Batman is often portrayed as a vigilante that speaks with his fists, and while that is true, Bruce Wayne is probably the smartest and most cunning billionaire to exist. A good batman game should obviously focus on his fighting prowess and martial art skills, but also shed a light on his past, his internal struggles, the villains in the Batverse, and the Bat’s relation with other heroes like Robin and Nightwing.

Thankfully, Batman fans have no shortage of titles that focus on both aspects. These games make sure that they showcase the superhero in his most raw form, surrounded by the some of the best plotlines to ever exist in gaming.

8 Batman: Arkham Origins

Cold Night In Gotham with Warm Betrayals

WB Games took it upon themselves to continue the Arkham series after Rocksteady’s Arkham City, and their attempt wasn’t half bad. Even though the game isn’t a part of the official Arkhamverse, Arkham Origin focuses on the early vigilante days of Batman.

It’s Batman’s second year since he donned a cape, and its the night of Christmas Eve in Gotham. What follows is a somewhat-convoluted-but-riddled-with-some-really-good-boss-fights storyline written by Geoff Johns that explores the early career struggles of Batman,. The writing of the game is considerably darker than other Arkham games, with the primary themes of trust, growth and legacy being the main point of focus.

7 Batman Returns (1992)

Tim Burton’s Gotham Brought to 16‑Bit Life

Coming out way back in the early 90’s, this side-scroll beat-em-up for SNES and Sega Genesis tied directly with the Tim Burton film of the same name. Players are tasked with fighting crime through the streets and the sewers and facing off enemies like Penguin and Catwoman.

The story loosely follows the film’s plot: Penguin’s gang war, corporate betrayal and Catwoman’s return. Tim Burton’s aesthetic carries over into the visuals and atmosphere of the game, which is a welcome touch. While the story may not be extremely fleshed out, it was one of the better stories, especially considering that it was based on one of the best Batman movies ever.

6 The Adventures of Batman and Robin

Classic ’90s Cartoon Vibes with Pixel‑Perfect Crime Fighting

Based on Batman: The Animated Series, The Adventures of Batman and Robin was released in 1995 on various platforms available at the time. It’s a side-scrolling action game, which is no surprise, with platforming, punch-combo combat and the inclusion of gadgets like batarang and grappling hook.

What really grabbed the player’s attention was the storyline, which adapts multiple cartoon episodes from the animated show and features villains like Joker, Mad Hatter and Clayface. Even though the gameplay was simplistic, it was one of the earlier attempts to add a cohesive storyline to a Batman game, packed with Bill Nighy-esque narration style and cutscenes that evoke episodic drama.

5 Batman: Arkham Asylum

One Night Inside the Asylum. One Timeless Story.

2009 was when Batman really found his groove. Developed by Rocksteady, Batman: Arkham Asylum was an instant hit on release. It put players in the raw and unfiltered shoes of Gotham’s protector, but the setting is the Arkham Asylum prison, which has been taken over by the Joker.

What follows is a beautifully-directed story sequence that shed a light on themes like obsession and mental illness and feature a star-struck cast of villains like Mark Hamil’s Joker, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. With Gotham’s most twisted minds all trapped in a single place, Rocksteady had a lot of weight on their shoulders to give each character the spotlight they deserves, and they did that with flying colors.

4 LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes

A Lighthearted Story that Still Understands Batman

The sequel to the first LEGO Batman game came out in 2012, featuring an open-world to explore. In one of the most bizzare plots, Batman is forced to team up with none other than Joker to thwart Lex Luthor’s war crime plans. But despite being slightly playful, the storyline delivers.

Since the game is based on the wider DC Universe, other DC superheroes like Superman are also present in the game. Surprisingly, the game has full voice acting for over 50 characters, which Is rare for a LEGO game.

3 Batman: Arkham Knight

The Mask Comes Off When Fear Becomes Real

The last Arkhamverse game (if we chose to not consider the sin to this universe that was Suicide Squad: Save the Justice League), Arkham Knight came out in 2015 with a rainy Gotham, a slick Batmobile with multiple skins to equip and a PC port that will be forever used as an example in the argument for how PC always gets unoptimized versions of games.

The story, however, was the highlight of the game. With the Joker out, the focus is on Scarecrow and his Fear toxin. But that isn’t all, as players get introduced to a mysterious new villain that will shed a light on Bruce Wayne’s past. Being the last Arkham game, players can clearly see the mental stress Bruce is going through, with the game concluding is a cliffhanger that leaves the Batman’s future to player speculation.

2 Batman: The Telltale Series – The Enemy Within

Choices, Consequences and Identity Crises All Wrapped in a Cape

Continuing the story from the first entry, The Enemy Within follows Bruce Wayne and his relationship with John Doe before he becomes the Joker. Since its a Telltale game, the gameplay is more in the point-and-click dialogue-driven realm with frequent QTE. Still, fans of the Telltale games consider The Enemy Within to be one of the best entries by the studio.

There are themes of dual-identity, manipulation and trust that get the spotlight treatment, with players often facing the decision whether to go the Batman or the Bruce Wayne route, each having a completely different outcome and consequences. It’s highly emotional and a deep dive at what makes Bruce Wayne Batman.

1 Batman: Arkham City

When Gotham Was the Story

Widely considered as the Best Batman Arkham game of all time, Arkham City came out in 2011 and carried the story of Batman: Arkham Asylum to new heights. The game opens up with Hugo Strange’s plan to exterminate the criminal population of Arkham City, a sanctioned-off area in Old Gotham that acted as a prison for inmates from Blackgate Prison and Arkham Asylum, as per his Protocol 10.

But things eventually get far worse, with Joker making an unlikely but highly welcome return, and other villains like the Penguin, Riddler, Mr. Freeze and Two-Face making an appearance, each with their own mini story-arcs. The story slowly ramps up to one of the best and most haunting climax in any video game. With the most cinematic yet grounded storyline that keeps its pacing, Batman: Arkham City is often considered to have the best narrative in any Batman game.