Batman Arkham Origins

[chronovore]

THAT'S some seriously gorgeous rendering, especially around the eyes. I was having trouble telling if they'd composited live-action into the CG, until Batman's mouth started moving. There's a bit of cartoony nature left there.

[chronovore]

I'm guessing it will be more-or-less identical to Arkham City or Asylum, essentially an expansion pack built with the same tools.

I hope.

[cool breeze]

[Raban]

That isn't Kevin Conroy's voice, right? The dude they got sounds pretty damn good.

[Mr. Gundam]

So... Origins is out tomorrow. Had some Amazon credit so I pre-ordered. Anyone else?

[Joe Molotov]

So... Origins is out tomorrow. Had some Amazon credit so I pre-ordered. Anyone else?

I'm still waffling on buying now or wait for a sale.

[demi]

TRU has $20 GC with purchase.

I'm just gonna rent it.

[cool breeze]

So... Origins is out tomorrow. Had some Amazon credit so I pre-ordered. Anyone else?

I got one of those nvidia codes, but I didn't realize it was coming out tomorrow.  Friday releases are weird.

[Mr. Gundam]

So... Origins is out tomorrow. Had some Amazon credit so I pre-ordered. Anyone else?

I got one of those nvidia codes, but I didn't realize it was coming out tomorrow.  Friday releases are weird.

Every once in a while a DVD/Blu-ray or album sees release on Friday to try and stand out from the pack.

[Smooth Groove]

Are they optimizing 3d like the last two games?

Arkham City looked pretty sick in 3d

[Joe Molotov]

Okay, I went ahead and bought an NVIDIA code off Ebay. The auction specifically said "WE WILL NOT EMAIL YOU YOUR KEY, WE WILL SHIP IT TO YOU BECAUSE OF EBAY RULES", so I hope that's like a *wink, wink, nudge nudge* we won't email you your key and not a literal we won't email you your key.

[Rahxephon91]

I actually think this one looks pretty good. I mean I really like the way Batman looks in this one over the other two where he looks dumb.

[Smooth Groove]

Okay, I went ahead and bought an NVIDIA code off Ebay. The auction specifically said "WE WILL NOT EMAIL YOU YOUR KEY, WE WILL SHIP IT TO YOU BECAUSE OF EBAY RULES", so I hope that's like a *wink, wink, nudge nudge* we won't email you your key and not a literal we won't email you your key.

How much?

[cool breeze]

This is weird.  I don't know who I'm beating up in the open world.  Arkham City bad guys talk about doing rapey shit to catwoman, dress up like clowns, and are convicted criminals in a prison.  Arkham Origins bad guys talk about providing for their families, the economic climate, work ethic, and the weather.  Everyone is dressed up in normal winter clothes.  It's set during christmas in gotham city.  You can listen in on the police radio and stop crimes in progress, but when you get to the scene you end up beating up the police and the criminals.

Seems good so far.  I like the character designs more than the other Arkham games.

[StealthFan]

Gamefly sent this out yesterday. I hope it doesn't disappoint, because I am positive AssCreed will.

[MCD]

[Joe Molotov]

[magus]

i tought the "batman games are like pizza" was a joke but it's an actual real ign quote

[Rufus]

Fucking IGN is region locked so I can't easily see who wrote that. WTF. Was it the same guy that did the embarrassing Uncharted 3 review? Nevermind, saw the dropdown. Jeez. It was Dan Stapleton.

Full quote:

Batman games are like pizza: even when they’re not very good, they’re still pretty good

 

[bork]

Actually wasn't planning on getting Origins right away, but with deals, I ended up getting Arkham Asylum GOTY, Arkham City GOTY, Origins, and Blackgate for about $80 total.  Already played through the first two games but never did play the DLC for Arkham City.

I thought the first two games were solid 8s and not anywhere near the "Metroidvania" style games people likened them to, but they were fun.  Not expecting Origins to be better than the Rocksteady games, but hopefully it will be on par.  Blackgate I've read is short and easy, but still fun.  It's getting mostly trashed in reviews right now.  Pretty much what I expected.

[Rahxephon91]

Did IGN froget the years and years of shitty games? Like pizza my ass. And no you idiot. Bad pizza sucks. Why would you eat crap pizza.

Bacon. There's a food that's fine even when it's brunt.

[Joe Molotov]

Okay, I went ahead and bought an NVIDIA code off Ebay. The auction specifically said "WE WILL NOT EMAIL YOU YOUR KEY, WE WILL SHIP IT TO YOU BECAUSE OF EBAY RULES", so I hope that's like a *wink, wink, nudge nudge* we won't email you your key and not a literal we won't email you your key.

How much?

