Batman: Arkham Knight

[Zevox]

I'm surprised nobody else made a thread for this already (well, besides that one by a bot, anyway, but that doesn't count).

I haven't had too much time to play this since it released last Tuesday, up until today. So far though, so good. The gameplay is still solid, and they've added a fair few features - more than Arkham Origins did for sure. I'm not a big fan of the Batmobile personally, but then I just don't much like driving vehicles around in general, and you can still get around the city faster by grapple-launching and gliding anyway (seriously, with the enhancements they gave that in this game you can all but fly at this point). My one real complaint, besides certain Batmobile challenges, is that the new features are getting to the point of making the game much too easy. The "fear multi-takedown" in particular is noteworthy there, enabling you to take down three guys in quick succession, and all you have to do is surprise them - and you can easily do so by tossing a smoke pellet into a group of enemies, too. But of course I am playing on normal - maybe I should've just started on hard, since I have played the last two games on that difficulty (not the first time through, but still).

Also, as far as the story goes, my guess on who the Arkham Knight is:
Jason Todd. It needs to be someone pretty familiar with Batman, and probably not just as an opponent, since he knew that Barbara worked for him, and keeps bragging about how he knows how Batman thinks. And if I've heard correctly then Jason Todd in the comics doesn't exactly have the best relationship with Batman after he's brought back to life, and is treated at best as an anti-hero, if not an outright villain. And the Arkham Knight keeps harping on Batman for his no-killing rule, which again if I've heard correctly is something that Jason Todd disagrees with Batman over in the comics. So he seems to fit the bill. Plus if he's as disliked by comic fans as I've heard I'd imagine a lot of people would be happy to have a game where they get to beat the crap out of him.

So, anybody else playing this? Impressions so far?

[Yana]

I want to get this, but my computer is currently in the shop. Again.

Though from what I hear, the pc port was particularly half-assed and has consequently been pulled from shops indefinitely. So despite this being my major game of the year, I have yet to touch it.

[MCerberus]

I'm keeping my eye on the game, but I think with everything going on I'll wait for either a $20 version or a GOTY to avoid "WB preorder syndrome". Plus if I ever want to play a Batman game, I'll just play Batman: Shadows of Mordor.

[Mando Knight]

I want to get this, but my computer is currently in the shop. Again.

Though from what I hear, the pc port was particularly half-assed and has consequently been pulled from shops indefinitely. So despite this being my major game of the year, I have yet to touch it.

It was. (http://steamcommunity.com/games/208650/announcements/detail/145587678167685991) WB even owned up to the problem and outright said "If you're not satisfied with the performance, use Steam Refund." Anyone who doesn't refund it can still play it, and they'll be releasing patches to those players to try to help with the issues until it gets the inevitable PC relaunch whenever it gets to a more acceptable state.

[Forbiddenwar]

One critic I follow said it was a decent game, tech problems notwithstanding. They rated it the third best Arkham game of the series(which in my mind is high praise as the other two games were so good), if it wasn't for the batmobile. Is it really like driving a tank covered in butter?

The batmobile is the reason why I avoided the game. Something about the words "heavily armored tank" and "batman- nonviolent, stealthy detective" didn't add up to me.

[Zevox]

I want to get this, but my computer is currently in the shop. Again.

Though from what I hear, the pc port was particularly half-assed and has consequently been pulled from shops indefinitely. So despite this being my major game of the year, I have yet to touch it.
Yeah, I've heard that the PC version has some significant issues. I'm a console player though, so I have the PS4 version. Only bugs I've encountered so far are a couple of points where enemies got stuck in walls, which were quite annoying, since they were during encounters I needed to finish, but I managed to get them to work out somehow.


One critic I follow said it was a decent game, tech problems notwithstanding. They rated it the third best Arkham game of the series(which in my mind is high praise as the other two games were so good), if it wasn't for the batmobile. Is it really like driving a tank covered in butter?

