In conclusion, this is a wholly sub-optimal release that remains one of the most disappointing PC versions we've played - improvements have been made since launch, but we can't help but wonder just how much work has gone into getting this game into shape - especially in the last month since the interim patch was deployed. At least it is possible to get the kind of experience Rocksteady original envisaged, but the hardware requirement to do so - specifically a graphics card laden with VRAM - means that only an absolutely minuscule minority of the PC userbase are invited to the party. 1080p60 gameplay is now possible too, but you're looking at a £250 graphics card to get the job done, and even then you'll still have memory page swapping issues. In an effort to eliminate this from our system, we paired the i7 4790K and GTX 980 with 2400MHz DDR3, but the faster RAM in this instance still could not prevent stutter during speedy Batmobile gameplay.
A couple of weeks ago, we reviewed the 4GB version of Nvidia's GTX 960 and came to the conclusion that 4GB of VRAM does make a difference - but only in a handful of titles. We suggested that four gigs is more of an insurance policy of sorts against badly optimised console ports. We omitted testing Batman: Arkham Knight at the time because the game was withdrawn from sale, and the publisher deserved the benefit of the doubt. We hoped that the re-release of the game would present marked, tangible improvement. Unfortunately, that hasn't happened. Assuming your PC is robust enough and you have enough VRAM, you can buy this game and get a decent enough console-level experience - but bearing in mind the continued lack of respect for the PC userbase, the question is whether the developers and publishers deserve your support at all.
