Batman: Arkham City - Reviews - Post #882

[Pob]

Gameinformer Gameplay info:

- You are now able to counter two attacks at once.

- More puzzles.

- All gadgets included in the first game are available from the start.

- Side missions now feature in the game.

- Gangs roam Arkham City, these are recorded in Batman's criminal database.

- You find people who work for Ridler to find Ridler challenges.

- Batman has his smoke bomb.

That all sounds sweet, especially the presence of side-missions and roaming gangs. Basically I want Arkham City to be a reasonable-sized hub that I can zip and glide around, dishing out punishment to criminals when I feel like it.

I wonder how they're going to handle more than eight gadgets? I liked the simplicity of selecting gadgets in AA just by pressing a direction on the d pad. I also hope the puzzles are more fiendish.

[11 Herbs 'n' Spices]

- Batman has his smoke bomb.

Ahhhhh yeeeeeah.

[11 Herbs 'n' Spices]

I wonder how they're going to handle more than eight gadgets? I liked the simplicity of selecting gadgets in AA just by pressing a direction on the d pad. I also hope the puzzles are more fiendish.

Maybe with a roundel, like in Half Life.

[The Sarge]

That's pretty cool. When does the new GI hit the stands? I really want to know where they are going with this.

Counting on you to deliver the goods here, Sarge.

Not sure when it hits stands, but it's shipping to subscribers now.

Seems you beat me to it.

I'll be sure to post scans when I find them though, but I suspect I'll be beaten to the punch with those as well.

[SM47]

I'd like to see the 'goons mentally spinning out as batman takes them down one-by-one' angle developed a bit more. I'd also like to play with them a bit, like a cat flipping a mouse around for fun. Or perhaps a bat flipping around a...whatever bats eat. Bat-Alpen?

[The Sarge]

Scans

And a few more...

Finally, more detailed look at the GI preview.

Sharp took credit for getting the Joker situation of the first game under control. He then used that incident to help win the Mayoral election. After winning, he declares Blackgate and Arkham unfit, and buys off a portion of the slums of Gotham. Walling off the area and calling it "Arkham City", he contracts a mercenary group called Tyger into defending the walls. The prisoners are only given one rule: "Don't try to escape", with the penalty for doing so being death. Beyond that, they can do whatever they want within.

-Hugo Strange heads the new Arkham, though it seems like this fact is cloaked in mystery to the outside world. Those who look into him disappear.

-It's been a year. Two face is admitted into Arkham City and he realizes he has to make a move to assert himself in the new prison lest he be eaten alive (not literally, of course). He captures Catwoman, figuring a public execution should do the trick.

-The team is aiming for a highly detailed city, on the level of what they did in the first game with Arkham itself.

-Gadgets can now be used during fights- the article mentions Batman putting explosive gel on the back of one of his opponents during a brawl.

-You can now pull off multiple counterattacks at the same time.

-Many of the super villains have formed gangs, and taken control of differnt portions of the city.

-The team wants to push the "forensics" angle of the first game more, incorporating puzzles in them that will become more complex as the game goes on.

-Most of the key gadgets that were unlocked late in the first game are available by default (Beyond the explosive gel, the article also mentions the line launcher).

-Interrogations replace the Riddler maps of the first game.

-Batman can now taunt his enemies via a button press.

-Certain characters have optional sidestories within Arkham city (the article mentions Zsasz), that you can dig into.

-Harley has a new costume. From the article: "Instead of a nurse outfit, Harley now wears red and black pants, and a matching midriff-baring top. Her face paint has been scaled back to a much more subtle degree, and she now has a Joker tatoo on one of her hips peeking out over her waistband."

-Batman's been given a new gadget called the "broadcast analyzer". The article mentions several broadcasts Bats can listen in on, like the GCPD dispatch and Gotham FM. The main usage here has Batman tuning in to listen to a message left for him by the Joker.

-Oracle is missing, so Alfred is the one in Bruce's ear (at least at the beginning of the game).

-Rocksteady wouldn't detail their multiplayer plans.

