Topic: Batman Arkham Asylum

[GoldenPhoenix]

Just finished the single player and yeah--it's a great surprise because it's not only a good game but it's a great Batman game.   The PS3 does have exclusive download content to if you have both you might as well buy that one. 

As for the game itself--the combat level felt a little like smashing "X" all the time.  You really don't have to try to beat the baddies unless you're unlocking the metals in challenge modes.  That was my only gripe about the game otherwise I simply loved it.   The comments made by the Joker had me rolling with laughter. 

I can't believe this but I'm actually buying an Eidos game after swearing a blood oath not to.  Oh well

Isn't Eidos owned by Square-Enix now?

[broodwars]

The thing that probably surprises me most about the game (aside from completely nailing the Batman experience) is that they took a stealth system and actually made it fun.  It is a riot to just zoom around a room, picking enemies off one-by-one and just messing with them.  You don't need to waste time hiding bodies because the whole point of the system is to scare the bezeesus out of your foes.  I've never played any other game that's managed that.

And by the way, Rocksteady had better be working on Arkham Asylum 2 (or whatever you want to call it).  That 5-second ending is such a teaser for another Batman game, maybe Open World this time?

[GoldenPhoenix]

One thing that impressed me was how smooth the fighting and reversal system is. It flows just like Batman does when he is fighting.

[Ymeegod]

Well it did everything on foot but there wasn't any vehicle missions and there wasn't alot of enemy types.  Those are two thing I'll like to see in the sequel--that and Catwoman .

[bustin98]

I have played through the demo on both the PS3 and the 360. The 360 one has Batman with a blue tinted cape and cowl, while the PS3 version seems to go a tad darker, with definately black in the cut scenes. Does the retail version correct this color issue?

[D_Average]

Played through the demo last night.  I expected a turd sandwich, but to my surprise I tasted lobster egg rolls.  I was floored.  What really stood out to me was how silky smooth Batmans cape looked, especially while fighting.

[broodwars]

Has anyone else tried out the Challenge Mode stages yet?  I've been putting in some time on them off and on between Metroid Prime sessions, and I've managed to clear out all but 2 of the Invisible Predator stealth missions (which are really fun, but quite hard with some of the insane things  you have to do to get the medals).  The combat challenges, though, are impossible.  You have to be just about perfect nearly every round with every single challenge (and with several of them you have a time limit as well).  This entails pulling off a Freeflow Perfection every round, and I've only managed a Freeflow Perfection once for the PS3 trophy...and that took 3 hours of repeated tries and restarts.  Oh joy.  I'm really not sure how the game wants me to crash through a window into an enemy via the Bat-line as well for one of the Invisible Predator challenges.  I'll aim my line at a window and it just won't let me fire it.

[redgiemental]

Just completed the story mode this morning. (bank Holiday Yeah!!!).

Not just a great game but a great Batman game. Truly captured the spirit of being Batman in my opinion. From the hand to hand fighting that just flows the way batman does to the sneaking around in the dark and picking enemies off one by one. I don't know that you could make a more authentic batman. They even got some of main voice actors from the anitmated series back along with Paul Dini to write it. I'm quite happy they left it open for a sequel, more please!!

The predator sections were by far the most fun for me. I think someone mentioned the Eternal Darkness influence which was quite evident in certain parts of the game, but equal mention should go to Manhunt. The predator sections were quite reminiscent of Manhunt but much much better, more polished, more possibilities and just more fun.

I enjoyed the Riddler challenges too,  though I'm not sure I'll go back and try to solve them all.

Are you talking about the Silent Knight (extreme) challenge map broodwars? Because I had no trouble at all with that medal. Were you directly adjacent? or at a funny angle?


Edit: typo made gave a sentence a very different meaning than intended.

[broodwars]

Just completed the story mode this morning. (bank Holiday Yeah!!!).

Not a great game but a great Batman game. Truly captured the spirit of being Batman in my opinion. From the hand to hand fighting that just flows the way batman does to the sneaking around in the dark and picking enemies off one by one. I don't know that you could make a more authentic batman. They even got some of main voice actors from the anitmated series back along with Paul Dini to write it. I'm quite happy they left it open for a sequel, more please!!

The predator sections were by far the most fun for me. I think someone mentioned the Eternal Darkness influence which was quite evident in certain parts of the game, but equal mention should go to Manhunt. The predator sections were quite reminiscent of Manhunt but much much better, more polished, more possibilities and just more fun.

I enjoyed the Riddler challenges too,  though I'm not sure I'll go back and try to solve them all.

Are you talking about the Silent Knight (extreme) challenge map broodwars? Because I had no trouble at all with that medal. Were you directly adjacent? or at a funny angle?

Yeah, I was talking about Silent Knight Extreme, though I've beaten all the Invisible Predator Challenge Maps now.  For some reason I just kept getting throw down when I reached the window instead of crashing through it.  Something about the angle, I suppose.  Anyway, I spent quite a few hours practicing and finally managed to get two of the hardest trophies in the game: Freeflow Perfection (perform a combo that uses every Batman combat move) and Freeflow Combo 40 (perform a 40-hit combo).  Damn that was annoying to get.  The only challenges I have left to do are all combat, and I hate them.  You have to pull of the difficult Freeflow Perfection just about every round to get all 3 medals, something I'm not sure I can do (especially on the maps where you're timed like Shock & Awe).  I am currently playing through the game again on Hard Mode, which is way harder than Normal.  I'm in the midst of the Poison Ivy fight right now, and I'm not sure how much further I'm going to get since I had a lot of trouble with the pre-Joker mob fight on Normal.

