It's been a while since we've heard anything substantial about Batman: Arkham Knight, but IGN caught up with Guy Perkins of Rocksteady at last week's EGX convention where they spoke about the massively anticipated game. Perkins talked about taking the series from relatively linear gameplay in Arkham Asylum to more expansive environments and stories with Arkham City, and even moreso in Knight. "I think we’ve always taken pride in the stories we tell," he explained. "We try to create that very cinematic story-telling experience through the game. Obviously Asylum was the starting point for that, but the intimate cat-and-mouse gameplay between the Joker and Batman really demanded it took place in the pressure cooker of the Asylum. So that had its place for that story, but then we took that into the open world to give players the next piece of the Batman armour as it were, which is the grappling gun and the ability to glide."
He continues by talking about the form of the story and the expansive world in which the new game inhabits. "The introduction of those pieces really required a bigger game world to support them, but then the big thing that was always missing for us was the Batmobile. It was always missing but wouldn’t have worked in Asylum or City, so to build an open-world around that was crucial." We previously learnt that Rocksteady built Gotham City from scratch in Arkham Knight to work around the Batmobile, meaning that the open world will be bigger and better than ever before. "The narrative is still very defined, though, there’s definite acts that you clearly understand as you go through Arkham Knight. We’ve been conscious to create a rich story that’s interesting for newcomers and for fans alike. You can go off and do your side quests when you like, but it’s still a linear story in the sense that it has a beginning, middle and end."
Now, big spoiler warning for the ending of Arkham City (it was released three years ago, and you're doing yourself a disservice if you haven't played it yet): the Caped Crusader finds himself in a very different place now that the Joker is dead. Crime rates have lowered, but villains are plotting schemes without the hassle of the random, chaotic Clown Prince of Crime. "The death of the Joker at the end of Arkham City has created a different world for the criminals of Arkham Knight," Perkins elaborates. "He’s not there to disrupt the things they’re doing, so you have to imagine a world where he’s not there and not causing that chaos. They can get organised, work together and offer a more formidable challenge. [Batman is] at the peak of his powers, but without his nemesis there to cock things up for everyone else then they get the chance to be a bit stronger, a bit braver and do things differently."
As you can imagine, eliminating arguably the most iconic Bat-villain and the series' main antagonist would create some challenges, but Guy Perkins says that it allows the studio to introduce a fresh face and bring back a fan-favourite. "We left Scarecrow out of Arkham City for a reason so he’s back in as the big bad and it’s great for us to bring him back." Jonathan Crane's fear-induced sections of Arkham Asylum proved to be the highlight of the game for many, so Rocksteady were keen to explore the villain in more depth. "He’s a great mirror for Batman, as they both use fear as a weapon of choice. There’s a dichotomy there. Then working with DC to bring the Arkham Knight to life has been amazing. We were super excited and it’s been a huge honour for us to do something this big."
Much to the disappointment of many fans, it was confirmed many months ago that this would be Rocksteady's final entry in the franchise. He tells IGN that there are mixed emotions as to bringing Batman: Arkham to a close, but after working on the series for almost a decade, Perkins knows what must be done to end on a high. "If people walk away thinking this is the ultimate Batman simulator, then our job is complete," he says. "We gave them Gotham City, we gave them Batman at the height of his powers and we gave them the Batmobile. I think those three elements come together to make a great game. If people go away feeling like it was awesome, we’ve done a good job." Batman: Arkham Knight will arrive on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on June 2nd, 2015.