The Bat-Thread of Batman: Arkham Origins Bat-Hype

[mauve]

Batman: Arkham Origins comes out later this month. Is this a good thing? A bad thing? Well, that's a matter of personal opinion.

I, for my part, am torn over Arkham Origins. Asylum and City are among my favorite games of the last five years. The combat was amazingly fun, the reimagining of Gotham and its denizens was interesting and relatively believable, and the storylines were... passable. Oh well: as disappointing as City's Dur Hurr three different antagonists and oh yeah Joker's here too I guess and also Talia?? ending was, I really enjoyed the overall experience. So when I heard there was going to be a third game, I was naturally thrilled.

See, I want to like this game and look forward to it. I really do. And what few reviews I've seen so far lead me to believe it's a good game. But....

There's just a bunch of warning signs for me.

A) New dev studio.Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but Rocksteady did a fine job on the last two. What will the new studio bring to the mix?

B) New voice actors. Kevin Conroy is my favorite Batman voice actor, and Mark Hamill my favorite Joker. Sure, Hamill said he was done playing Joker, which is fine, but--

C) Joker AGAIN. There are lots of villains in the Batman universe. I'm getting bored of Joker being the main antagonist in these games, particularly after how disappointing he turned out to be in City.

D) It's a prequel???I find this a bit disappointing, since half of the sidequests in City were quite literally pointing to a sequel. "Oh look someone is impersonating Bruce Wayne OH WELL I'LL DEAL WITH THIS LATER CUZ IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT" -game ends- "Hi there Mysterious Stranger who keeps following me! I'll learn more about you later, in the sequel!" -game ends-

E) Where mah Riddler at?! So Joker gets to come back, Mad Hatter comes back, Black Mask apparently plays a big part, but no mention of Riddler. He's my favorite so I hope he ends up in the game somewhere. He's voiced by Almighty Tallest Red from Invader Zim, which is awesome.

So I have those misgivings. On the plus side:

A) Multiplayer: Not sure how this will be implemented, but kicking villain butt in co-op sounds fun.

B) Probably no Harley, definitely no Robin. Enough said.

C) It's been getting decent reviews thus far, and I really do want to believe it'll be good.



Anybody else waiting on this game?

[POS Industries]

As fun a game as I'm sure it will be, the thing that I like most about the first two games is how they operated out of an existing, evolved universe and I wanted them to continue building on that and moving forward, rather than backward. We don't need Batman's origin story done yet again, especially since it's probably been done better in Year One and Batman Begins.

But, then again, the other games stayed largely true to the universe the comics at the time had built, and that universe is gone now so I can see where they might have run into some issues with the licensing on DC's end when it came to making a sequel. The only thing it leaves room for anymore is origin stories because that's all DC's doing anymore for most of their properties.

Also as much as I love the character she used to be, I'm glad this game probably won't have Harley. While they didn't do a bad job with her personality, the Arkham games did start the unfortunate trend of everybody falling all over each other to see who could make her outfit the skimpiest, which was the beginning of her downward spiral as a character toward becoming nothing more than "Joker with boobs" that she is now in the comics. So at least they shouldn't be able to make her any worse this time around.

[Ramary]

Mutiplayer is not co-op, according to Wikipedia...

Arkham Origins also introduces a multiplayer component to the series. One mode, called "Invisible Predator Online", revolves around a gang war between the supervillains Joker and Bane. It involves a match of 3 Joker gang members against 3 Bane gang members against the team of Batman and Robin. Gangs win by killing all of the opposing team's reinforcements, while Batman and Robin win by acquiring intimidation points from eliminating gang members. At a specific point a gang member can become their respective boss – Joker or Bane – gaining more powerful abilities. Gang members have access to guns and explosives, while Batman and Robin have access to gadgets and abilities from the main game, including "Detective Vision". Gang members have a limited "Enhanced Vision" which requires recharging.
"Invisible Predator Online" features a customization element that allows players to outfit all three factions with unlockable gear and outfits, earned through playing the mode. Gear includes such things as new weapons and additional loadout slots, while outfits include Batman's costume from Batman: The Animated Series and Tim Drake's costume from Batman: Arkham City.


Also the only thing the dev has ever done before this was the WiiU port of Arkham City, which was apparently a huge mess of bugs and low frame rates, so that is not the best sign.

[mauve]

Multiplayer is not co-op
The only thing this dev has ever done before this was the WiiU port of Arkham City, which was apparently a huge mess...

...dammit.

I want to like this game so badly but it keeps conspiring against me!!

It seems kinda weird for Bane to be the other gang boss in the multiplayer mode, since he was sort of a solo act in City. I'm not familiar with the comic continuity of Bane, so maybe this makes sense in that regard. I would've thought the devs would have picked a more traditional "boss" like Two Face, Penguin, Black Mask, Scarface, etc.

Also I'm guessing Origins won't have Zsasz since it's a prequel, so there goes the creepy Zsasz missions. :(

[Bells]

the story in City had so many glaring holes but i only noticed them after i completed the game cause it was just so tight and well polished i didn't even bother to care!

