Batman: Arkham Parody Perfectly Captures The Horror And Absurdity Of Living In Gotham

I love this new YouTube video that uses mods to recreate the life of an NPC citizen of Gotham City in Batman: Arkham Knight because it lets me experience something I’ve always thought about: What it must be like to live in the same place as a superhero.

Living in Gotham City, the urban sprawl that superhero crimefighter Batman calls home, must be wild. Going out to grab something from the nearby convenience store could lead to you getting a front row seat for Batman’s next gang fight. Or he might just run past your window in the middle of the night. Or worse, he could run you over with his Batmobile-tank that is totally nonlethal, okay? And that’s what you get in Gaming with Griff Griffin’s new short but sweet Batman: Arkham Knight video.

My favorite moments from Griff’s video are when it really does feel like you’re seeing things from the perspective of a random Gotham City resident who just so happens to catch a glimpse of Batman. I imagine with a city as big as Gotham, not everyone has seen Batman, so it’s likely a treat for those who do. Or maybe scary as hell? Probably a bit of both.

“Essentially, I modded Batman: Arkham Knight to ‘take control’ of pedestrians in Gotham, and see what Batman looks like from their perspective,” Griff explained to Kotaku in an email. The creator has also made a video presenting things from the point of view of the gang members Batman beats up in the games, in case you’re curious about that experience. It is a far more terrifying way to encounter the Dark Knight.