After the release of Matt Reeves’ critically acclaimed The Batman, it seems the world simply can’t get enough of the caped crusader once more. Robert Pattinson’s interpretation of the Dark Knight is arguably one of the best comic-book movies of all time, with the dark gritty take on the character pleasing audiences and critics alike.
As such, it only seems appropriate to delve into Batman’s equally impressive game series! What better excuse to head back into the Arkhamverse are we going to get? Arkham Aslyum revolutionised the superhero gaming landscape way back in 2008, which each of its subsequent sequels only expanding on the original game’s greatness. With developers Rocksteady set to delve back into their Arkham World once again with this years Suicide Squad title, it’s only appropriate we have a look at one element which made their games such a hit- the boss fights of course!
With Batman boasting one of the greatest villain rogue galleries in comic book history, it should come as no surprise Rocksteady were able to use this to their advantage and give us some of the most exciting boss fights in gaming history. They’re a huge part as to why players keep returning to games all these years later, so let’s have a look at some of my personal favourites!
*Spoilers Below*
10. Poison Ivy- Arkham Asylum
Kicking of this list is the mother nature wannabe herself- Poison Ivy. In this boss fight, you must avoid a combination of her toxic spores, overarching vines and brainwashed henchmen. This makes for an exciting duel, not allowing you to let your guard down for one second.
Not only this, but the environment you find yourself offers up an exciting looking spectacle. Whilst you may only be able to traverse along one singular platform, the surroundings of the botanical gardens perfectly embody the omnious atmosphere which Arkham Asylum is so famous for. One downside to your battle with Poison Ivy is perhaps just how you take her down. Occasionally throwing a batarang at her whilst she’s vulnerable becomes quite repetitive after a while.
However, that doesn’t stop it from being a thrilling boss fight, and rightfully deserves its tenth spot on this list. 
9. Solomon Grundy- Arkham City
Solomon Grundy,
Born on a Monday,
Christened on Tuesday,
Married on Wednesday,
Took ill on Thursday,
Grew worse on Friday,
Died on Saturday,
Buried on Sunday,
That was the end,
Of Solomon Grundy.
If that rhyme isn’t chilling enough for the grand beast to make his way onto the list, then I don’t know what is. After taking down The Penguin in the Ice Lounge, he pulls one more trick from under his wing, and it’s his scariest yet. The arrival of the unkillable, immortal monster Solomon Grundy had every Arkham gamer trembling with fear, and rightly so!
As with the Poison Ivy battle, this fight really doesn’t allow you to let up for one second. You constantly have to find openings, cut off his power source whilst simultaneously avoiding every attack he offers up. As the Penguin watches on, beating Solom Grundy is undeniably satisfying, and a little reminder to every villain out there (if they needed it) that Batman can go toe to toe with the best of them. 
8. Clay Face- Arkham City
The climatic conclusion of Arkham City goes down as arguably one of the greatest endings to a video game of all time. After defeating Hugo Strange and his protocol ten plans, you must head over to the Theatre in a desperate attempt to save your former lover, Talia Al Ghul, from the dangerous hands of the Joker.
After it looks like Talia has done the dirty work and killed the clown prince of crime, here comes the twist! Turns out, the real Joker is sat at the back of the theatre, watching on in a visibly worst state than his imposter. But who has been posing as the clown this whole time? No other than long-time Batman foe- Clayface! What ensues next is an epic boss fight in the centre of the derelict theatre, before we plunge down into the lazarus pit below.
Not only does Clayface make his way onto the list because of the sheer shock value, but his fight is both interesting and entertaining. You must use a variety of Batmans gadgets which you’ve culminated over the course of the game. Then finally taking him down with a sword? Well, there aren’t many better sights than Batman with a sword that’s for sure. 
7. Firefly- Arkham Origins
One of Batman’s lesser known foes delivered an unexpected brilliant boss fight across the Gotham pioneer bridge which connects Old Gotham and New Gotham. One of eight assassins tasked with defeating the bat, Firefly is the fifth boss fight in Origins and certainly one of the best.
After defusing three bombs on the bridge, you’re greeted with the pyromaniac villain looming over your head, embodying everything that makes Firefly the dangerous opponent he is. Burning down the entire environment, you must try to shut down his jetpack using a combination of your batclaw, glue grenades and sheer perseverance as you’re hanging on for dear life on the back of his jetpack.
In my opinion, what makes this one so unique is its diversity, with the battle constantly changing gameplay mechanics, keeping you on your toes the entire time. It delivers exactly the kind of intensity which you’d expect from a Batman boss fight, and I’m all here for it. 
6. Ra’s al Ghul- Arkham City
Whilst the previous four boss fights have undoubtedly been fantastic, this is where things get taken to another level in my opinion. Ra’s Al Ghul lingers in the shadows throughout the majority of Arkham City’s main story, however when you do eventually take him on it’s certainly a battle to remember for the ages.
With Ra’s ultimate goal wanting to be for Batman to kill him and take his place as leader of the League of Shadows, the fight offers up plenty of interesting twists as we all know Batman’s no kill rule. The actual fight delivers in hand-to-hand combat, grand sand demons and suspenseful plot points. Ultimately, it challenges us to take control of every skill Batman has in his locker.
This fight was so good in fact, that Origins would use its template for both their Copperhead and Shiva encounters. Any fight which can inspire other games rightfully deserves its place on this list, that’s for sure. 