I'm totally excited for this. VERY rare for me to toss up for a pre-order but this one was i the bag for it. Multiplayer is also going to be super fun.

[Ramary]

Bane is almost always a solo act, but he was in Dark Knight Rises, so LETS HYPE HIM UP YO.

[Bells]

I would not mind at all if they brought the new Bane into the game canon, change it up like they did Copperhead

[POS Industries]

The difference is that nobody cared about Copperhead whereas old Bane was awesome and movie Bane was fucking awful.

Which means of-fucking-course movie Bane is going to become the standard now because it's what the largest amount of people was exposed to. Can't blame on trying to go where the money is.

[Bells]

Character-wise old Bane was just fine, my thoughts were mostly visual really. I like the posture and looks of Movie Bane more than the OverHulking Luchador thing from the comics...

I'll say this about changing old standards though... only playing the game will let me know for sure... but i'm getting Ok with the new voices for Batman and Joker. Still Fanboy butthurt about not having Conroy as Batman, but i suppose it makes sense... new Joker could fool me as the old one though, nicely done.

[Magus]

I wouldn't complain about the reuse of villains like the Joker and then complain that they are replacing Riddler with Anarky. That said at least the Joker isn't going to be the main villain (uh, hopefully) like he was in Asylum and basically was in City (actually I thought City did a great job of using Hugo Strange/Ra's Al Ghul as major villains, that was basically perfect in my opinion, Joker was left as much more of an enemy on a personal level with Batman as opposed to being the main danger to Gotham). I think with Black Mask being the main villain this time around Joker will be mostly made into a side-villain like everyone else is in the other two games.

As far as gameplay goes it looks about the same as the other two which is fine with me. I'm sure I will get tired of the formula sooner or later but since they are switching devs it's probably best to go with a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality.

That said I don't think I can pay 60 dollars for it because I feel like it's not worth that much money, much like the other two. I'll be waiting for the game of the year edition.

[mauve]

I wouldn't complain about the reuse of villains like the Joker and then complain that they are replacing Riddler with Anarky. Yeah, but Riddler was very much a side character in both games. Hell, he was only ever on-screen in City-- in Asylum he was just a voice on the headset and an illustration in the character menu. I guess I just liked his character a lot. It was fun watching him devolve from smug jackass into a raging tantrum as you progress with his quests. It actually felt like you were having an effect and "fighting" the villain, even when he wasn't actually there with you. I dunno-- I just found it very satisfying.

I also liked how he "learned" from his mistakes in Asylum, to a limited degree. He's still sending riddles cuz he's the fucking Riddler, but he doesn't try to hack Batman's comm system again to heckle him since that's how he got caught last time.


(actually I thought City did a great job of using Hugo Strange/Ra's Al Ghul as major villains, that was basically perfect in my opinion, Joker was left as much more of an enemy on a personal level with Batman as opposed to being the main danger to Gotham). To me, Ra's Al Ghul felt kinda tacked-on. I loved his boss fights, but it felt like "AND OH YEAH RA'S AND TALIA ARE HERE TOO NOW SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THEM BECAUSE ANGST AND ALSO TALIA'S HOT." Hugo Strange was awesome until the end, which to me was a little disappointing. He had a great voice actor and was awesomely creepy, but his ending motivation and story ending felt flat.

Joker started out great and then sank into the background. I honestly forgot about him for a bit after a while. I loved his phone conversations, but he just didn't seem as threatening or as immediate a danger as he did in Asylum. It almost felt like they kept him around solely because he was in The Dark Knight.


That said I don't think I can pay 60 dollars for it because I feel like it's not worth that much money, much like the other two. I'll be waiting for the game of the year edition. Heh, I'm counting on the inevitable Black Friday Steam sale.

Harley It's weird: Asylum's costume for Harley was horrible, which annoyed me, but I didn't mind her as a character. She was ok.

City's Harley wore pants, which was good, but I found her incredibly irritating as a character. I guess it's understandable for her to be constantly angry since her boyfriend is dieing, but it was still annoying.

Plus it was weird how the pregnancy foreshadowing was loudly and immediately retconned in the dlc.

[Magus]

Probably because Joker baby would have been a terrible plot direction. Unless he was like a weird deformed monster thing due to the TITAN changing Joker's DNA.

[Bard The 5th LW]

Arkham City is actually on sale for $7.50 right now on Steam. I played the demo and it felt like a pretty decent game. This is probably a biased place to ask this, but would you guys say its worth picking up?

[Revising Ocelot]

Since GFWL got removed from it and AA, yes. Definitely.

Also it looks like existing owners got a Goatee edition (with DLC) upgrade for free, just like with Bioshock 2 & free Minerva's Den.

[Magus]

I think we can all agree Arkham City is worth 7.50, though I dislike the PC control scheme so hope you have a gamepad.

[mauve]

Arkham City is DEFINITELY worth $7.50. It's stronger than Asylum in terms of world size, combat, and overall game design, but weaker in story.

[Bells]

'ill get Asylum in the year's end sale, as i'm sure it will be this cheap or cheaper. No rush to get it now as i wouldn't be able to play it now at all..

