Due to the fact that this game is in its Beta testing stage there were plenty of issues. It was jumpy and glitch, it even locked up my Xbox at one time. However this review will not reflect those things. Problems are to be expected when you play a Beta. I do not hold those things against them, nor did I let them taint this review.
Well, playing Gotham City Imposters feels kind of like reading the articles that led to it’s launch. I found myself feeling a little giddy and a little apprehensive at the same time. Make no mistakes going into this game; It is a first person shooter. There are gimmickes and things that make it different but at its core it is simply another FPS… with Clowns and Batdorks.
As the game first loaded I was filled with excitement! Then I started the training mode (
Initiation Mode). In this mode you learn your controls as your “Head Batleader” runs you through them. The controls are basic Call of Duty controls with a few minor changes to add in new “toys”.
Setting it apart from other First Person Shooters Among the new items that adds to or takes away from(depending on your preference) the FPS experience are the following:
Zipline: this is used by using the LB on your controller. It allows you to attach to walls and “zip” over to them. After playing for a little over an hour, I found this to be the most useful tool.
Glider: (Controller LB). This gadget allows you to… you guessed it; glide! There are heat vents and small trampolines littering every level, these will launch you into the air and the glider allows you to coast around. You can also dive bomb onto enemies inflicting MINIMAL damage. This gadget though cool in theory was pretty useless.
Bouncey shoes: (Charge by holding LB). This tool allows you to jump unrealistically high. I never used this during gameplay due to the fact that it was completely useless even during the training.
Roller Skates (LB on a ramp). There are ramps everywhere on ONE of the levels. When you hit a ramp using the skates it propels you with an insane boost. This was also not that impressive in training and so it got no use during my gameplay.
Now for all of these changes and add ons, you may have noticed that they all use the same button configuration… That’s because you can only use one at a time. Your classes are equipped with one of these, a projectile (used with RB), a primary weapon and a secondary weapon.
The Weapons Your guns range anywhere from (what looks like) a Stoner63 to a Slingshot… Your secondary weapons are your normal array of Rocket Launchers and other useless things that go
”BOOM!” Gameplay There are two different ways to play.
Fumigation The best way I can describe this mode is that it is similar to “Domination” in Call of Duty Black Ops. Basically there are three pumps on the level. Your team must stand near each of them to “Own” it. The Point is to have all three under your control by the end of the round. If you are on the Bat team it will release Bat pheromones that will cause bats to swarm and “kill anyone that looks like a clown” (That was the exact wording from the game). If you are one of the Clowns; you’re team will release Joker Toxin leaving the bat team laughing themselves to death.
Psych Warfare This is a Capture the Flag type of game. Your team must get a battery from within the level and then take that battery to your team’s base and hook it up to your machine… THEN you have to guard the machine so that the other team doesn’t take your battery away… and then it gets
stupid. If a team achieves engaging their machine then the other team’s vision goes blurry, they drop their weapons and are only allowed to slap. There’s also a very irritating Public Disservice Announcement telling you that you should “just give up”. Having been on the receiving end of one of these fits… it works, I just wanted to stop playing all together.
Where Is The Team Death Match? The biggest hole in this launch is the lack of the FPS essentials. All of the modes are goal oriented. There’s no Team Death Match and no Free For All. This really hurts the opportunity to enjoy the variety of weapons when your focus is on guarding or attacking bases you don’t get to focus on using your weapons for what they are for; Killin!
Wishing There Was A Career Mode Honestly, the silliness of these Characters would have been better used in a good story (as we’ve seen in some of the videos leading up to its release). This game seems flat as a standalone multiplayer. These Characters need room to breathe so that we can see them develop.
Customization One good addition to the game is the opportunity to customize your Characters. You gain the option of editing your costumes and weapons as your Gamer level progresses. It is neat to customize your character but in the end… it is a FPS and so you never get to see the labor of your hard work.
Batman? Really? Now I didn’t expect that this would be an amazing “Batman” game… especially since there are NO Batman characters in it. However, as you play there is a lot of slap stick humor… I did expect that humor to be Batman oriented. This is where the game fell the shortest for me. The comedy in it just feels too generic for a Batman inspired game. You get the quick little catch phrases when someone kills you… is it too much to ask for to hear a little; “I’m Batman” or “Wait till they get a load of me!” during those in your face moments? In the end it just felt like I was playing a silly FPS entitled Clowns Vs. Heroes.
Bottom Line All in all, this was an amusing game. Amusing in the same way that Angry Birds is when you are sitting on the toilet in a public restroom. I just think that “amusing” and FPS doesn’t really fit together. Gamers who are into First Person Shooters will find this to be a waste of time while Angry Birds fans will find the controls too complicated.
Will I continue to play it? Sure, when I’m bored.
Till next time, Woodinator