Rocksteady's last Arkham game drops you into an evacuated Gotham on the night Scarecrow threatens the city with fear toxin, with the Batmobile finally drivable and the Arkham Knight's militia holding the streets. The map is three islands, Bleake, Miagani and Founders', each split into named districts, and the Riddler has hidden 243 trophies across them. The 2015 PC port was so broken that Warner Bros pulled it from sale for four months, which is still the first thing anyone mentions about it. Underneath that, the combat and predator systems are the sharpest in the series, and the Batmobile is the one thing players still argue about.
These tips go beyond the basics. They're the strategies experienced players use to play more efficiently, the hidden mechanics most people miss, and the optimizations that compound over a full playthrough. If you're just starting, check our beginner's guide first.
Essential Tips
1. Take out the medic before anyone else in a predator room
Take out the medic before anyone else in a predator room. Leave him standing and every enemy you drop gets back up, which turns a clean room into a firefight.
2. The Fear Multi-Takedown starts at three targets and reaches five fully upgraded
The Fear Multi-Takedown starts at three targets and reaches five fully upgraded. Bank it for a group of five rather than spending it on the first pair you see.
3. Roadblocks are meant to be rammed in Pursuit Mode, not shot
Roadblocks are meant to be rammed in Pursuit Mode, not shot. Switching to Battle Mode in traffic slows you down and drags in militia drones you did not need to fight.
4. New Game Plus removes the counter icon above enemy heads
New Game Plus removes the counter icon above enemy heads. Learn to read the shoulder wind up on your first playthrough while the icon is still there.
5. There are 243 Riddler trophies and you need every one to lock Riddler up and finish Riddler's Revenge
There are 243 Riddler trophies and you need every one to lock Riddler up and finish Riddler's Revenge. Sweep each island as it opens rather than backtracking at the end.
6. The Voice Synthesizer works on militia soldiers only
The Voice Synthesizer works on militia soldiers only. It is the fastest way to pull one man off a group of three so the other two never see the takedown.
7. Explosive Gel sprayed on the floor before a fight starts is a trap, not just a wall breaker
Explosive Gel sprayed on the floor before a fight starts is a trap, not just a wall breaker. Lay it under a patrol route and detonate when they walk over it.
8. The Knightfall Protocol needs 100 percent completion, which includes every Most Wanted strand, not just the main story
The Knightfall Protocol needs 100 percent completion, which includes every Most Wanted strand, not just the main story. Own the Roads and Campaign for Disarmament are the two longest.
9. The Missile Barrage locks multiple targets at once
The Missile Barrage locks multiple targets at once. Save it for the moment four or more drones converge rather than firing it at a single armoured unit.
10. Dual Play swaps keep the combo counter alive
Dual Play swaps keep the combo counter alive. Tag characters on the beat of a landed hit, not when you are already surrounded and looking for an escape.
Advanced Strategies
Role Optimization
The difference between an average build and an optimized one is massive. See our builds guide for full breakdowns.
For Batman (A-Tier):
- Focus on FreeFlow combat and the Fear Multi-Takedown combinations for maximum output.
- Core gear: Batarang
- Stat priority: Offensive stats first
For Robin (A-Tier):
- Versatile approach that handles any situation.
- Core gear: Grapnel Gun
- Stat priority: Balanced stats
Mechanic Interactions
Understanding how Batman: Arkham Knight's systems interact is where the real optimization lives. Our combat guide covers this in detail.
FreeFlow combat and the Fear Multi-Takedown + Batmobile Battle Mode and Pursuit Mode: Strike, counter and evade chain into a combo meter that unlocks special moves at set thresholds. Combined with Batmobile Battle Mode and Pursuit Mode, pursuit mode is the road car, used for ramming, the power winch and traversal between islands.
Dual Play character swaps + Predator rooms and Detective Mode: In fixed encounters you can tag between Batman and Robin, Nightwing or Catwoman with a button press, mid combo. When paired with Predator rooms and Detective Mode, armed rooms are puzzles rather than fights.
Most Wanted missions and the Knightfall Protocol scaling: The side content is grouped into Most Wanted strands such as Own the Roads, Campaign for Disarmament and Riddler's Revenge. The full Knightfall Protocol ending only unlocks at 100 percent completion, which includes every Most Wanted strand and all 243 Riddler trophies.
