10 Things Nobody Wants To Admit About The Batman: Arkham Series

4. The Dedicated Levels Are Better Than The Open World

Look, don't get me wrong: the Arkham series is home to some of the best and most detailed open worlds in video game history. Though they aren't the biggest, they have the most personality, and are absolutely crammed with things to do, sights to see, and thugs to beat up.

That said, the actual dedicated levels which made up the majority of the series' main campaign missions were often far more interesting to explore. In these tightly-structured areas the devs were able to indulge in more imaginative visual themes and design, rather than being confined to the regular layout of a city (even one as mythical as Gotham).

Consequently, there have been some incredibly memorable locations from throughout the series, be it the Penguin's lair in City (which had a frickin' shark inside it) or the dreamscapes conjured up by both Ra's Al Ghul and The Scarecrow, which stand out more than the occasionally forgettable landmass of the actual open world.

Obviously it's the blend of both that makes the games so impressive, but the more focused gameplay and stories that are found in the actual levels is better than the free-form exploration of the series' many sandboxes.