Back in 2009, Rocksteady blew our minds by showing us their capabilities of fusing the story of the Dark Knight with the medium of video games. A new standard for superhero games was set and the Arkham series was born. Fast forward four years and we are lucky enough to be getting our hands on the third installment in the Arkham universe with Batman: Arkham Origins. If you have enjoyed the two previous releases by Rocksteady, then the studio taking the reins on this prequel will not disappoint you. Yes, I said prequel, and yes a new studio has been put in charge for this game. WB Games Montreal has been given the keys to the Arkham franchise and has decided to expand the story back in time to when Bruce Wayne is starting to discover his potential as the unstoppable protector of Gotham that he will become.
WB doesn't waste any time and within a few short moments of starting the game, we are given the general plot outline and the path that lies before our hero. We are thrown into the combat very quickly as well and the developers do a good job of assisting those who have never played an Arkham game before by including on-screen button queues to which you can quickly learn from. However this is done so as to not take away from those who are experienced, and allow us to dive right in to the immediate free-flowing mechanics that we love in the Arkham series. The controls definitely take a page right out of Rocksteady's book and maintain the same high level of precision and satisfaction however, the lack of innovation in regards to the controls is imminent. It feels as though at any moment you could be plucked from Origin's world and dropped into City's and the fighting would continue like you never knew different. Besides a few new finishing moves the combat system as a whole remains virtually the same. On the other hand, WB has given us a few new boss battle encounters that must be given credit. Exciting, playable action mixed with fantastic cut-scenes makes for an unforgettable experience when facing the many bosses in this game. Not only is fast finger button sequencing required, but equally important is deciding which fighting move you will decide to use to inflict your damage because button mashing will not suffice. Another new component this game offers is the ability to earn XP in each and every encounter with enemies. Finish off a group of thugs and you will be rewarded based on a number of different factors such as stealth, takedowns, variety, and more. I enjoyed the push to change up my fighting strategy throughout the game however I felt that the rewards were sometimes inconsistent. In one battle, I dropped in from above and took out the group of thugs very quickly while keeping my combo meter going intact throughout the fight. I proudly finished off the last enemy but was strangely rewarded with a 25% grade for my actions. In another encounter, I snuck up behind a thug to take him down silently but failed to do so without being seen. I then was able to defeat the rest of his crew who had been alerted but took some damage from them in doing so. To my surprise I was awarded with a 100% grade and the entire bonus XP that came with it. Although this unexplainable grading system didn't happen every time, I did find myself receiving all sorts of different grades throughout my adventures in Gotham and was not able to figure out the exact reason for this.
Even with its minor imperfections, Arkham Origins is yet another fulfilling Batman game. The plot gets more interesting as you progress and even throws a couple twists in here and there which worked effectively. There are some bug problems and the occasional latency issues that occur periodically during fights, but this doesn't hinder you from having a truly satisfying experience in the world of Gotham. Sometimes it's hard not to feel like faulting WB for its lack of innovation here and that not much has changed since the last installment. But while this may be true to some extent, it's still a whirlwind of non-stop action with a great story, fun combat, and fabulous boss battles that will have you glued to your TV. Whether this is your first crack at the Arkham series, or your third experience with the Bat, you will be left wanting more. Coming from a long-time fan of the series, I can't wait until the next Arkham game is released but deep down I am hoping that Rocksteady gets back in the driver's seat for our ride into the next generation.
WB doesn't waste any time and within a few short moments of starting the game, we are given the general plot outline and the path that lies before our hero. We are thrown into the combat very quickly as well and the developers do a good job of assisting those who have never played an Arkham game before by including on-screen button queues to which you can quickly learn from. However this is done so as to not take away from those who are experienced, and allow us to dive right in to the immediate free-flowing mechanics that we love in the Arkham series. The controls definitely take a page right out of Rocksteady's book and maintain the same high level of precision and satisfaction however, the lack of innovation in regards to the controls is imminent. It feels as though at any moment you could be plucked from Origin's world and dropped into City's and the fighting would continue like you never knew different. Besides a few new finishing moves the combat system as a whole remains virtually the same. On the other hand, WB has given us a few new boss battle encounters that must be given credit. Exciting, playable action mixed with fantastic cut-scenes makes for an unforgettable experience when facing the many bosses in this game. Not only is fast finger button sequencing required, but equally important is deciding which fighting move you will decide to use to inflict your damage because button mashing will not suffice. Another new component this game offers is the ability to earn XP in each and every encounter with enemies. Finish off a group of thugs and you will be rewarded based on a number of different factors such as stealth, takedowns, variety, and more. I enjoyed the push to change up my fighting strategy throughout the game however I felt that the rewards were sometimes inconsistent. In one battle, I dropped in from above and took out the group of thugs very quickly while keeping my combo meter going intact throughout the fight. I proudly finished off the last enemy but was strangely rewarded with a 25% grade for my actions. In another encounter, I snuck up behind a thug to take him down silently but failed to do so without being seen. I then was able to defeat the rest of his crew who had been alerted but took some damage from them in doing so. To my surprise I was awarded with a 100% grade and the entire bonus XP that came with it. Although this unexplainable grading system didn't happen every time, I did find myself receiving all sorts of different grades throughout my adventures in Gotham and was not able to figure out the exact reason for this.
Even with its minor imperfections, Arkham Origins is yet another fulfilling Batman game. The plot gets more interesting as you progress and even throws a couple twists in here and there which worked effectively. There are some bug problems and the occasional latency issues that occur periodically during fights, but this doesn't hinder you from having a truly satisfying experience in the world of Gotham. Sometimes it's hard not to feel like faulting WB for its lack of innovation here and that not much has changed since the last installment. But while this may be true to some extent, it's still a whirlwind of non-stop action with a great story, fun combat, and fabulous boss battles that will have you glued to your TV. Whether this is your first crack at the Arkham series, or your third experience with the Bat, you will be left wanting more. Coming from a long-time fan of the series, I can't wait until the next Arkham game is released but deep down I am hoping that Rocksteady gets back in the driver's seat for our ride into the next generation.
Tell Your Friends