Batman: Arkham Knight walkthrough and guide
Our complete walkthrough for Batman: Arkham Knight, along with collectible and gameplay guides to help you get the most out of the game.
Six years after it all began in the claustrophobic confines of Arkham Asylum, Rocksteady sees out its Batman storyline with Arkham Knight - an expansive, rich open world adventure that sees the story out with the finest flourish. The Batmobile's along for the ride for the first time, and so is the kind of shininess we associate with the new generation of consoles, but more importantly Batman's back in all his bruising, brutal glory.
Our guide for the game begins with a complete walkthrough for the main story. It goes without saying that there'll be absolutely shedloads of spoilers sprinkled amongst this guide, so we've broken it down into as many discrete chunks as possible, so you can dip in and get only what you want from it.
We'll also be fleshing out this guide with plenty of other useful bits of information over the coming days as well, from completing specific challenges, to tracking down hard-to-reach collectible items as you explore the world.
On this page
Batman: Arkham Knight - Poison Ivy, Battle Mode, Scarecrow's toxin, drones
The first part of our core walkthrough for the game.
Other pages:
Batman: Arkham Knight - Riddler's Revenge, The Line of Duty, Detective Mode, Scarecrow
How to survive the Riddler's racetrack and complete The Line of Duty.
Batman: Arkham Knight - City of Fear, Power Winch, antenna, Battle Mode, Batsuit
Find the Power Winch, fire up the antenna and bag your new Batsuit.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Training Missions, ejection, grappling, takedowns, throws
Our guide to tying up all of Batman's Training Missions.
Batman: Arkham Knight - The Perfect Crime, Batscanner, ACE Chemicals, Explosive Gel
How to complete The Perfect Crime and find the ACE Chemicals plant.
Batman: Arkham Knight - ACE Chemicals gate, Batmobile Remote, factory workers, drones
Open up the ACE Chemicals gate and save the workers inside.
Batman: Arkham Knight - crane controls, loading docks, gas pipes, lift
Use the crane to lower the ramp, then complete the loading docs section.
Batman: Arkham Knight - ventilation shafts, hostage, helicopter assault, WayneTech
How to save the hostage, then survive the epic helicopter assault.
Batman: Arkham Knight - tank drones, factory, sentry gun, fuse box, Mixing Chamber
Clear the tanks, disable the sentry gun and make it to the Mixing Chamber.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Scarecrow's chemicals, patrols, control terminal, gas cannisters
How to pick off the patrols and carry the cannisters without coming a cropper.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Rescue Oracle, Gordon, Pursuit Mode, clocktower, drone tanks
Get to the clock tower, then hunt out clues to reveal Oracle's location.
Batman: Arkham Knight - militia device, Mercy Bridge, bomb defusion, Miagani Island
Our guide to tracking the Arkham Knight's vehicle.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Catwoman, Riddler Blockades, Batmobile puzzle
How to finish off the next of the Riddler's challenges.
Batman: Arkham Knight - The Line of Duty (Part 2), Forensics Scanner, Oracle
Our guide to finishing the second section of The Line of Duty
Batman Arkham Knight - Heir to the Cowl, Gotham on Fire, Azrael, Firefly
How to complete the next set of bonus missions.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Miagani tunnels, Batarang, Arkham Knight chase
Explore the Miagani tunnels, then chase down the Arkham Knight.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Penguin, Batwing, Disruptor, Harold's Repairs
How to use the Disruptor and track down Penguin's secret hideout.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Silent Takedown, interrogation, Nightwing, Brute
Interrogate Penguin, then find and destroy the weapon stash.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Stagg Enterprises, airship, watchtower
How to infiltrate the airships and disable the watchtowers.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Remote Hacking Device, signal puzzles, hacking words
Get the remote hacking device and solve those word puzzles.
Batman: Arkham Knight - airship turrets, crates, CCTV, Evidence Scanner
Destroy the turrets and get Stagg's authentication.
Batman: Arkham Knight - electrified enemies, Batclaw, Glide Kick, Stagg's cell
How to make it to Stagg's cell without breaking a sweat.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Ivy, Cloudburst Device, GPCD Lockup, Botanical Gardens
Our guide continues as you hook up with Poison Ivy.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Two-Faced Bandit, Creature of the Night, Batmobile Sonar
Wrapping up the Two-Faced Bandit and Creature of the Night missions.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Cloudburst, relay drone, Drone Hacker, radio towers
How to take out the radio towers.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Cobra tanks, missile launcher, Deep Tissue Scanner
Our guide to eliminating the long-range missiles before typing up some loose ends.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Harley Quinn, Joker Infected, Voice Synthesiser, Robin
How to use the Voice Synthesiser to create total mayhem for Harley's mob.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Albert King, Christina Bell, Johnny Charisma, sound stage code
Our guide to putting these three fiends back behind bars where they belong.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Poison Ivy, Cloudburst Tank, Simon Stagg, Nimbus Power Cell
Getting hold of the Nimbus Power Cell.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Drescher graveyard, Ivy's plant, Sonar Burst, Port Adams
How to track down Ivy's sprawling plant and access the subway network.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Scarecrow's toxin, Sergeant McAllister, Remote Electrical Charge
Our guide to destroying the Arkham Knight's Cloudburst tank.