Weapons Efficiency
| Weapon | Best Use Case | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Batarang | Interrupting a shooter mid aim and triggering switches you cannot reach | The oldest tool in the set and still the one you throw most. |
| Grapnel Gun | Repositioning between gargoyles during a predator encounter and crossing districts on foot | Traversal first, combat second. |
| Explosive Gel | Breaking into sealed rooms and setting traps under patrol routes before a fight begins | A quasi solid explosive you spray on weak walls, floor grates and vents, then detonate on your own timing. |
| Line Launcher | Crossing wide gaps at speed and setting up a perch above a militia patrol | Fires a horizontal zip line you can ride across streets and inside large rooms, and firing again mid ride changes direction without dropping you to the ground. |
| Voice Synthesizer | Splitting militia patrols so you can take them down one at a time | Mimics the voice of an enemy commander and issues an order that a militia soldier obeys. |
Location Efficiency
Bleake Island (Opening hours through the mid game): The northern island and the starting ground, holding Chinatown as its largest district, the industrial storage of The Cauldron to the east and the underdeveloped Panessa Studios area ringed by an old water canal. The GCPD Lockup sits here, which is where every villain you capture ends up.
Miagani Island (Mid game, after the second island unlocks): The central island, split into the retail and entertainment sprawl of Grand Avenue plus the smaller Bristol and Kingston districts. It has the tallest buildings on the map, which makes it the best island for pure grapnel and glide traversal without touching the road network.
Founders' Island (Late game, heaviest militia density): The southwestern island, built from Otisburg, Drescher and Port Adams. It is the most industrial ground on the map and the heaviest militia presence, so it is where the Batmobile stops being optional and the Cobra tank sequences start biting.
Ace Chemicals (Opening mission): The opening infiltration, run as a multi part sequence through the plant while Scarecrow prepares to disperse fear toxin across Gotham. It is the game's tutorial for Batmobile remote driving and for how the Fear Multi-Takedown chains, taught under time pressure rather than in a safe room.
Panessa Studios (Mid game story mission): A converted film studio district on Bleake Island that becomes the holding site for the four people infected with Joker's blood: Henry Adams, Christina Bell, Johnny Charisma and Albert King. The sequences here are close quarters and story heavy rather than open world combat.
Mistakes Even Veterans Make
- Fighting militia rooms head on instead of using the gargoyles and vents. Arkham Knight's armed enemies kill Batman far faster than earlier games in the series did.
- Ignoring the Batmobile upgrade tree until the Cobra tank sequences, by which point Missile Barrage and armour are both several upgrades behind where they need to be.
- Leaving Riddler trophies until after the main story, then discovering that 243 collectibles spread over three islands is a multi hour job on its own.
- Mashing strike during New Game Plus. With the counter icon removed, unbroken button pressing means you never see the wind up animation that tells you to counter.
- Driving everywhere in Battle Mode. Pursuit Mode is faster, and Battle Mode invites drones to engage you when you only wanted to cross Grand Avenue.
Pro Quick Tips
- Take out the medic before anyone else in a predator room. Leave him standing and every enemy you drop gets back up, which turns a clean room into a firefight.
- The Fear Multi-Takedown starts at three targets and reaches five fully upgraded. Bank it for a group of five rather than spending it on the first pair you see.
- Roadblocks are meant to be rammed in Pursuit Mode, not shot. Switching to Battle Mode in traffic slows you down and drags in militia drones you did not need to fight.
- Start with Robin, switch to Batman when ready
- Invest in Batarang above everything else
- Clear areas in order: Bleake Island → Miagani Island → Founders' Island → Ace Chemicals → Panessa Studios. See our maps guide
- FreeFlow combat and the Fear Multi-Takedown + Batmobile Battle Mode and Pursuit Mode together are stronger than either alone
More Batman: Arkham Knight Guides
- Batman: Arkham Knight Batman: Arkham Knight Overview
- Batman: Arkham Knight Best Builds
- Batman: Arkham Knight Tier List
- Batman: Arkham Knight Walkthrough
- Batman: Arkham Knight Beginner's Guide
- Batman: Arkham Knight Weapons Guide
- Batman: Arkham Knight Combat Guide
- Batman: Arkham Knight Boss Guide
- Batman: Arkham Knight Maps & Locations
- Batman: Arkham Knight Crafting Guide
- Batman: Arkham Knight Classes & Characters
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