Batman: Arkham Knight’s first DLC, Batgirl: A Matter of Family, has hit earlier than expected and I can’t complain. As with most of the Arkham series, the main story is fairly short and most of the meat comes from the side missions and DLC content. This time around, you’ll take the reigns as Batgirl during events prior to Arkham Asylum. With some help from Tim Drake, A.K.A. Robin, you’ll take on the Joker and his thugs as you try to save Commissioner Gordon, Batgirl’s father.
While not time-consuming, the DLC is pretty fun. Batgirl fights very similarly to Batman with more flourishes, sometimes coming off as showboating. But hey, that’s what we love, right? There are a lot of dual fights where you’ll take on thugs with Robin assisting, as well as a couple of puzzles and stealth portions. Batgirl comes equipped with a less functional suit than the one we get to play with in Arkham Knight’s main story, but it fits since this takes place earlier in the storyline. This means that you’ll have to rely on your standard gadgets in addition to your martial skill. This adds a layer of difficulty to the fights, but nothing an old hand at the games can’t handle.
The story is interesting, but doesn’t seem to tie into the plot of the main games very well. A Matter of Family was toted as a side story, and that’s exactly what you’re going to get. The most exciting part, as with Arkham Knight in my mind, was that Mark Hamill returns as the Joker. His lines are spot on and the effort he puts into the character brings it to life like no other. Batman himself does not appear at all in this one which felt fitting, as Batgirl and Robin deserve their time to shine.
Just like Arkham Knight, A Matter of Family is gorgeous, from the character models to the fighting and sweeping Gotham skyline. Like rain? There’s a lot of that too. On the other hand, I think Rocksteady tries their hardest with cape and hair physics, and while they’re not terrible (better than most games usually handle those things), sometimes it feels a little weird when things clip through stuff they shouldn’t.
Background music is present through most of the content and it’s consistent with the theme that they’ve had going for them since Asylum. Hits sound powerful as you pummel your enemies into the ground and the whirring of your batarangs always stir excitement. In other words, the sound effects are spot on.
All in all it’s a fun DLC with an interesting if unimportant story. Music and sound are, forgive me for the pun, sound and the fighting and gameplay are as crisp as ever, though I can’t deny I miss Batman’s new suit. With a small price tag of S6.99 or free if you have the Season Pass, this DLC is worth getting.
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