Batman: Arkham Knight: Complete Beginner's Guide

Getting Started in Batman: Arkham Knight

Arkham Knight opens with a cinematic sequence that establishes the tone before handing you control. The opening section teaches gliding, grappling, combat basics, and the Batmobile before releasing you into open Gotham. Complete the first Most Wanted mission (Riddler or Penguin's first encounter) early to understand how the side mission structure works — these persist across the entire game and reveal as you progress the story.

The Batmobile is your primary traversal tool outside of gliding and grappling. Hold boost (R2) for sustained acceleration; use the Batmobile winch to pull down barriers and access roads. In Battle Mode (hold L2), switch to the battle tank for drone combat — practice the 60mm cannon's arc in the early drone fights before militia encounters escalate.

Combat Mechanics to Master

Counter timing is the foundation. When the yellow lightning bolt appears over an enemy's head, press counter (triangle/Y) to redirect their attack. Multiple simultaneous counters (bolts from multiple directions) require pressing counter once — Batman handles the multi-counter automatically. Never stop attacking: the combo multiplier disappears after ~2 seconds of inactivity, costing your combo XP bonus.

Fear Takedowns: when you're in a full cover position (crouching behind an object), hold the attack button. Batman emerges and sequentially takes out up to 5 nearby enemies in cinematic fashion, breaking their combat before they can react. This is your most powerful tool against armored militia.

Upgrade Priority

Early upgrades: Batmobile 60mm Upgrade (reduces drone battle difficulty significantly), Explosive Gel (area denial in predator rooms), Remote Hacking Device (disable Ultra-Riot shields from range), and Ground Pound (AOE in combat). For combat: Beatdown (chain multiple hits on one enemy through their guard) and the Fear Takedown range extension are both high value.

Essential Tips

1. Use Detective Mode in predator rooms. It shows enemy positions through walls, patrol directions, and the Arkham Knight's position.
2. Fear Takedowns break the game. Position yourself in cover near groups and eliminate 3–5 enemies before a fight even starts.
3. Riddler trophies are puzzle-based. Many require specific gadgets — come back to impossible-looking ones after unlocking new tools.
4. The Most Wanted missions scale. Complete them progressively rather than rushing any single one — story progress unlocks new phases.
5. Batmobile winch pulls down weak walls, drags enemies from vehicles, and solves environmental puzzles — use it whenever surfaces look cracked.
6. Upgrade the Batmobile's Vulcan gun early for militia vehicles — the standard cannon is too slow for fast motorcycle enemies.
7. True ending requires 100% completion of the main story missions — it's worth it for the Knightfall Protocol epilogue.

First Major Boss: Arkham Knight's Cobra Drone Tank

The Cobra tanks are fast, armored, and can one-shot your Batmobile. The fight is a stealth tank engagement: get behind a Cobra without being seen, then use the cobra's blind spot (directly behind) to fire the 60mm cannon at its heat exhaust. Repeat for each tank in the convoy. If spotted, immediately boost away and break line of sight behind buildings — Cobras are lethal if given a clear shot. Take them one at a time and stay patient.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is Arkham Knight worth it at sale price?
A: Absolutely — the Complete Edition with all DLC regularly goes on sale for under $5 and represents exceptional value.

Q: Is the PC version fixed now?
A: Yes — the disastrous launch issues were resolved through patches. The PC version now runs well at high frame rates.

Q: Do I need to play Arkham Asylum and City first?
A: Strongly recommended — Arkham Knight is a trilogy finale and major character moments lose impact without the prior games' context.

Q: How many Riddler trophies are there?
A: 243. You don't need all of them for the main story — the Riddler's final confrontation requires all 243 plus completing his race tracks.

Q: What's the best DLC?
A: Batgirl: A Matter of Family has the best standalone story. The Red Hood Story Pack is the most fun combat-focused chapter.