Most likely all of our reactions to the announcement of the Silver Age Batman game.
A while back comic book and video game fans heard some exciting news, developer Rocksteady is making another Batman game. But what went from excitement and joy turned into confusing as it was delceared that the game was a prequel to Rocksteady highly acclaimed Arkham series. The prequel would be inspired by the Silver Age of comics and would tell the story of Batman and Joker first battle and would feature the Justice League. As great as another Batman game from Rocksteady is, this is not the game fans want. After what happen in the event’s in Arkham City with all the deaths and easter eggs that came with it, fans wanted to know what happens next. I feel that this Batman game may not be as great as the rest and here is why:
5. It Will Be Rushed
The one thing I’ve respected from Rocksteady is that they don’t set release dates. Since the project is most likely coming from WB’s in order to get the Justice League more known to people they will want a solid release date and for the game to be ready by then. Rocksteady doesn’t work that way. Rocksteady has at times delayed the Batman games to make it better. I have no problem with that (no matter how badly I want to play the game). This may cause Rocksteady to feel stressed and make small mistakes that will hurt the game.
4. No Dini
A certain, honest, great, handsome member here reported that Paul Dini will not be back writing the next game in the Arkham series. The fact that Dini isn’t coming back is big. He is one of the best Batman writers and most respected. Dini was a key member in the Arkham games writing it with Dax Rocksteady. When
Arkham Asylum was being developed Rocksteady brought in Paul Dini. This was the first Batman game Paul ever wrote and if you don’t think that’s a big deal name any other Batman game that had the success
Arkham Asylum has had. Dini claimed that Warner Bros. suggested that he take work elsewhere if offered. He added that he had since taken on other projects that would prevent his involvement in any sequel until 2013.
3. We Want Batman 3
Let’s take a quick look at what happens after Arkham City and its Easter eggs. We learn Hush AKA Tommy Elliot changed his face to look like Bruce Wayne so he can get revenge on Wayne. We also hear a message from Azrael saying that Batman is the warrior that he’s been looking for.
But out of all these the biggest secrets to the game involve Scarecrow
He has a small boat on Gotham River and when you enter you see henchmen that look as though Scarecrow is testing a new type of fear gas on him. We also learn that Scarecrow is being financialed by the Falcone family.
We found hidden messages on the Cryptographic Sequencer which are linked to Scarecrow
In a Riddler room and in Hush’s hideout we see a canister of Scarecrow’s fear gas.
During Protocal 10, numerous henchmen were found and looked as though they were Scarecrow’s henchmen which means Scarecrow was busy during Protocol 10.
We found Scarecrow’s mask on a rooftop near his boat
You can’t say you’re not a little bit interested in what Hush and Scarecrow are planning or to find out the truth about Azrael’s message. It is obvious they have an idea on what the third game will be about but because of this prequel, those plans are backed up so now we have to wait probably for the next generation to see what happens after the walls of Arkham City are torn down. I don’t mind a prequel by when you have fans on the seats of their chairs wondering what happens next after discovering all these secrets and Easter eggs.
2. Justice League being involved
The story is about Batman’s first meeting with the Joker and the Justice League is involved. Think about that, Batman needs backup in his first meeting with Joker so he calls the Justice League. The only time I found this acceptable is in the Justice League two-part episode "Wild Cards". Joker isn’t a villain you really call the JL in for. Batman has always been capable of controlling and stopping the Joker and for him to calling the JL with the Joker seems strange.
1. Return of The Joker
I never thought the Joker would be a huge factor on why this game may fail. In the end of Arkham City we saw Batman carrying the Joker’s body out. It was one of the most epic scenes in video games period. Seeing the Joker die, none of us could have saw this coming. I didn’t think Rocksteady had the balls to kill off the Joker like that this early in a successful game series but they did and shocked us all and left us in awe. In the comic series Batman Arkham City: End Game, Batman meets with Gordon and they decided the best thing to do with the Joker’s body is to burn it so in the end panels you see Joker’s body being burned. This kills off almost any way the Joker could come back. Not even the Lazarus Pit could bring the Joker back because you need a body and Joker’s body is in ashes. It’s a real strange time in this or any Batman universe because we see the Joker dead.
Another reason on why Joker coming back may suck is that Mark Hamill may not come back. After Arkham City Hamill will retire from voicing the Clown Prince of Crime after voicing since 1992. Hamill has said that the only way he would come back to voice the Joker is if WB’s ever does a DC Animated movie based on the graphic novel The Killing Joke. Rocksteady has said that Mark Hamill is the only one who would voice Joker for this universe. Things could change but the only one who could replace Joker for a prequel is John DiMaggio. DiMaggio voiced the Joker in Under the Red Hood and to me he reminded me a lot of Hamill and a little bit of Ledger too. Even if you have DiMaggio voice Joker can we honestly say it will feel the same as if Hamill voiced him?
So there you have it. Five reasons why the next Batman game may fall short of the high expectations of the first 2 games. What are your thoughts about this?