Batman Arkham Night

Plot 

Nine months after the Joker's death, crime rates in Gotham City have dramatically declined, but Batman anticipates a new threat and maintains a vigil over the city. Before his death, the Joker sent his mutated blood to Gotham's hospitals, and several patients were infected. While most were cured, the patients who were not treated are starting to look and act like the Joker. Batman researches a cure for the mutations, and orders Robin to watch over the infected.

The Arkham Knight

On Halloween night, Scarecrow unleashes his newest strain of Fear Gas in a diner, and threatens to release it throughout Gotham. Six million civilians are evacuated, but the city's criminals and supervillains stay behind, leaving Commissioner James Gordon and the Gotham City Police Department outnumbered. Batman investigates Scarecrow's presence, and searches for him in a rooftop safehouse, but instead finds and saves Poison Ivy, who was being held captive by Scarecrow's henchmen. In a makeshift Batcave in Gotham's Clock Tower, Barbara Gordon is collecting information on Scarecrow's new toxin, and traces its production to Ace Chemicals. Batman goes to investigate, but is confronted by the mysterious "Arkham Knight" and his militia, which has a massive army of unmaned tanks. Batman fights his way through the militia, learning from workers that Scarecrow is planning to produce a chemical explosion so large that it will cover the entire eastern seaboard in fear toxin. Batman reaches Scarecrow, who reveals to him that Barbara has been abducted by the Arkhan Knight before escaping. While reducing the blast radius, Batman is exposed to the fear toxin, which reacts with his own mutated blood to cause hallucinations of the Joker. Escaping from the exploding Ace Chemicals, Batman is forced to tell Gordon about his daughter's involvement in his crime-fighting, and the outraged Gordon swears that he will find Barbara without Batman's help.

Scarecrow's Plans

Batman tracks the Arkham Knight to an underground tunnel network, hoping to learn Barbara's whereabouts from him, but instead gets ambushed by him. Batman then gives chase to the escaping convoy, only to learn that the driver is a decoy, using a voice synthesizer that makes him sound like the Arkham Knight. Batman interrogates the driver and learns that they are heading to the North Refrigeration. He and Nightwing interrogate the Penguin, who tells them that the Knight and Scarecrow are meeting with a businessman named Simon Stagg, who runs a pharmaceutical company. After boarding Stagg's airship, Batman discovers that Scarecrow paid Stagg to create a device known as the "Cloudburst", but Stagg tried to double-cross them and has been doused with fear toxin as punishment. After reaching Scarecrow and interrogating Stagg, Batman is again exposed to the toxin, which triggers a powerful hallucinogenic response. Scarecrow escapes with the Cloudburst. Batman receives a message from Scarecrow revealing that Barbara is in the same safehouse where Ivy was held, but before Batman can save her, Barbara is doused with fear toxin and shoots herself in the head. Batman and Alfred Pennyworth are devastated, but Alfred convinces Batman to not lose hope, for Barbara's sake. Alfred explains to Batman that the Cloudburst is a dispersal device designed to flood all of Gotham with the fear toxin. To counteract this effect, Batman enlists the help of Ivy, who takes control of a large tree which develops giant flowers capable of neutralizing the toxin.

Joker Mutants

Travelling to Batman's quarantine base in the Panessa Movie Studios, Batman speaks with Robin about his progress in finding a cure for the Joker mutations, but knowing that Robin's civilian identity Tim Drake was dating Barbara, he does not tell him about her death, wanting to keep him focused on finding a cure. Later, Batman learns that Harley Quinn has taken over the studios, planning to gather the mutated citizens and keep the Joker's legacy alive through them. Batman and Robin captured the infected and Harley, but the infected are killed by Henry Adams, a seemingly immune patient (whom Batman was relying on for a cure) that has fully succumbed to the mutations and desires only the best of the infected to be the new Joker. When he confronts Batman, Henry realizes that he is infected and commits suicide, believing Batman will be the perfect Joker. Robin attempts to imprison Batman before the Joker completely takes over, knowing he will not be able to stop him if that happens. However, Batman refuses to be apprehended until Scarecrow has been stopped, and locks Robin in a holding cell.

