Batman: Arkham Asylum

[Elite]

I even hate the character designs (except Commissioner Gordon, Batman, and the Joker)

Eh, I like most of the character designs but I do have a problem with Wrestler Gordon. They guy isn't a pencil-pusher but he shouldn't look like he can bench-press a truck.

I guess I'll rent it sometime though.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

I need to refresh my memory a bit. What special forces branch was Gordon a part of before moving to Gotham? All I recall is that he wasn't a Green Beret, since he beat up that one corrupt ex-Green Beret in Year One.

 

[Luzur]

 

[Deleted member 7219]

How about an automatic ban for cunts who post stupid pictures?

 

[Luzur]

its a relevent demonstration of the new Batman game, Matt my dear.

 

[Metro]

Snippet from an interview with Dini about the use of characters, etc., touching on what many people here have noted:

Paul Dini: Yes that’s why we did not use every Batman figure – for instance Catwoman; she has never been portrayed as mad enough to be in Arkham Asylum so there was no way we could work her in to the story as it is based there. It was the same with other characters that did not fit the story of the script well, so we left them out. Again the same with The Freeze – he is a very self focused character and so there was no place for him in this script. Also: The Mad Hatter, we were heading in a slightly darker direction in this game so he would not have been a great fit.

Sort of surprised on his take on the Mad Hatter especially how he was written in the first incarnation of the animated series (Mad as a Hatter, Perchance to Dream, etc.) -- I've always thought it could be translated into something much darker be it in film or a video game. Unfortunately Roddy McDowell who did his voice acting died a while ago. If they did another sequel in the Nolan line it would be a refreshing change to see him as opposed to dragging out the Riddler again. Hell, they even sort of borrowed his origination story/motif from "Mad as a Hatter" and grafted it on to Jim Carry's Riddler in Batman Forever.

 

[Admiral Rimjob POOBUM]

I thought the Mad Hatter had a fair few pretty dark incarnations, didn't he?

 

[Metro]

I've never ready many of the comics but I think in one graphic novel portrayal it was slightly hinted at that he was a pedophile -- which I think is going a little overboard. There's definitely a medium to be struck somewhere in between.

 

[Dickweed]

I've never ready many of the comics but I think in one graphic novel portrayal it was slightly hinted at that he was a pedophile -- which I think is going a little overboard. There's definitely a medium to be struck somewhere in between.

More than in one, more than slightly hinted. Dude likes his little girls. But then WHO DOESN'T

 

[Occasionally Fatal]

How does the difficulty on hard compare to say, Ninja Gaiden on normal?

Just having played the demo I can tell you the two do not compare at all. Difficulty doesn't apply in the same sense because in Batman you basically have attack and counter commands and that's all you do, and its heavily dependent on timing and... that's it. Ninja Gaiden... yeah, do I really need to go further? I would say it's similar to Assassin's Creed's combat.

That's because you played the fucking demo and it's not on hard.

If you mistime your counter you will lose 1/3 (guesstimate, could be 1/4) of your health if you get hit by a henchman.

Thank you, I did in fact read earlier posts about the difficulty. Also, if you read the posts again, you contradicted me, only to support my point. Your response indicates to me you skimmed my post and assumed I was simply stating the difficulty was easy. I've underlined the key points. If you object on the grounds that Assasin's Creed was easy, I was merely comparing the combat systems, not the level of difficulty.

I don't need to play the game on hard to know the difficulties simply don't compare. I mean that literally. Batman is an orange, Ninja Gaiden is an apple. That will rape you. On hard Batman combat essentially turns into a dexterity test. That's what your post indicates. That's it. Unless I am incredibly mistaken and the demo is completelymis-representative of the fundamental combat mechanics, Batman has 2 things you can do in combat. You can attack, and you can counter. That is all (Annie points out here that he can also stun and evade - i think my point still stands here, as she also mentions the emphasis on timing). There is only so much you can do with those mechanics. It works, but it's simplistic, and doesn't have nearly as much as depth as a game with tons of weapons each with unique combos and moves that chain and react together. Batman can only do so much to increase the difficulty, as your post indicates. That's fine for a game that promises adventure and stealth - combat isn't the sole purpose. Combat is the sole purpose of Ninja Gaiden. Further, for how hard it is, the enemies are largely fair, and don't just have larger health pools and faster openings. they really want your balls. even the normal setting of ninja gaiden is too tough for a lot of people. they had to make an easier mode in the Black edition (though unlocking and continuing to play in that mode is suitably humiliating).

