3) Joker
Rocksteady’s Arkham series succeeded where so many superhero adaptations before it had failed, not through groundbreaking gameplay (although that’s a pretty swell component of the trilogy, too), but a devotion to authenticity. The overarching narrative that unfolds, piece by piece, across Asylum, City and Knight couldn’t be further from the tightly-budgeted tie-ins and cash grabs that preceded it, and Rocksteady’s genuine adoration of the source material is evident, not just in Gotham City’s dark beauty, but the characters that populate it.
Convincing Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill to reprise their respective roles as the Dark Knight and Joker from the Batman: The Animated Series was a big plus, of course, but it’s Batman’s greatest foe that steals the show. Credit to Conroy, as he has far less opportunity to emote in his role than Hamill, what with the Caped Crusader’s adopting of an emotionless and stern facade when donning the cowl but, as always, it’s that very same persona that allows Joker to abuse Bats as a prop for his deranged sense of humor.
Hamill’s mesmerizing performance at the climax of City, in particular, still stands as a highlight of the entire trilogy, but it’s Joker’s role as a plague on Wayne’s psyche in Arkham Knight that will keep chins wagging for years to come, and rightfully so. Just as Heath Ledger’s devoted portrayal in Nolan’s film trilogy is considered the best to have ever graced the silver screen, Hamill’s is undoubtedly regarded as fondly in the realm of gamedom and television.