City of Fear

Batman searches for the Cloudburst to no avail, and aids Ivy in propelling the Arkham Knight's drones when they find her. The Arkham Knight subsequently activates the Cloudburst device, flooding Gotham City with fear toxin . The toxicity overwhelms Ivy, and the Batmobile, which is disabled. Batman heads back to Stagg's airship and acquires a nimbus power cell, allowing him to repower the Batmobile, but is exposed to the toxin yet again, strengthening Joker's control. After awakening another large tree to help Ivy fight the toxin, Batman goes to destroy the Cloudburst, hoping Ivy will be able to clear out Gotham then. Batman succeeds in destroying the Cloudburst, but the Arkham Knight escapes. While Ivy succeeds in saving Gotham and clearing the toxin, the toxin proves too much for her handle, and she dies in Batman's arms. Alfred and Batman lament her death, acknowledging she redeemed herself in her final moments.

The Identity Of The Arkham Knight

Batman heads back to the GCPD and learns from SWAT transmissions that Gordon has found Scarecrow, and intends to kill him as revenge for Barbara's death. After fighting his way through the militia and heading underground in the Batmobile, Batman is pursued once again by the Arkham Knight, who is manning a giant excavator. The Arkham Knight destroys the Batmobile, forcing Batman to eject and reach Gordon on foot. The Arkham Knight catches up, and reveals himself to be Jason Todd, the second Robin, whom Batman believed was murdered by the Joker. Jason had instead been traumatized by torture at the Joker's hands, and believes, incorrectly, that Batman deliberately abandoned him. Jason takes a sniping position, and after an intense fight, Batman disarms Jason and offers to help him recover. Jason lowers his gun in shame, but then disappears.

The Final Battle

Batman and Gordon then proceed to meet Scarecrow on the building's roof. Gordon apologizes for his anger and says he has never forgotten how he met Bruce Wayne on the night of his parents' death, since he now knows Batman's identity (having heard it from Jason). As they confront Scarecrow, Barbara is revealed to still be alive, and her suicide was a fear toxin-induced hallucination. Having made a deal with Scarecrow for his daughter's life, Gordon shoots Batman in the chest, who falls from the roof. Scarecrow goes back on the deal and pushes Barbara off the roof. Batman, whom Gordan deliberately shoot in his body armor, rescues Barbara and returns her to GCPD in a second Batmobile. Batman learns that the Arkham Knights Militia (now working for Scarecrow) have gone to the Clock Tower and started to destroy the servers. Needing the servers to track down Gordon, Batman goes to the Clock Tower and defeats the militia. Scarecrow then launches an all out attack on the GCPD, using all the remaining militia. After incapacitating the remaining militia, Batman learns Gordon's voice was just used to access the movie studios and races back there, only to find that Robin has been kidnapped by Scarecrow, who threatens to kill Robin and Gordon unless Batman surrenders.

He complies, and is driven to the long-abandoned ruins of Arkham Asylum. Scarecrow forces Gordon to remove Batman's cowl in front of a live video feed, revealing his true identity to the world. Scarecrow injects Bruce with fear toxin and Joker finally manages to take control over Batman's body. Scarecrow injects more fear toxin into Batman's body to break him in front of the public, but this fails as Joker is now in control and taunts Scrarecrow. Inside his mind, Batman grapples with Joker over control of his body. Thanks to the toxin now being applied to Joker instead, Batman manages to gain the upper hand and uses the Joker's greatest fear against him: the fear of being forgotten. Batman regains control and locks Joker away in his mind forever.

Jason arrives and frees Bruce, who subdues Scarecrow with his own fear toxin, and locks him up at the GCPD. Before Batman goes to neutralize the remaining threats to Gotham's safety, he contacts Alfred and grimly tells him to activate The Knightfall Protocol, using the voice code "Martha".

Fire And Ice

Batman receives reports that the Station 17 fire crew had gone missing. As Batman rescues the crew, he deduces that serial arsonist Firefly and chief Raymond Underhill have been working together to keep Chief Underhill's fire crew working. Firefly was given a list of abandoned buildings by Underhill which he could set fire to. Underhill's crew would then respond to the calls to keep working. After rescuing all the firemen, Batman locates Underhill, who admits to his actions and apologizes before Batman turns him in to the GCPD. Later, Batman uses his Batmobile to douse the firehouses with water and attack Firefly. The first two attempts to apprehend Firefly fail, but Batman manages to capture him the third time and lock him at GCPD.

While clearing out the milita strongholds, Batman is informed by Alfred that the Arkham Knight's replacement as leader of the milita is demanding to speak to him. The replacement is revealed to be Deathstroke, who was hired by the Arkham Knight and Scarecrow to fight Batman. Though Batman points out the Knight gone, Deathstroke has already received advance payment, and is more than eager to avenge his defeat at Batman's hands long ago. Deathstroke owns the remaining APCs, watchtowers, checkpoints and bombs in Gotham City. Alfred also warns Batman that a vessel called the Nora was ransacked by Deathstroke's militia. After taking down the milita there, Batman discovers Mr. Freeze, who explains that the militia has kidnapped Nora after he refused to help them kill Batman. His cryo-generator, which he needs to maintain is progress on a cure for Nora, has been damaged, and asks Batman to get Nora back while he repairs it.

