth sections are designed specifically for the smaller screen and different handheld controls. The game also uses the 3DS's top screen for the action itself and the bottom touch screen for the map and gadget overview, a solution the console entries logically don't have, and on 3DS it also runs with a stereoscopic 3D effect. Development was handled not by WB Montreal but by Armature Studio, which had to design the combat and movement systems from scratch for this different take on the game, including boss fights against characters like Deathstroke, Copperhead and Bane adapted for the 2.5D space, making it more of a sister title than a scaled-down port of the main game.

Why play it: It suits players who enjoy metroidvanias with gradual ability unlocks and want to see the Arkham universe in a different, more compact form, with a clear prison map in the tradition of genre classics. Shorter and more linear than the big console entries, making it a good choice too for those who just want a smaller dose of Batman on the go without needing to deal with an open world.