| Platform | OVERALL |
|---|---|
| PlayStation 3 | 8.30 |
| Overall | 8.30 |
|
There is always a point in a franchises life where you feel the formula is in need of a change. This is usually very apparent with trilogies, the first game is a great new idea, the second one is the masterpiece and the third one feels more of the same. Well this Batman fits right into that category of the third game; it was made even more apparent when Rocksteady gave the game to another developer. This game had no chance of being as good as Arkham City but the formula is strong enough that even a lesser Batman game still makes for a great game. The Arkham core gameplay remains mostly unchanged. It still has all the same quality stealth mechanics and the great beat em’ up battle system that makes these games a joy to play. The new additions add a few more toys for Batman to use like the new grapple gun that can tie enemies to objects and the shock gloves that makes combat much easier. There is nothing that drastically enhances the gameplay, basically Origins takes an “if it isn't broke don't fix it” approach. There is a difference in the combat when it comes to the timing of the counters which threw me off for a few hours. I adjusted but I felt it did not allow for counters to break off an animation like in City, slight annoyance that will probably only be noticeable to those who mastered the combat in the last two games. Origins follows the open city template set by Arkham City, the way Batman navigates the world and the game flow remains mostly the same. Origins reuses the same location from Arkham City and adds a new section that is connected by a large bridge, essentially making the game world twice as large. The larger city did not add anything; actually it made the world feel sparser. Riddler files still populate the world but because the game is so open they are spread out too thin meaning there is a lot more traveling than doing. The best part of Arkham City is how in nearly every inch of that world there was something to do, which is not the case here. I would say the biggest reasons why Origins is an inferior clone lay in the design of the game world and its puzzles. This city has lost most of its personality because in this time frame the city is still part of Gotham City meaning all buildings are grey. It also takes place in winter; more grey. There was so much personality to every location in Arkham City with easter eggs around every corner, here it feels like random boring streets. The interior "dungeon" locations are the worst in the series. There are no original puzzles as almost all of them are reused from AC. The riddler puzzles take a huge step back with many of them being simple one trick solutions. The strengths of Origins lies in the story and boss battles. It is exciting seeing Batman meet the Joker for the first time and seeing their relationship begin. The corrupt Gotham police play a major role which makes the Gordon Batman dynamic very interesting early on as they aren't just battling criminals. New voice actors take over the role for Batman and the Joker and both do excellent jobs replacing legends. There are a ton of assassin's trying to kill Batman which leads to many boss battles, not one is as interesting as the Mr. Freeze battle but they are decent and serve as highlights. Detective mode gets an enhancement to where you create a virtual recreation of the crime, this basically boils down to the player holding X at clearly marked spots, it adds nothing in terms of gameplay but makes for some cool moments. I find that Origins struggles graphically in a way that Arkham City did not. It flat out looks worse in my opinion. The game isn't nearly as stable either, I encountered a few strange glitches that made me restart a checkpoint, all signs of a new developer that doesn't give the game the same level of polish we grew accustomed too. There is a load of content which should put any full play through at over 20 hours. That is not counting the excellent challenge modes which return and are as fun to play as ever. There is a new online mode which I was not able to try out because when I searched for a game to join no one on the planet was playing, so much for that. I feel this review is a more negative than it should be but that is because all that is right with this game is that at its core it is still Arkham. The gameplay is still fantastic and let’s face it, it is awesome being Batman! I feel this game did more to make the formula worse than to make it better. Clearly the worst in the series but any one that wanted more Batman goodness should have no fear playing Origins as it is still a great gaming experience. |
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Posted by Dvader Tue, 07 Jan 2014 05:01:57
Tue, 07 Jan 2014 12:15:53
Jesus your review makes it sound horrible. They cloned the city map? Hell no.
Tue, 07 Jan 2014 14:20:31
About a 1/3 of the map is new, GG
Tue, 07 Jan 2014 14:47:07
I didn't like the existing map.
Tue, 07 Jan 2014 20:28:12
They made it worse too. At least the old map was colorful and had personality. This is like the Burton movie Gotham City, its all black and grey.
Tue, 07 Jan 2014 20:31:34
MEH
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