Batman: Arkham Asylum and Arkham City

the internet and reviewers are going crazy for this game

Sat down to play an hour of this and hey, wow, it's midnight. SO GOOD. The controls can be a bit fiddly, but this is one of the best-paced, most atmospheric games I've played in ages. Only major complaint so far is that the Scarecrow section, which I have no intention of spoiling*, was far too short.

And it's so geeky! I'm not a huge fan of his comics work (though B:TAS is undeniably classic), but it's great to see Paul Dini given free reign to be Mr. Continuity in a high-profile game targeted at the general public instead of sad comic beardos like me. For fuck's sake, THE CREEPER makes a brief cameo appearance.

what? awesome!

Yeah, i think i may have to buy this tomorrow.

Er, I got bored in the second corridor of the demo, as soon as it wanted me to shoot the batarang at those chattering teeth. Seemed like such a lame implementation compared to the batarang use in, say, Lego Batman.

I think they get you to use it in different ways once you get past the second corridor

Well, the first corridor was pretty boring too.

I get the feeling this is going to be really great if ur a big batman fan; I like batman OK but I've never read any of the comics or anything so I think I'll wait till it hits sub-£20 (next month, inevitably)

Seems like a classic rental to me.

Well, the first corridor was pretty boring too.

Would you prefer to learn the controls via a big picture of a controller and a bunch of arrows?

Don't get butthurt, Boy Wonder. I'll give it another go when I get a chance.

http://i36.tinypic.com/2uy5cpj.jpg

Don't get butthurt, Boy Wonder.

rolleyes.gif

videos make the combat in this look kind of annoying (and prince of persia-esque), although i don't know else they would have done it. is it?

Gameplay is average and probably it's weakest point. It's really heavy on tutorials especially at the start where I wish the game would just stfu and let me play. Another stfu goes out to joker. Don't need him to comment every time batman picks his nose. Slightly overrated but still high quality and fun

Yeah I'm not enamoured of this. It's too... cartoony. I know, I know.

i agree, wish it was more based off the movie chars. the comic has too much 50's pleasantville schlock to it

I just ordered this (incidentally, the first PS3 gave I've ever bought), and if it doesn't make me wet my pants with geekery, I'm blaming you all.

The combat is quite good, it's simple but it doesn't reward mashing and there's enough of a sense that you're besieged by a lot of guys but still the favourite because you're the Batman.

For how short the game is it does feel like there's quite a lot of time spent getting used to it, and yeah it's annoying to have the Joker repeat himself so much, particularly if you mess up a stealth bit and have to restart from the checkpoint and trigger the same speech every time.

Boss levels/fights so far have been great (two side-scrolling gimmick levels and a great dumb action movie payoff to a boss fight).

The title screen promises free DLC soon. I'm hoping they'll do a few free bits and pieces because of how short it is.

Also the number 1 leaderboard guy on the first stealth challenge has 0:28, what the fuck

think we're the only msg board on the internet tht is overwhelmingly lukewarm abt this game

I am really enjoying it, I just also enjoy pointing out things that aren't good about things.

i agree, wish it was more based off the movie chars. the comic has too much 50's pleasantville schlock to it

I often thought that it wasn't Val Kilmer-ey enough.

maybe that's the DLC.

this game rules. yall some nitpicky motherfuckers.

Should I buy this on the way home Y or N
GO

plz bear in mind i am still finding enjoyment in civ rev right now

Should I play this on hard? Combat seems too button-mashy and easy at the moment.

so many questions

watching goons get progressively more freaked out as you take down their buddies one by one is pretty satisfying. also the way that pushing the left stick all the way forward doesn't make batman run--dude just walks, very confidently for a guy in a cape.

Yeah it's good how there's often not even much temptation to move faster than a purposeful stride because it just looks about right.

At one point I could hear insane gibbering somewhere in the garden without being able to find anyone, only to realise there was an escaped patient hanging off the top of a huge statue of Arkham, repeatedly slapping the head. I pulled him off with the bat claw and he landed in the most heinously contorted position, possibly the most obvious "uh dude he's definitely actually dead not unconscious" moment I've had.

Batman lore possibly has a slightly creepy/terrible attitude towards mental health

This game is the best. Not only is it the first superhero game that makes you feel like you're the hero in his every aspect (as opposed to the Spidey games, which got swinging and crawling great and everything else sucks) but it's a better stealth game in a lot of ways than Metal Gear. I love how balanced the combat is! The bad guys seem to be able to take about as many hits as you, and you really get the sense that you're up against a room full of bad guys and the reason you come out on top is not that they're all really weak or that you have some artificial advantage but that they're a bunch of thugs and you're BATMAN.

Combat is gorgeous and looks and seems like Assassin's Creed until you realize you actually have to develop skills with it or else you're gonna die!

I got 231 of 240 riddles when I finished the game.. So close.

I think you can keep playing after you finish the story.