The batmobile is the reason why I avoided the game. Something about the words "heavily armored tank" and "batman- nonviolent, stealthy detective" didn't add up to me.
Like driving a tank? In the battle mode, yes. Not sure what the "covered in butter" part would mean, though. Personally I'm okay with the tank sequences, gameplay-wise, although it's certainly less fun than the on-foot fighting or predator sequences. What I don't like is driving the thing in its normal car form ("pursuit mode" I think they call it). I'm just not a fan of how it handles - too much like playing a racing game, which I've never really liked.

There is something about the rounds the Batmobile fires when shooting at people not being "live," and the weapon does noticeably change when used on people on-foot as opposed to the enemy tanks that are the main thing it fights (it gets called a "riot suppression weapon," if memory serves), for whatever that's worth. (Though on the flip side, it's entirely possible to just run into people while driving the Batmobile, which yeah, would probably kill them if you're going at a decent speed.) But eh, personally, I'm not really a Batman fan as far as the characters and whatnot go, so I can't say I'm bothered by whatever they want to throw around there.

I don't know about rating the game third in the series, personally. Gameplay is by and large improved, and frankly so far the story is shaping up better than Arkham City's did. Having two major villains this time around doesn't feel like it's two completely unrelated plots going on at the same time, since Scarecrow and the Arkham Knight are actually working with each other, unlike Joker and Hugo Strange in Arkham City. I'm hoping that means the resolution works better, too, as opposed to the back-to-back but completely unrelated climaxes of Arkham City.

Also on the story. I uh, just hit a big moment, and will just say this: this story is not pulling any punches.
Barbara Gordon dies, and in a very disturbing way. Scarecrow exposes her to his fear gas while she's in a cell behind bulletproof glass, with Batman watching outside it, and a gun on a table next to her inside. She tries to shoot him at first, but with the glass stopping it, instead commits suicide out of fear of whatever she thinks Batman is. Again, while Batman is watching, helpless to do anything about it.

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of any of these characters myself, but goddamn, even I felt that one. I've gotta give them some credit there, that's a powerfully-written scene.

[Calemyr]

I put off getting it because I'm just pissed at the pre-order shenanigans. Give Gamestop a weapon skin or a costume, or, heck, even a weapon if it isn't too over the top, and I'll call it fair. Give an exclusive character dlc, and I call bull. Mass Effect's Gamestop favoritism grated on me, this was just enough to get me to walk away from it. At least they're only timed exclusives, I suppose, but I will not support this policy.

I think I'll get it in September, after the timers run out. Might be good for a couple weeks before Fallout 4 dominates my every thought...

[Giggling Ghast]

Jason Todd. It needs to be someone pretty familiar with Batman, and probably not just as an opponent, since he knew that Barbara worked for him, and keeps bragging about how he knows how Batman thinks. And if I've heard correctly then Jason Todd in the comics doesn't exactly have the best relationship with Batman after he's brought back to life, and is treated at best as an anti-hero, if not an outright villain. And the Arkham Knight keeps harping on Batman for his no-killing rule, which again if I've heard correctly is something that Jason Todd disagrees with Batman over in the comics. So he seems to fit the bill. Plus if he's as disliked by comic fans as I've heard I'd imagine a lot of people would be happy to have a game where they get to beat the crap out of him.

Naturally, you were correct. Spoiler alert for consuming Batman-related media: any time a mysterious vigilante shows up knowing personal information about Batman, it's Jason Todd.

[Derthric]

So I 100%'d the game yesterday. This game has probably the smoothest combat flow of the arkham games I have played(never did get to origins).

I enjoyed the Batmobile about 75% of the time. I agree with Zevox about how it handles in pursuit-mode, and that mode in general, being the least fun thing about it. I enjoyed the tumbler in the Nolan movies and it reminded me of that especially in the Battle-mode and how the environment breaks when you encounter it. Also how the mooks react to it I found enjoyable.

I will say not having other characters to switch to like you could with Catwoman in Arkham City was probably the only feature I missed this time around but the story just does not allow for it and I think it was a fair trade.

Spoilers about the ending


Arkham Knight's Identity
My money was on Jason Todd going in and the only thing that made me doubt it was when Barbara "died". Though I didn't think she really did since we never saw Batman with the body. But when Joker starts showing how he treated Jason it locked it in for me. I have to say it worked in this arkham universe but otherwise I am not a huge fan of it, especially when they promised an "original character".