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3337288#post380772443

[Christopher]

There are no words for how excited I am for this. Two Face going to kill Catwoman to lure Batman?

[The Sarge]

There are no words for how excited I am for this. Two Face going to kill Catwoman to lure Batman?

I suspect that's the case. Killing her to gain some respect wouldn't really register with the hardcore crims, but using her to lure and kill the Bat would make him pretty feared...if he succeeds, which he won't.

[simms]

Those additons sound brillant especially the muliple countering and using the detective side more with forensic puzzles. I absolutely loved the first and it came out of nowhere to be one of the best games of the year for me.

[Harsin]

- Quincy Sharp buys off part of the slums and walls it off, creating Arkham City.

And I complain about some of the stuff my local council does!

[Not Thread Owner]

I found the original surprisingly ace. This sounds amaze.

I found the original surprisingly ace. This sounds amaze.

[SM47]

And I complain about some of the stuff my local council does!

'Clegg defends decision to annex North of England and turn it into Open Prison for the Supervillainous'.

[Not Thread Owner]

'Clegg defends decision to annex North of England and turn it into Open Prison for the Supervillainous'.

How would anyone notice?

[Vemsie]

Promising, both the screens and the info. Can't wait.

[The Sarge]

Not sure is this is legit, but here's some dialogue from the game. (as described in the GI preview)

Minor spoilers.

Batman saving catwoman from two face?

"Where is she, Alfred?" Batman asks.

"Miss Kyle was last seen in the vicinity of the solomon Wayne Courthouse," replies his faithful butler

"That's where Two-Face has been setting up camp"

"Let's hope she is still in one piece when you find her. Mr. Dent's fascination with the number two could prove fatal to Catwoman."

In a nutshell: Batman gets to catwoman, she is dangling above a vat of acid, chained up.

"You certainly know how to keep a girl hanging, Harv." Catwoman says. "Hey, have you had some work done?

Two face strikes her across the face

"That's for spying on us. No one spies on us." He threatens.

"I'm sorry. I've been a bad kitty." she teases "untie me and I'll make it up to you."

"Let's see if the coin thinks you're telling the truth" Two face snarls. "The court is now in session"

Batman beats up thugs and confronts two face

With all his goons out of commission, Two-Face makes one final play. "Objection," he says before shooting batman. "Overruled." With batman out of the picture, he turns to catwoman.

"Heads or tails kitty cat?"

"Which one ends with me getting out of here alive?" she asks

Two face flips the coin and the scarred side lands facing up. "Not this one. Time to die."

"I vote for a stay of execution." catwoman says as she claws the ropes off her wrist and slashes him in the face. Two face recoils in pain catwoman frees her legs and gets right side up. A grappling hook fired from nowhere at two face and soon enough he's the one dangling above the acid.

"I thought it was only cats who had nine lives," Catwoman says as batman walks into view " anyone ever tell you you're full of surprises?"

"Figured you could use my help, Selina " He replies

"You're right, think I chipped a nail back there"

"Funny"

"So what do you need mr. detective? I'm guessing it's something to do with our friend here and how he fits into what professor strange has cooking"

"What do you know, selina?"

"Not much. no one knows anything about the mystery man. It's like he never existed before sharp hired him. But there is definitely something going on with him and Joker"

"that's not what I wanted to hear"

"It gets worse, the clown has a plan to destroy gotham and take you out at the same time. You should get out of here, Leave Joker. He'll be dead soon.

"I can't. He's even more dangerous when backed into a corner."

As if on cue, a green laser dot traces its way up catwoman's snug yet tactical suit. Next we see her in the crosshairs and hear a familiar voice. "Twinkle, twinkle, little bat, Watch me kill your favorite cat." Joker's disembodied voice tried to burst out into his trademark maniacal laughter but he's cut short by a violent coughing fit.

"The ex-district attorney here said something about..." Catwoman says before batman pulls her out of the way of joker's bullet. "What the hell?"

"You're not safe here. No one is," Batman warns as he presses her against a wall.

"Nine lives, remember?" Catwoman quips as she cracks her whip up into the rafters of the courthouse, pulls herself up, and sneaks off into the night.

