Batman: Arkham Asylum

[Kail]

Somehow my savegame got corrupted, lost my file with everything unlocked.  Rrrgh.

While we're picking holes in the plot, is it ever explained how exactly the whole "we got all the secret security codes for everything" takeover actually happened?  I don't remember them ever saying anything about it, other than that Joker's gang got flown in from Blackgate because of an electrical fire.

So what you're saying is, as far as overall plot, Dini phoned it in, but the individual lines of dialog that occurs throughout the game are brilliant.

I don't know about "brilliant."  Some of it is pretty good; the tapes and the background stuff were really neat.  But a lot of what actually happens in the game is pretty blah.  Joker's got a few good lines, but Batman himself (and almost everyone else) has nothing really memorable.  Overall, I'd say it's the game's atmosphere rather than the dialogue specifically that is really well done.

[Triforcer]

Batman has a couple jarring lines like "Gordon is smarter than he looks."  And "Harley thinks she has me trapped- she never was very bright."  They just seem strange coming from Batman- he's not usually in the business of casual insults.

I think Harley's lines were A-plus- the voice was absolutely perfect and how I always pictured her talking.  My other favorite for voice acting was Zsasz- his tapes are the best in the game. 

[Yegolev]

Some exposition can only come from Batman.  Unfortunately.

Some of my favorite lines are from Joker mocking and terrorizing his own men as Batman picks them off one by one.

[rk47]

"Come on bats, tell me, what is it that you really fear?' line from joker was brilliant. I had to pause and laughed out loud at the unexpected punch line.

[Khaldun]

Actually, I was pretty impressed that the story didn't overload us with boss-fights against every villain in the Rogue's Gallery.

I can work up an explanation for the doctor's work on Venom pretty readily. For one, it's pretty well established in the comics that a lot of the medical staff at Arkham either has some mental issues themselves or they start to acquire those issues in the course of trying to cope with the place. (The tapes do some good work along those lines). So in that sense maybe messing around with Venom might start to look like a good idea. It's also possible that the good doctor was thinking of marketing improved Venom to the military or some such thing until the Joker started underwriting her work.

Still, it wouldn't have hurt for them to drop a line like, "Some derivatives of Venom briefly appeared to have some useful psychoactive properties that the doctor thought might be therapeutic". There are other widely scorned drugs that have turned out to be useful in unexpected ways once the stigma of working with them was overcome, like thalidomide.

[UnSub]

So what you're saying is, as far as overall plot, Dini phoned it in, but the individual lines of dialog that occurs throughout the game are brilliant.

I don't know if Dini phoned it in or there were some late edits that cut things up (like a section of the game being dropped, so the plot was re-cut to fit).

It's a small thing, but it stands out to me because the rest of the production was so good.

The audio tapes were fun - the Scarecrow making every session his own, Killer Croc's inhumanity, the Spirit of Arkham. I didn't like Harley Quinn's that much - they were too obvious - but it's a minor thing.

On Zsasz, I loved the fact that he is basically Batman's bitch, but he is terrifying to those around him. He's a very realistic kind of murderer and is a threat, despite being no match for Batman.

As for the Joker taking over Arkham, I'm guessing that guard who gets killed early on probably helped, but it can also be summed up as: The Joker is magic.

[Triforcer]

Still, it wouldn't have hurt for them to drop a line like, "Some derivatives of Venom briefly appeared to have some useful psychoactive properties that the doctor thought might be therapeutic". There are other widely scorned drugs that have turned out to be useful in unexpected ways once the stigma of working with them was overcome, like thalidomide.

They actually did do this.  As I was running around that complex of corridors in the medical facility (where you rescue three doctors from three different rooms) the voice playing over the loudspeaker (basically an advertisement for Akham) said something like that.  But it was a blink and you'll miss it sort of thing, it never really showed up in a cutscene. 

[Azazel]

I'd really like there to be a halt to all "collect 500 whatsits" as console achievements, but it won't happen because it is easy filler work that keeps players hanging on longer.

