Summary
Initially intended to be the final chapter of the Arkhamverse,Batman: Arkham Knightremains one of the most famous superhero games ever made, even ten years after its launch. Rocksteady Studios crammed as much as they could into the game, which results in Easter Eggs, references, and secret details that even hardcore players might not know about.
To fully grasp the depth of Batman’s final, harrowing night, players can uncover the intricate details that often go unnoticed by casual observers, while also expanding their understanding of the Arkhamverse. These elements are not only present in the open-world storyline but also in the various downloadable content missions and story episodes.
10Tiny The Shark
A Familiar Face Can Be Found On A Dock
Batman: Arkham Citypresents players with a memorable scare from a massive shark inside the Penguin’s museum lair.Tiny the Sharkate anything that Penguin dropped into the flooded room, including Batman, if the player wasn’t careful. When Arkham City was shut down after Hugo Strange was killed, some might be curious about what happened to Tiny.
In the Falcone Shipping Yard, whereBatman acquires his upgraded suit, Tiny can be found dead and strung up on a dock in the Southeast corner of the yard. On the one hand, Tiny was scary, but on the other hand, he was just an animal being used by the Penguin, so it is tragic to see him dead inBatman: Arkham Knight.
9Wayne Tower
What Happened To Ace The Bat-Hound?
Inside Bruce Wayne’s office atWayne Tower, there are a few secrets to find, such as an early glimpse at the Disruptor gadget using detective vision, where Batman’s previous suit is being stored, a dog bowl belonging to Ace the Bat Hound, and a humorous interaction with the phantom Joker. It’s a nice way to make the room feel more immersive and lived in.
One of the best secrets is the phone containing voicemail messages from different characters in Gotham City and the DC Universe. Vicki Vale, Bruce’s on-again-off-again love interest, Kate Kane, Bruce’s half sister and Batwoman, andLex Luthor, Superman’s arch-rival, all leave different messages that flesh out the universe.
8Harleen Quinzel
The Good Side Of Harley Was Starting To Show
Despite being way too short, Harley Quinn’s DLC episode is a fun one, and it has a secret that is exclusive to it. When Harley uses her Psychosis Mode for too long, she will start to hear the voice ofHarleen Quinzelpleading for her to do the right thing, which Harley Quinn will always attempt to silence, being too obsessed with her revenge on Batman for Joker’s death.
Harleen’s voice not only shows the range of voice actress Tara Strong, but also reflects Harley’s development in comics. The longer she’s without Joker and his manipulative actions, the more her honorable side starts to break free, which leads to herbeing more of an anti-hero. Fans would get to see that better side of Harley inSuicide Squad: Kill The Justice League.
7DC Superhero References
Rocksteady Was Setting Up A Whole DC Universe
It may be Gotham City, but it is filled to the brim with as manyreferences to other DC superheroes, seemingly paving the way for otherstories set in the Arkhamverse. There are many references to Queen Industries, including a visit to the building, which teases Green Arrow of Star City. Superman and the Flash are both teased through posters for their respective cities, seen throughout the game.
In the GCPD headquarters, both John Jones and Renee Montoya are listed as missing, which means they are likely out on the streets fighting crime as Martian Manhunter and The Question. In the Clock Tower where Barbara Gordon lives, there is a computer showing a chat room for the Birds of Prey, which includes Oracle, Black Canary, and Huntress. Those are only a fraction of what can be found inBatman: Arkham Knight.
6Man-Bat Secrets
The Scariest Villain Comes Back On Halloween
Man-Bathas one of the more memorable side-missions inBatman: Arkham Knight, with thefirst encounter being a famous jumpscare. However, there is asecretfirst encounter that is easy to miss. After meeting Oracle in the Clock Tower, Man-Bat can be seen soaring through the background before disappearing on Bleake Island.
Players logging into the game on October 31 can encounter Man-Bat again in Gotham City through a jumpscare as a Halloween gift. At the GCPD, they’ll find Man-Bat’s cell destroyed and Francine Langstrom’s body missing from Kirk Langstrom’s lab, with the words “Forever my love” written on a screen, hinting that Man-Bat took her or she transformed into She-Bat.
5Alternate Villain Dialogue
Every Villain Reacts To Bruce Wayne Differently
The different villains in Gotham City can be arrested in any order and at any time the player wishes, which canalter the dialoguebetween them and Batman on the way to the GCPD and when they are in their jail cell. If Batman arrests them before his identity is exposed, they talk to Batman as the vigilante enemy they have known for years.
However, the dialogue changes completely if Batman arrests them after the end of the main story, with the world now knowing that Batman is Bruce Wayne. Two-Face and Batman share a tender momentabout their past friendship. Penguin is resentful of Bruce and his family, and Deathstroke doesn’t care that much as long as he gets revenge.
4The Empty Room
It’s Too Random To Just Be Nothing
In theBatman: Arkhamseries, Rocksteady ensures that every location contains at least one item of interest, such as a Riddler trophy or an Easter egg, or even an enemy to fight. However, behind Panessa Studios, there is a door that leads toan empty room. This is unusual, particularly forBatman: Arkham Knight.
There is a high chance that the empty room has something to do with cut content. Multiple villains,such as the enigmatic Prometheus, Black Mask, and Clayface, were removed from the game. Given that he used to be an actor and there is concept art of a kaiju-sized Clayface, the room could have been part of his side mission before it was scrapped.
3Starro The Conqueror
Batgirl Meets The Justice League’s Oldest Foe
In the Batgirl DLC episode, the story takes place in an abandoned theme park built by a philanthropist for his daughter, but it has a dark past. As posters found in the park show, the star attraction was going to beStarro the Conqueror, which is a nice reference to the first comic inwhich the Justice League unitedto defend the Earth.
Hidden in the park is a secret room, which, when hacked into, allows Batgirl to discover Starro the Conqueror stored in a tank, waiting ominously to be released. In the comics, Starro is an alien starfish who births parasites that latch onto victims and give Starro control. If the park had opened, it would likely have jump-started an alien apocalypse.
2Victor Zsasz
A Killer Cameo For A Lost Mission
Another example of a scrapped villain isVictor Zsasz, who had small but memorable roles in bothBatman: Arkham AsylumandBatman: Arkham City. Not only are there audio files that have Batman and Zsasz interacting with each other, but there are also victims of Zsasz posed on display in Gotham City, yet the player never encounters him.
Victor Zsasz was likelycut fromBatman: Arkham Knightdue to the presence of Professor Pyg, resulting in another serial killer mission. However, he does make a brief cameo when Batman reviews security footage to find Oracle, indicating how Batman would have discovered Zsasz’s presence in Gotham City.
1Joker Hallucinations
The Stronger Joker Gets, The More Gotham Changes
Throughout the story, every time Batman is dosed with Scarecrow’s fear toxin, the phantom Joker in his mind gets stronger. This results inJoker-centric hallucinationsthat are easy to miss asBatman traverses through Gotham City, such as billboards and statues changing to have the Joker’s face on them, along with some dark humor. They disappear almost as fast as they appear when they go off camera.
A hallucination appears for just a fraction of a second when gazing at the Lady of Gotham, a counterpart to the Statue of Liberty. When lightning strikes, a Joker version of the statue can be seen, highlighting the extent of the Clown Prince of Crime’s pompous narcissism.Batman: Arkham Asylumhad similar editing and camera tricks during Scarecrow’s encounters.