[Bard The 5th LW]

After having played through several hours of Arkham City, I can safely say it is a good game, but I would NOT recommend it to a Juggalo.

[POS Industries]

After having played through several hours of Arkham City, I can safely say it is a good game, but I would NOT recommend it to a Juggalo.
What would you recommend to a juggalo?

[MuMu]

http://i.imgur.com/gvE0dBn.jpg

[Bard The 5th LW]

What would you recommend to a juggalo?

http://sadpanda.us/images/1533212-N671O2N.png

[POS Industries]

Both receive of POSeal of Approval.

[mauve]

I'm a little disappointed about the WIndows Live thing, only because it means I lost all my savefiles. Don't get me wrong: I found Windows Live to be annoyingand rather useless since I already had Steam and had to log in to two separate services to play. And I'm more than happy to take that free GOTY edition which will run on my new Macbook Pro. But... I had about 15 Riddler Trophies left to find and was halfway through a Hard Mode playthrough. And now I guess I start from square one again.

ALso GOTY City runs on Mac OSX but base City and Origins don't...

[RickZarber]

And now I guess I start from square one again.
You get to start from square one again. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQIflt_Q-Hs&feature=player_detailpage#t=408)

[Revising Ocelot]

Damn you Rick, now I remembered I only watched the first season. Now to spend the afternoon trawling the interwebs for the next seasons without getting loaded up with viruses. I hope you're happy.

[RickZarber]

Happy for you. That's four seasons of ever-increasing awesomeness ahead of you!

[MuMu]

I'm a little disappointed about the WIndows Live thing, only because it means I lost all my savefiles. Don't get me wrong: I found Windows Live to be annoyingand rather useless since I already had Steam and had to log in to two separate services to play. And I'm more than happy to take that free GOTY edition which will run on my new Macbook Pro. But... I had about 15 Riddler Trophies left to find and was halfway through a Hard Mode playthrough. And now I guess I start from square one again.

ALso GOTY City runs on Mac OSX but base City and Origins don't...

But GOTY city has cards!:dance:

[Revising Ocelot]

You get 4 cards for playing.

They sell for 28 cents each. That's over 1 whole dollar. You can buy all sorts of stuff with a dollar.

[Bard The 5th LW]

I bought Binding of Isaac for a dollar, so there's some neat shit on Steam for a dollar!

[Arcanum]

And now I guess I start from square one again.

You get to start from square one again. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQIflt_Q-Hs&feature=player_detailpage#t=408)

I agree with Rick. I played through Arkham City twice on console (NG and NG+), and then another two times on the PC (same thing). Only, on the PC I got the Perfect Knight - Day 2 achievement (100% game completion in both NG and NG+ as well as all the Riddler Revenge medals, excluding DLC). And I would still gladly go back and play it another time. I think I've only replayed like 5 other games that many times.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Was at NYCC this year, and the Batman panel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQuzJ7oHgBE) for Origins was pretty fun.

Especially this bit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAn49oUtHJE).

[Magus]

The reviews for Origins seemed like they were looking for things within the mechanics to complain about so as not to upset the general internet consensus that this game must be somehow inferior to the other two.

Really they could have just said, "This is the third one and so it's getting a little monotonous now we guess."

[mauve]

Yeah, so far the biggest complaint I've seen in reviews is that it's very similar to City in terms of gameplay and overall feel. That's... really not so bad, all things considering.

I'm waiting till Black Friday/Cyber Monday to get my copy, but has anyone played it yet?

[Azisien]

I don't have even close to the free time required to catch up to Origins before my classes resume, but Origins release did get me to try Arkham City again (I had only ever beaten Asylum, twice, and put about thirty minutes into City before now). And so far it was a good decision, City is so good.

[Bells]

I'm just starting on Origins, so i'm avoiding spoilers... even though City had so many plot holes i shouldn't even bother, but i'm giving them the benefit of the doubt just because everything up to the Killer Croc encounter on the rooftop is pretty damn snazzy and it roped me right into it. The game makes a pretty damn good first step...

[Bells]

Breaking News: FUCK DEATHSTROKE.

I mean, for a QTE fight thas one was awesome and all, very cool looking... but god damn that guy is hard.

...until i spam Grappling hook on his chest...

Also, there is a game bug on the Deathstroke fight that makes him fall through the world. Happened twice to me while i'm beating him on his "second phase". Any one else?

[Azisien]

Well I finally finished playing Arkham City. Not enough drive to find 23942394 Riddler Trophies, nor NG+.

So I started Arkham Origins. So far, I really like it.

[Revising Ocelot]

So yeah I was thinking of picking this up in a 2014 Christmas sale somewhere when it's dirt-cheap. But:



“The team is currently working hard on the upcoming story DLC and there currently are no plans for releasing another patch to address the issues that have been reported on the forums.”

“If we do move forward with creating a new patch, it will try to address the progression blocking bugs for players, not the minor glitches that do not prevent one from continuing to play. The issues that are not progression blockers will unfortunately no longer be addressed.”


Hahahaha. No.

[Magus]

I'll buy the GOTY edition, someday.

Game breaking bugs are the worst, I played through Prince of Persia: Sands of Time about four times and still never saw the ending because of those.