Batman: Arkham Knight - lever, rotating generator, explosive vest, drill platform
Disarming the explosive vest and bringing down the drilling platform.
Batman: Arkham Knight - excavator, explosives, rescue Gordon, deadly gas
How to destroy the Arkham Knight's excavator and rescue Gordon.
Batman: Arkham Knight - protect Oracle, Missile Barrage, Jack Ryder, servers, medics
How to stop Scarecrow's militia from destroying Oracle's servers.
Batman: Arkham Knight - protect Oracle, Missile Barrage, Jack Ryder, servers, medics
How to handle the assault on the GCPD headquarters.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Knightfall, ending, statues
The very last section of our Batman: Arkham Knight walkthrough. Hooray!
Batman: Arkham Knight guides
Batman: Arkham Knight - Bleake Island Riddle solutions
How to locate and solve all of the Riddles in the first region of the game.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Miagani Island Riddle solutions
Every Miagani Island Riddle that's up for grabs.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Founder's Island Riddle solutions
How to solve the next ten Riddles in the game.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Panessa Movie Studios Riddle solutions
The next few puzzles found in the film studios.
Batman: Arkham Knight - Arkham Knight HQ Riddle solutions
The final few Riddles to solve in Arkham Knight.
How to unlock every AR Challenge in Batman: Arkham Knight
What you need to do to unlock every AR Challenge in the game.
Batman: Arkham Knight walkthrough
Once you've tapped a few buttons and said a fiery goodbye to an old foe, the game's faintly interactive opening cut-scene begins. As soon as you're back on your feet, make your way toward the cheeky blighter smoking a cigarette in the far booth by the window. Interact with him, then ready yourself for one hell of an opening to Batman's latest adventure.
Most Wanted: City of Fear
Primary Objective: Stop Scarecrow from detonating the Fear Toxin bomb
Meet Commissioner Gordon by the Bat-Signal on the GCPD rooftop
Eventually, you'll be reacquainted with the dark knight himself, high atop a radio tower overlooking Gotham City. Your first task is to locate Commissioner Gordon, currently waiting on a rooftop near the Bat Signal in the distance. Leap off the building and glide toward your destination, using the waypoint marker to guide you to your rendezvous point.
If you begin to lose momentum on your travels, don't forget that you can dive to the earth and pull back up to glide higher and faster. Of course, you've full access to your trusty Grapnel Boost too, enabling you to latch onto distant objects and zip through the air at ludicrous speeds.
Once you reach your destination, Gordon will fill you in on the current Scarecrow situation, pointing you in the direction of your next lead.
Rescue the missing police office
With the frankly overwhelming expanse of Gotham spread before you, it's time to start your hunt for Unit 247. Locate the waypoint marker then hop down off your perch, gliding toward your new goal. On your arrival, follow the prompts and begin picking off the swarm of goons surrounding the police officer using a selection of strikes and counters. Once the last enemy has been felled, interact with Unit 247 to proceed.
Next, follow the on-screen prompt to even the odds in just about the flashiest way imaginable. When you're safely ensconced in the Batmobile, hit accelerate and start your journey through the streets, taking time to familiarise yourself with the car's controls.
Interrogate the driver of the military vehicle for information on Scarecrow
Once you're up to (eye watering) speed, track down the armoured truck by following the moving waypoint marker through the city. You can also use the convenient guide arrows on the ground to navigate the streets more efficiently. Roar along the rain-slicked roads until you've caught up with the military vehicle.
Once you're close enough to your target, the Batmobile's weapons targeting system automatically begins locking on. Fire a missile when prompted to dish out some considerable damage, then adjust your position, ready to lock on again. When you've got the truck in your sights a second time, launch another strike. Repeat the process until the van comes to a dramatic stop.
Finally, exit the Batmobile, locate the driver lying on the ground near his decimated van, then begin the interrogation.
Investigate the Scarecrow's safe house
Once the vial of Scarecrow's toxin is yours, summon the Batmobile again and hop inside. Follow the waypoint marker until you reach your destination, then disembark.
Scarecrow's safe house lies in the penthouse atop the nearby Tanaga Dojo building. Grapple your way up the side until you reach its ornate peak. Climb to the very top and locate the ceiling window leading down into the building. Glide kick your way in, then take care of the thugs below.
