DC fans were treated to a new cinematic trailer for Batman: Arkham Shadow at Summer Game Fest, one that sheds new light on the tone and storyline fueling this latest Arkham-verse adventure. This time around, Batman battles for the very soul of Gotham as the enigmatic Rat King rallies his followers to tear the city to the ground.
You may have some questions after watching the new trailer. How does this game fit into the larger Arkham timeline? Who is the Rat King, anyway? And how do iconic Bat-villains like Harley Quinn and Scarecrow figure in this conflict? Let’s break down what the trailer reveals about the plot of Arkham Shadow.
Warning: this article contains spoilers for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League!
Revealing the History of the Arkham Universe
At this point, Rocksteady has closed out the Arkham saga on a pretty definitive note. 2015’s Arkham Knight ended the main trilogy with Batman fully conquering his fears, vanquishing the ghost of the Joker and abandoning his life as Bruce Wayne. 2024’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League delivered what it promised by
Between that and the tragic passing of voice actor Kevin Conroy, you might be assuming the door has closed on the Arkham universe. Is Arkham Shadow actually part of that universe, or is it taking place in a separate version of the DCU like 2022’s Gotham Knights?
Camoflaj studio head Ryan Payton has confirmed to IGN that Arkham Shadow is indeed part of the Arkham-verse, specifically citing 2009’s Arkham Asylum as the game’s “North Star.” Arkham Shadow is a prequel to that game, taking place in between the events of 2013’s Arkham Origins and Arkham Asylum. Fittingly, Origins voice actor Roger Craig Smith is reprising the Batman role here. This is a younger Batman than the one seen in the main Arkham trilogy, but more seasoned than the relative rookie hero we saw in Arkham Origins.
As for the Batsuit, the design in Arkham Shadow seems to strike a happy medium between the costume from Arkham Origins and the more rugged, armored suit introduced in Arkham Knight. This is definitely a Batman who looks ready to brawl. As is the case in the other games, we’re sure players will have the option of switching to any number of unlockable bonus costumes if they choose, though the fact that Arkham Shadow is played in first-person may dampen the fun of changing costumes a bit.
Who Is the Rat King?
The previous Arkham games included a wide range of Bat-villains, but they tended to revolve mainly around a core group of heavy-hitters like Joker, Scarecrow, Bane and Ra’s al Ghul. Arkham Shadow is operating a little more outside the box. This time, Rat King is the villain threatening to bring Gotham City to its knees.
Who is the Rat King, exactly? This character appears to be the Arkham-verse’s take on Ratcatcher (though it should be noted that Ratcatcher himself previously appeared in some of the Arkham tie-in…