The final confrontation with Scarecrow(don't read if you skipped the last spoiler)
I was disappointed at how there seemed to be just a small appearance by Jason Todd in that moment and that was the finale to that story and was slightly disappointed with that. Also Scarecrow never really had the presence to carry the game I felt. The psychological final confrontation with the Joker more than made up for it though.

The super 100% ending
Yeah, Knightfall Protocol....Do not know how to respond to it. I am a little put off by how abrupt the events of it happen and not seeing Barbara, Tim, or ****'s reaction to it. But once again it fits this universe and does tie everything up. Though I wish they would build up on the gameplay and world to add to the DC Universe especially after all the easter eggs of Kate Kane, Lex Luthor, Queen Industries, the passing references to the freak from Metropolis, and Keystone and the Flash.


Overall its my favorite of the series. I did play it on the X1 and has some freezing issues with loading into cutscenes and autosaving at the same time. The cons I have with it are a bit nitpicky,like I was not a fan of the gadget wheel, or some of the camera angles when zoomed in on the battle-mode batmobile's gun. But overall I think it's a great game.

[Legato Endless]

Naturally, you were correct. Spoiler alert for consuming Batman-related media: any time a mysterious vigilante shows up knowing personal information about Batman, it's Jason Todd.

Pretty much. Reddit had a discussion about the Knight's identity right after he was unveiled, and almost every given theory was predicated with, "Assuming it isn't Jason Todd..."

[Zevox]

I put off getting it because I'm just pissed at the pre-order shenanigans. Give Gamestop a weapon skin or a costume, or, heck, even a weapon if it isn't too over the top, and I'll call it fair. Give an exclusive character dlc, and I call bull. Mass Effect's Gamestop favoritism grated on me, this was just enough to get me to walk away from it. At least they're only timed exclusives, I suppose, but I will not support this policy.
I don't see what the issue is. The pre-order bonuses are strictly extra content, not related to the main game. Even if they weren't timed, it wouldn't hurt anyone to not be able to get them.

Anyway, I'm trucking along. Finished the Two-Face and Firefly side-quests (not a fan of Firefly's, since it was all Batmobile chases, but at least it was only a three-parter, and so very quick to wrap up), finished Riddler's quest far enough that to continue I need to collect all the trophies and solve all his riddles (which I likely won't do), and I'm just far enough in the main story to be able to take the Batmobile onto the third island. Still enjoying the game so far, sans the Batmobile in pursuit mode. Battle mode is getting kinda dull too, if mostly because it's too easy - I've never been in danger of losing a fight with those drone tanks, no matter how many they threw at me. But the regular combat has picked up with the wide variety of enemies I'm up against now, so I've started losing some fights from time to time, which is nice. And the predator portions are still fun (although as I mentioned before, fear multi-takedown is OP).

So yeah, still good, and keeping me pretty hooked.

[Talakeal]

Quick question; does anyone know what the painting on the ceiling of Bruce Wayne's office is? I can't quite identify it or make it out, but I have a feeling it has a lot of symbolic significance.


Gameplay wise the game is pretty good, much better than Origins. The only things I hated where the pursuit / racing sections with the Batmobile, it doesn't hand well at all and the controls are awkward, and the menu system; having to remember what D pad direction to press and then having to hold it while on the menu was just annoying.


My thoughts on the plot (Inferred spoilers ahead):

It was really good, but like all the Arkham games seems unoriginal. Its like they just took a bunch of existing Batman stories, stuck them together, and told them in slightly different ways. This was basically Under the Red Hood combined with the unfilmed script for Batman 5, with a bunch of scenes and plot elements taken straight out of existing Batman stories. I am only a casual Batman fan, I imagine it would really grate on a hardcore Batman fanatic. The big "twist" of the Arkham Knight's identity was visible from orbit, and it seems weird to hinge such a crucial surprise on a premise that has already been done several years ago.

I was similarly disappointed in Arkham city where the mastermind behind the story turned out to be Rash Al Ghul. Not only was he revealed way too early, but his plot was basically just a slight reworking of Batman Begins. Disappointing.

