This article has MAJOR SPOILERS for Batman: Arkham Shadow and the Arkham games in general.
Batman: Arkham Shadow reveals an interesting detail about how exactly Harvey Dent became Two-Face in the Arkhamverse. While Batman: Arkham Shadow puts him front and center, Harvey Dent/Two-Face's presence has been felt since Batman: Arkham Asylum. He didn't appear in that game, but players could still find his bio and learn about his encounters with Batman in the years preceding the events of that game.
Reading Two-Face's bio in Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, or Arkham Knight reveals that he became disfigured at the hands of a criminal who threw acid at him, and that's when his Two-Face persona first emerged. Arkham Shadow sticks to that origin story, but confirms an extra detail that adds more context.
Batman: Arkham Shadow Review
Batman: Arkham Shadow successfully translates the Arkham experience to the VR space with hard-hitting combat and an engrossing atmosphere.
In Batman: Arkham Shadow, Batman takes on the guise of a criminal named Irvine "Matches" Malone in order to infiltrate Blackgate prison and discover the identity of the Rat King. Eventually, Batman is sent to trial as Matches, and is approached by Jonathan Crane, the future Scarecrow, who attempts to use a chemical solution on him. Batman, as Matches, knocks the chemical away. Unfortunately, it lands on Harvey Dent, disfiguring him. In summation, Batman: Arkham Shadow reveals that Batman is the one who disfigured Harvey Dent.
Batman: Arkham Shadow Explains Two-Face's Origin
Now, it should be stressed that Harvey Dent was technically already committing crimes and giving in to his dark side even before the accident. It's revealed that Dent is already suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder prior to the accident, and he is in fact the Rat King that Batman has been trying to find throughout the whole game.
Batman: Arkham Shadow details Batman's relationship with Dent, going all the way back to when they were kids. Dent and Batman grew up together, and both had to deal with the abuse from the former's father. Arkham Shadow offers further insight into Batman's origins as well, not to mention a couple of other notable characters.
For those wondering about Arkham Shadow's place in the Arkhamverse timeline, the game takes place after Batman: Arkham Origins, but before the events of Arkham Asylum. The version of the Batman featured in Arkham Shadow is still fairly new at being Batman, but not quite the rookie he was in Arkham Origins. Rumor has it that a new Batman: Arkham game may be in the works with Sony's financial backing, and if that's the case, it will be interesting to see where it fits in the Arkhamverse timeline and if it offers as many revelations as Shadow.
Batman: Arkham Shadow
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 86 /100 Critics Rec: 100%
- Released
- October 21, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Violence, Mild Blood, Language
- Developer(s)
- Camouflaj
- Publisher(s)
- Oculus
- Engine
- Unity
- Franchise
- Batman: Arkham
- PC Release Date
- October 21, 2024
Become Batman in this official new entry into the Arkham franchise.
It’s the Fourth of July, and Gotham City is under attack by a new threat: the mysterious Rat King and his cultish devotees. As widespread rioting engulfs the city, Batman races to prevent this so-called “Day of Wrath” before it all goes wrong.
Experience the World of Batman Like Never Before:
Immerse yourself in all the grit of Gotham City with the power of VR, and take down its most notorious criminals.
Hard-Hitting Arkham Combat
Realized exclusively for VR—choose from fan favorite gadgets and bold fighting styles reimagined from the beloved Arkham franchise.
Friends, Foes and Other Familiar Faces:
Meet Dr.’s Quinzel and Crane before they became Harley Quinn and Scarecrow, as well as other iconic characters including Harvey Dent, Jim Gordon, and Ratcatcher.
- Platform(s)
- Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S
- Genre(s)
- Action, Virtual Reality
- Supported VR Headsets
- Meta Quest 3
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
