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"[GAME] Batman Arkham Origins Blackgate (Vita/3DS)"

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Fri 06/12/13 at 11:09
Regular
"And in last place.."
Posts: 2,054
Batman on the original Gameboy was and still is an incredibly good game. Whilst there haven't been too many handheld Batman experiences, nothing has topped this classic. But wait, hot on the heels of the impressive Arkham series on PC, 360 and PS3, we have a new portable Batman game. And on the most powerful handheld console there is. Can Batman reclaim his handheld glory days?

The pot of Blakgate is fairly typical of the recent Batman games. There has been an explosion at Blackgate prison and now the inmates are on the loose. Well, loose but still in the prison. It is up to Batman to sort out the mess. The prison is divided into 3 territories, each under the control of a familiar Batman villain; Penguin, Joker and Black Mask. Other familiar faces make a guest appearance along the way too.

The game starts off a couple of weeks prior to the explosion. Batman is out on patrol and spots Catwoman up to no good. The pursuit acts as the tutorial and you get to practice all of Batman's core moves. It is all familiar ground to those that have played any of the other games in the Arkham series.

The obvious difference with Blackgate is the 2D environment rather than the 3D worlds of the other games. What we have here is a Metroidvania' style of game. Movement is primarily left to right, or vice versa, but there are various points where Batman can traverse into the background, effectively adding an extra half dimension for those keeping count.

Visually the game is quite impressive. It isn't on par with the other Arkham gams but it is a fairly close resemblance. With being set in a prison with very minimal outdoor sections, the environment is relatively samey. If you have played all of the other Arkham gams then you may start to feel the need for a change of scenery. But in keeping consistent with the other games, this all fits in perfectly well.

The move to 2D could have impacted greatly on the combat but it hasn't suffered much at all. The ease at which you could pull off combos in the other gams was always impressive. The combat in Blackgate isn't quite the same spectacle but it hols up well. Control is the sae, a button to attack, a button to counter an incoming attack, cape stuns and leaping over enemies. It is all quite fluid and works well but I have not found it as easy to pull off the same kind of combos as before. Enemy numbers are reduced and with the 2D landscape, Batman is always less surrounded. Enemies do come on 2 planes. There isn't much between foreground and background but it does add a little extra depth. It can be too easy to find yourself attacking an electric stick wielding enemy rather than the non-armed enemy you were aiming for however.

Gameplay is identical to the other Arkham games. Batman will have his objective and usually the destination is marked n the map. As always, he starts off ill prepared and there will be many areas you cannot access initially until you find the relevant Bat gadget or upgrade your access. Thankfully there are Wayntech boxes with Bat gadgets already in the prison. How convenient. The batarang, line launcher, grappling hook and explosive gel all make a return. As you power up, you will find yourself backtracking through areas already visited so that you can open up a new section. Crawling through air vent, jumping into grates in the floor, gliding down from heights are all present and correct.

Facing armed enemies head on is not advised and stealth plays a predominant role. Silent takedowns are always easier than dealing with multiple enemies at once, especially if they are armed. As always, the enemies are fairly unobservant and hard of hearing. Sitting on perches to survey the room and stay out of vision is a common tactic in all of the Arkham games and whilst glide kicks are in this game, being able to leave an enemy knocked out and dangling from a perch is sadly a rare occurrence. Boss battles, as in the other games, are a mixed bag and seldom very memorable.

Detective Mode plays its part in identifying clues as to what happened prior to the explosion as well as scanning items for information and discovering hidden access points. The clues aspect seems a little undervalues when compared to the other games.

The 3 main villains have also left some items for you to find and destroy; joker teeth, penguin bird bombs and masks from Black Mask. There is plenty to keep you amused for a few hours.

As a portable spin off, some may be disappointed to lose the 3D environments but Blackgate is a worthy addition to the Arkham series. All the familiar features of the other games are there, work well and there is a good cast of familiar characters, even if some of the do seem to be squeezed in for the sake of it. Voice acting is good, comic style cut scenes less so but there is plenty to enjoy for the Batman fan and those that just like an adventure. You can approach the locations in whatever order you choose which adds a nice sense of freedom.

So all sounding good. And it is except for one little problem which is actually quite an obstacle and at times, spoils the game. May I present the map. It is simply not up to the job at hand. It is too basic for the environment and becomes quite a hurdle towards progression.

The first issue with the map is that it an be quite disorientating. Nip through an air vent, go round the corner, along, round another corner and out the other side and on screen, Batman is acing left but the map shows him as facing right.

The main issue with the map however is that it is a top down image. The map only ever shows one floor but many of the rooms have multiple floors and it is impossible to see these different floors on the map. This makes planning your route next to impossible as you end up in a completely different part of the map than you were expecting. It becomes quite frustrating.

Another niggle is the scanning. There seems to be a lot more of it needed this time and it slows down the action and becomes a little tedious. But you could live with it if it wasn't for the map issues.

A better map and you have a darned good Batman experience but at the moment, you might need a lot of patience with this. It's a shame as the rest of the game is very commendable.