$28. And apparently they really are insisting on shipping it. I guess Ebay is really cracking down on codes or something, because a few days ago there were tons of them, now there's hardly anyone selling them. Oh well, it's not like I was in a big hurry to play it. As long as this doesn't turn out to be a Nigerian scam and/or anthrax.

[demi]

I dunno about cracking down - they just don't want to take any risks. All it takes is for you to say "I didnt get any code." and screw them over.

With tracking, they have defense.

[Eel O'Brian]

Yeah, that's exactly the reason, with ebay's rules you have no recourse if a buyer claims a code didn't work, or they didn't get it.

[fistfulofmetal]

couldn't the "the code didn't work" or "i never got it" tactic can be used regardless of they send it digitally or physically tho?

[Joe Molotov]

I just thought it was weird because a week or so ago people were selling BAO codes like crazy, but now there's hardly any. I guess maybe everyone that had one to sell has already sold it.

[Eel O'Brian]

Yeah, but a tracking # at least gives you some evidence (useless as it may be). Ebay is so buyer-weighted now that they're gonna side with them 99% of the time no matter what you do.

[demi]

http://www.ebay.ca/sch/222canada/m.html?item=251245480854&clk_rvr_id=535318427661&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

[Sho Nuff]

I liked the first one, the second one was eh, this one I think I'll give a miss

[Howard Alan Treesong]

I dunno about cracking down - they just don't want to take any risks. All it takes is for you to say "I didnt get any code." and screw them over.

With tracking, they have defense.

This. I sold some game codes last month and 1) enforced shipping 2) took photos of every unscratched game code card before dropping them in the mail.

eBay is INSANELY buyer-weighted now, and game fiends are more than happy to fuck you over for three fitty.

[bork]

Blackgate Origins actually seems pretty decent so far.  It feels very similar to console games, just with a fixed camera.  The combat does feel a bit easy, but I felt the same way about the console versions on normal.

Biggest complaints are lack of a difficulty option (WTF?) and reading that people have already finished it in like five hours.  This should have been a $15 PSN/XBLA game.

[cool breeze]

I'm guessing it will be a downloadable console game eventually.  Seems like every notable third party portable game gets a console port later these days (RE Revelaitons, Castlevania, AssCreed Vita).

[Himu]

Fucking IGN is region locked so I can't easily see who wrote that. WTF. Was it the same guy that did the embarrassing Uncharted 3 review? Nevermind, saw the dropdown. Jeez. It was Dan Stapleton.

Full quote:

Batman games are like pizza: even when they’re not very good, they’re still pretty good

 

that can't be real

[Mr. Gundam]

I'm out of town all weekend, but I'm excited to start playing this next week. I enjoyed both Asylum and City, and am frankly fine with more of the same.

[Great Rumbler]

Fucking IGN is region locked so I can't easily see who wrote that. WTF. Was it the same guy that did the embarrassing Uncharted 3 review? Nevermind, saw the dropdown. Jeez. It was Dan Stapleton.

Full quote:

Batman games are like pizza: even when they’re not very good, they’re still pretty good

 

that can't be real

That's far from the worst thing I've ever read in an IGN review.

[Stoney Mason]

I think I get what most reviewers are coming from on this one. It just seems like a fairly lazy third edition although its probably very similar to the first two games. I think people are just slightly burned out on the whole Arkham thing.

[bork]

I think people are just slightly burned out on the whole Arkham thing.

Are they though?  There's only been two previous games and they have been released two years apart from one another.  Hope they trash Ass Creed 4 for being more of the same, too, then.  But they won't.

[Stoney Mason]

I can only speak for myself but yeah I was already starting to get a little burned on the formula in city already and this game being in the hands of a slightly less inventive group of devs means I doubt there is very little actually new in the game. But I felt the same way about Assassin's creed series also. I think people are interested in whatever Rocksteady does next because they are expecting a slight change to medium change.


But this game and Assassin's Creed 4 both suffer from a been there done that vibe. Haven't played it though so I'm speaking on just the video I've seen.

[cool breeze]

I wasn't satisfied with Arkham City, so that might be why I'm enjoying this even if it's more of the same.  It's like Assassin's Creed Brotherhood.  You even got borgia towers.

[Eel O'Brian]

Only played enough to tweak settings, but I like how Batman is already being an unrepentant asshole in the first five minutes

[cool breeze]

yeah, I only played about an hour last night and Batman here reminds me of Year One Batman.  Part it may be the new voice acting.

[bork]

I see GAFfers already reporting a game-breaking glitch when climbing one of the towers to access a vent in the PC version.   

[Rahxephon91]

Well the game sure does have one awesome Batman moment pretty early.