Say hello to Poison Ivy then, back out in the rain, prepare to bring down the gathering militia with a bit of high tech ingenuity. Follow the on-screen prompts to bring up your quick menu and activate the Batmobile Remote.
Destroy the incoming drone tanks
Six unmanned tanks are marauding through Gotham's streets towards your position and you'll need to deal with them quickly. Activate Battle Mode as instructed, then make use of the Batmobile's onboard Vulcan Gun and 60mm Cannon. Familiarise yourself with the mode's controls then, once the tanks make their presence known, start picking them off one by one.
As you do, you'll notice thin blue lines emanating from your opponents' gun turrets - these denote the drone's targeting system. Stray into a line and it turns red; stay there too long and the tank will successfully lock on to your position and fire.
Given that the Batmobile's armour only offers a limited amount of protection, you should aim to keep moving during the fight to prevent your enemies from successfully locking on.
Once you've obliterated all six drones, head toward the waypoint marker and park your vehicle on top of the glowing square on the ground. To complete the sequence, deactivate Battle Mode so that Batman and Poison Ivy can safely climb onboard.
Run Battle Mode weapon energy system diagnostics
Back in the driving seat, follow the waypoint marker until you reach the glowing green icon ahead. Come to a halt close by and begin the Weapon Energy Diagnostics training challenge.
Training Mission: Weapon Energy Diagnostics
Here, your task is to charge your secondary weapon's energy gauge by destroying the enemy targets. Once the gauge is full, you're able to activate the Batmobile's Missile Barrage ability.
For the first part of your training, all targets are completely stationary. Activate Battle Mode and use your primary and secondary weapons to take them out one by one until your Missile Barrage Level 1 is ready. To bring the objective to a close, launch your Missile Barrage at a nearby vehicle.
Next, you need to reach Missile Barrage Level 2, enabling you to target up to four vehicles at once. As before, take down the still-stationary targets until both Missile Barrage gauges are full. Finally, follow the on-screen prompts to destroy four vehicles simultaneously.
The third part of the challenge is designed to illustrate how your Missile Barrage gauge depletes whenever you take damage. This time around, your targets are much more spritely - avoid their incoming attacks and return fire of your own. When your Missile Barrage is charged, deploy it to successfully destroy four active targets and end the mission, earning you your first upgrade point.
Destroy the squadron of drone tanks occupying the Panessa Studios
With training over, it's time to put your new-found firing skills to good use, taking out the deadly drone tanks swarming the Panessa Studios a short distance away. Slam the accelerator and head in the direction of the waypoint marker. The route ahead is full of sharp turns, so now is as good a time as any to practice your power-sliding skills.
When you reach your destination, activate Battle Mode and begin laying waste to the horde of drone tanks rampaging around the area. Remember to keep an eye out for the enemy's lock-on attacks and strafe to avoid them. Don't forget, too, that you can bring down multiple targets at once as soon as your Missile Barrage is charged.
Take Ivy to the GCPD Lockup
With the streets a little safer, you're ready to drop Ivy off with the good old Gotham City Police Department. Follow the waypoint marker back through the city and drive through the gate once you arrive at your destination. On the other side, follow the tunnel down to the parking lot and disembark to proceed.
Once Ivy is safely locked away, take a few moments to explore the police station (and its impressive Evidence Archive) and listen in to the various conversations going on around you. When you're ready to continue, approach Commissioner Gordon at the Maximum Security desk to get a status update on Gotham's Scarecrow problem.
As soon as the cut-scene is over, you'll gain access to the mission select screen. Bring it up to examine the missions currently available to you: The Line of Duty (requiring you to track down the missing members of the Station 17 fire crew), The Perfect Crime, Riddler's Revenge and City of Fear. Note that selecting a mission sets the relevant waypoint for you to follow back outside.
Before continuing on with the main story, it's worth tackling the first part of Riddler's Revenge mission. Set a waypoint marker as instructed, then, once out of the menu, pass between the security gates and make your way through the door into the cells.
You can speak to Jack Ryder in the interview room to the left if you wish, adding his bio info to your Wayne Tech menu. Speaking of which, consider taking a moment to familiarise yourself with the menu screen if you haven't already - it contains your map, the Batcomputer character bio and Gotham City Stories screen, as well as the Wayne Tech upgrade tree, enabling you to spend upgrade points on improving your abilities, gadgets, weapons, Batsuit and Batmobile.
Once you're ready to proceed, work your way along the corridor past the holding cells and out into the parking lot. Hop into the Batmobile (prompting Lucius Fox to bring the frankly ludicrous afterburner function online), then prepare to hunt down the Riddler at his last known location.
- The next part of our walkthrough explains how to complete the Riddler's Revenge mission.