Oculus Studios
Gamers woke up to some very surprising news on Wednesday , May 1 . Game Awards creatorGeoff Keighley unveil via Xthat Rocksteady ’s dear Batman : Arkham series was making a comeback . Batman : Arkham Shadowwould launch later this yr , with more detail coming in June during Summer Game Fest . It was a cause for jubilation … until citizenry read the fine mark .
Batman : Arkham Shadowis aMeta Quest 3exclusive .
Oculus Studios
That detail was not receive kindly . answer to Keighley ’s tweet are fill with players bemoaning the VR exclusivity . “ sustain all delirious until I saw VR,”one response read . Some complaints are more specific , with players angry about its weapons platform exclusivity . There are honest critiques to be made , but I for one am excite aboutBatman : Arkham Shadow — and anyone paying care to VR over the preceding few years should be too .
Embracing VR
At first glance , I can sympathise with those who findBatman : Arkham Shadowdisappointing . For one , it ’s amount to one specific platform that ’s not virtually as widely adopt as the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. The fact that it wo n’t even be available on PlayStation VR2 is an bother for anyone who endue in Sony ’s poorly confirm headset last year . It ’s also unsatisfying that the game is n’t being develop by Rocksteady , the studio apartment that built the Arkham game in the first place .
Once you get past those pain in the neck , though , the tidings goes down much fluent . The most exciting bit of this is the developer behind it . The project is hail from Camouflaj , a VR studio that Meta acquired in 2022 . The studio is responsible for2020’sIron Man VR — and that should perk up your ear up . While I ’ve antecedently vocalize my fair share of issues withIron Man VR , the task was crucial to changing the tech ’s report in 2020 . At that point , developer were still shin to make full - featured games that could be played on a headset . Iron Man VRwas ambitious for the metre , deport a substantive eight - hour adventure with lots of systems to toy around with . If Camouflaj could do that four class ago , and without the big - budget backing of Meta , imagine what it could do now .
Iron Man VRhas one affair going for it in particular that has me emotional about Camouflaj ’s move to Arkham : It contains the most imaginative control condition scheme I ’ve ever experienced in VR . carry full reward of one - handed controllers ( theformer PSVR exclusivewas built with the Move accountant in mind ) , histrion tilt their accountant to soar like Iron Man . The control scheme is built to mirror Tony Stark ’s palm thrusters , mean that players need to head them aright to slow their pep pill , twist , and more . It ’s all incredibly immersive once you get the knack of it .
If Camouflaj can bring that same energy toBatman : Arkham Shadow , players are in for a goody . Imagine gliding through Gotham , holding the Quest 3 ’s control out to turn the ness . Simple action like throwing a Batarang or firing a grappling crotchet could shine in VR with the ripe control scheme . I swear Camouflaj to get that job done .
For some , a capable developer still might not be enough to get them on control panel withArkham Shadow . There ’s still a lingering stigma around VR games that comes both from valid headache and outdated views of the technical school . The more understandable review is that not every player wants to wear a large helmet on their cheek . My Quest 3 hurts to wear after a while , so I understand with that tip particularly . I detest act long game on the political program as I can almost never finish anything longer than 10 hr in a fairish meter due to frequent breaks .
What ’s less up to date is the perception as VR gaming as a less experience than console and PC . While the technical school does still have its limitations , review like this are stuck in the past . VR ’s exploitation has advance quickly in the last 10 yr . The games released four years ago search miniscule liken to what ’s coming out today . Long gone are the day where unretentive “ experience ” rule the platform . You ’ve now got strong , fully form game likeHorizon Call of the MountainandAssassin ’s Creed Nexus VRgracing headset . In 2023 , we even fancy that a VR plot could compete in Game of the Year discussions thanks to theincredibly well - reviewedAsgard ’s Wrath 2 .
Batman : Arkham Shadowis potential to be much tightlipped to those game than some may assume . think the depth of content inIron Man VR , Arkham Shadowhas the potential to be a full - on adventure rather than a small gaud like 2016 ’s hourlongBatman : Arkham VR . We ’ve fare a very , very farseeing way since then and I imagineArkham Shadowwill underline that this year .
Rather than write a game like this off so chop-chop , it ’s worth celebrate the fact that VR is getting more serious experiences like this . Some may be mad because they do n’t own a Meta Quest 3 , but game like this are on the nose what fellowship want to turn in to trade their platforms . Even if itArkham Shadowdoesn’t end up being as revolutionary as Rocksteady ’s Batman games , it could give thespian a keen intellect to pick up a headset . Sometimes it ’s more fun to dally game than it is to be misanthropical about them from a length .