Batman uses a tracker to locate Nora's containment unit, and after he takes out the milita guarding her, Nora's cryo-tube fails and she finally awakens. Meanwhile, at the Nora, the cyro-generator fails and freezes the landscape, attracting the milita's attention. Batman and Nora race back to the ship in the Batmobile, but the amount of drones are too much to handle. Mr. Freeze is forced to allow the generator to explode, losing all of his work and progress on a cure to take them all out. With no hope left, Nora and Freeze agree to leave Gotham City and spend their final days together. Later, after destroying Deathstroke's forces, Batman and Deathstroke go face-to-face at Grand Avenue. The two engage in a tank battle, with Batman disabling Deathstroke's tank and subduing the assassin when he leaps out of the tank. After regaining consciousness and being locked up, Deathstroke declares that Batman has earned his respect, that he will dedicate his life to killing him, and he'd do it for free.

The New Savior

Three organizations have been trying to lay claim to Gotham City to further their own ends; The League of Assassins, The Order of St. Dumas and The Cult of Blackfire. Alfred informs Batman that there is a sighting of the League of Assassins on a rooftop in Miagani Island. Batman sees two dead female ninjas with a blood trail. The blood trail leads him to Elliot Memorial Hospital which has an extremely weak Ra's al Ghul, who is dying from the lack of Lazarus, due to the old Lazarus pit being destroyed, and is barely staying alive through machines. Batman uses his Batmobile to track another Lazarus pit which leads him to Nyssa Raatko, the leader of the rebels and Ra's other daughter. After giving Batman the Lazarus sample, Nyssa implores Batman to let Ra's die and asserts that he is too far gone to be saved, encouraged by Alfred. Nyssa also promises to leave Gotham with her rebels if he does this.

After returning to Ra's, Batman can choose to either cure Ra's or destroy the machine that is keeping him alive. If Batman chooses to destroy the machines, he defeats the enraged League and stops Nyssa from killing her father, instead taking Ra's to the GCPD lockup. As Batman leaves, Ra's tells him that he is proud of him for breaking his one rule. If Batman instead chooses to cure Ra's, he fends off the enraged Nyssa and the rebels until Ra's is fully restored. He mortally wounds Nyssa for her betrayal and escapes. As she dies, Nyssa tells Batman that he should have let her father die and asserts that he made the wrong choice. Either option results in the League of Assassins effectively leaving Gotham.

Meanwhile, Azrael returns to Gotham City and tells Batman that his previous predictions have come true. He explains to Batman that he wants to become his successor and promises to honor his code not to kill, giving his sword away. Batman gives Azrael four tests to see if he is a worthy successor and notices his fighting style is similar to his own. After Azrael passes each test, Alfred tells Batman that his real name is Michael Lane, a former GCPD officer, and notices an irregularity in his brain. At the Clock Tower, Batman analyzes Azrael's tampered memories and learns he has been assigned to kill him and take his place as the savior of Gotham, killing criminals as "divine justice" Azrael subsequently appears, and Batman gives him the choice of either attempting to kill him with his sword, or leave the Clock Tower and disobey the Order.

If Azrael chooses to disobey the Order and leave, Batman praises him for his decision, and Azrael vows that the Order will answer for what they have done to him. If Azrael instead attempts to kill Batman, he will dodge the attack and knock Azrael unconscious, locking him up at the GCPD. Azrael vows that he will never stop until Batman is dead.

Reporter Jack Ryder has gone missing while pursuing a story of the Cult of Blackfire and its highly religious leader, Deacon Blackfire. Following a tip from Barbara, Batman follows the religious fanatic to the Lady of Gotham, where Blackfire intends to sacrifice Ryder in a bid to seek immortality. Batman takes down Blackfire and his men, saving Ryder, and locks up the powerful priest at GCPD.

Old Enemies

Nightwing gives Batman a report that Iron Heights Penitentiary has crashed in the ocean of Gotham. Batman arrives there and helped free Warden Ranken from an even more beastly Killer Croc, who recaptures the warden and escapes into the lower levels. Batman learns that he needs two key cards from two guards of Iron Heights, who have parachuted off the airship to escape, to access the lower levels. After obtaining the cards, Batman discovers that the warden has been torturing and experimenting on Croc and the other prisons in an attempt to enhance soldiers for the military. After defeating Croc with Nightwing's help, Batman sends both the warden and Croc to GCPD in separate cells.