The combat is better than Assassin's Creed because they're smart enough to attack you while you're hitting someone else if you don't time it smartly, and you have to balance attack and defence and pick your targets rather than just standing still and pressing the counter button until everybody's dead.

I kinda feel like the short playtime and great reviews suggest this is gonna be in heavy supply in about a month and a half as a used game for 35 bucks.

I've been using pretty much all of my gaminG time to practice drumming in preparation for the inevitable RB: Beatles party, but aside from the weak Riddler challenges, this is still crazy fun. And there's been another Scarecrow attack! I love those. Still waiting on the imminent Killer Croc (Ron Perlman yay) boss fight; I've been finding his interview tapes and he's been popping up to snarl and yell I CAN SMELL YOUR CUNT or whatever.

the Scarecrow scenes start off awesome but become the worst thing about the game once the "fights" start, just boring stealth platforming with a nonsensical end.

giant Scarecrow with laserbeam eyes and hypodermic fingers: that's just dumb.

giant Scarecrow with laserbeam eyes and hypodermic fingers: that's just dumb AWESOME.

fixed

not just dumb, but totally not fun. even once was too much.

The Killer Cros boss 'fight' was some bullshit. Really like this game in spite of the lame boss fights tho.

Croc. Ugh.

haven't played it yet but I kind of applaud the conceptual idea of making the boss fights terrible so that the regular fights, which make up 90% of the gameplaying experience, come across even better

The more epic boss fights involve fighting waves of minions, and yes, those are the best parts.

I think my major qualm is that on most screens the different gameplay styles aren't mixed together enough. Its very rare that you are climbing around and then suddenly have to fight. And some of the tools feel similarly limited. Like when you first get the claw, you use it on like 2 boxes and then its useless (until quite a bit later.)

Best thing I've done so far:

1. String thug up
2. Spray proximity-triggered explosive gel below thug
3. Wait for thug's buddy to notice and run towards him
4. Cut thug down with batarang onto explosives

A+++

I think the moment I knew I would like this game was when I cut down a goon to drop him right onto one of his fellow mooks and was told I'd earned a trophy called "Rope-a-Dope-a-Dope."

Just got this.

When I leveled up for the first time, I was scrolling through the upgrades and saw INVERTED TAKEDOWN!!!!! I don't care that at this point it's virtually worthless, hanging a goon from a gargoyle entirely justifies this game.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/05/arts/television/05asylum.html

Yeah I hate A Confederacy of Dunces.

My friend got this. I cannot wait until he's beaten it so I get my turn.

xp from what i've seen in other footage the batmobile is bristling with weapons, which is kinda troubling even if rocksetady insist they're non-lethal and/or only used against robots etc

It's a terrible ad, but I am already hype - back to Rocksteady after the buggy nonsense of Arkham Origins.

pew pew pew

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pO2_iUkojCY/maxresdefault.jpg

http://i2.wp.com/www.timemachinego.com/linkmachinego/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wondermark-batman.gif

everywhere i look i see old men having their hats taken by hoodlums
THIS MUST END
criminals are a cowardly and superstitious lot... i will dress up as... a commuter...

I cancelled my preorder on this, really want to play it but there's so much DLC coming, and the season pass is so overpriced, and complete everything-on-the-disc GOTY editions arrive so fast these days (Shadow of Mordor's out already, Far Cry 4 in a few weeks) that I can't justify buying day one.

yeah, WB's killing me with their season pass stuff. if it were all garbage i could ignore it, ironically. time between Shadow of Mordor and GOTY version was 8 months.
MKX right now has me hemming and hawing over the season pass with Jason, Predator, etc.
I haven't pre-ordered Batman yet, but I probably will anyway, it's one of the reasons I jumped to this console generation. if you pre-order from BB you get a gift card, but those saving will probably get funneled into the season pass.. urk.

the bat mobile weapons are only for shooting darkseid w/ Radion bullets

LOL that comic is brilliant

as brilliant as that ad is terrible

Was waiting for the whooooomp

xp from what i've seen in other footage the batmobile is bristling with weapons, which is kinda troubling even if rocksetady insist they're non-lethal and/or only used against robots etc

http://i.imgur.com/zuPHfq5.jpg

i miss this guy.

i like the old batmobile better too.

gamergate's gonna freak when they realise batman's an sjw

it's time

my copy should be arriving in the mail today, right before i leave the country for two-and-a-half weeks :(

Gamespot gave it a grudgingly positive review: http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/batman-arkham-knight-review/1900-6416169/

So far as I am concerned "more of the same but incrementally better" is good enough!

enjoy that low low framer8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?t=72&v=37KpOYVrLZM

Played through the first couple hours yesterday. They're really trying to find as many ways as possible to force you to use the batmobile at the start, which is a bit tedious when some of the scenarios are ridiculous and you suck at driving and you really just want to pummel thugs and get some cool upgrades.