Dialogue exchange between a Riddler thug & Bats

He grabs the thug by the neck

"Riddler - what's he up to?"

"Oh crap, okay, okay! I just help him out, There's a bunch of us. We give him info and he doesn't put us in those crazy machines of his."

"It's been a pleasure" Batman growls before knocking the informant out.

Batman and Zsasz ( Also, new intimidation feature)

Batman hears a payphone ringing with a group of prisoners huddled around it. They speak about an urban legend about if you answer a payphone you die after. Batman jumps down and uses his taunt:

"You're all going down," Batman threatens.

"It's batman! Get out of here!" A prisoner shouts.

Everyone screams without a fight and batman strolls up to the still ringing phone. he picks it up.

"Hello, Batman. Do you recognize my voice?"

"Zsasz," he replies.

Batman and Harley

"Coming through, B-man! as she charges him with a series of handsprings and flips. batman sidesteps her.

"Let the lady go, batfreak, or the doctors all get a bullet in the head" warns one of several joker members.

" I think you should do what he says, it would be a shame to get blood all over my new outfit" says harley

And a close up look at Two-Face as well as a not so clear image of the new detective mode.

Still no complete scans.

[Sausagedog20]

Glad they are adding to the forensics aspect. The original's forensics was just "look booze! Follow it!" not really up to the worlds greatest detective.

[Monkeyboy]

Isn't the icky side of Two-Face's face prone to infection? How does he stay alive? This is important to me.

[moosegrinder]

Lot's of anti-bat-otics. GEDDIT!?!?!?

[The Sarge]

And the last update of the day...

Complete GI scans.

Sounds and looks amazing. It's going to be a very long wait until Fall 2011.

*EDIT*

All pages now posted.

[Monkeyboy]

And the last update of the day...

Complete GI scans.

Sounds and looks amazing. It's going to be a very long wait until Fall 2011.

*EDIT*

All pages now posted.

Batman doesn't seem to be packing much in this shot. I think it's a sad state of affairs when The Dark Knight has a tiny phallus. Thinking about it though, and looking closer, it does seem to be packed "horizontally". It might have got knocked sideways after a particularly brutal cock punch.

[Space Renegade Ulala]

Can we have a load of unlockable costumes this time, please? I really, really, really want an Adam West outfit to batter ruffians and scoundrels in.

[moosegrinder]

He blatantly wears a cup and keeps it packed away. Why would he run the risk of getting kicked in the balls?

Also, that version of Catwoman is fucking hot

[wev]

Really looking forward to this now. Criminally I'd forgotten it even existed. Loved the first game, especially the Scarecrow sections but can't see those returning (although I've actually forgotten pretty much the entire plot to Arkham Asylum).

[Space Renegade Ulala]

(although I've actually forgotten pretty much the entire plot to Arkham Asylum).

Inmates have taken over the asylum. Are you a Bat enough man to rescue the asylum staff?

[wev]

I remember that much, maybe I should have stated "events" rather than "plot"?

[Pob]

This sounds perfect. Like they've gone into my head and made the exact sequel I wanted.

Please God don't let me die before this comes out.

[robdood]

Please let there be some kind of coop brawling in the game. Please.

[Sausagedog20]

Please God don't let me die before this comes out.

I'm not the only one who thinks like this!

[Mr. Gerbik]

I'm not the only one who thinks like this!

Nope I've found that there are more gamers than you'd suspect who have at one time thought like this. I admit that I've had similar thoughts with at least Zelda: OoT back in the day. I was going crazy with hype and anticipation and it looked like the best thing ever. N64 magazine printed like one or two new screenshots every couple of months and with each new screenshot my anticipation doubled. And then, just a month or two before it was due to be released, Nintendo delayed the game by a whole year until the next Christmas - que me feverishly hoping I wouldn't die before having played this marvellous wonderful game

[Down by Law]

I hope they do a Streets of Rage style extra when you finsh the game where you walk the streets pummeling bad guys and eating chicken, with 2 player on-line co-op. That would almost make up for Sega's inability to make good games nowadays.