Gotham Knights has been out for about a week ago, and I gotta say-
I’m having a blast. The story is heartfelt and interesting, the characters, while a little different than their comic book counterparts, are well-written and heartfelt, and the gameplay, while definitely a big change from the Arkham series, holds its own and is exactly what I was hoping it would be. It’s an incredible game that’s a lot of fun. I recommend checking it out!
That being said, I’ve been excited for ol’ GK for years now, so naturally, I leapt at the chance to review the tie-in comic, especially since every issue will come with a code for an in-game item. This here is the review for the first issue!
Surprisingly Good Supplement
Gilded City could have been a lot of things. We could have had a cheap, quick series of origin stories for each of the members of the Bat-Family, something to slap the name of the game on and sell, but fortunately, like the game itself, Gilded City has a lot more to offer than what’s on the surface. Bravo, Evan Narcisse.
Our initial installment opens on a series of fear gas induced riots, but it’s not your normal, everyday, run-of-the-mill fear gas. The idea here is quite clever, actually. There’s a new strain of gas that plays on FOMO, fear of missing out, and it’s causing ordinary people to riot over clothes, food, electronics, you name it. It’s a fun twist on the classic terror-inducing spiders and fire brand of gas, and I think it works really well. We also get a glimpse at how the BatFam all interacted with their patriarch, and I hope we get more. Gotham Knights is built on the premise that Bruce was important to his partners, a core figure not just in their crimefighting careers, but their personal lives as well. I want to see more of these characters interacting, really set the stage for the development and growth they all get in the game.
The other half of our story, and where things get really interesting, is set in 1847. A mysterious masked man protects travelers on the road from highwaymen. He claims he’s a runaway slave, a man looking to protect everyone that’s looking for freedom. I’m excited to see where this plot leads, hopefully into some conflict with the Court of Owls? They are the main antagonists of the game, so it’d be cool to see some of their past stranglehold on Gotham.
The big thing I wanted to shoutout here was the art. Abel and John make these characters look good. There’s been a lot of discourse around the designs for the main cast, and I’ll admit I wasn’t the biggest fan when I saw the initial trailer, but this book sold me on them.
The way these characters are drawn makes their designs feel right. They look good in the game as well, mind you, but man, the comic versions look incredible. I hope we see more full-body shots, I want to get a good look at the whole team together.
Recommended if…
- You’re playing Gotham Knights.
- An original, old mystery in Gotham intrigues you.
- Game codes, baybeeeee
Overall
This is a promising first issue, especially considering what a video game tie-in comic could have been. I’m excited to see where this goes.
Score: 7/10
