Parents' Guide to

Batman: Arkham Origins

By Marc Saltzman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Fun and intense Caped Crusader romp lacks ingenuity.

Game Nintendo Wii U , PlayStation 3 , Windows , Xbox 360 2013
Batman: Arkham Origins Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Batman: Arkham Origins Game: Screenshot #1
  • Batman: Arkham Origins Game: Screenshot #2
  • Batman: Arkham Origins Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 14 parent reviews

certic C.
certic C. Adult
November 7, 2016
age 12+

pretty good for people in middle school and above

its fun and healthy with carrots

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Easy to play/use
1 person found this helpful.
Jake T.
Jake T. Parent of 10-year-old
October 6, 2022
age 10+

My Kids have a great time playing this game because it makes them feel like Batman

It does not have the worst language and there is little to no gore. 9+-13+

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Easy to play/use
See all 14 parent reviews

What’s It About?

BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS is the third official game in the popular Batman: Arkham series from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, and, among other features, it delivers a larger Gotham City and online multiplayer modes for the first time in the franchise (up to eight players can be split into three teams). The story serves as a prequel to the previous games, introducing a younger and unrefined Batman as he sets out on a path to become the legendary Dark Knight. Set on Christmas Eve, the tale tells of Batman hunted by eight of the deadliest assassins from the DC Comics Universe. Be prepared to see reimagined takes of iconic villains including Bane, the Joker, Penguin, Deathstroke, Copperhead, Black Mask, Deadshot, and others. Robin, too, is playable in this multiplatform game for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii U, and Windows PC. A "companion" game called Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate is available for Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (14 ):
Kids say (59 ):

Yes, it is, but those who played the last two games -- Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City -- might get a sense of deja vu. Oh, sure, the developer added a fresh story and a couple of new mechanics, not to mention the fun online multiplayer mode, but it won't take long to question whether this is essentially the same game as its two predecessors. Still, the free-flowing third-person combat feels great, the stealth and detective elements are deliciously tense, and the well-written story has a few exciting twists and turns. And boy, is it a good-looking game: playing the Xbox 360 version on a 60-inch LED TV helped elevate the overall experience.

Bottom line? As long as you go in knowing Batman: Arkham Origins is essentially the same kind of game as the two that came before it -- but with a new story and online multiplayer -- fans of the Caped Crusader will enjoy this deliciously dark action-adventure hybrid.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Do gamers want more of the same with these kinds of superhero games, or do they expect a brand-new experience when they throw down up to $60 for the disc? How does a developer know what's desirable by gamers?

  • Do you play games for the action or the story?

Game Details

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