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The launch of Batman: Arkham Knight may have been blighted by the arrival of the PC train-wreck, but let's be clear - Rocksteady's console game is a slickly presented finale to the saga that should not be overlooked. Based on early impressions, the game has already proven itself in the performance stakes, and that solid frame-rate and stability is backed up by a more ambitious approach to the open world gameplay pioneered in 2011's Arkham City.Towering above all other changes is the scale of Gotham City. At an estimated five times the size of the last game, Arkham Knight demands a rendering range not seen on older platforms. PS4 capably delivers on this too, with only minor texture pop-in when zipping between buildings - using Batman's extended range grappling hook, or driving at pace in the Batmobile. Draw distances are convincingly broad, and it's possible to even see lamplights from across the city, giving the urban sprawl a real sense of consistency as you leap from roof to roof.
Comparisons with the PS3 edition of the last game are perhaps unfair; even next to the PC release of Arkham City, the world design here is a huge step ahead in overall complexity. Gotham City arches and bends in a more organic way, from the bright pagoda gates of the Chinatown district to the neon sleaze of its downtown area - right up to the art deco spires of the city's skyscrapers. Every building is distinct thanks to a boosted polygon count across the board, eschewing the rigid layout of Arkham City for a more chaotic sprawl. And crucially, on PS4 there are no loading screens whatsoever - it's all one seamless experience from start to finish.
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