Batman: Arkham Origins: Current Gen Still Has It Going On, It Seems…

Hmmm… I guess it HAD to happen, but with original developer Rocksteady Games not at the helm, will WB Games Montreal just be retreading the play mechanics from Arkham City in a different version of Gotham City packed full of familiar locations and possibly during different times of the day this installment? We shall see, of course and yeah, I’m too much of an optimist to think this talented dev team (which handled the superb Wii U enhanced “port” of Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition, by the way) is going to muck things up. THAT said, let’s hope they make this a game for the ages and fix a few of the issues even the mighty Rocksteady didn’t quite nail. One positive sign is the game is being made for every current-gen HD platform available, which means we’ll not only see a PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 version, but a new Wii U game as well.

The Vita and 3DS will finally get an Arkham game with Batman Arkham Origins: Blackgate, a “2.5D” action game from Armature Studios. Hopefully, both will be as close visually to the console games as possible and not too watered down or cartoony, as that’s almost always a disappointment in terms of continuity (well, at least in my book). Oh, for those wondering WHY Origins hasn’t been announced for the PS4 and next Xbox just yet, I’m guessing here, but I allow myself to do that once in a while for fun. Perhaps the guys and gals at Rocksteady ARE doing something on those consoles you don’t need to know about just yet, hmmmmm?

I say wait and see… but don’t be too surprised if it’s a new Arkham game or this one but done entirely in house and packed with visual punch to knock a room full of drooling fanboys to the nearest space station. *POW!* Watch this space…

Review: Batman Arkham City: Armored Edition

Arkham City WiiPlatform: Nintendo Wii U 

Developer: WB Games Montreal

Publisher: WB Games 

# of Players: 1 

ESRB Rating: T (Teen) 

Official Site 

Score: A (95%) 

Nintendo-only console owners have most likely been hearing about how stellar Batman: Arkham City was on the PS3 and Xbox 360 for long enough that I’ve heard of some of the more hardcore fans of the Dark Knight plunking down the money for a competing
console and a copy of the game. For the rest of you who waited it out, you’re getting the definitive version of Arkham City that not only features every bit of DLC (on the retail disc (not as some download you need to buy or add before you play), but great new GamePad exclusive functions and some nice new costumes that make the experience even better than before. I’m console agnostic myself, so as soon as I heard this was coming out, it made it to the top of the list of “ports” that had to be played. While perfection comes thanks to the wealth of content old and new, some minor technical issues break the illusion from time to time. Nevertheless, WB Games Montreal has done some amazing work in bringing Rocksteady Studios’ smash onto a new console in such fine order.
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