A ninja gaiden boss (hard): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XChkfeXQOcI

of interest is that there are 2 levels of difficulty above hard, each with a large leap of difficulty. that boss on Master Ninja is fucking absurd. in comparison, combat in batman occurs in slow motion. even on hard, as ive seen in the youtube videos.

 

[Annie Mitsoda]

Batman also has a stun and an evade, both of which become necessary against certain types of enemies. Also you got to keep an eye out for motherfuckers throwing shit at you (evade time) and assholes running for a gun cabinet, at which point you have to make running them down and clocking their head into the wall your highest priority. Combat being fluid and speedy doesn't mean your ass won't get beat if you don't pay attention.

Just sayin' is all.

...and yeah, Mad Hatter does sort of make me wonder. Mind control is pretty compelling, but going too much in that direction cuts a bit close to Scarecrow's territory, which I have to admit is MORE compelling. Being in a trance-like state vs. trying to overcome something hallucinatory that is actively TERRIFYING YOU - even if the former involves trying to see through an illusion, still not as interesting a level as a force of will triumphing over fear. So I DO see the character as having potential, but not in B:AA.

 

[Mangoose]

How does the difficulty on hard compare to say, Ninja Gaiden on normal?

Just having played the demo I can tell you the two do not compare at all. Difficulty doesn't apply in the same sense because in Batman you basically have attack and counter commands and that's all you do, and its heavily dependent on timing and... that's it. Ninja Gaiden... yeah, do I really need to go further? I would say it's similar to Assassin's Creed's combat.

That's because you played the fucking demo and it's not on hard.

If you mistime your counter you will lose 1/3 (guesstimate, could be 1/4) of your health if you get hit by a henchman.

Thank you, I did in fact read earlier posts about the difficulty. Also, if you read the posts again, you contradicted me, only to support my point. Your response indicates to me you skimmed my post and assumed I was simply stating the difficulty was easy. I've underlined the key points. If you object on the grounds that Assasin's Creed was easy, I was merely comparing the combat systems, not the level of difficulty.

-snip-

Yes, you're right, I did misunderstand you. To be overly pedantic, saying that the two "do not compare at all" led me to assume you mean their difficulties are very different (maybe more accurate to say that "one cannot compare them at all"). And given that I haven't played Ninja Gaiden yet I had no idea what you were getting at, simply assuming that you meant Ninja Gaiden was very hard and Assassin's Creed was very easy.

But I do see your point and see no need to contradict you further.

 

[Satori (original)]

Spoony's review

http://www.spoonyexperiment.com/2009/08 ... um-review/

Pretty much echos my thoughts.

 

[baronjohn]

Batman Arkham Asylum READNFO Direct2Drive-TL [Doesn't save if u shut down!]

Well I hope it's not a long game groan

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Spoony's review

http://www.spoonyexperiment.com/2009/08 ... um-review/

Pretty much echos my thoughts.

I'd say the problem is that he implies that BioShock was a better game than this. Since BioShock was average. This is great.

 

[baronjohn]

So this game is pretty good.

But wouldn't Batman be better served by a vehicle that can mount sidewalks?

Also, I think it's very irresponsible of Batman to drive this environmentally very unfriendly rocket/car. Isn't he supposed to be a role model? What kind of a message does this send out to our children?

 

[Azrael the cat]

So this game is pretty good.

But wouldn't Batman be better served by a vehicle that can mount sidewalks?

Also, I think it's very irresponsible of Batman to drive this environmentally very unfriendly rocket/car. Isn't he supposed to be a role model? What kind of a message does this send out to our children?

Ah...someone else to join my league in recognising that Batman is evil. The damage that he's doing to the environment by using all that fossil-fuel-driven vehicles and the manufacture of his gadgets and suits - when combined with the similar damage done by those he influenes, i.e. Dick Grayson, the guy that took over as Robin, Azrael (not me, the guy that becomes Batman for a while), half the younger justice league - does more long term damage than he prevents. And most importantly, Batman is an enemy of free trade, imposing unnecessary regulation on the business dealings of Gotham's most innovative entreupreneurs. And this, coming from a multi-billionaire like Wayne. You know what he's doing - he's crushing his business competition!

