Batman: Arkham Trilogy Coming to Nintendo Switch

[The Dark Knight]

I did play Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate on the 3DS when it was first released, and I thought it was a solid game. It used a side-scrolling perspective that heightened the Metroidvania vibe, but the core elements of the Arkham series – the combination of stealth, exploration and combat – remained intact.

I echo that. I also played Blackgate on the 3DS upon release and it's a very good game and managed to translate the console experience pretty well. I remember the cutscene cinematics being beautifully atmospheric too. If you get around to playing Origins at some point it may be a good idea to give Blackgate another go given it's set three months after. I may just do that myself.

[Travesty]

I never played Blackgate, so I just ordered it for pretty cheap. I'll try to get to it soon. I guess I'll have to charge up my 3DS, since I haven't played it in a few years, lol.

[Silver Nemesis]

I echo that. I also played Blackgate on the 3DS upon release and it's a very good game and managed to translate the console experience pretty well. I remember the cutscene cinematics being beautifully atmospheric too. If you get around to playing Origins at some point it may be a good idea to give Blackgate another go given it's set three months after. I may just do that myself.

I'd love to play Origins. From the way you and others have described it, it sounds like a solid addition to the Arkham series. I remember people comparing the wintery Gotham in that game to the Batman Returns version, which is a factor that would appeal to me. I also need to play Blackgate again soon. I think the last time I played that was around 2016.

Presently I'm still playing through the first Arkham game. I'm trying to get 100% completion before I move on to Arkham City (I'm having a tough time with the extreme combat challenges). The last time I played City must've been around 2012 or 2013. Back then I remember liking it more than the first Arkham game, but that might've just been because I was dazzled by the open world Gotham. I'm keen to see how well it holds up.

I never played Blackgate, so I just ordered it for pretty cheap. I'll try to get to it soon. I guess I'll have to charge up my 3DS, since I haven't played it in a few years, lol.

I hope you enjoy Blackgate. I still play on my 3DS quite often. Last year I had to get a new battery for it because the original was overheating and not charging properly. There are a lot of classic games that are exclusive to the 3DS, including what I consider to be the definitive version of Ocarina of Time, my favourite game ever. I still have my original N64 version of OoT from 1998 and a GameCube version, but the 3DS remake perfected an already near-perfect game. It's definitely worth dusting off the 3DS and keeping it in working order.

Blackgate has been released on several other consoles now. I don't know if those newer versions differ greatly from the original 3DS and PS Vita versions. The game was designed to play to the strengths of those handheld systems, so I imagine they're probably still the best platforms on which to experience it.

[The Dark Knight]

I'd love to play Origins. From the way you and others have described it, it sounds like a solid addition to the Arkham series. I remember people comparing the wintery Gotham in that game to the Batman Returns version, which is a factor that would appeal to me. I also need to play Blackgate again soon. I think the last time I played that was around 2016.

I can see you appreciating and enjoying Origins.

Arkham Origins is my number one Arkham game.

WB Montreal were in an difficult position following Arkham City.

Retain the template of the previous two games and you're accused of doing a copy and paste job. Strike out on your own and you're accusing of betraying the spirit of the franchise given they didn't establish it. They were being viewed as caretakers while everyone was waiting for Rocksteady's next instalment.

Origins has the best story and characterisations.
The crime scene investigations were improved.
I loved the shock gloves.
I loved Batman's rougher methods and personality.
The Christmas theme and the snow.
The Deathstroke boss battle is a franchise standout.
The interactive Joker flashback sequence is outstanding.
Did Bane justice, before having to dumb him down again for continuity reasons.
Conroy is the legend, but Roger Craig Smith did a fine job, likewise with Baker.
We actually got to visit the real batcave and enter Wayne Manor.

This all holds true for me today. I played the game again last year and it still holds up well, warts and all. What I didn't mention in that 2017 post is the relationship Batman has with Alfred. It's heartfelt and evolves throughout the course of the story. The DLC with Freeze is also very good.

Presently I'm still playing through the first Arkham game. I'm trying to get 100% completion before I move on to Arkham City (I'm having a tough time with the extreme combat challenges). The last time I played City must've been around 2012 or 2013. Back then I remember liking it more than the first Arkham game, but that might've just been because I was dazzled by the open world Gotham. I'm keen to see how well it holds up.

I prefer City. I have fond memories of Asylum but think it feels dated in comparison. It can't be understated how much of a revelation Asylum was at the time, though. I was hopeful for a good product but didn't fully appreciate how good it would actually turn out to be. I think they're still the best superhero games on the market even with the arrival of the Spider-Man PlayStation series. I like Arkham Knight too. I'm a TDK Rises fan but think Knight was an even more epic way to conclude a Batman timeline.

[Silver Nemesis]

I've given up trying to get 100% on Arkham Asylum. I finished the main story, collected all the Riddler trophies, all the Chronicles of Arkham recordings and all of the upgrades. I've unlocked and completed all of the combat and stealth challenges, for both Batman and Joker. Yet the game still says only 95% complete.

