You’re gliding through the neon-soaked rain of Gotham, minding your own business, probably heading toward a Riddler trophy you’ve ignored for three hours. You grapple onto a ledge on Miagani Island, expecting the usual clink of the Batclaw. Instead, a screeching, leathery nightmare screams directly into your face.
It’s loud. It’s sudden. It’s arguably the most famous jumpscare in the entire Batman: Arkham series.
This is how Arkham Knight Creature of the Night begins. It’s not a slow burn. It’s a heart attack. Honestly, even if you know it's coming on a second playthrough, that initial encounter with Man-Bat usually manages to make you jump. It’s a brilliant bit of game design that transitions from a "Most Wanted" side quest into a tragic piece of world-building.
Tracking the Beast Across Gotham
Most side missions in this game give you a waypoint or a clear starting line. Not this one. You basically have to stumble into the first encounter by grappling up buildings in the middle of Miagani Island. Once Kirk Langstrom—the man inside the monster—shrieks at you and flies off, the hunt is officially on.
Tracking him isn't actually that hard if you use your ears. Man-Bat makes a very distinct, high-pitched screeching sound that cuts through the Gotham traffic and rain. If you’re flying around and hear a scream that doesn't sound like a terrified thug, he’s close.
To catch him, you have to glide above him and dive-tackle him in mid-air. Batman will automatically snag a blood sample. You don’t just beat him up once and call it a day, though. You’ve got to do this song and dance multiple times across the different islands.
The Tragedy of Kirk Langstrom
After that first "meeting," Alfred points you toward a laboratory on Bleake Island. This is where the mission gets dark. Inside, you find the body of Francine Langstrom and a video log that explains the whole mess.
Kirk was a scientist trying to cure deafness using vampire bat DNA. Standard comic book science, right? Except he tested it on himself and lost everything. The video shows his transformation and the accidental death of his wife. It’s a heavy moment that shifts the tone from a simple monster hunt to a rescue mission for a man who has already lost his soul.
Where to Find Man-Bat (The Specific Locations)
If you're stuck wandering the skyline, here is the basic flow of where he pops up:
- First Encounter: Usually Miagani Island. Look for the tall buildings near the Grand Central Station area.
- The Lab: Head to the basement lab on Bleake Island to analyze the DNA and start synthesizing the cure.
- Second Encounter: He typically moves toward Bleake Island after you’ve visited the lab.
- Final Encounter: Founders’ Island. This is usually the hardest because you have to dodge the drone tanks and aerial patrols while trying to tackle a giant bat.
Once you’ve injected the full cure, Batman stuffs a now-human Kirk Langstrom into the back of the Batmobile. It's a somber ride back to the GCPD. Watching Kirk realize what he did to Francine while sitting in that isolation cell is one of the rawest moments in the game.
The Halloween Twist You Might Have Missed
Rocksteady added a genius Easter egg for this mission that still catches people off guard. If you’ve finished the mission and locked Kirk up, you probably think he’s safe.
Try playing the game on October 31st. Or, if you’re impatient, just change your console or PC system clock to Halloween.
When you grapple up a building on Miagani Island on that date, the jumpscare happens again. Man-Bat is back. If you head back to the GCPD, you’ll find the isolation chamber smashed from the inside. The guard will tell you that Langstrom transformed again and escaped.
But wait, there’s a creepier detail. If you go back to the lab on Bleake Island after this happens, Francine’s body is gone. On the broken monitor, the words "Forever My Love" are written in what looks like blood. It strongly implies she didn't actually die, or she was transformed into a "She-Bat" herself. It’s a loose thread that the game never officially ties up, leaving it as a lingering horror story in the background of the Arkhamverse.
🔗 Read more: Why Black Ops 3 The Giant Easter Egg Still Drives Zombies Fans Crazy
How to Make the Hunt Easier
Honestly, if you're struggling to find him, turn on Detective Vision. Man-Bat shows up as a bright orange heat signature in the sky. He looks a lot like the flying drones, which is annoying, but his flight pattern is different. He circles in wide loops rather than the rigid, robotic paths of the militia tech.
Also, clear out the sky mines and drones first. Trying to glide-tackle a mutant while being shot at by a Cobra tank is a recipe for a bad time.
Why It Matters for 100% Completion
You can't get the "full" Knightfall Protocol ending without finishing this. It’s one of the shorter Most Wanted tracks, but it’s essential for that 100% (or 240% if you're a completionist) goal.
If you're aiming for the Prestige Batsuit—the one with the golden bat symbol—you have to clear this mission in both your main game and New Game Plus. It doesn't take long, but the emotional weight stays with you a lot longer than the Riddler's annoying puzzles.
To finish this mission efficiently, make sure you visit the lab immediately after the first jump. Don't wait. Getting the cure synthesized early means you can just grab Langstrom whenever you happen to see him while doing other missions. It saves you from mindlessly gliding around the city for twenty minutes at the end of the game.
Check your Most Wanted wheel frequently; if the Arkham Knight Creature of the Night icon is crossed out, it usually means you need to progress the main story further to unlock the next island or gadget. Otherwise, keep your ears open for that screech. It’s the only warning you’re going to get.