Search for the best batman games in the computer? The Caped Crusader has been protecting the streets of Gotham for many years across many different media franchises. And naturally, the superhero-turned-philanthropist has found his way into the world of video games from time to time.
Luckily, unlike many other superhero games, most Batman games on PC have been pretty good. Whether it’s battling criminals in the dank halls of Arkham Asylum or taking a lighter stroll through Gotham as its LEGO counterpart, there’s something for every Dark Knight fan. However, most of them come in the form of action-adventure games, and one or two could be considered one of the best PC games around. We’ll only cover games where Batman, or Gotham, is the star, so there’s no unfairness or multiverse here, no matter how good those fighting games are, or anything else that isn’t. is more easily accessible.
Here are the best Batman games for PC:
Batman at Arkham Asylum
For many, Batman: Arkham Asylum will be their first foray into the world of Batman. Although released shortly after The Dark Knight, Arkham Asylum was not a movie tie-in game. Instead, it brought players to the starting facility in all its dark and grimy glory. Batman’s longtime nemesis, the Joker, manages to take over the asylum, with our hero trying to regain control of the game’s flow.
Batman: Arkham Asylum pioneered a fighting style that allowed Batman to take on multiple enemies with ease, dodging and retaliating in satisfying ways. As the first game in the Arkham franchise, it seems a bit simplistic today, but Arkham Asylum still fulfills the powerful fantasy of becoming Batman. You’ll also see this fluid combat in other superhero games like Marvel’s Spider-Man, making it the most influential game on this list.
batman: arkham town
Batman: Arkham City takes you out of the asylum into a much larger open-world game. Much of the gameplay is still familiar from Batman’s escapades at Arkham Asylum, but now with more gadgets and enemy types thrown into the mix. An open world also means more side content, breaking up the main story as you meet new characters, but avoid hunting down all the collectibles if you want to keep your sanity.
This sequel also introduced new playable characters via DLC: Catwoman, Robin and Nightwing. While the Catwoman DLC was the only one to include more story content, having the ability to play with other characters was a nice change of pace.
batman: arkham knight
Batman: Arkham Knight hasn’t gotten off to the best start on PC, with many players experiencing poor performance and a slew of game-breaking bugs, covered in our first “What’s Going On With Our Batman Arkham Knight?” review the mail. After several fixes and easier access to better hardware, Arkham Knight is now a welcome entry for PC gamers, although that wasn’t the case when we got to our real Arkham Knight. review. Fortunately, years later, none of these problems remain.
Visually, it’s by far the most impressive game in the franchise, especially during the many Batmobile sequences. The Batmobile plays an important role in Arkham Knight as you navigate the soggy streets of Gotham City.
Batman: Arkham Origins
Batman: Arkham Origins was the first entry in the franchise not to be made by Rocksteady Studios, taking players back to the events leading up to the first two games. Experience Batman in his early crime-fighting days, hunted down by assassins and corrupt police.
Despite being one of the less memorable entries in the Arkham franchise, Batman: Arkham Origins is still an interesting take on the superhero. It’s not exactly an origin story, but it offers new insights into Batman and the world he’s trying to protect.
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate
Released alongside the main game, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate was originally a handheld-only title. Receiving an enhanced PC port less than a year later, Blackgate is a side-scrolling game rather than a fully open game.
While this limitation is clearly down to the original hardware, which Blackgate was developed for, most of what you’d expect from an Arkham game is still there. You’ll use gadgets to traverse the area, taking out gangs with the usual Batman agility, and the story features a few main characters during its brief duration.
Gotham Knights
Okay, so we know Gotham Knights isn’t technically a Batman game, but it does briefly have the Caped Crusader. With Bruce Wayne dead, it’s up to Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin and Red Hood to protect Gotham City from the villains who seize the opportunity to take control of themselves.
It borrows stealth gameplay from other Arkham games, though it’s not set in the same story, and the combat feels more like an action RPG. It also has a co-op mode for the entire game, so you and a friend can ambush criminals together. Some of our guides cover things like Gotham Knights styles and all the characters, while our Gotham Knights review covers whether it’s worth picking up.
Batman: The Reveal Series
While the Arkham games allowed for detective work, the focus is more on traversing the world and battling bad guys. Batman: The Telltale Series, on the other hand, slows things down a bit, letting you play as Bruce Wayne and his alter ego Batman. The second series, Batman: The Enemy Within, further improves the story, with better overall writing and a satisfying conclusion. If you’re looking for a good superhero-themed detective game, this episodic adventure is for you.
Lego Batman: The Video Game
Lego Batman: The Video Game is the right game to have a happier time. It’s another classic Lego title, taking the usually stoic Batman series and injecting a lot more humor and goofy scenes into the mix. As with most Lego titles, it’s also a much more fun cooperative game to play with family and friends.
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
As you can probably guess, Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes features more Batman and more DC characters overall. Batman still has the lead role, with a new set of costumes and gadgets, but now some familiar faces like Superman and Flash are making an appearance for the first time. You even get an open world to explore, similar to later Arkham games.
Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham
Lego Batman 2 was always a Batman game with a dash of DC characters. Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, on the other hand, goes one step further, expanding the roster to over 150 characters across the DC Universe. It may be the least Batman-centric title on this list, but it still offers a nice variety of new tools to play with during your space adventures.
Batman: Arkham Motorhome
Virtual reality technology was still in its infancy when Batman: Arkham VR was released, giving gamers a taste of what might be to come. It won’t blow you away like a modern VR game, but it’s still fun to play around with Batman’s various gadgets and solve light puzzles.
That wraps up our list of the best Batman games for PC in 2023. There’s plenty for newcomers to enjoy, though you might already have some of these freebies on the Epic Games Store. If you’re looking for the best PC games instead, we’ve got the list for you, filled with top-notch experiences found on the platform.
Additional entries by Dave Irwin.