Apparently you've got to get three bat-emblems on every challenge to get 100%. I've managed to score three bat-emblems on all of the stealth challenges, but with the combat challenges the best I can do is one or two bat-emblems. I might go back and try to do better at a later time, but for now I feel I've gotten the most out of the first game and I'm ready to move on to Arkham City.

I prefer City. I have fond memories of Asylum but think it feels dated in comparison. It can't be understated how much of a revelation Asylum was at the time, though. I was hopeful for a good product but didn't fully appreciate how good it would actually turn out to be.

This is how I remember it too. The first game made you feel like Batman, but the second game made you feel like Batman patrolling Gotham City, which was a big upgrade in the overall experience. To be able to free roam around the city we know from the comics, and explore so many of the familiar locations, was mind blowing. There were also gameplay improvements, such as being able to tightrope walk along railings and cables, or being able to deploy your grapple line while gliding without having to land first. The result was more intuitive gameplay that made it easier to navigate the large open world environments.

Yes, I'm looking forward to returning to Arkham City.

[The Dark Knight]

Yes, I'm looking forward to returning to Arkham City.

If you're still needing a Batman game fix after the Arkham series I strongly recommend both seasons of the Telltale games. They're probably the most slept on modern Batman content and in some ways make you feel like Batman more than any other game, even though you're not gliding or fighting anywhere near like you do in Arkham. I'm still hopeful a third season can get made some point. Any serious Batman game ranking should have them high up on the list.

[Silver Nemesis]

I'd forgotten about the Telltale Series. I never played those games, but I'd love to give them a go when I'm done with Arkham City and Arkham Knight. I like point-and-click adventure games, and I remember you and several other people speaking highly of the Telltale Series when they first came out. It looks like something I'd enjoy, and it's available pretty cheap now.

Batman fans have really been spoilt for good games over the past fifteen years. We've also had the Injustice series, the Lego Batman trilogy and the underrated Brave & the Bold game from 2010. No other superhero has had that many good games in the same span.

[Travesty]

Yeah, the Telltale games are good, although, I think S1 is way better than S2. They totally rewrote the mythos, so everything feels fresh. It's a must for Batman fans.

But reading the rest of your post, I had no idea there was a Brave and the Bold game. I'm gonna have to find a way to play that. 

[DocLathropBrown]

Yeah, the Telltale games are good, although, I think S1 is way better than S2. They totally rewrote the mythos, so everything feels fresh. It's a must for Batman fans.

But reading the rest of your post, I had no idea there was a Brave and the Bold game. I'm gonna have to find a way to play that. 

Wii Emulation is pretty solid--Dolphin runs Brave and the Bold like a champ, should you be willing. It's a great game, too (of course, anything made by WayForward tend to be great).

I couldn't agree more about Arkham Origins--it's a must-play. The best story in the series, mostly because Bruce is young and more emotional. I love Kevin (obviously) but in the Arkham series he was mostly stuck playing the atypical iconoclastic Batman who stays frozen as a character, but in Origins he's quite brusque and has to go on a character arc. These days, any recent computer should be able to run it with few problems, but when it comes to playing it on a console, that's tougher. It IS backwards compatible on modern Xboxes, but you have to run it from a disc, and playing it there allows a more stable framerate than playing it on the PS3.

But when I got an upgraded PC, I decided I was never going back to Arkham games at 30 fps, and besides that, now people are able to add in new, fully modeled Batsuits now, so the sky's the limit on the cool stuff we can have now.

The Telltale games are a perfect counterbalance to the Arkham series, since they focus more on Bruce Wayne, making them a rather perfect companion series to the action-heavy Arkham saga.

[The Dark Knight]

Yeah, the Telltale games are good, although, I think S1 is way better than S2. They totally rewrote the mythos, so everything feels fresh. It's a must for Batman fans.

Season Two's content with the Joker was pretty intense from what I remember. How he starts out as a close, creepy friend and the way he clings to Bruce so strongly - which makes the decisions you make so consequential. Telltale's Batman would have made for amazing movies, because as Doc said, they focus so singularly on Bruce and his experience as Batman. I remember sitting there experiencing the story and being completely transfixed with what was happening.

But reading the rest of your post, I had no idea there was a Brave and the Bold game. I'm gonna have to find a way to play that. 

I haven't played the Brave and the Bold game either, but I'm going to change that. Vengeance, Rise of Sun Tzu and Batman Begins are also good games if anyone can still play them. Luckily I still have those consoles packed away. Begins plays like an early template for the Arkham games.

I couldn't agree more about Arkham Origins--it's a must-play. The best story in the series, mostly because Bruce is young and more emotional. I love Kevin (obviously) but in the Arkham series he was mostly stuck playing the atypical iconoclastic Batman who stays frozen as a character, but in Origins he's quite brusque and has to go on a character arc.

Great minds think alike.