This.

[Tebonas]

Thats why always ignore those "collect 500 whatsits" achievements. Even if you care about a gamer score you can make more points by playing another game in the same time.

For me, those are added Xp boosts now and then. Thanks Riddler, yes I know you are better than me. Good for you.

[Azazel]

It's not about Gamrescore for me, but the fact that they often unlock something pretty cool. I wish they just unlocked 20GS or whatever.

[Tebonas]

Does it in Batman? Damn

[Yegolev]

Unlocks things like character bios and trophies, which are viewable models.  Finding those things also gives Batexperience.

[Kail]

I'd really like there to be a halt to all "collect 500 whatsits" as console achievements, but it won't happen because it is easy filler work that keeps players hanging on longer.

This.

Weird; I always love those.  Gives me something to do with my buff, maxxed out character, aside from just beat up the final boss over and over and over.

[eldaec]

So what you're saying is, as far as overall plot, Dini phoned it in, but the individual lines of dialog that occurs throughout the game are brilliant.

I don't know if Dini phoned it in or there were some late edits that cut things up (like a section of the game being dropped, so the plot was re-cut to fit).



As for the Joker taking over Arkham, I'm guessing that guard who gets killed early on probably helped, but it can also be summed up as: The Joker is magic.

I had no problem with the Joker taking over Arkham, just because HE IS THE FUCKING JOKER. But the story needed some kind of twist or reveal, or just something different beyond the fanboi shout outs.

As it was, it kind of jumped the shark with the electric floor fight.

[UnSub]

The electric floor challenge (Shock and Awe) annoys me, but I found the electric floor fight in the game kinda fun - especially if you can knock some guys down with the batclaw / batarangs and get out of the way before the floor electrifies.

[Kageh]

Finished it tonight on the PC after a couple days, and I really enjoyed it. The combat system was pretty cool and allowed for some very fancy coreography, the puzzles were mostly fair and the stealth predator element was implemented very well. I found the boss fights to be surprisingly easy, and they made more of a villain showcase than anything else, but I guess it fits better than a version where you whack at Iconic_Batman_Villain_00 for about half an hour while chucking potions. I also liked how they added the timed counter system to prevent mindless button mashing.

The things that annoyed me most were the pseudo-boss battles with brutes+henchmen where I kept throwing batarangs in the wrong direction while desperatedly trying to dodge, and the darn camera getting me stuck somewhere in a corner.

Control with the keyboard on the PC seemed actually quite solid, except for the final boss fight where I would assume arrow keys were way inferior to a thumb stick due to the fixed camera.

I *love* the combat challgenes. But seriously, how does one get gold medals on those? Best I managed was a solitary silver one so far, rest is often a struggle for bronze. It's not getting hit really, but I somehow don't rack those insane scores with beating stuff. They should allow for some replay downloads from the top 10 scorers or something.

EDIT: Oh, and this looks really good on the PC with Nvidia 3D Vision! One of the best implementations I've seen to date.

[eldaec]

The electric floor challenge (Shock and Awe) annoys me, but I found the electric floor fight in the game kinda fun - especially if you can knock some guys down with the batclaw / batarangs and get out of the way before the floor electrifies.

I thought it was fun too, but it was about that point that you realise that massed thug combat with a gimmick and the occasional titan is as good as it gets.


The final joker battle would have been better if it was just another round of the thugs+titan.

[tar]

I *love* the combat challgenes. But seriously, how does one get gold medals on those? Best I managed was a solitary silver one so far, rest is often a struggle for bronze. It's not getting hit really, but I somehow don't rack those insane scores with beating stuff. They should allow for some replay downloads from the top 10 scorers or something.

I had the same problem, loved the challenges but could barely get bronze. Then I found this: http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/xbox360/file/952337/57661

and after reading that I have been doing a *lot* better.

