Surprise, surprise. The recent launch of Batman: Arkham Trilogy on the Nintendo Switch has ignited a flurry of negative reactions from gamers and industry analysts alike, with many expressing concerns over the performance of the games, particularly Batman: Arkham Knight, on Nintendo's hybrid console.
This surprising release, which includes Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City, and Batman: Arkham Knight, has been met with mostly negative responses, highlighting the challenges of adapting graphically intensive games to the less powerful Switch hardware.
Comic book fans have kept a close eye on the trilogy's journey to the third-best-selling video game console of all time. The original trio of games, in particular, enjoyed much critical acclaim on last-gen platforms. Developed by Rocksteady Studios, the Batman Arkham series set a high standard in the superhero game genre. However, the transition to a new but weaker platform like the Switch, a console celebrated for its portability rather than its processing power, has raised valid questions about performance compromises.
YouTube channel Cycu1's comparison video between the Switch and PS4 versions running on PS5 showcases noticeable differences. The Switch version, although commendable for its efforts, falls short in detail compared to the PS4 port. It's worth noting, however, that many viewers have expressed a more positive outlook, appreciating the effort to port such a graphically demanding game like Arkham Knight to the Switch's modest hardware. Still, everyone's not all praises for the Switch port. Although it gets a pass for trying, its terrible performance is inexcusable. Similar to the original launch version of Batman Arkham: Knight on pretty much every platform, the game's ambitious open-world design and the Batmobile are proving to be quite challenging. Subsequent reports reveal alarming frame rate drops, leading to some players calling the game "unplayable" on the Switch.
