Review: BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS (2013)

Your enemies will define you.

Batman: Arkham Origins is a 2013 action-adventure video game based on the DC Comics superhero, Batman. It is third in line in the Batman: Arkham game series although it is a prequel to the previous two games. Warner Bros. Games Montréal takes over Rocksteady Studios as the developer studio this time as player assumes the role of Batman with entire Gotham City as his playground.

Is It Worth?

Although not as good as its predecessors, Batman: Arkham Origins is still a pretty good game.

A little about the Gameplay

The game’s main storyline is set five years before that of Arkham Asylum and follows a younger Bruce Wayne who is only two years into his new night job. With the police already trying to bring down the masked vigilante, the crime lord Black Mask places a bounty on Batman, drawing eight of the world’s greatest assassins to Gotham City on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, villains like the Joker and Anarky take advantage of the chaos to launch their own schemes.

Black Mask places a bounty on Batman

The game offers a much more open world structure than the previous, with entire Gotham City open to the player from the very beginning of the game.

The player controls Batman and has complete access to his gadgets, some old with added features and others completely new.

The batarang (basically a boomerang) that may be used to stun enemies. A sonic batarang may be used to knock out enemies unconscious. A remote controlled batarang is also provided which may be steered even after the throw.

The explosive gel, which may be used on weak walls and floors, and can be remotely detonated — sending rubble crashing onto an enemy.

The Batclaw — a grappling device — can be used to interact with remote objects such as vent covers or to grab enemies.

The Concussion Detonator, which is a distant throwing weapon capable of stunning, blinding and confusing enemies upon impact.

The Cryptographic Sequencer is used to override security panels or open new paths.

Glue Grenades allow you to bind and stick enemies momentarily, and buy you some time to execute some offense.

The Remote Claw is capable of grappling two objects and intertwining them with a single zip-line.

Smoke pellets may be used to disorient opponents and assist with stealth tactics.

“Detective Mode” returns bigger and better this time, allowing you to completely reconstruct a scene of crime based on the evidence you recover.

Just like the previous games, a lot of side missions have been provided for the player to engage into if the plot gets a bit heavy.

After completing the story mode on normal or hard difficulties, a “New Game Plus” mode is unlocked, enabling the player to replay the game with all of the gadgets, experience, and abilities that they have attained; enemies are tougher and the on-screen icon that warns players of imminent attacks is disabled.

Multiplayer also makes its first appearance in a Batman: Arkham title. Players assume the role of members of opposing gangs who must war with each other while avoiding the two other players randomly chosen to act as Batman and Robin.

The Good

1: The entire Gotham City is your playground from the very beginning. And it’s huge! In fact it is so big, they have included a fast travel mode this time, though you’ll need to beat some Riddler traps to unlock fast travel option in that sector.

2: They have tried to improve the combat this time by including thugs and bosses who will counter your punches AND your counters!

3: New gadgets like the shock gloves and the glue grenades are just so much fun. While the glue grenades are similar to those ice grenades in the previous games, shock gloves are a completely new addition. In a game where Batman punches a lot, these were a good idea.

4: Boss fights have been finally improved significantly. No more bosses-running-towards-you-that-you-need-to-counter hook. The Deathstroke boss fight is specially challenging, even though I feel it was bit oddly placed in the story.

The Deathstroke fight is probably the best boss fight of the series

5: Probably my only complaint with the previous games was that they did not allow you to edit keyboard bindings (I don’t use the mouse to fire). They let you do that now, but you are so used to the default setting that you do not bother.

6: I’m not a fan of the story as everyone else on the internet seems to be, but it did have some interesting moments.

7: Given who he had to replace, Troy Baker does a pretty good job as the voice of Joker. And the developers probably realized that, which is why he is given a fantastic monologue at the end of act two of the game (and a song in the credits. Easter egg!)

Obviously he is no Mark Hamill, but Troy Baker does a pretty good job as the voice of Joker

8: The player is again presented with a lot of side missions, challenges etc. that’ll keep you busy for hours even after you complete the main storyline.

The Bad

1: The huge open world is actually quite a disappointment. If Gotham City five years ago looks exactly as Arkham City, I don’t know how that reflects on Batman. I mean you certainly can’t make it look like a great place to live in, but it just feels a bit monotonous.

You will come to hate this bridge

2: This is my biggest complaint with the game: I thought the developers would polish the combat but they have just made it worse. Batman would jump all over the place but not where I would want him to, he would punch air but not the thug I intended to. This lead to loss of combos, Batman getting punched in the back of his head and me screaming at my monitor.

3: The “one night, eight assassins” bit resists the open world-ness that the game tries to sell. You would want to complete the story first than complete a side quest.

4: This point is going to be me channeling my inner geek so if you can’t take a geek rant, jump to the next point.

Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City were made by people who loved the source material – the comics. Batman: Arkham Origins is made by people who watched the Christopher Nolan movies too much. Don’t agree with me? Take a look at Batman’s costume.
Now let’s discuss the characterization, something Rocksteady was lauded for. The writers are completely off here. The only good piece of writing comes during the Joker monologue I mentioned but that is based on The Killing Joke (one of the most famous Batman stories).
Batman, himself, comes off as a complete douche. Again, I agree this is Batman just starting out and he is angry but why, oh why, will he say something like this:

Killer Croc: “…the winner will be famous and rich.”
Batman: “At least we know he won’t be ugly.”

I guess that speaks for just how terrible the dialogues are in this game. They were never perfect in Arkham Asylum or Arkham City, but they were atleast never this bad.

5: I understand it was Christmas Eve and they were constantly announcing “the city is in curfew” and “citizens are requested to stay indoors”, but I was still disappointed to find a completely empty city. I thought Gotham City would be bursting with activity and people losing their s#!t as I glide over them (a fan’s gotta dream!).

6: Mild spoiler for this point. They promoted Deathstroke as one of the main bosses in the game but he’s used so early in the game it’s embarrassing to the character. They promoted Black Mask as the main antagonist, but he’s not. The story quickly loses its “one night, eight assassins” bit and becomes Batman vs. Joker one more time. And do we really want that again? Especially after the brilliant send-off Rocksteady gave to the Joker?

Black Mask ultimately becomes an underused villian

7: The previous two games had the right mix of stealth and combat. But it’s just too much punching this time. Way too much.

8: I thought the new Detective mode was going to be the coolest feature of this game but it’s fun exactly once, which is the first time you use it. Batman’s monologue will tell you all exactly where you need to look every time thereafter so you don’t need to do a thing. But where’s the fun in that?

Batman investigating a helicopter crash

9: The multiplayer is fun only the first few times you play. After that, it’s just chaotic and uninteresting. I would rather have a polished single player campaign than a multiplayer any day.

Conclusion

Batman: Arkham Origins is a good game but it’s just not as good as its predecessors. There are some improvements here and there but they are overshadowed by the game’s flaws. But hey, it’s still the third best Batman game out there!