[Kageh]

Thanks for the hint! Interesting how much depth there actually is to it. That FAQ also explains why I'm having so much trouble with variation bonus and knife/stun baton thungs, because cape stun is mapped to "mouse wheel click" on the PC, and I'm finding it incredibly annoying to click the mouse wheel. I keep pushing/scrolling/whatever instead of clicking, and the window where you need to perform the click isn't terribly forgiving either.

[tar]

I think cape stun is also mapped to 'E' on the PC, I found that easier to use than middle mouse.

[Kageh]

I bit the bullet yesterday and bought a wireless X360 controller for the PC, and the difference (for me) is huge. Freeflow combos come off a lot easier because my brain seems to deal with thumbstick directions way better than all the "press any two of the WASD" keys stuff. And, what was irking me a lot, I can now move diagonally and actually do something while moving - try pressing W+A+SPACE and then C on the keyboard for a challenge!

[Velorath]

Teaser trailer for the sequel from the Spike VGA's.

[Tannhauser]

I'm on the fence with this game.  Is it a fighting game like Force Unleashed?  Or more like Halo?  I'm not a big fan of fighting games, barely finished two levels in FU before I got bored.

[schild]

I'm not sure "fighting game" means what you think it means.

Halo is a generic FPS. Force Unleashes is a third person action game.

Batman is an action game. No, it is not like Force Unleashed. Force Unleashed was trash.

[jakonovski]

I'm on the fence with this game.  Is it a fighting game like Force Unleashed?  Or more like Halo?  I'm not a big fan of fighting games, barely finished two levels in FU before I got bored.

I've only played the demo, but it mostly reminds me of Splinter Cell, with Bioshock graphics.

[Rasix]

That's a pretty accurate description, except he gets into more fist fights (not the game's strong point, honestly. Pretty though.) than Sam Fischer.

[NiX]

That's a pretty accurate description, except he gets into more fist fights (not the game's strong point, honestly. Pretty though.) than Sam Fischer.

 

[UnSub]

The fights are more fun when you realise it is actually an exercise in button pushing. Punch, punch, powerpunch, counter, combo move like instant take-down or throw, counter, powerpunch, throw batrangs, et al.

... that said, I'm stuck on getting the last achievement on the freeflow combat challenges.

[NowhereMan]

Yeah, if you treat them as button mashing exercises then fights are kind of cool looking but generally dull and definitely repetitive. Once you get the hang of combos and timing them then it becomes a pretty engaging game of figuring out which move you can do next that won't take the thug out and let you work in another variation. Plus when you're doing that you get to see Batman do some fairly insane fight combos.

[Tannhauser]

Combos eh?  Sure sounds like a fighting game.

I'll put it in my Gamefly list and check it out.

[LK]

Combos eh?  Sure sounds like a fighting game.

[NowhereMan]

Combos eh?  Sure sounds like a fighting game.

I'll put it in my Gamefly list and check it out.

Not up+up+down+a+b+a+a combos but attacking with different weapons. There is only one attack button and the computer directs you towards the opponents but for those attacks to count in a combo you need a second between them. It looks cool as hell and you can just keep calmly clicking while making sure the camera has some bad guys in sight, the variation thing comes into play with you weapon choice. Switching between batarangs, rappel, etc. rack up variation bonuses.

That's also really only part of the game, it's far more stealth generally since if your opponents have guns you don't stand a chance doing anything but silent takedowns and flying away which is also cool as hell.

edit: There's a goddamn demo on Steam. It shows you exactly what the game's like just try that.

[sickrubik]

Batman: AA is on sale for $35/$60 at Amazon today.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=amb_link_85833871_3?ie=UTF8&docId=1000208101&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=right-1&pf_rd_r=033KDR4QB7648W76BNJV&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=496382711&pf_rd_i=409566

Good job on that URL, Amazon.

[LK]

This is one of those games which I would put on a list of "game of historical / innovation importance that you must play in your lifetime as a gamer."

[Samwise]

I'm not sure about innovative, but it is a damn fun game.