5. Killer Croc- Arkham Asylum
If you speak to anyone about what they loved the most about Batman Arkham Asylum, it’s extremely likely they’d praise the spooky atmosphere the island creates. The eeriness of the open-world creates such a unique environment, with its varied colour display helping to feel like you’ve been chucked straight into the pages of a comic book.
However, whilst the islands Mansion, Penitentiary and Botanic Gardens all offer up their own creepy environments, nothing compares to how frightened players felt when entering the lair of the infamous Killer Croc. You’re tasked with heading down into the beasts enclosure to recover spores to cure the effects of the titan serum which the Joker has created, because of course they’re down there aren’t they?
Upon entering the sewers, you know you’re in for a frightening time, as a game of cat and mouse ensues. You feel truly helpless from the inevitable Croc attacks, as he lurks beneath the boardwalk which you must carefully tread across. Knowing he could attack at any moment, the transition from the silence of the sewers to the crescendo of sounds when he arises from the water charging down on you is truly terrifying. Whilst not particularly difficult if you keep your wits about you, the experience as a whole is horrifying enough for it to be a true standout in a game with multiple high points. 
4. Bane-Arkham Origins
If I’m going to talk about experiences in the Arkham series which offer up electrifying experiences, well it would be rude to not include the climatic boss fight of Arkham Origins. After discovering Joker’s hideout in Blackgate Prison, the clown prince of crime gives Batman an ultimatum which he knows the Dark Knight can’t fulfill. To keep things short, you must either kill Bane of kill the Joker. Of course, the worlds greatest detective figures out how to do neither, but not before the epic fight with Bane.
The showdown itself consists of two, very different phases. The first one is what you’d expect from a standard Bane fight, as we’ve seen before earlier in the game and Arkham Asylum. Whilst entertaining, this part isn’t why the fight is so high up on my list. After defeating this version of Bane, this is when things get intense, and he transforms into the huge beast we know he can be with his venom formula.
At this point, hand to hand combat is hopeless, so you must hide in the shadows and choose your attacks with precision and accuracy. One wrong move, and Bane can snap you in half, so you must be very careful with your approach. The reason this one is so high for me is because of how scary it is hiding in the vents, knowing that Bane could be around any corner ready to jump out and defeat you. This becomes all the more frightening when your detective vision doesn’t work either. A truly stripped back Batman, this fight shows what the Dark Knight is really made of. 
3. Scarecrow- Arkham Asylum
Okay, this one might be cheating a little bit, as there are multiple encounters with Dr Crane throughout the game, but I’m going to put them altogether if that’s alright. This is because whilst it is separated into different parts, we don’t actually defeat him until the final bit. So ha, that’s my loophole.
Understanding Batman’s biggest fears is what makes these fights so exciting. Whilst it is great to be transported to an apocalyptic world where Scarecrow reigns supreme, it’s the intricate moments beforehand that truly stand out for me. Seeing Batman so vulnerable and exposed to the supposed deaths of his allies is a nice shift from the stoic hero we’re so used to seeing.
Not only this, but the game breaking experience will go down in history as one of the scariest moments in gaming history. Nothing is worse than losing your entire save, and that’s exactly what Rocksteady made us think happened to us, which is much more frightening that anything Crane could’ve injected into our veins. Ultimately, the scarecrow battles were a simple yet undeniably effective platforming element of Asylum, and offered something unique which was unfortunately lacking when we saw Crane again in Arkham Knight. 
2. Deathstroke- Arkham Origins
This is another example of a legendary boss fight which Arkham Knight failed to replicate in their game. Oh well, let’s focus on this Origins boss battle, which truly puts to test the exciting combat mechanics which the Arkham series is famed for.
Despite Origins receiving the worst reviews of the whole Arkham series, it is undeniable that they managed to create some excellent boss fights. Deathstrokes one is definitely the most famous one from the game, and could in fact take top spot for the whole series for many peoples personal lists. After interrogating Penguin on his barge, you’re quickly whisked away by Wade Wilson who challenges you to a duel for the ages. Exactly what any Batman fan loves to hear.
What follows is nothing short of pure Batman fun. We see the young Dark Knight showing his developing combat expertise against one of the deadliest assassins around. What more do I have to say? Now for the number one spot…
1. Mr Freeze- Arkham City
Here it is then, the number one spot, and it wasn’t going to be anything else really was it? If there was ever a boss battle which is unanimously loved, then it was going to be this one. The battle with Mr Freeze is one of the games most iconic moments, in a battle where both sides think they’re doing the right thing.
Using everything you’ve learned to that point, the encounter grows more challenging after every strike, as Mister Freeze makes sure you cannot use the same moves more than once. This forces you to get creative, keeping the battle fresh for its entire duration. The frozen environment also adds to the icy atmosphere in the room, and the finale really makes you feel like you’ve earned your prize.
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any more difficult, well try doing it again on NG+. Here is where you discover if you’ve got what it takes to be the Dark Knight himself. In the words of IGN, it really makes you feel like Batman, and that’s all we can really ask for.
So there we have it! That’s my personal list for the top ten boss fights in the Arkham series! If you have any which you think should’ve made the list, make sure to let us know down in the comments below. Additionally, if this blog got you in the mood for some Arkham fun, well you know exactly where to head to get your fix!
Sign up for our newsletter from the website.
Instagram: Go2GamesShop
Twitter: Go2Games
Youtube: Go2Games.com
Facebook: Go2Games.com
Store: Go2Games.com