As part of Scarecrow's alliance, Two-Face and Penguin are exchanging money and firearms. Batman learns from Alfred that Two-Face and his crew are robbing three banks across Gotham. Batman used his stealth techniques to stop the thugs robbing all three banks. At the third bank, Batman manages to capture Two-Face and send him to jail. Batman and Nightwing also work together to destroy Penguin's weapons caches. Nightwing helps Batman locate most of the caches, but is captured by Penguin while hitting the final cache. Batman uses a tracker to locate Nightwing, rescues him, and sends Penguin to jail.

Batman learns from Alfred that Lucius is out of contact and Wayne Tower is closed. Batman decides to investigate the tower. Batman finds out that Hush has taken Fox hostage and wants Bruce Wayne. Hush ordered Batman to bring him Wayne or Hush will kill Lucius and destroy the tower. Batman unmasks himself to Hush's surprise. Once Hush turns the gun on Batman and away from Lucius, Batman disarms him and knocks him out. Batman informs Fox that since Scarecrow unmasked him, everybody knows that Batman is Bruce Wayne. As a result, Batman tells Fox to lock Hush up inside the vault here and ensure the tower's security will be increased.

Dragged To Insanity

Three villains that Batman encountered have become completely delusional: HIS old enemy Mad Hatter, a serial killer who chains bodies to walls, and a huge bat creature. At GCPD, Batman interrogates the Hatter, who currently speaks in rhyme and tells Batman to find three stolen officers, who have been locked up in police cars with explosives. After rescuing two offers, Batman receives a book called Batman's Adventures In Wonderland. Back at GCPD, the Hatter hypnotizes Batman and makes him believe he is inside the book to try and make him kill the third hostage. Batman resists the influcnce and rescues the third hostage, before locking up the Hatter, who is dismayed his failure and keeps calling Batman his Alice.

Later, Batman finds a dead body chained to a nearby wall and analyzes it, learning the victim died due to removal of unique conditions. Batman noticed the victim was not from Gotham. Batman found five other victims with the same cause of death. Alfred shows the suspect of the crime: Lazlo Valentin AKA Professor Pyg of the Circus of Strange, which has been traveling throughout all of the victims last known locations. Batman confronts Pyg at Pretty Dollars Parlor, where he learns that Pyg wanted to make his victims what he considered perfect, torturing them and transforming them into Dollotrons, which are immune to pain. After defeating the porcine professor and his Dollotrons, Batman sent him to jail.

While traveling across Miagani island, Batman is ambushed by a monstrous bat creature, and manages to get a sample of his blood before it flies off. Alfred tells Batman that the DNA is from a scientist named Dr. Kirk Langstrom. Batman goes to Langstrom's lab and learns that the doctor mixed his DNA with a vampire bat to end deafness, resulting in his transformation and him seemingly killing wife, Francine. After synthesizing a cure and tracking Man-Bat down twice, Batman manages to transform him back into Langstrom and locks him up at the GCPD, where he breaks down upon learning of Francine's fate.

Batman has to find nine keys to free Catwoman from an explosive collar, fitted by the Riddler. After obtaining all nine keys and freeing Catwoman, Riddler tells Batman to find and solve all 243 of his riddles to earn the privilege of battling him in the orphanage. Back at the orphanage, the Riddler sabotages the fight so the robots are invulnerable to Batman's attacks, but Catwoman returns to help Batman defeat the astute adversary. Batman shares a kiss with Catwoman after explaining that they cannot be together and his legend is ending. He then sends Nigma to jail for his intellectual torture.

This Is How The Batman Died

After ensuring that every remaining super-villain threat is neutralized, Batman returns to GCPD and leaves his cowl next to the Bat-Signal before he left to begin The "Knightfall Protocol", while Gordon dispatches the police force to deal with the remaining rioting criminals. Bruce arrives at Wayne Manor and, as he goes in with Alfred, it explodes, presumably killing both of them. Time passes and Gordon has become the new Mayor of Gotham. He gives a speech that there is always a hero to look up to like the Batman. The game ends with a group of muggers trying to rob a family, reminiscent to the murder of Bruce Wayne's parents. Before they can cause them any harm, they are distracted by a caped figure on a distant rooftop. They heckle that the real Batman is gone and he doesn't scare them anymore. The figure then rises into the air and glides towards the thugs in a fear-induced attack.