BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS // PUBLISHER Warner Bros. Interactive DEVELOPER WB Games Montreal PLATFORMS PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii U
For gamers, Batman will long be remembered by Rocksteady’s first two
Arkham games,
Arkham Asylum and
Arkham City, which had an intuitive free-flow combat system, fantastic scripts from comic book great Paul Dini and a sprawling world jam-packed with DC characters, from the popular to the obscure. Many have justly hailed them as the greatest superhero videogames ever. That’s a tough act to follow. With Rocksteady working on a super-secret project, the reigns have been handed to WB Games Montreal, who’ve gone back to the beginning to explore the early days of the Dark Knight’s career.
Those who worried WB Games wouldn’t be able to capture the same feeling of Rocksteady’s games can rest easily.
Arkham Origins has a strong sense of familiarity, and whether that’s a good or bad thing is completely up to the player. Using a lot of the same tricks - like the open world, stealth mechanics and similar missions - but with a fresh coat of paint brings back fond memories of
Arkham City.
Origins kicks off with an thrilling intro that sends Batman into Blackgate Prison after a huge breakout, bursting at the seams with criminals and thugs. It lingers close to being just like
Asylum, but thankfully, you don’t stick around too long. Here, we learn of mob boss Black Mask’s hatred of the Dark Knight, going as far as putting a $50 million bounty on his head, which causes eight of the world’s best assassins to jet to Gotham for a slice. It’s a great story, one that begins with a tight focus, but unravels and loses said focus as it goes along.
"Arkham Origins has a strong sense of familiarity. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is completely up to the player."
Despite operating for two years, many Gothamites believe the the Caped Crusader to be a mere myth, concocted by the GCPD or the mob to scare the criminal underworld. But trust us, he’s real, alright. Here, Batman is rougher, edgier, and more brutal than we’ve seen. Mid-interrogation, he chokes a man out; in another instance, he threatens to crush somebody’s larynx. He comes close to death, over-states himself and underestimates the enemies he faces. He is the night - but he’s got a ways to learn what that means.
Inexperienced, he may be, but playing him is no less of a joy. There seems to be more enemies to fight, as large groups of them are not difficult to come by. The combat doesn’t seem quite as polished as in
Arkham City, but
Origins retains similar gadgets (batarangs, the Batclaw and the Cryptographic Sequencer all return; the glue grenade is essentially the freeze blast) to integrate into the free-flow fisticuffs. In terms of new toys, the Shock Gloves are the best... and the worst. When you’re stuck in a fight with dozens of goons, it becomes very effective for chaining huge combos and taking them out, but it’s incredibly over-powered and more or less a press-to-win gadget. It has to recharge, but it’s a small price to pay for such an asset. Other additions include the Remote Claw, used to target and pull two objects together and the Concussion Detonator, which stuns enemies.
The missions are more of the same, too - go here, disable that tower; timed missions to get to a certain destination; infiltrate a location, take out enemies, get information... it goes on. They work just fine, but it would have been nice to a little bit of variety.
Origins continues the
Arkham tradition of side-missions to expand the Bat-verse, with the Mad Hatter returning for a new adventure that may have some game-breaking bugs, and the anti-government but strangely pro-Batman anarchist Anarky blends several mission types into one.
"Batman is rougher, edgier, and more brutal than we’ve seen; he is the night - but he’s got a ways to learn what that means."
Arkham Origins promises the treat of an open-world Gotham, twice the size of Arkham City. While they deliver on size, it feels less impressive and interesting than the latter, feeling empty and lacking personality. It’s not exactly the Gotham City you’ve dreamed of, but it’s still great to discover the many easter eggs and treats hidden in alleyways, on billboards and a certain Crime Alley...
While much of the game treads in familiar territory, the boss fights have been significantly improved. The assassins range from popular villains to true D-listers, but they’re all a bit under-serviced. While his actual role is, surprisingly, quite minimal, Deathstroke is the most fun to fight; timing is key to countering and dodging for this one. Returning from previous games are Killer Croc, Bane and Deadshot, who provide a worthy challenge of a different sort. Then there’s the rest - Shiva, a martial artist that echoes the fights with the League of Assassins in previous games; Copperhead, a poisonous contortionist that inflicts trippy hallucinations; Firefly, a pyromaniac; and the Electrocutioner. Some of the fights are better than others, but they all excite.
And then there’s the Joker. While those who were satisfied with the Clown Prince of Crime’s storyline in
Arkham City may be initially disappointed to see him in the spotlight once more, WB Games have crafted an impressively twisted, savage and memorable Joker tale. Without spoiling some of the game’s best moments, Troy Baker gives an electrifying performance, a worthy successor to the legendary Mark Hamill.
But the highlights of the game are undoubtedly the breathtaking cutscenes. Stunning, cinematic and bursting with energy, the animation is incredible, blending motion-capture with a stylised comic book feel; vibrant colours mix beautifully with moodier tones and the integration of buzzing tech adds modern sophistication. There’s only a few minor hiccups, and what remains is well and truly silver screen quality.
"The highlights of the game are undoubtedly the cutscenes - stunning, cinematic and bursting with energy."
Another addition to
Arkham Origins is the multiplayer, a mixture of capture the flag and the free-flowing combat. It’s 3v3v2, with two teams of three taking control of the gangs of the Joker and Bane, and another team of Batman and Robin. Thugs use guns and grenades in frantic skirmishes, while the Dynamic Duo swoop above to take them down. It’s solid fun in quick bursts, but there isn’t a lot of longevity - aside from the unlockable skins for Batman and Robin - which may explain why there aren’t many people trying it out.
At the end of the day,
Batman: Arkham Origins the weakest of the trilogy. That’s not to say that it’s not a great game; this third installment is very enjoyable, with a top-notch storyline, plenty of content and that same fantastic gameplay system with a few upgrades. In many ways, it’s every bit as good as
Arkham City, but it doesn’t quite have that game’s originality or polish. But there’s plenty of iconic moments, and just about everything here is done right. A soaring prequel worthy of its highly respected name.
VERDICT: ★★★★ (Awesome)
Everything you loved about Rocksteady's Batman games are present here, but the new team has missed an oppurtunity to do something different. Still, Arkham Origins is still a very impressive and fun instalment into the franchise.