And...Hard Mode's completed!    Damn that was hard, but surprisingly I had more trouble with the Joker fight than the mob that preceeded him this time.  I guess all that practice had me prepared for dealing with multiple Titans and a much smaller mob than in an earlier Titan fight.  That only leaves 2 Trophies I'm chasing after: the Freeflow Silver and Freeflow Gold.  Perfect Knight and the Platinum Trophy will unlock when I get those two.  I'm putting the game up for a bit, though, and moving on to playing something less stressful because I hate those Freeflow Combat Challenges.

[Caliban]

I just finished the game on Normal. Collected everything, but haven't touched the challenges yet.
It's a great Batman game.
Oh, and could it be that we're going to get another Batman game? At least that's what the last video bit indicated at, but I'm sure it will be dependent on its sales numbers.

[GoldenPhoenix]

I just finished the game on Normal. Collected everything, but haven't touched the challenges yet.
It's a great Batman game.
Oh, and could it be that we're going to get another Batman game? At least that's what the last video bit indicated at, but I'm sure it will be dependent on its sales numbers.

I think the chances are high, even if you aren't a big fan of VGchatz, it is tracking close to a million sold already between the 360 and PS3 versions. So I think it is safe to say when NPD comes out it will have done quite well which is great!

[ShyGuy]

Batman in Gotham city? That sounds awesome.

[Dirk Temporo]

Freeroaming Batman game... Nnngggghhh

[broodwars]

A freeroaming Batman game is too awesome for human beings to pull off without screwing up somehow (in my opinion, they still haven't figured it out yet with Spidey), so I'm fine with a tight scripted game with the ability to explore a small area thoroughly.

[GoldenPhoenix]

A freeroaming Batman game is too awesome for human beings to pull off without screwing up somehow (in my opinion, they still haven't figured it out yet with Spidey), so I'm fine with a tight scripted game with the ability to explore a small area thoroughly.

Spider-man pulls it off but the games just need time for polish like Batman AS had. I think it could be done well if given the development time.

[ShyGuy]

Batman 2 would have to be a next next gen title. That should give it a few years.

[NWR_pap64]

I played the 360 demo yesterday and while it was short I felt compelled by it. There's something oddly satisfying about sneaking up on thugs and taking them out. Gliding across the ceiling never gets old.

[broodwars]

I've moved 3 medals towards my goal of getting all the Combat Challenge Room medals, having gotten 1 more medal in Intensive Treatment Extreme (that's all 3 now), 1 more in Sewer Bat (ditto), and 1 more in Shock & Awe (still 1 more to go there). It seems the trick is to get the most points possible in the first 2 rounds by just going all-out using as many of Batman's 9 combat moves as possible to build up the Variation point multiplier. After the second round, all bets are off so if you're in a good position by then you stand a good chance of getting to that third medal threshold...or at least to the second. It requires a lot of practice and just plain luck, though.  I do not understand some of the scores I see on the leaderboard, which far eclipse what you need to get the final medal on each challenge.

I figure if I try to get a few medals knocked out every day or so I'll get them all done eventually without driving me to kill myself from all the repetition.  Shock & Awe Extreme seems to be the one everyone hates most.

Oh, and if anyone didn't know we're getting new DLC next week on the 14th.  Probably just more Challenge Rooms.  Considering none of these DLC Challenge Rooms contribute to either your Medal Count for the Freeflow Trophies or Game Completion, I fail to understand the point of them outside just goofing off (and if I'm going to do that, I'll just replay the game again).

[Caliban]

Batman in Gotham city? That sounds awesome.

Freeroaming Batman game... Nnngggghhh

I've been thinking about this all day. You could glide from one end to the opposite end of Gotham city, or you could scare the **** out of people by doing an invert takedown on unsuspecting criminals and leave them there hanging as a message to other criminals. My, my... the potential. Can Rocksteady do it? Will they think of doing it? I hope so, and that they succeed again.

I think the chances are high, even if you aren't a big fan of VGchatz, it is tracking close to a million sold already between the 360 and PS3 versions. So I think it is safe to say when NPD comes out it will have done quite well which is great!

I don't usually follow sales numbers outside of the NWR forums, but I'm glad that it apparently is doing good.

[broodwars]

Platinum GET!  Finally, after hours of practice at all three Extreme Combat Challenges I finally did it: I finally got all 3 medals in everything for 100% and a nice shiny digital representation of my badass-edness.  ^_^  Now I can finally retire this game or perhaps play the Joker stealth challenges for fun.  I'm never touching those combat challenges ever again.

[Rize]

I'm extremely glad they made a real game instead of an open world game.  I'm so sick of open world games.  They can be fun (as Red Faction demonstrated), but get old so quickly and easily compared to a real game with real levels.

[Caliban]

But just imagine a Batman game with an open world with plenty of buildings to go in to and play around with the goons, not only that because then you have enough space to fly around with the Batjet and drive the Batmobile. What I'm basically saying is there's nothing stopping a Batman game from having the good from both types of gameplay.

[Dirk Temporo]

They should make a freeroaming Batman Beyond game.

[redgiemental]

I'm with Rize, there are so many open world games these days.

Does every game have to be made into open world for you guys? Sometimes I like some structure, I've rarely found open-world games satisfying.

[ShyGuy]

Batman in Gotham city could be level based. Gotham is on an island or three.

Finished the game with my cousin. Hated the Croc level. HATED IT.