Batman: Arkham VR is an “intense murder mystery”

You ever wonder what it’s like to wear the cape and cowl of the Batman? Well let me save you some effort right here: It’s hot, sweaty and after a while the rubber fumes from all that internal heat you’re generating begin to affect your mind like a face-first dive into a barrel of Scarecrow fear toxins. On the plus side, Sony and Rocksteady might have a better solution to your dream of wanting to be Batman, that doesn’t involve you having to murder your parents and start a journey around the globe to hone your mind, body and soul.

And that’s going to be seen in Batman: Arkham VR, as Arkham developers Rocksteady return to their infamous franchise and put a virtually real spin on it. Not much was shown off last night besides a trailer featuring the iconic vocals of Mark Hamill as the Joker once again. Here’s that trailer again, in case you missed it:

So what’s it all about then? Don’t expect Batman: Arkham VR to be a punch-first, Batarang-after experience. Because this time, you’ll be doing some sleuthing as the dark knight detective. “From the early days of development on Batman: Arkham Asylum, our primary objective has been to create games that make players genuinely feel like they are the Batman,” principal designer Bill Green wrote on the PS Blog .

One of the things that Arkham fans have been asking for is the opportunity to explore some of the most iconic locations in Batman’s universe such as Wayne Manor and the Batcave. For the first time in a Rocksteady Arkham story, Batman: Arkham VR offers players the chance to do exactly that – to feel that unique sense of presence in these legendary locations through virtual reality.

If you’ve ever wondered how it would feel to be Bruce Wayne surrounded by the finery of Wayne Manor, then descend into the Batcave to put on the iconic Batsuit, you’ll know why we’re so excited about putting the game in players’ hands.

The switch from screens to headsets was a fascinating creative and technical challenge for us, as it has inspired us to really focus on Batman’s detective skills and find new ways to use them. We all feel that we’ve ended up creating an amazing new Batman experience that is both complementary and a counterpoint to the epic grandeur of Batman: Arkham Knight.

This time around we’re telling a highly focused, very personal story entirely in first-person. Batman: Arkham VR is an intense murder mystery in the style of the classic Batman comic books, but with a strong dose of the dark psychology that the Arkham games are well known for.

And now I want a PlayStation VR kit, because “Bat-sucka” is tattooed on my forehead in permanent ink. Batman: Arkham VR will be one of many launch titles for the PlayStation VR, when it arrives this October.

Last Updated: June 14, 2016