Batman and gadgets are pretty much synonymous. The Dark Knight’s preparedness is equal to none. He has a tool for any and every situation, and this has never been more apparent than it is in the Batman: Arkham games. Throughout the series, Batman has squeezed himself out of many tight situations, with the help of the copious number of gadgets he carries on him. From the Line Launcher to the Batclaw to the good old trusty Batarang, Batman’s tool list is almost endless.
The Arkham series equips Batman with some pretty useful and cool tools, so let's take a look at some of the highlights of his arsenal. After all, when dispatching the baddies of Gotham, only the best gadgets will do.
10 Voice Synthesizer
A deceiving little piece of equipment. The Voice Synthesizer allows Batman to give orders to thugs in predator situations as if he were their gang leader. With the power of authority at your fingertips and some simple setup, Batman can easily walk thugs into a takedown with little issue.
Watching guys bumble around scared out of their minds is satisfying by itself, but when you add the ability to order them around as well, it makes for some very comedic moments. Eventually, the gang’s head honcho does catch on after a few uses and nullifies any further attempts. It’s definitely a tool worth using in any and every predator situation you can, though.
9 Smoke Pellet
Small, simple and effective, the smoke pellet was introduced to the series in Arkham City. As a way to quickly hide yourself when caught under fire, the Smoke Pellet allows Batman to break line of sight with his gun-toting enemies and find a safe place to retreat.
The smoke pellet also opens up different engagement opportunities. Are a couple of goons watching each other’s backs? Toss a Smoke Pellet at them and take them both down in the ensuing cloud. Offensively or defensively, the Smoke Pellet is a handy and reliable tool in Batman’s arsenal.
8 Grapnel Gun
One of Batman’s most useful gadgets. The Grapnel Gun is Batman’s main traversal tool in the games. When in range of a ledge or vantage point, Batman can quickly zip up to higher ground using this tool. Useful in many situations, the Grapnel Gun allows for quick escapes as well as a way to stay in the air when gliding around Gotham, when coupled with the boost.
When enemies are by ledges, it also makes for a great takedown maneuver. The Grapnel Gun brings a lot of versatility to the way Batman gets around Gotham, making the entire gliding experience feel very fluid.
7 Shock Gloves
This set of gauntlets was by far the coolest tool to use in Arkham Origins. Batman powers up his fists with these bad boys to lay down an electrified bopping on his foes. Once activated, the Shock Gloves allow Batman to bypass virtually all defensive options enemies presented in a fight.
They must be charged up beforehand, though. With a fair amount of enemy types that need a specific maneuver executed to open them up for a proper attack, the Shock Gloves are a nice little reward after charging them up that really gives you the edge in fights.
6 Explosive Gel
Possibly one of the biggest examples of Batman’s preparedness. Explosive Gel is the first gadget you receive outside of the Batarang in the series. While it’s mostly used to blow down structurally weak walls early on, in later games it becomes a lot more practical, even in combat.
Blowing down a wall with an enemy next to it knocks them out cold. The gel is also a useful crowd control tool when surrounded in combat. The downside is that this gadget can be a little tricky to use, requiring some setup or preemptive planning to make effective. When it all comes together though, it’s a beautiful thing.
5 Batarang
By far Batman’s most iconic tool, the Batarang is the Ryu of Batman tools in the Arkham series. It’s an all-around good tool. Not exceptional in any one area, but not horrible either. It has many applications throughout the series, while also being Batman’s fastest quickfire gadget.
In stealth situations, it’s the simplest way to cause a distraction and disorient enemies to set them up for takedowns or make a quick getaway. In combat, it can stuff enemy attacks that you can’t counter, stun and knock down foes. It also makes for one of the most stylish ways to knock out thugs as well. Watching a Batarang fly in slow motion towards a guy’s noggin, knocking their lights out, is always satisfying.
4 Batclaw
The Batclaw is certainly a tool that’s improved through the series. From its humble beginnings in Asylum, the Batclaw has become an invaluable tool in Batman’s kit. From yanking vents off walls to snatching up Riddler trophies with ease, the Batclaw has many viable uses.
It’s one of the most useful quickfire tools in combat too, especially in the later games. Being able to disarm foes with it always eases the mind in a fight, even if it’s just for a little while. The Batclaw slam is always a satisfying maneuver to pull off as well.
3 Freeze Blast
A little gift from Mr. Freeze. After bopping him in the old GCPD building in Arkham City, Freeze gives Batman this nifty gadget that stops enemies in their tracks on impact. This frozen hand grenade can also create platforms when tossed into water and clog up pesky steam pipes blocking Batman’s progression.
Crowd control is the name of the game with this one. Is a particular thug’s patrol pattern ticking you off? Hit him with a Freeze Blast to stop him cold and ensure a safe takedown on another target. Its quickfire is also good for taking more threatening foes out of a fight temporarily. So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, the Freeze Blast can give you some extra breathing room.
2 Remote Electrical Charge
A gadget Batman built himself, though its actual construction is pretty baffling. Nonetheless, this wondrous piece of tech shoots a high-voltage burst that incapacitates opponents for a time. It also helps to solve electrical puzzles and turn generators on or off.
The REC’s applications range from causing distractions to stunning and disorienting enemies. It also has a bit of collateral damage potential against foes wielding stun batons or on Titans. A valuable tool for when you want a little bit of the work done for you so you can focus on other threats.
1 Disruptor
A gadget that’s so good, you have very limited uses of it. The Disruptor first started as a hand switch in Arkham City, before being adapted into a full-blown rifle later on. It has the capability of sabotaging a plethora of enemy ordinance and weapons throughout the games.
Being such a powerful tool, it has its downsides: it has a limited number of charges and a long recharge time. Wisely choosing which piece of equipment you want to sabotage is key. Even then, a good couple of uses out of it can net you a few free takedowns with little to no chance of punishment, and that’s always a nice option to have.