Gotham Knights – Bat-Family Co-op Action RPG Review

Gotham Knights delivers a solid 7.0/10: flawed yet fun Bat-Family co-op with weighty combat, striking Gotham, and divisive live-service trappings.

Game Info

Developer
WB Games Montréal
Publisher
Warner Bros. Games
Release Date
October 21, 2022
Genre
Action RPG, Open World
Platforms
PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X

Verdict

7 /10

A visually striking, story-strong Bat-Family adventure whose co-op charm and Gotham atmosphere offset repetitive missions and uneven performance.

Pros

  • Atmospheric Gotham with impressive lighting and dense vertical city design
  • Strong Bat-Family character dynamics and cutscenes anchor the campaign
  • Four distinct heroes encourage replaying cases with different playstyles
  • Co-op patrols and Heroic Assault add genuine duo-focused fun
  • RPG progression and gear crafting offer build flexibility without overwhelming complexity
  • Soundtrack and voice work sell the late-night vigilante fantasy
  • Post-launch patches improved stability and overall polish

Cons

  • Console versions remain capped at 30 FPS, disappointing performance-minded players
  • Combat can feel sluggish and less precise than Arkham’s rhythmic encounters
  • Crime repetition and similar side-activity structures lead to open-world fatigue
  • Loot and crafting systems add grind without deep long-term payoff
  • Limited cross-play and two-player cap restrict co-op flexibility for larger groups

Performance Notes

On PC, Gotham Knights can reach 60 FPS or higher at 1080p with an RTX 2070-class GPU and modern CPU, but weaker systems struggle. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S remain capped at 30 FPS, offering strong visuals yet a heavier feel than most current action games.

Gotham Knights reimagines Gotham after Batman’s death as a co-op-focused action RPG, trading Arkham’s rhythm combat for loot-driven builds and patrol loops. Critics landed in the low 70s, praising atmosphere and character work while criticizing repetition and performance choices. This review unpacks how it plays now, what hardware it demands, and which players will actually enjoy patrolling Gotham in 2026.

How to Play Gotham Knights

You choose one of four heroes, investigate cases at the Belfry, then glide or ride across Gotham each night tackling crimes, story missions, and villain arcs. Progress comes from leveling, gear, and momentum abilities, with co-op designed around two-player patrols rather than four-player chaos.

  1. Controls – Third-person brawling with light/heavy attacks, dodges, ranged tools, and contextual momentum abilities; less snappy than Arkham but readable once animations become familiar.
  2. Progression – Earn XP, craft suits and melee/ranged weapons, and unlock Knighthood skill trees that reshape traversal, survivability, and synergy between duo partners.
  3. Combat/Mechanics – Gear score, elemental effects, and enemy archetypes push you to swap builds, but encounters still revolve around spacing, dodging, and controlled crowd management.
  4. Tips – Focus on unlocking Knighthood early, chase suit sets that complement your preferred playstyle, and avoid over-grinding low-level crimes once you outscale districts.

Who Should Play Gotham Knights

Gotham Knights targets players who value co-op crimefighting and character-driven superhero stories more than razor-sharp combat. It suits those willing to overlook technical quirks for the fantasy of patrolling Gotham as part of the Bat-Family.

  • Player 1 – Batman fans who enjoy ensemble stories and want to see Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood, and Robin take center stage.
  • Player 2 – Co-op ARPG players looking for a lighter, third-person alternative to looter shooters, with shared builds and duo patrols.
  • Player 3 – Open-world tourists who like checking off icons, clearing districts, and unlocking traversal upgrades across a dense city.
  • Skip if – You expect Arkham-tier combat fluidity, 60 FPS on console, deep loot theorycrafting, or fully systemic stealth sandboxes.

Gotham Knights Platform Performance

At launch, Gotham Knights drew criticism for a 30 FPS cap on consoles and demanding PC specs. Subsequent patches improved stability and image quality, but PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X still target 30 FPS, leaving high-refresh experiences primarily for well-equipped PCs.

Platform Resolution FPS Notes
PC (High) 1440p/4K 60+ With at least an RTX 2070 and modern CPU, high settings hit 60 FPS at 1080p, scaling to 1440p with some tweaks.
PS5 4K (dynamic) 30 No performance mode; visual quality is strong but input latency and motion feel heavier than 60 FPS peers.
Xbox Series X 4K (dynamic) 30 Similar presentation to PS5 with occasional traversal hitches when streaming dense districts.
Switch N/A N/A Not released on Nintendo Switch as of early 2026; any handheld versions remain speculative.

Gotham Knights System Requirements

On PC, Gotham Knights expects modern mid-to-high-end hardware. Minimum specs target 1080p at low settings, but recommended requirements push for strong CPUs and GPUs if you want consistent 60 FPS with high settings and heavier crowds.

