The climax of the phenomenal Arkham series boasted a number of side missions that were memorable and exciting. We tracked down the vile and creepy Professer Pyg in The Perfect Crime, worked with Nightwing to take down Penguins arms-dealing operation in Gunrunner, investigated and captured Kirk Langstroms monstrous Man-Bat and fought as Azreal to see if he was a worthy replacement for Batman himself. But, there seemed to be a lot of uneventful and uninspiring side missions that felt lacklustre compared to the rest. Locating firefighters, chasing Firefly around Gotham on three separate occasions, defusing explosive devices, clearing militia checkpoints the majority of missions in Arkham Knight seemed to rely too much on find something, break faces (or tanks), repeat. Alongside, an over-reliance on the Batmobile made it feel like we were being fed one of our favourite snacks so much, that we quickly became sick of it. To counter that, I've designed nine alternative side missions for your pleasure (and mine, it was great fun), containing villains that were never included in the games, along with two stalwarts who deserved a better send off. If you love your Batman, then you should hopefully find these pretty tantalising.
10. Maxie Zeus - The Five Labours
The Villain Maxie Zeus began as a history teacher of Greek Mythology, though he eventually lost his wife, and his sanity disappeared shortly after. Zeus uses his intelligence and cunning to become a respected crime lord, but his belief that he is the direct descendant of the actual Zeus, the King of the Gods, leads him to play each of his crimes around mythological themes. The Mission With his toga-wearing thugs, Maxie has turned Gotham Zoo into his Olympus. He has sired a young boy, his 'Hercules' with Alcemene, a clearly traumatised young woman. Zeus wants Batman to protect Hercules from the scheming of Hades and complete five of Hercules twelve trials (he ran out of money for the rest). Trial 1: Battle the Nemean lion, Cretan Bull and Symphalian Birds (a lion, a bull and two giant eagles) simultaneously. Trial 2: Track and capture the Cerynian Hind (a thug dressed as a deer) by hunting him through the Africa section whilst the animals are loose. Trial 3: Retrieve the Belt of Hippolyta, Amazonian Queen and mother to Wonder Woman from three Amazon warriors who are forced to fight you, lest Zeus execute one of their captured sisters. After the trials are completed, Hades arrives, a massive thug, flanked by Cerberus (three Rottweilers tied together). It's actually Clayface assuming the role, and he is furious that Batman is there. Noting that Batman was not in the script and that he barely survived his encounter with him in Arkham City, Clayface departs. Batman and the fourth Amazon (whom he freed earlier) take out Zeus and save Hercules and Alcemene. Batman gingerly pats the screaming child as he kicks Zeus into the horse poop being stocked for the Augean stables.
