Arkham City

[Gotham Knight]

Got the game, and played last night. Still got the last section to go.

I genuinely had no idea as to what was going to happen, apart from the opening salvo with Catwoman being caught by Two-Face. I think the rest of the story is alright. Though (Hugo) strangely I feel a bit underwhelmed by sections of it. Boss battles aren't really radically improved, and are still similar in execution and difficulty.

It does evoke AA in the look, but the feel seems a bit different somehow. I think AC is better technically, but I *feel* the atmosphere of AA more, I think. That's not to say AC doesn't have atmosphere, mind you. I think AC feels more episodic and more detached. But it's early days yet, that opinion may change in time as I play it more often.

I don't think some characters get enough airtime. I thought Two-Face was going to have a bigger part. Strange is hardly in the game as well. He does have voice-overs through AC speakers, but you only physically see him a few times. One thing I was surprised about is Penguin's role in the game. He's in it quite a lot.

But don't think I dislike the game. Far from it. The game is brilliant fun. And I love playing as Catwoman. I haven't sunk my teeth into the side quests, but Mad Hatter's section is flat out trippy. Quite confrontingly so. Looking forward to doing the rest. I want to comment on the Batman/Joker relationship, but I'll wait until I finish the game, to see how it all pans out.

Played through a bit and...

I agree entirely with everything you said, Dark Knight, verbatim.

I think AC's problem is that it knows how big it's britches are. AA was a runaway hit, AC knows it's the $h*t. An ego is healthy, I think AC's a bit too big, considering it manages to be both over and underwhelming at the same time. There are times when I feel the humdrum of center of the road repetition and other times where I am crushed under the weight of the game's scope (not a praise). As TDK said, 'technically it IS better,' but AA had better...er...chops or....aura...    Sounds funny, I know, you'd think a chunk of GOTHAM would trump an asylum, but intimacy was better in my view, because, when you think about it, free roam cityscape have been done before (spidey has one every week) albeit not as beautifully, and thus, the grandiosity, from the vast city to the over the top main menu, suck the urgency that intimacy cultivates so well. 

But let's keep it real. This game rocks the house down. We don't need no water, let the m.f.er burn.

[The Dark Knight]

About the very end scene:

Well, Joker died of the virus. It was a downbeat way to end the game. And yes, I felt sympathy for a mass murdering clown. It made me reflect on why I love the character as much as I do. I still think there's an escape clause in there, though. Clayface could've imitated two Jokers no problem. Hell, in the Clayface boss battle he sends many clay 'creatures' after you. Two Jokers would be nothing. But it would have to play into a death faking scenario. Or the real Joker did in fact die, and could be brought back at some stage via a Lazrus Pit. In that scenario it depends on what the GCPD did with his body. In the game Joker says the only way to fool the world's greatest detective is to be obvious. In any case, Batman thinks Joker is dead. A world without Joker can be explored in Arkham 3. What happened to the gang scene? Who took over? And if they want to bring Joker back what better way to throw that new equilibrium into chaos than a surprise return late in the plot?

I've got more to add about Joker and other things. But for now, I've got to fly.

[Gotham Knight]

In Wonder City the announcer quotes Sam Hamm's opening in the BATMAN script. "Hell onto the sidewalk, etc"

[Silver Nemesis]

Someone's made a Batsuit based on the Arkham City design. 



You can read all about it and see more pictures here: http://www.theeffectslab.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17556

[BatmAngelus]

^ Awesome take.  Now that is Batman.

[Gotham Knight]

THAT is very cool. I wondered when somebody'd take that step.

[Gotham Knight]

Fellow PS3 users! Anyone got Nightwing yet? I'm on the PS Store and don't see him.

ALSO: Spotted another Burton ref this time in the epilogue during Catwoman's last mission. 


SPOILER: When the booby trapped apartment blows up and knocks her out, she lays unconscious with cats walking around her. Very Batman Returns.

[Paul (ral)]

I checked the PSN store today and only saw Catwoman.

[The Dark Knight]

SPOILER: When the booby trapped apartment blows up and knocks her out, she lays unconscious with cats walking around her. Very Batman Returns.

Ah yes. Good observation.

If it isn't up already, I think the Nightwing DLC will be up by Thursday.

[Gotham Knight]

It finally went up. Thanks guys for touching base! Good stuff, love the cell shading on the 'animated' Nightwing. Looked crisp while at the same time maintaining the 2D animation look of the Gotham Knight's Grayson. Wayne Manor challenge map is very nice. Would like a better look without goons shooting at me.