Component Minimum Recommended
OS Windows 10 64-bit Windows 10 64-bit
CPU Intel Core i5-9600K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Intel Core i7-10700K / AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
GPU Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 590 Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 / AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
RAM 8 GB 16 GB
Storage 45 GB SSD Recommended

Similar Games to Gotham Knights

Gotham Knights sits between the precision of Arkham and the grind of live-service looters. It borrows progression ideas from action RPGs but anchors them in a relatively grounded open-world superhero structure.

  • Batman: Arkham Knight – Tighter combat and stealth with a singular Batman focus, but lacks Gotham Knights’ duo co-op and RPG systems.
  • Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales – More fluid traversal and combat, shorter and more polished, yet strictly single-player.
  • Marvel’s Avengers – Heavier live-service grind and larger hero roster, but a messier campaign and weaker city identity.
  • Guardians of the Galaxy – Strong narrative ensemble superhero game, fully single-player with more linear mission design.

Gotham Knights vs Competitors

Against other modern superhero titles, Gotham Knights lands mid-pack: more replayable than pure story adventures, less polished than Sony’s Spider-Man titles, and thankfully lighter on live-service bloat than Marvel’s Avengers ended up being.

Feature Gotham Knights Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Marvel’s Avengers
Price $59.99 $49.99 $39.99
Playtime 17–50 hours 8–15 hours 20–60+ hours
Multiplayer Online co-op (2) No Online co-op (up to 4)
Metacritic 67 ~85 ~71

Gotham Knights Story and World

Set after Bruce Wayne’s death, Gotham Knights explores how his protégés inherit both his enemies and his unresolved investigations. The Court of Owls and League of Shadows arcs give Gotham a conspiratorial undercurrent, while strong cutscenes and Belfry dialogue sell the Bat-Family’s grief, friction, and eventual cohesion.

Gotham Knights Graphics and Audio

Gotham itself is the star: rain-slick streets, neon reflections, and dense vertical skylines create a moody playground for patrols. Character models are detailed, if occasionally stiff, and the soundtrack leans into cinematic swells and low brass, with solid voice acting carrying quieter character beats back at the Belfry.

Gotham Knights Multiplayer and Online

Co-op is limited to two players but thoughtfully integrated into patrol loops and casework. Duos can split districts, combo momentum abilities, or simply explore together, with enemy health scaling and drop sharing tuned to keep both heroes appropriately engaged.

  • Casefile Co-op – Story missions playable with a partner, including major villain arcs, though pacing can drag if one player rushes collectibles.
  • Heroic Assault – Wave-based co-op mode added post-launch, offering combat-focused challenges separate from the open world.
  • The Kelvin Incident – Raid-like endgame activity for coordinated groups seeking tougher fights and better gear.
  • Cross-Play – Not fully implemented; co-op remains platform-bound, which can fragment friend groups across PC and consoles.

Gotham Knights DLC and Expansions

Post-launch support centered on free modes and balance updates rather than traditional story expansions, alongside cosmetic DLC packs bundled into higher editions. Rumors of further content surface periodically, but as of early 2026 there is no large paid narrative expansion.

  • Heroic Assault – Free mode introducing multi-floor arenas and tougher enemy gauntlets aimed at build-tested duos.
  • The Kelvin Incident – Free endgame activity with higher-level loot and more demanding coordination requirements.
  • Season Pass – Effectively a cosmetic bundle, folding in transmogs, bike skins, and suit variants without gating missions.
  • Free Updates – Performance improvements, balance passes, accessibility tweaks, and occasional gear reworks across 2023–2025.
Content Type Cost Focus
Modes Free Add replayable combat and endgame challenges beyond the campaign.
Cosmetic DLC Paid / Edition-based Transmogs, Batcycle skins, and themed outfits for each hero.
Patches Free Stability, optimization, and balance improvements over time.

Gotham Knights Community and Support

The community around Gotham Knights has settled into a core group of Bat-Family fans, lore diggers, and co-op regulars. Official channels share patch notes and concept art, while players maintain build guides, optimal patrol routes, and challenge runs long after the initial review cycle cooled.

  • Official Forums – WB Games channels highlight known issues, hotfix notes, and occasional behind-the-scenes peeks.
  • Reddit/Discord – Player hubs surface effective builds per hero, duo synergies, and recommendations for difficulty and modifiers.
  • Mod Support – PC has only light cosmetic and tweak mods; no full toolkit, so most players experience the vanilla balance.
  • Updates – Major feature work has slowed, but intermittent patches continue polishing performance and addressing lingering bugs.