The addition of the Batmobile to the world of Arkham was always bound to polarise the fanbase, but its overbearing presence throughout the story eventually gave way to its inclusion being more tedious than exhilarating. It's not so much that the mechanics behind Batman's ride are poor, it's quite the opposite. The car feels fun to drive (once you get a hold over its controls) and is really fun to use in pursuit mode. But its combat role as a hover tank is quite frankly terrible, and the game features far too many of these segments in both the main story and its side missions. There will of course be those that are totally okay with Rocksteady's implementation of the Batmobile, and that's fine, but its crutch-like presence throughout the game's events feels almost oppressive, as its use is called for in everything from disarming mines to solving Riddler's challenges. Despite the fact that its use in Riddler's mind games is actually really inventive and enjoyable, its usage definitely encourages a change in Knight's motto. 'Be The Batmobile' sounds far more appropriate. In the conclusion of the game's second act its mandatory use just becomes tiresome, as oversaturated stealth battles become the norm and actually shatter the narrative's breakneck pace. There's no denying it feels great to use in small quantities, but someone really should've told Rocksteady to savour its inclusion, rather than plaster it everywhere humanly possible.
Resident movie guy at WhatCulture who used to be Comics Editor. Thinks John Carpenter is the best. Likes Hellboy a lot. Can usually be found talking about Dad Movies on his Twitter at @EwanRuinsThings.
