The most recent “Gotham Knights” trailer focuses on the four playable heroes’ true selves and how their comic book roots influenced the line of Batman heirs.
According to community manager Pauline Zampolini, “The fans trust us to be authentic to the universe, but they also want to be shocked.” Here, character art director Jay Evans clarifies the strategy used by the team. To frame the silhouettes of characters like Robin, Bat Girl, Red Hood, and Nightwing and to give them individuality through their movements, WB Games Montreal studied the “shape language” of comic books. This was particularly crucial because it was necessary for the tiny differences in the heroes’ behaviors to stand out because players might experience identical plot moments while controlling several characters.
The majority of the trailer focuses on how these heroes act at their base of operations, the Belfry Tower, while they are not on missions. The theme of the story, according to narrative director Ann Lemay, is “discovered family.” The shared duty and grief following Batman’s passing bring the Gotham Knights together, but they don’t get along right away.
“They’re at odds with each other. They’re fighting, they’re not a cohesive group,” says cinematic director Wilson Mui. “They’ve never had the chance to work together because they’ve all been working fairly independently with the exception of Robin. As you progress through the entire game, you’re gonna see this gradually change.”
Many developers emphasize how crucial it is for “Gotham Knights'” gameplay loop and overall plot to take place at the Belfry, largely as a means of endearing its protagonists to the player. As a rock for the “Gotham Knights” and “the glue of the Batman family,” Alfred, Batman’s erstwhile confidant, and companion, is now a significant presence in the Belfry. Without even including the events that take place in missions and the open world, it appears that only these exchanges make up dozens of cinematics.