That said, there were some genuinely good twists, I just wish the game(s) as a whole was more original.

[Zevox]

Well, I just finished the main plot.
Yep, called it: Jason Todd. I was pretty sure even early on, 99% sure when Batman and Scarecrow had a couple of lines implying Batman had lost an ally before, completely sure when they went out of their way to tell Jason's backstory. And yeah, if someone like me, who only knows Jason Todd from Linkara's videos and talking with a friend who actually reads comics, can spot this so easily, I can only imagine how easy it was for anyone who reads the comics.

Gotta say, the ending... eh. Well, the main ending I'll just say feels kinda anti-climactic. No fight with Scarecrow, and I don't even know how the whole Joker sequence at the end was supposed to work. But it does kinda feel like maybe that was deliberate, and they're trying to encourage you to see the "Knightfall Protocol" thing from finishing all the side-quests. Which I think I'll probably just Youtube later. I've done everything but solve all Riddler's riddles and go back to apprehend him, but I really don't want to do that.

(Also, I'm totally not sure why Jason came and helped Batman in the end there. Didn't exactly get the impression that Batman had gotten through to him in their confrontation or anything, and he doesn't get so much as a line of dialogue in the end there.)

The thing that leaves me pretty conflicted, though, is Barbara. Like I said, that was a damn powerful scene, even coming to as someone who isn't very invested in these characters personally - so her turning out to be alive and the whole thing to have been a fear-gas hallucination kinda undermines what should be the most praiseworthy part of the story for me. On the flip side, I can't say it doesn't make sense. Batman had just gotten a face full of Scarecrow's fear gas back on the blimp, and it being a hallucination does explain how Joker was able to push that gun across the table at Barbara before she picked it up (I had previously written that off as artistic license). But it still leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. Like they wanted to do something like that, but didn't have the balls to go through with it, just to trick you into thinking it had happened for a while.
Edit: Okay, I checked the 100% bonus ending on Youtube.
Well, for starters, it's clearly not a bonus ending, just the actual ending locked behind a 100% completion requirement, which is irritating. For two, what the heck was that? I don't believe for a second that Bruce actually killed himself (and Alfred, since conventionally he'd have no way to escape there if Bruce didn't, and Bruce wouldn't do that to him even if he was going to commit suicide), just dramatically made people think he was dead. But what was with Gordon's pretentious rambling, and the weird thing at the very end? Mostly the weird thing at the very end. I've got nothing.
Anyway though, the gameplay is pretty great. Combat is a blast when you get fights that are actually challenging, involving large groups with varied enemies, and the predator sequences are still fun, even if Fear Multi-Takedown is OP. I will never be a fan of the Batmobile's Pursuit mode though, and Battle Mode fights are too easy - only the very hardest ever actually beat me, and never more than once, and I didn't even buy more than half of the upgrades for it.

All in all, another strong game for the series - though this is coming from someone who plays it for the gameplay first and foremost. Tomorrow I'll probably fire up those pre-order bonus scenarios I have and see how they are.


It was really good, but like all the Arkham games seems unoriginal. Its like they just took a bunch of existing Batman stories, stuck them together, and told them in slightly different ways. This was basically Under the Red Hood combined with the unfilmed script for Batman 5, with a bunch of scenes and plot elements taken straight out of existing Batman stories. I am only a casual Batman fan, I imagine it would really grate on a hardcore Batman fanatic. The big "twist" of the Arkham Knight's identity was visible from orbit, and it seems weird to hinge such a crucial surprise on a premise that has already been done several years ago.

I was similarly disappointed in Arkham city where the mastermind behind the story turned out to be Rash Al Ghul. Not only was he revealed way too early, but his plot was basically just a slight reworking of Batman Begins. Disappointing.

That said, there were some genuinely good twists, I just wish the game(s) as a whole was more original.
Personally, I've seen none of the things you say it's drawing from, so that all didn't bother me. Though as I said, even I saw the Arkham Knight's identity coming almost immediately after meeting him, so yeah, that was definitely too easy to figure out for how important they made it out to be.