Long read: The beauty and drama of video games and their clouds

"It's a little bit hard to work out without knowing the altitude of that dragon..."

If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Batman: Arkham Knight gets even more nightmarish when you move the camera out of bounds

Bats it.

Batman: Arkham Knight's camera isn't supposed to be messed with - but when you do, it reveals some amazing developer tricks.

The latest episode of superb YouTube series Boundary Break takes on Rocksteady's 2015 action adventure and shows how the developers used a raft of camera tricks to make the game look the business.

Cover image for YouTube videoOut of Bounds Discoveries | Batman: Arkham Knight - Boundary Break

There are a load of cool revelations in the video, which you absolutely should watch, but highlights include pulling back the camera to show the diner in chaos during the Scarecrow / cop hallucination scene:

And when the Joker is telling Batman how the world really works, Batman is just floating with his head arched back in a pretty uncomfortable-looking position:

And when we discover there is no in-game animation for Barbara Gordon shooting herself in the head, even when the camera is pulled back so we can see what's going on behind the Joker:

And, my favourite, when we learn Batman's head is really there, under the cowl, entirely modelled and with the black eye makeup he's supposed to wear to help disguise his true identity. Looking good there, Bats.

I love these Boundary Break videos because they pull back the curtain on the magic that is video games to reveal some of the secrets developers use while crafting stunning-looking setpieces and cutscenes - and, given how much we find is going on outside of what you normally see when you're playing, just how complex a modern video game really is.