In this series, I look into the free games given out by EPIC Games every week and decide whether it’s worth your time to actually play it.
This week, EPIC Games is giving out loads of Batman games in conjunction with Batman’s 80th anniversary, so it’s an awesome time to be a Batman fan. The games given out for free this week are the famous, and well received Batman Arkham Collection that makes you “feel like Batman”. And as if giving out 3 free games in a week isn’t enough, they gave out the Lego Batman Trilogy for free as well.
Batman Arkham Collection
The Arkham trilogy is perhaps one of the best superhero trilogies out there and for good reason. The first game of the series, Batman Arkham Asylum released 10 years ago, revolutionised and set the standards for how a Batman game should be. It’s the kind of game that all Batman fans would want. It has solid combat, stealth, and detective work.
First and foremost, the combat system in all Arkham games has been talked about in every review since its release, simply because combat flows so smoothly that it looks more like a cutscene than a gameplay moment during combat. This aspect might become repetitive after some time, but it has enough combos and new enemies to keep things fresh.
The stealth in the Batman Arkham series can be quite lacking sometimes, as your options are relatively limited compared to some of the modern stealth games. But it is a nice twist to the usual combat mechanic when there are stealth sections, and they rarely – if ever – force you to be stealthy, allowing you to pick the approach you want.
The detective work in the Arkham series is relatively lacking in substance. Instead, it is just something that is added just to retain the “Batman is a detective” aspect, as most of the detective work only requires you to press one button and look around until you find that one relevant clue or twist some knobs until you get the correct arrangement.
Verdict: Play!
There’s a reason why this series is so highly acclaimed, and it’s not just because it has the word ‘Batman’ in its title. The series only gets more epic and expansive. In Arkham Asylum, you spend all your time in the claustrophobic environment of the asylum and in the next game, Arkham City, you have an entire city to explore. The game has solid combat and awesome storyline, making it the perfect Batman gaming experience.
Lego Batman Trilogy
The Lego games are all charming regardless of the intellectual property involved, and Lego Batman is no exception. The game has so much charm and character in both cutscenes and gameplay.
In Lego Batman, the gameplay loop essentially boils down to hit things, build things and solve puzzles. It’s amazing how little hand holding is required for me to proceed in the game, even when there are barely any tutorials. This is definitely one of the more simplistic games out there that anyone can just pick up, play for half an hour, and have fun.
There’s something quite satisfying with building things in this game
However, the controls of Lego Batman leave much to be desired. I played through an hour or two and I still can’t get used to the default controls. They arrange the action buttons so closely to the movement buttons, that it isn’t the most comfortable arrangement. But since the game doesn’t involve high action, it didn’t really impact my gameplay too much.
Verdict: Play!
It’s a game full of charm, and quite possibly the closest thing to having a full blown Justice League in a single game with appearance of famous characters such as Cyborg and Green Lantern. Not to mention this game supports local co-op and its a perfect game to play with your buddies just to chill.
If these games caught your attention, you can claim it for free on the Epic Games store here until the end of 26th of September 2019. Do let us know what you think about these Batman games, and stay tuned for our next article on EPIC Game of the Week. Till then!
