Batman: Arkham Shadowis the next installment in the Arkhamverse and, because it plants itself as a direct sequel toOrigins, Camouflaj is sure to connect loose threads that WB Games Montreal left dangling. Dr. Harleen Quinzel will be reprised, for instance, and whether or not her psychotic lover’s influence will allow her to blossom fully into a red-and-black-clad criminal is unknown. It’s also been confirmed that Barbara Gordon appears inBatman: Arkham Shadowand it’ll be interesting to see if she makes it to the Batcave to begin working alongside Batman and Alfred a little more closely.
The Joker coming back forBatman: Arkham Shadowcould be massively disappointing if he plays a big role because it would be nice for obscure characters like Ratcatcher and the Ventriloquist—who have their in-game debuts in this Meta Quest 3 exclusive—to have their time in the sun. Plus, as far as obscure characters are concerned, there’s one antagonist who appears inArkham Originsand its story-related Initiation DLC challenge pack and is in dire need of a fitting conclusion: Shiva.
Batman: Arkham Origins Left Shiva’s Fate Open-Ended
Shiva’s Most Wanted side mission inArkham Originshas Batman lured to different diversions where either she or her assassin colleagues ambush him. A baby carriage is left unattended in a street, a GCPD officer is strung above an electrified pool of water, and another cop is killed who was able to flee—all to get Batman’s attention.
Shiva’s “test” ends in Sheldon Park’s Wonder Tower lobby with a combat encounter against Shiva and multiple assassins but, instead of being able to apprehend her, Shiva vanishes in a smoke pellet’s plume after proclaiming that Gotham City can’t be saved. Batman then speaks to Alfred and boldly says, “I doubt tonight’s the last I’ll see of Shiva.”
Little did he know that noArkhamgame since would feature or reference her explicitly. Shiva certainly isn’t the most robust or unique character—and is easily eclipsed byTalia al Ghul and the League of Assassins, whom Shiva is affiliated with—but it’s disappointing that the Arkhamverse hasn’t found a way to honor her and make good on the unsubtle foreshadowing Batman proposes at the end of her questline.
Strangely, Shiva’s second Extortion Data tape shares that she had a hand in Quincy Sharp reopening Arkham Asylum and the subsequent construction of Arkham City, which makes her integral to the events in those locations’ eponymous games yet she’s unseen in either.
A Batman: Arkham Game Must Close the Book on Shiva with Finality
A flatscreen sequel toShadow—let alone a follow-up by Rocksteady or another developer—could provide this closure all the same, but sinceShadowhas full-blown freeflow combat there’s no reason why a second Shiva rematch would be asking too much of Camouflaj to fulfill. The only boss fight that’s been shown at all thus far is that ofLyle Bolton’s Lock-Up, whom players can slug while wielding the Electrocutioner’s shock gloves.
It would be a fantastic test ofArkham Shadow’s freeflow combatto then have players repeatedly and rhythmically parrying Shiva and her assassins with a flurry of counter prompts. That said, Shiva might not necessarily match the toneShadowis going for and deserves to be brought back if and when she can receive the right treatment, especially if her next possible appearance would likely be her last in the canon. If it has the space for her, though, it would be nice to close that book once and for all soArkham Origins’ foreshadowing isn’t left hanging any longer.
