Batman: Arkham Origins
Producer: Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment
Release Date: October 25, 2013
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii U
Rating: Teen
Genre: Action-adventure
He Returns…Again
Written by Josh Schilling
With over three movies and a dozen games in the past decade, Batman is oversaturating our entertainment world. Mix in a publisher that so eagerly wants to cash in on the craze that they go to a different developer to make yet another origin game in a year that has had quite a few origin games already. This is a recipe that had disaster as the main ingrediant. At least the developer, WB Montreal, got to try and build upon the momentum of the Batman Arkham series that consists of two of arguably the best superhero video games of all time. Big shoes to fill for sure.
Arkham Origins puts you in the early years of Batman’s career, a few years before the events of Arkham Asylum. The villainous Black Mask has put a heavy bounty on the Dark Knight’s head and a group of super-assassins are eager to cash in. Along with that threat, you have the streets of Gotham City filled with thugs and dirty cops, and a bunch of other big time baddies doing what they do best. You have a long night ahead as you strap on your cape and enter the cold, Christmas Eve night, and there is heavy drama and a few surprises ready for you to uncover. As for this incarnation of Gotham City, the place is a bit of a dump! They have frickin’ Batman as its “protector” and yet it seems that this city is the worst example of humanity ever portrayed. Sure there was a prison breakout at the beginning of this game, but those criminals sure got armed and comfortable in a hurry.
The best part of these Arkham games is the combat and you will get a boat load of chances to hone your skills. It’s a game within the game as you try to max your combo and vary your attacks while trying not to get nicked. Along with the 1 vs. 20 punch-fests, you get the chance to revisit the stealth approach as well. Using vents, shadows and rafters in order to whittle down the opposition is challenging in its own right and a lot of fun as well. None of the combat is straightforward or scripted, as you can really develop your own style to each and every encounter.
With the solid game mechanics in place, the most challenging task laid out for Arkham Origins is the story. What I liked about it was that things remained familiar while still being somewhat fresh. There were a couple small plot points that crop up when you have the future foresight of an origin story, and there were a few truly uninteresting bad guys, but overall I was eager to discover the outcome. And hardcore comic fans MUST brave the yawningly long credits to get the Marvel-esque end-credits teaser. It aims this story-vessel in an interesting direction to be sure.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That seems to be the mantra that went in to Batman: Arkham Origins. There aren’t too many steps forward, but there aren’t too many steps back either. What you end up with is a lot of the same from the previous Arkham games, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all. The challenging fighting mechanics, the unique predator modes, and the gripping story with a plethora of villains are all present and accounted for. So while this game isn’t rich in originality “…hell, you spend a great deal of your time gliding around the same buildings from the previous Batman game…” Arkham Origins delivers a gritty, entertaining game that falls neatly in line with the overall series.