It was praised for its voice acting, boss fights, storyline, and musical score, but was criticized for its general lack of innovation in gameplay mechanics and technical issues, while the multiplayer aspect was considered an unnecessary addition to the series.

Returning gadgets include the Cryptographic Sequencer, used to hack security consoles; the Batclaw, used for hooking onto surfaces; the Batarang, a throwing weapon;[6] the Remote Batarang, its remote-controlled counterpart; Explosive Gel, used to destroy weak surfaces and knock down enemies;[7] Smoke Pellets, used for stealthy exits and entrances;[8] the Disruptor, which can remotely disable guns and explosive mines,[8] and the Grapnel Accelerator, an earlier version of the Grapnel Boost.

The main character is Batman (Roger Craig Smith),[38] a superhero trained to the peak of human physical perfection and an expert in martial arts[39][40] who is aided by his butler, Alfred Pennyworth (Martin Jarvis).

[44] Black Mask has a bounty on Batman, which attracts eight accomplished assassins: the physically imposing Bane (JB Blanc);[45][46] expert marksman Deadshot;[23] veteran mercenary Deathstroke (Mark Rolston);[47][48] poisonous contortionist Copperhead (Rosa Salazar);[49][50] the pyromaniac Firefly (Crispin Freeman);[51][52] the highly charged Electrocutioner (Steve Blum);[53] deformed criminal Killer Croc (Khary Payton),[54] and master martial artist Shiva (Kelly Hu).

[55][56] Batman is considered an outlaw by the Gotham City police, and is pursued by Captain James Gordon (Michael Gough),[14][57] Detective Harvey Bullock (Robert Costanzo)[58] and corrupt GCPD officials Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb[13][17] and SWAT team leader Howard Branden.

[16] Other characters include the psychopathic Joker (Troy Baker);[17][59] black-market weapons dealer Penguin (Nolan North);[60] the mind-controlling Mad Hatter (Peter MacNicol);[43][61] anti-government, anti-corporate anarchist Anarky (Matthew Mercer);[23][62] rogue hacker Enigma (Wally Wingert);[58][63] Alberto Falcone;[10] Gordon's teenage daughter Barbara,[64] and Blackgate warden Martin Joseph (Khary Payton).

[35][68] Dr. Harleen Quinzel (Tara Strong),[69] Gotham News Network (GNN) reporter Vicki Vale, Amanda Waller (CCH Pounder),[58] Quincy Sharp (Tom Kane),[58] and Calendar Man make cameo appearances in the game.

[41] However, on a snowy Christmas Eve he is confronted with more dangerous foes: eight professional assassins hoping to collect a $50-million bounty placed on Batman's head by Black Mask.

[75][77] Villains (including the Joker) take advantage of the assassins' arrival to launch their schemes, and Black Mask's henchmen instigate a rise in crime and gang activity in the city.

[15][80] On Christmas Eve, Batman intervenes in a jailbreak at Blackgate Penitentiary led by Black Mask, who executes Police Commissioner Loeb and escapes.

Following advice from Gordon's daughter Barbara, Batman enters the sewers beneath the GCPD to install permanent access to the database and finds Black Mask's crew planting explosives.

By July 2012, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) was planning Rocksteady Studios' next Batman game as a prequel based on the Silver Age of Comic Books, featuring Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the Flash.

He did not write any of that game's downloadable content (including the story-based Harley Quinn's Revenge DLC) and said that Warner Bros. and Rocksteady suggested he accept other work if offered.

"[110] To emphasize the mystery and fear instilled by Batman in this early stage of his career, art director Jeremy Price and the design team used silhouettes and film noir-style low-key lighting to make the character more imposing.

The designers worked on the length of time for each scene, seeing how many pieces of evidence players wanted to scan before they had a solution; they eventually settled on two to three minutes.

For example, the theater aboard Penguin's ship was gradually shrunk in size to pack the enemies closer together, and a hovering drone was removed when test players easily overcame it.

[118][119] It was partially inspired by the 1988 action film Die Hard (also set during Christmas), which features sleigh bells in its soundtrack to punctuate specific moments.

The in-game music was created with layers that activate with action (such as Batman entering a location or beginning a fight) and can be added or subtracted depending on what is occurring.

Drake hoped the in-game music would not be boring, since those sections work at differing lengths of time (dependent on how long a player takes to complete a task).

[126] Coinciding with Arkham Origins' United Kingdom launch, voice actors Roger Craig Smith and Troy Baker made a public appearance at Stratford's GAME retailer.

The pack also contains five challenge maps (based on "Knightfall") which task Batman with defeating Bane and the inmates of Blackgate prison: "Azrael Does Not Protect", "City On Fire", "No Rest For The Wicked", "Venom Connection" and "Turning Point".

[30][139][140] The Deathstroke pack, available as a pre-order bonus, includes two alternate outfits based on costumes worn by the character in the 2013 video game Injustice: Gods Among Us and the 1984 storyline "Teen Titans: The Judas Contract", as well as two challenge maps, "No Money Down" and "100 to 1".

The content introduces new equipment for Batman, including the XE suit which generates heat, allowing him to melt ice or throw thermal-charged batarangs.

The shock gloves were criticized as overpowered and making fights too easy, allowing Batman unblockable attacks (instantly disabling most opponents) and removing the need for tactics.

[63][168] The stealth sections were considered of similar quality to previous installments; their unchanged function left the methods of obtaining victory the same, making for a rote experience.

[160][164][166] GameSpot noted that poor weapon accuracy and movement controls made the thugs seem weak and inept while playing as the heroes lacked empowerment because of more restrictive combat ability and less resistance to damage.

Similarly, IGN and Destructoid noted that the content lacked originality and innovation, providing generic environments and removing, rather than adding new abilities and weapons.

On Windows, a bug prevented players from accessing one of Enigma's towers; on the Xbox 360, the save files were corrupted and unplayable, with crashing and freezing problems.

[189][190] In February 2014, WB Montréal announced that they would not release any additional patches to fix any issues, due to the development team focusing on the upcoming single-player DLC.

The game serves as a direct sequel to Arkham Origins, taking place six months after its events, and according to director Ryan Payton, explores the aftermath of the Joker's Christmas Eve rampage while showcasing Batman's transition from a violent and vengeful vigilante into a symbol of hope.