Gotham Knights is an open-world action game that places players in control of four of Batman's former allies as they protect the city following his death. Available on PS5, the title blends character-driven progression with combat and exploration across a detailed version of Gotham divided into five boroughs.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on patrolling the city, responding to crimes, and completing story missions. Players select from Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin, or Red Hood at the start and can switch between them during play or commit to one character for the full campaign. Each hero features distinct combat styles and three separate skill trees that players upgrade using points earned from missions.
Combat relies on a Momentum system. Successful dodges and attacks build a bar that unlocks powerful abilities tailored to the chosen character. Nightwing emphasizes acrobatic movement and crowd control, while Red Hood focuses on ranged firepower and heavy hits. Batgirl incorporates gadget and hacking elements, and Robin leans toward stealth approaches. The system encourages mixing basic attacks with timed specials once Momentum fills.
Exploration involves traversing Gotham on foot or by vehicle, scanning for criminal activity, and engaging enemy groups. The open world includes day-night cycles and civilian presence, creating a living city feel. Side activities range from stopping specific crimes to investigating leads that tie into the main narrative.
Game Modes
The primary experience is the single-player story campaign, which follows the knights as they confront threats to Gotham and deal with the loss of their mentor. Two-player online co-op supports the full campaign and patrol activities, allowing friends to team up with different characters for combined abilities in fights.
Patrols function as repeatable open-world sessions where players respond to dynamic crimes and optional objectives. These sessions emphasize quick engagements and exploration without advancing the main plot. No additional multiplayer modes beyond the two-player co-op have been added since launch.
The Heroes and Progression
Character choice affects both combat and story presentation. Each knight has unique dialogue, personal missions, and upgrade paths that reward repeated playthroughs or character switching. Skill trees allow specialization in areas like damage output, survivability, or utility, with points allocated after completing objectives.
Progression also includes gear and equipment customization that complements the Momentum abilities. Players collect resources during patrols and missions to enhance their chosen hero further. The system supports both focused single-character runs and experimentation across the roster.
Is It Worth Playing?
Gotham Knights delivers a mixed but playable experience on PS5. The combat improves noticeably once Momentum abilities unlock, and the co-op adds variety for those who enjoy teaming up. The story provides a focused narrative about the Bat-family adjusting to a new reality, with solid voice work and character moments.
Reception has been average overall, with critics noting strengths in the open-world presentation and hero variety alongside criticisms of repetitive patrols and technical performance at launch. Post-release patches addressed frame rate stability, making the current version more consistent.
The game suits players who enjoy action RPG elements in a superhero setting and value character customization over fast-paced Arkham-style flow. Those seeking dense, non-repetitive open-world activities or high-frame-rate performance may find the experience less engaging. At reduced prices, it offers a reasonable option for fans of the DC universe looking for co-op patrols and story-driven missions with the four knights.