6
There have been no replies to this thread yet.
Fri 06/12/13 at 11:09
Regular
"And in last place.."
Posts: 2,054
Batman on the original Gameboy was and still is an incredibly good game. Whilst there haven't been too many handheld Batman experiences, nothing has topped this classic. But wait, hot on the heels of the impressive Arkham series on PC, 360 and PS3, we have a new portable Batman game. And on the most powerful handheld console there is. Can Batman reclaim his handheld glory days?

The pot of Blakgate is fairly typical of the recent Batman games. There has been an explosion at Blackgate prison and now the inmates are on the loose. Well, loose but still in the prison. It is up to Batman to sort out the mess. The prison is divided into 3 territories, each under the control of a familiar Batman villain; Penguin, Joker and Black Mask. Other familiar faces make a guest appearance along the way too.

The game starts off a couple of weeks prior to the explosion. Batman is out on patrol and spots Catwoman up to no good. The pursuit acts as the tutorial and you get to practice all of Batman's core moves. It is all familiar ground to those that have played any of the other games in the Arkham series.

The obvious difference with Blackgate is the 2D environment rather than the 3D worlds of the other games. What we have here is a Metroidvania' style of game. Movement is primarily left to right, or vice versa, but there are various points where Batman can traverse into the background, effectively adding an extra half dimension for those keeping count.

Visually the game is quite impressive. It isn't on par with the other Arkham gams but it is a fairly close resemblance. With being set in a prison with very minimal outdoor sections, the environment is relatively samey. If you have played all of the other Arkham gams then you may start to feel the need for a change of scenery. But in keeping consistent with the other games, this all fits in perfectly well.

The move to 2D could have impacted greatly on the combat but it hasn't suffered much at all. The ease at which you could pull off combos in the other gams was always impressive. The combat in Blackgate isn't quite the same spectacle but it hols up well. Control is the sae, a button to attack, a button to counter an incoming attack, cape stuns and leaping over enemies. It is all quite fluid and works well but I have not found it as easy to pull off the same kind of combos as before. Enemy numbers are reduced and with the 2D landscape, Batman is always less surrounded. Enemies do come on 2 planes. There isn't much between foreground and background but it does add a little extra depth. It can be too easy to find yourself attacking an electric stick wielding enemy rather than the non-armed enemy you were aiming for however.

Gameplay is identical to the other Arkham games. Batman will have his objective and usually the destination is marked n the map. As always, he starts off ill prepared and there will be many areas you cannot access initially until you find the relevant Bat gadget or upgrade your access. Thankfully there are Wayntech boxes with Bat gadgets already in the prison. How convenient. The batarang, line launcher, grappling hook and explosive gel all make a return. As you power up, you will find yourself backtracking through areas already visited so that you can open up a new section. Crawling through air vent, jumping into grates in the floor, gliding down from heights are all present and correct.

Facing armed enemies head on is not advised and stealth plays a predominant role. Silent takedowns are always easier than dealing with multiple enemies at once, especially if they are armed. As always, the enemies are fairly unobservant and hard of hearing. Sitting on perches to survey the room and stay out of vision is a common tactic in all of the Arkham games and whilst glide kicks are in this game, being able to leave an enemy knocked out and dangling from a perch is sadly a rare occurrence. Boss battles, as in the other games, are a mixed bag and seldom very memorable.

Detective Mode plays its part in identifying clues as to what happened prior to the explosion as well as scanning items for information and discovering hidden access points. The clues aspect seems a little undervalues when compared to the other games.

The 3 main villains have also left some items for you to find and destroy; joker teeth, penguin bird bombs and masks from Black Mask. There is plenty to keep you amused for a few hours.

As a portable spin off, some may be disappointed to lose the 3D environments but Blackgate is a worthy addition to the Arkham series. All the familiar features of the other games are there, work well and there is a good cast of familiar characters, even if some of the do seem to be squeezed in for the sake of it. Voice acting is good, comic style cut scenes less so but there is plenty to enjoy for the Batman fan and those that just like an adventure. You can approach the locations in whatever order you choose which adds a nice sense of freedom.

So all sounding good. And it is except for one little problem which is actually quite an obstacle and at times, spoils the game. May I present the map. It is simply not up to the job at hand. It is too basic for the environment and becomes quite a hurdle towards progression.

The first issue with the map is that it an be quite disorientating. Nip through an air vent, go round the corner, along, round another corner and out the other side and on screen, Batman is acing left but the map shows him as facing right.

The main issue with the map however is that it is a top down image. The map only ever shows one floor but many of the rooms have multiple floors and it is impossible to see these different floors on the map. This makes planning your route next to impossible as you end up in a completely different part of the map than you were expecting. It becomes quite frustrating.

Another niggle is the scanning. There seems to be a lot more of it needed this time and it slows down the action and becomes a little tedious. But you could live with it if it wasn't for the map issues.

A better map and you have a darned good Batman experience but at the moment, you might need a lot of patience with this. It's a shame as the rest of the game is very commendable.

6

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