Hiya folks, I realize I have quite a few video games in my catalog, I figured I might as well review them, so I’ll start off with one of my personal favorite game series (no not Mass Effect @John_Smith, I’ll review that later ;))
the Batman Arkham series, so lets start this off
Batman Arkham Asylum
This game starts off with Batman doing the usual, putting Joker away in Arkham Asylum after he broke out and did some bad stuff, until Joker reveals that he’s orchestrated a plan to release all of the crazy super villains there, and it’s up to Batman to stop him
So this game has a combat system known as “freeflow combat” when you punch someone (or multiple people) 3 times in a row, you can fly around the room unleashing a world of hurt on these psycho’s, though it is mainly button mashing one button in order to punch everyone, you have to counter thugs or your combo will stop and Batman will loose health, you also may need to stun certain enemies in order to attack them. But what would Batman be without his gadgets? In mid combat you can use your gadgets, such as throwing a batarang at a guys face.
Stealth is a big part of this game, since Batman doesn’t kill, you can’t go in guns blazing, but you can bet that the criminals will, and they don’t hold back, you have to take them out quickly and silently.
Though you do not only beat up psycho’s, but you also solve mysteries around the Asylum, it really brings out the detective side of Batman, as well as running around the Asylum collecting Riddler trophies in order to unlock tapes from the inmates and concept art. The voice cast is top notch in this game, Kevin Conroy is the definitive Batman voice, as well as Mark Hamill’s Joker.
This game not only has you up against Joker, but plenty of other villains, from Killer Croc to, my personal favorite, Scarecrow. If there was a villain you thought was missing in this game, chances are, there is a reference to them somewhere as there are a lot of DC easter eggs all around the island. The graphics in this game are great, they’re gritty and really set the atmosphere for the Asylum, claustrophobic and incredibly creepy.
In the end I highly recommend Batman Arkham Asylum to any comic book fan, even if you’re not one, chances are you’ll probably still like it
Batman Arkham City
The city of Gotham has walled off a section of the city and has thrown every single inmate from the Asylum to Blackgate, crazy or not, you’re getting thrown in here. This land is the brain child of Doctor Hugo Strange and it is up to Batman to find out what the mysterious “Protocol 10” is and shut Arkham City down
Gameplay is mostly the same from last time, but even more fluid and you have even more gadgets then last time, there is an extra layer of combat where you cannot just simply mash the X button (or whatever the attack button is on other consoles) you have to mix up your tactics. At certain points of the game, you will switch perspectives to Catwoman, who plays almost completely different from Batman, and instead of these parts feeling like they drag on, they are wonderfully executed and welcomed to the story. The boss fights in this game are a mix of amazing, fun and very tense, yet each one is very unique and you cannot do the same things that you did last time.
If there was a villain you thought was missing in Arkham Asylum, well chances are, they’re here, Penguin, Two-Face, even the Mad Hatter at one point, along with tons of DC easter eggs that are not restricted to only Batman. Of course the riddler trophies make a return in a big way as there are hundreds of them scattered throughout the city. The side quests in this game are also very fun, from tracking down Deadshot, to answering phones, making sure Zsaaz doesn’t kill someone.
The voice cast is, just as good, if not better then the last game, everyone reprises their roles. The graphics here are even better then they were in Asylum, the City is open and not as claustrophobic as the asylum was, you hear the criminals chatting among themselves, talking about mundane things, to complaining about the TV show “Lost” The gliding is incredibly improved in this game as well, you can drop off a building and fold out your cape, flying into the sky in the process, it’s a lot of fun.
Stealth is even better then the last one, with more varied classes, some troops may put down mines, or some can see you in the gargoyles above, if you stay up there too long, they’ll shoot you down, so you gotta use your wit and gadgets to the fullest
Arkham City is the definitive Batman story, I recommend to anyone who has access to a console, or a PC, even if you’re not a comic book fan, there is just so much to do and such a great story behind it.
Batman Arkham Knight
Scarecrow has returned to Gotham and united the super villains to take down the Dark Knight, he has planned to unleash his fear gas on the city,and soon after, the world, joined by the mysterious Arkham Knight, who has a personal vendetta against Batman, and his militia, they will torture the Bat and when there is no man left, they will kill him.
The combat in this game is even better then the last one, there are even more classes, medics, mini gunners, you may end up fighting 20-40 people, it gets quite ridiculous at times, but that just makes it all the more satisfying to win against them. Stealth can be pretty difficult at times, but as long as you use your tactics, gadgets, play smart, and don’t just run into a group of guys with guns, you should be fine, there is the new fear take-down where you can take down up to 3 enemies in a single swoop, which can be upgraded to 5. At some points you team up with other Characters such as Robin and Catwoman and you fight together, it’s so seamless I wish it was in the game more.
Now along with all the tech you get, there is one more gadget that seems to be the most controversial, it’s the Batmobile. The militia attacks you with unmanned drones and tanks, therefor Batman must use the Batmobile to combat and destroy them. Now I personally like it, but it is shoved in your face a little too much at times. You can use the Batmobile for travel around the city, though if you get tired of that, you can launch out of it and shoot 500 ft into the air.
Side quests are very fun, but some of the main villains are relegated to them, which I did not like, you are mainly focused on Scarecrow and the Arkham Knight. Scarecrow’s mind games are very great, and the way they show how Batman seems to be slowly loosing his mind is perfect, and Arkham Knight’s militia really tests Batman physically. The criminals of the city talk just like they did in Arkham City, but the thing I don’t like is how the entire city was evacuated, so only the criminals are left. The voice cast is top notch and perfect for the finale, the riddler trophies make their return and are scattered throughout Gotham, which is five times the size of Arkham City.
In the end, Arkham Knight is a fitting conclusion to the Arkham franchise, but you better keep playing, you don’t get the true ending until you truly take back your city and 100% the game. you have to be the Batman.
Next up will be the Mass Effect trilogy
