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WB Games' Gotham Knights recently received a brand new trailer, titled "The Batman Family," featuring an in-depth look at the game's mechanics and characters from a behind-the-scenes perspective. The trailer also shows some interesting facts behind the development of the game and various ideas behind its narrative.
Gotham Knights is easily one of the most anticipated titles of 2022. Although set in Gotham, the game will not feature the Caped Crusader as its protagonist. Instead, players will get to step into the shoes of members of the Bat Family, including Robin (aka Tim Drake), Batgirl (aka Barbara Gordon), Nightwing (aka Dick Grayson), and Red Hood (aka Jason Todd).
The newly released Bat Family trailer also gives fans a look at the game's hub, The Belfry Tower, where players can rest when they're not battling Gotham's criminal underbelly. With the latest Gotham Knight trailer, fans also got to see Bruce Wayne's loyal butler and legal guardian, Alfred Pennyworth.
Gotham Knights' The Bat Family trailer gives an in-depth look at the game's protagonists
During Gamescom 2022, Warner Bros. Games have already given fans a first look at the game's various enemy factions as well as the Rogues Gallery that players will be going up against during their adventures in Gotham City. Iconic villains like Harley Quinn, Dr. Freeze, Clayface, and Penguin will all be a part of the game's narrative, along with the main antagonistic force, the Court of Owls.
With the most recent trailer, the developers finally gave fans a closer look at the Knights themselves. The trailer even features interviews with members of the team from Warner Bros. Games Montreal as they disclose the inspiration behind the Bat Family members in Gotham Knights and how Robin, Batgirl, Nightwing, and Red Hood have been reimagined for the game in order to deliver a unique narrative experience.
The developers also revealed some key elements of the game's open-world and gameplay mechanics, such as the Crime Investigation system, giving players full liberty to choose their own adventure while patrolling the streets of Gotham and character swapping, which can be done using the game's central hub, the Belfry Tower.
Describing the characters of Gotham Knights
In the trailer, the developers describe every playable character in the game to be designed with their own set of attributes and personalities in mind, to make each member of the Bat Family unique. Jay Evans, Character Art Director for Gotham Knights, stated that the team took various cues from the comic books and also used classic "shape language" designs for the game's protagonists.
Interestingly, each Knight is described by shapes and features that correspond to their personality and abilities. For instance, Red Hood is described as blocky, square, and tank-like, while Batgirl, on the other hand, is expressed as symmetrical and balanced.
The development team also addressed the game's interwoven narrative elements for each character, depicting their interpersonal relationships and giving an additional layer of depth to the Knights behind the mask.
The game starts with each member of the Bat Family grieving and traumatized by the death of Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, leaving them as the sole protectors of Gotham City. Although they initially do not get along well with one another, over the course of the narrative, players will gradually see each member change and become more connected with their allies.
The new trailer also gave fans their first look at Alfred, the smart, caring, and tireless guardian of the Bat Family. The developers describe Alfred Pennyworth as the "glue of the Batman Family," someone that the Knights can rely on and someone with whom their grief is shared. He is steady, endlessly reliable, but also strict and will not put up with anyone's nonsense.
The Belfry Tower
Belfry Tower acts as a hub for players, where they can take refuge while not fighting crime in Gotham City. In the Belfry, players will see the Knights as their human selves, without their masks on, as regular people talking to each other and having a normal life while wearing normal clothing, a massive contrast to how they appear during the night.
The Belfry Clock Tower in Gotham Knights serves as the base of operations for the Knights, essentially making it quite similar to the Batcave. In the Tower, players can manage their equipment, Bat-cycle, as well as cycle between characters.
Gotham Knights is also the series' first foray into the RPG genre with level-based gear, missions, and enemies. Fans of the Arkhamverse games are skeptical over the game's inclusion of role-playing elements and how it will affect Gotham Knights' action-heavy combat.
However, the developers at Warner Bros. Montreal have stated that the game's action-focused combat system will not be hampered by the introduction of RPG elements. The game was recently announced to be released four days earlier than planned, getting fans even more hopeful and excited.
Gotham Knights comes out on October 21, 2022 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC.
