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Batman isn’t just about the big guy: here’s the best of Gotham’s worst we’re still to see.
The next game in the quadrilogy, Batman: Arkham Knight, promises to be the best ever to star the caped crusader, with Batmobile action, fighting dynamics and gameplay to make you truly believe you’re the DC Comics star. Then there’s the mysterious appearance of the Arkham Knight himself – a character shrouded in mystery.
But who else should join him? Ahead of the game’s release next month, we take a look at the villains we’d like to see make it into Batman’s latest adventure, including familiar faces and some less so from the comics.
Black Mask
The negative to Bruce Wayne, the Black Mask actually featured in Arkham City, but it’d be great to see him again. An example of a different path for Bruce Wayne, The Black Mask aka Roman Sionis also had rich parents and hung out with the same wealthy aristocrats. However, after his status-obsessed upbringing, Sionis’ parents were mysteriously found dead – and his struggling company was even bought out by Wayne, the ultimate humiliation. The result? The Black Mask is one of the darkest, most sadistic criminals in Gotham – with a hatred of Bruce Wayne as well as Batman. The exact mirror image of the Bat.
Calendar Man
One of the creepiest villains going, Calendar Man was already featured in Arkham City and Arkham Origins – but he deserves a much bigger role this time around. Unlike other villains Calendar Man isn’t even in control of his own diabolical plans – instead the date dictates his schemes. In Arkham City talking to him on key holidays would reveal stories about crimes he committed on those days, but we don’t want to just hear the crimes this time, we want to stop them. If Rocksteady can incorporate timely, optional side missions using the system clock, Calender Man could finally live up to his MO: causing chaos when you most expect it.
Man Bat
The ultimate Jekyll and Hyde character, Man Bat is the horrific literal fusion of man and bat. Created when Dr. Kirk Langstrom invents a cure for deafness (or when he steals chemicals in the Animated Series), Man Bat possesses all the qualities of a Bat, and all the savagery and instincts of an animal. Echolocation means he can see in the dark, while his wings’ superhuman physical abilities make him the equivalent of a flying werewolf. It’s about time Rocksteady lets us fight the Batman-man mix-up.
Mad Hatter
One of the more obscure villains in the Batman universe, the Mad Hatter models himself on the mercury poisoned Hatter from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland – but what he lacks in physical stature he makes up for in intelligence. A skilled scientist specialising in mind-control, the Hatter is probably one of the weirdest oddballs that Batman has had to face. And the best bit? His mind-control ability opens up a range of possibilities for gameplay. The last time we met him in Arkham Origins we were forced to fight through his twisted interpretation of Wonderland. More of the same please, but with next-gen power.
Mr Freeze
Forget the Bat suit, Mr Freeze has one of the coolest costumes in the DC universe, and an even better origin story. Although he’s not in Arkham Asylum, he is in Arkham City – and he’s responsible for one of the best fights in the game. Victor Fries also got his own highly acclaimed DLC for Arkham Origins, but now we’d like to see him return bigger and badder than ever to the next gen. Although Freeze is often found bringing winter to Gotham for almost any reason, he does have a heart warming desire to save his wife, making him one of the more complex Batman villains.
Scarecrow
Using a fear toxin and other methods to create the nightmares of his enemies, the Scarecrow is one of the weakest but scariest criminals to encounter. The super villain appeared in the very first Arkham Asylum, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable, terrifying parts of any video game. After being exposed to fear toxin, Batman’s surroundings began to change. His eyes glowed red, and in a morgue he was confronted with the the still-twitching body bags of his dead parents, one of the creepiest parts of any Batman game. If that wasn’t enough, hiding from a giant Scarecrow made things even more epic. Dr Jonathan Crane is already confirmed as appearing in Arkham Knight, and we can’t wait.
Hush
A sociopath hell-bent on Batman’s destruction, Hush is actually Thomas Elliot, Bruce Wayne’s childhood friend. However, unlike Wayne’s parents who are murdered, Thomas Elliot cuts the brake lines’ on his parent's car instead, just to get his inheritance. His plan almost works, but the work of Bruce’s father saves his mother’s life, making Hush hell-bent on destroying the Waynes. While waiting for his mother to die, Elliot becomes a genius brain surgeon, but his desire to sabotage Batman and Bruce Wayne combined with his high level intellect make him a truly twisted force in Gotham. In Arkham City, Hush kills people and uses parts of their face to make a living mask of Bruce Wayne. We need to confront him once and for all in Arkham Knight.
The Joker
No list of villains is ever complete without the Joker. The ying to Batman’s yang, the Joker is everything the caped crusader isn’t. Created after falling in a vat of acid, or by simply painting his face, the Joker is still one of the most timeless characters in comic book lore, and must be in the new game. Careless, maniacal and completely insane, the Joker can be hilarious or deeply chilling from moment to moment. We’ve seen him at different ages throughout the Arkham series, and grown with him as a character, and he has to come back for Arkham Knight. Although it’s not certain who’s behind the latest plot to destroy Gotham and the Bat, we bet the Joker will have a part to play.
Who do you want to see Batman take on in Arkham Knight? Tell us in the comments below, and to get the best gaming stories delivered straight to your inbox with the Red Bull Games newsletter.