Oh, he can stride around, high and mighty about how Wayne enterprises is a legitimate, non-criminal, enterprise, but that's just built on inherited wealth made from the crimes of previous Wayne generations! If any of those 'mafia' bosses he harasses started off with Wayne's wealth, they wouldn't NEED to bend the law! He's using his wealth and influence to outlaw his competitors, then dresses in bat-fetish bondage gear to enforce those unjust laws, strangling Gotham's entrepreneurs simply because they have the nerve to make money coming from the ghetto rather than the Wayne Manour invitees!

And then there's all the Poison Ivy storylines, with Batman oppressing one of Gotham's few serious environmental activists. Yeah, because the convenience of Gotham's citizens is more important than global warming!

 

[lightbane]

I have a question: can the overused U3 engine move an human-sized character that IS NOT A FUCKING OVER-MUSCLED BRUTE!!??? Because sometimes I'm even doubting of this...

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Ah...someone else to join my league in recognising that Batman is evil. The damage that he's doing to the environment by using all that fossil-fuel-driven vehicles and the manufacture of his gadgets and suits - when combined with the similar damage done by those he influenes, i.e. Dick Grayson, the guy that took over as Robin, Azrael (not me, the guy that becomes Batman for a while), half the younger justice league - does more long term damage than he prevents. And most importantly, Batman is an enemy of free trade, imposing unnecessary regulation on the business dealings of Gotham's most innovative entreupreneurs. And this, coming from a multi-billionaire like Wayne. You know what he's doing - he's crushing his business competition!

Oh, he can stride around, high and mighty about how Wayne enterprises is a legitimate, non-criminal, enterprise, but that's just built on inherited wealth made from the crimes of previous Wayne generations! If any of those 'mafia' bosses he harasses started off with Wayne's wealth, they wouldn't NEED to bend the law! He's using his wealth and influence to outlaw his competitors, then dresses in bat-fetish bondage gear to enforce those unjust laws, strangling Gotham's entrepreneurs simply because they have the nerve to make money coming from the ghetto rather than the Wayne Manour invitees!

And then there's all the Poison Ivy storylines, with Batman oppressing one of Gotham's few serious environmental activists. Yeah, because the convenience of Gotham's citizens is more important than global warming!

Also, does Superman's heat vision worsen global warming? Is Majestic a threat to privacy? Are the Authority members environmentally aware? Is Captain Atom an environmental hazard?

I want to believe.

 

[Occasionally Fatal]

I have a question: can the overused U3 engine move an human-sized character that IS NOT A FUCKING OVER-MUSCLED BRUTE!!??? Because sometimes I'm even doubting of this...

Well, there's a few, like mirror's edge and bioshock... I think it's a design trend more than anything else. Roided freaks are the new shit.

 

[lightbane]

Well, bioshock had at least ANOTHER over-muscled 'tard as a "final boss" too...

 

[baronjohn]

I really don't know why they use the U3 engine so much. The levels always look like the same old shiny turd that came out of a clowns ass. Dead Space had way better graphics (and arguably gameplay).

As for why all the muscles, it's cause all the bumps gives the engine an opportunity to render impressive shadows all over the characters. And you gotta admit the characters look spectacular, especially Batman.

 

[yes plz]

It appears that the PC version was leaked... or something.

 

[Thrasher]

So has anyone played this? It's getting some spectacular reviews.

 

[Silellak]

So has anyone played this? It's getting some spectacular reviews.

I really enjoyed the 360 version, though I didn't buy it, just rented it through Gamefly. Not sure it's worth buying at full price if only because, like almost all modern single-player games, it simply doesn't have the length to justify the price. The Challenge Rooms do add some entertaining replayability if you enjoy the combat and/or stealth systems, but even still, the asking price is a bit much.

I'd say it's one of my favorite games of the year so far, easily. Definitely play it on Hard, though; I can't imagine Normal is much of a challenge.