[cool breeze]

I see GAFfers already reporting a game-breaking glitch when climbing one of the towers to access a vent in the PC version.   

I ran into this.  I don't think it's exactly game breaking.  If you quit out and return you get out of it.  And it's related to a side mission.  Maybe later it's something you have to do, but you can continue on the story until it's patched.

It's pretty funny where it happens. 

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Enigma says he has had enough of Batman meddling and traps him in the room by blocking the entrance.  The vent is supposed to be your way out the trap.  So the trap actually worked.

[close]

[bork]

Wow, the city isn't as well designed. Few buildings are grappling hook capable and the gliding is both slower and less intuitive. The side missions just aren't compelling at all, the main missions have some highs but suffer too much from been there done that moments. It really feels like a b-grade game when compared to it's predecessor.

Agreed and frankly, expected.

What I didn't expect was people saying they finished the game in six hours. 

[Eel O'Brian]

So far I can say that I'm glad I only paid $30 for it. It's not bad, just predictable and same. Rocksteady really needs to switch up the formula for the next-gen game, as it's already old.

[AdmiralViscen]

I wanna hear more about the handheld version

[bork]

So far I can say that I'm glad I only paid $30 for it. It's not bad, just predictable and same. Rocksteady really needs to switch up the formula for the next-gen game, as it's already old.

There seems to be a lot of glitches across all the versions of it, too.

I wanna hear more about the handheld version

Anything in particular?  I've been going through it and getting some screenshots (one thing about the Vita version- it's native res!).

[cool breeze]

someone found a way to get past that vent glitch...by using another glitch   




and there are some nice additions to the combat in this game, makes one-on-one fights viable, but I don't know why they kept the stupid knife counter.

[Joe Molotov]

Got my code in the mail yesterday and downloaded it last night, can't wait to get off work so I can become THE GOSHDARN BATMAN!

[Rahxephon91]

Well I finished it and well it was a pretty good game.

It has some problems mostly because the city is kind of crappy. There's a real strange lack of grappling points and at some points it doesn't make sense. It makes no sense why Batman can't grapple to many points. The city is also very repetitive honestly with half of it from AC and the rest of being unremarkable. It doesn't hurt that there was no attempt to make the city feel alive at all. I swear to god even some of the indoor environments have been repeated here.

But whatever those problems don't matter that much, because honestly it's still a very fun game. The new additions with the enemies are pretty great and in general it works. The boss battles are also actually very fun, better than previous games. I really wish the story mode had far more, there really could have been been more done with the Assassins.

And you know what the story was quite good if you ask me. The "twist" is pretty lame, but the story felt pretty thought out and well kept me interested.

Good game. All the reviews are pretty annoying. Damning it because it's more of the same and yet that is never a severe point with other 3rd game from series like Uncharted and whatnot.

[cool breeze]

I finished and really liked it.  It's Assassin's Creed Brotherhood to Arkham City's AC2.  Buy it if you want more Arkham City + young Batman shenanigans, but maybe wait for it to drop in price.

without getting into specific spoilers, I'm confused about where these Batman games are going next.  Arkham City teased stuff for the next chronological game and Arkam Origins teases stuff for Arkham Origins 2.  And now going into specific spoilers,

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Arkham Origins sort of teases an expanded DC/Justice League game.  Maybe I'm misremembering things, but AA and AC mostly kept to Batman with its teases and stuff.  Arkham Origins makes mention of Zatanna, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, etc. and the post-credit scene is Amanda Waller forcing Deathstroke to join up with her.

[close]

[TakingBackSunday]

Akrham City had some JL tie ins as well.

[Rahxephon91]

There's been talks of a Sucide Squad game for awhile. Wouldn't surprise me if that was this teams next project.

[cool breeze]

the multiplayer is pretty interesting.  I didn't read up on it and expected a standard The Hidden game mode of everyone vs Batman.  Closest comparison would be Metal Gear Online's mode with Snake, sort of.  Really it's two teams playing a clunkier Gears of War, with Batman/Robin trying to ruin the shootout.  They're not the focus of the multiplayer.  Your attention is on the second team, so while you know a third team is sneaking around, you're not actively looking for them.  It works and you can be caught off guard.  Problem is that the combat/shooting isn't fun.  Until Batman/Robin show up, it's a rough, stiff, poor man's Gears game.

There was a moment where the two teams had a standoff and I used a remote control blimp bomb to flush the other team out.  As soon as I take the blimp out, a batarang hits me and I lose it.  Look up and see Batman swinging away.  Instinctively act like an AI goon by looking around for a few seconds before going back to shooting the other team  :'(

[chronovore]

How easy was it to find matches?