Apparently the PC port is so busted WB has taking it down from sale. Many theorizing this is due to Steam's new no-questions-asked refund policy

can't excited about this for some reason, even though i loved the first two games. love the stealth parts but the brawling hurts my hands after awhile.

realistic!

haha

pffff shock glove cheatin' rules

Hahahahaha

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CIX6QjsWsAQq72Y.jpg:large

omg hahahaha

Now I kinda want to play it.

the kotakuinaction thread on how that joke is actually on GG's side is pretty incredible

My god, so many particles.

Drowned myself in Arkham Knight this weekend. Still a winning formula, though I'm glad this is the last one; would love what else these developers can do outside of this aesthetic. I'm glad Origins was acknowledged in little bits of scenery/characters/history in the game. Gameplay spoilerz ahead:

The hand-to-hand fighting feels a little less refined or tight than Origins, but maybe I'm just used to playing on Xbox controllers and MAD that I can't pull off wild x50 combos anymore. I don't love how they changed the Explosive Gel floor quickfire into an attach bomb, I relied on that a lot in the old games. Maybe the developers felt it was OP... otherwise it's still the Freeflow we all know and love with little changed. Sadly the Shock Gloves only appear in an old evidence case.

That said many new elements are flippin' great, LOVE LOVE all the team-ups and that you get way more opportunities in this game to fight as other characters. Predator feels smoother than in older games; hard to quantify precisely, but I felt in this game like there were less cheap deaths and alarm raising. Just easier? The FEAR multi-takedowns are a wonderful addition, and allow more exciting stealth missions since you're not always waiting for 1-on-1 opportunities. The addition of enemy medics is also an interesting change.

The Batmobile/tank stuff is generally good. Odd that plot- and gameplay-wise this game went so far into the Drone thing (at least this was used in Origins). Took me several hours but I warmed up to it eventually; once you get used to the dodging and weapons systems, the tank combat is a totally unique/bizarre/interesting adaptation of the ground combat, dodging and weaving missiles, going for chain kill combos, and even including stealth later on in the game. On-foot/city stuff is kind of a wash; car puzzles are bleh. The general feel of the Batmobile with its afterburners and rockets, super-ejecting Batman into the air to dropkick suckers, and goofy anti-riot gun to bean-bag the hell out of rioters is pretty snap; very evocative of the Burton films' car, which makes me happy.

There are some really grim n' gritty story elements - even considering how dark Asylum/City were; with some cool interpolations of certain (not gonna spoil) storylines from the comics and animated series. I will say that when -REDACTED- enters the storyline in a SHOCKING TWIST I was like GODDAMIT at first but eh it turned out to be pretty entertaining on the whole, and when -REDACTED- dies it was a genuine holy shit moment for me.

Agreed on hand to hand fighting, it's just not as fluent as other games. I think I posted ages ago that in City or Origins I felt that any time I failed in combat it was entirely my own fault, that I couldn't blame the controls because they were so good. Not so much in this game. Although, I also played the other games on Xbox and this on PS4 - I still occasionally end up calling the batmobile when I'm trying to use detective mode.

And on that matter, the batmobile is used way too much in this, and aside from some of the more reasonable mine-clearing side quests (i.e. the ones not involving 40 drones) it's not really enjoyable for me. I reached the tank boss fight tonight and I'm so traumatised by its poor checkpointing and general awfulness that it's almost put me off this game altogether, but I'll try it again tomorrow on easy to see if that gets me through. I have zero shame about playing on easy.

I think I'm also a bit disappointed at the lack of storyline sub-bosses, but I do like the range of side quests which I guess replace sub-bosses in this.

Team ups are good fun and I like the storyline.

On the PC, there was a sharp difference between the two - in City it felt as you described, but in Origins it was much harder to tell whether, if you went to punch a criminal, one of his other friends might slide in from 10 feet away and knock you out of it.

This game does feel very finicky and demanding compared to the previous ones. Batmobile tank fights OK, Batmobile puzzle bits pretty good, "vehicle stealth" = ahahaha, how was the first guy who said this phrase in development not just fired on the spot? We've all fantasised about being the Batman, haven't we, in a tank, sneaking up painstakingly behind an army of drone tanks so you can shoot rockets up their arses

Also the Lord of the Rings fanfiction game from last year had the plagiarised Arkham combat style locked down extremely well and it's weird returning to the Original and Best and having it actually just be Annoying

(sometimes)

We've all fantasised about being the Batman, haven't we, in a tank, sneaking up painstakingly behind an army of drone tanks so you can shoot rockets up their arses

if you went to punch a criminal, one of his other friends might slide in from 10 feet away and knock you out of it.

Oh yeah, those were fun - it's generic mooks I'm thinking of.

picked up Arkham Knight after having only played Arkham Asylum/Arkham City previously

I'm iffy on all the batmobile stuff, but the Riddler being really into creating racetracks is just o_O