Gotham Knights: All Four Heroes Ranked Worst To Best

"Gotham Knights," the latest game set in the DC universe, just released, allowing fans to jump back into Gotham City and take on Batman's rogues gallery. Breaking with the popular "Arkham" series, this new title is an action RPG and doesn't actually feature Batman. Instead, gamers are allowed to experience the world from the perspectives of some of the Dark Knight's most iconic sidekicks.

While "Gotham Knights" has received mixed reviews because of its lackluster combat, it has been praised for its co-op gameplay and character development. Getting to play as Robin, Batgirl, Nightwing, and Red Hood as they team up to save the city is proving to be an exciting experience, offering plenty of hours of gameplay.

A notable feature of the game is the ability for players to change characters throughout the experience, switching from one hero to the next from the Belfry during the day. Each character has their own moves, playstyle, and backstory and some gamers will likely want to give each a try in the training missions to learn which they like best. Others will probably pick a favorite from the comics and stick to them for the entire game. For those who are on the fence about which member of the Bat-family to roll with, however, it can be argued that some are just better than others in terms of gameplay.

While all the characters have their fans and, in terms of narrative, they're all worth checking out, Nightwing just isn't as interesting as the others in the gameplay department. As Polygon notes, his acrobatic combat style is fun to watch and highlights Dick Grayson's past as a circus performer, but he doesn't have much else going for him.

Many of his moves center around teamwork, using powers and gadgets to heal and augment the power of allies. While this can be fun in co-op, it also means he's less useful when playing alone. This limits his appeal and makes him very situational. Further, while his traversal mechanic, which has him riding a drone, is fun, it's very similar to that of another character that also has more overall utility.

These issues mean Nightwing is consistently overshadowed by his teammates. Outside of devoted Nightwing fans and those who specifically enjoy playing a support role in co-op, he'll probably be at the bottom of most gamers' lists.

Red Hood is the newest character to join DC comics though he has quickly attracted a fanbase since making his way into animated films and being one of the central antagonists in the finale to the "Arkham" series. Despite his popularity, however, he just doesn't make it into the top half of "Gotham Knights" characters.

While he does have his supporters, he just doesn't have enough going for him in terms of gameplay to make him stand out. Game Revolution may rank him as the best damage dealer in the game, but that's about all he brings to the table. Unlike the other characters, he doesn't have much in the way of powers to make him stand out mechanically outside of pure combat. With combat being generally considered the weakest part of the game, this isn't exactly a selling point for the gun-toting vigilante.

Once again, true fans of the character may go with Red Hood to see the story from his perspective but most other gamers will want to look elsewhere for some more variety when they're pummeling foes across Gotham. Unless someone really wants to fire pistols rather than using non-lethal gadgets, they'll find more fun looking further down on the list.

Unlike Red Hood and Nightwing, Robin brings some unique combat features to the table that will have a broader utility throughout the game. Specializing in stealth and status effects, Robin is ideal for players that want to be able to shake things up from time to time and take down enemies with something other than brute force.

These features make him a favorite for some players and allow him to stand out in the team. Perhaps the one notable drawback to the character is his unusual traversal mechanic which involves teleporting with the use of a Justice League satellite. For those who can get past that, or enjoy the uniqueness of this feature, Robin will be a top pick for bringing something different to the game in terms of style and combat.

While he may be a great character to play, there's still one more that beats him out by bringing a mix of great features and mechanics that make them an all-around excellent choice.

Finally, coming in at the top of the pack is Batgirl. She earns her spot by also bringing some novelty to the gameplay with unique features while also borrowing some of the better mechanics from other characters as well.

Batgirl, being a computer whiz, excels in hacking (per GamesRadar). She can disable cameras to stay hidden, overload enemy weapons to deal damage, and even take control of turrets to make them attack her foes. These all make combat a more interesting experience as she can take a much more varied approach.

Further, Batgirl can be leveled up to increase her health, making her — like Red Hood — quite effective in straight-up combat. She also has her own stealth capabilities that, while not as strong as Robin's, still make sneaking a viable option while playing her. Finally, like Nightwing, Batgirl can travel across the city by gliding. Unlike Nightwing, however, she glides along with bat wings rather than a drone, making her the most like Batman in the "Arkham" games.

All together, this adds up to make Batgirl the best character to start playing with. She borrows a bit from the strengths of all the others while also standing out in her own way and even paying homage to the original Bat himself. These strengths make her a standout choice for fans and win her the top spot on the list.