The Goddamn Batman: Arkham City thread

[Forest Dweller]

I ended up starved for MOAR after finishing AA, so if this is more of the same and better, I'll buy this sometime next month or so.

Yeah, same for me. I loved the shit out of AA. Looking forward to this one being more of the same since no other game has really scratched the same itch for me. The combination of sneaking, combat, puzzling, eyecandy, voice acting, unf. UNF.

Know a guy who didn't like the combat because he said it was too easy. I suppose that's technically true in the sense that you rarely lose a fight, but trying to get a big combat chain going was so damn fun I never really cared.

Finished the main story today, and there's one thing you must also take into account: AC is MOAR of AA, but MOAR and even better, with all the flaws ironed out (most notable being that bossfights are varied and awesome now, Mister Freeze and the final boss in particular being really fucking awesome). It's hands down the best superhero game ever made. You'll guess you've got way more to wait for when you start with a large portion of your tools from AA, like Batclaw and Explosive Spray. And of course, Batman has even more ways to bring the pain in melee combat, like breaking weapons (particularly useful against the mooks that bring guns to a fistfight) instead of instant KOs, or knife-dodging.

Another thing of particular note is that the side missions are awesome, especially the Riddler's (which is the largest one). In addition to the old Riddler trophy collecting and detail hunting, you go through actually good and extensive puzzle rooms several times.

So how much more content does the game have? 2 times? 1.5?

As for all this bullshit whining about pre-order stuff, the only goddamn thing you'd noticiably miss is the Catwoman stuff, possibly Robin. Are you really going to start boycotting one of the best games of the year because you might miss on some fucking skins and three challenge maps (and you'd most likely only miss the skins, which makes this even more inane)?

I don't care about skins, and I don't really care about challenge maps either. But with the Catwoman stuff it seems more significant. The impression I get is they're like the added Rachel missions in Ninja Gaiden Sigma (i.e. not exactly needed but still a significant addition to the game).

If you buy the game new, you receive a code that gives you access to Catwoman. (If you don't have the code, you can purchase one in the game's online store.) If you have this content loaded onto your console, the story will occasionally switch to Catwoman. The paths of the two characters occasionally intersect, and if you have the Catwoman content, her occasional interludes offer some illumination on how she gets into the situations in which you encounter her as Batman. Playing as Catwoman is enjoyable; she has just enough abilities that are unique to her to make her feel distinct from Batman, while controlling similarly enough to feel immediately familiar. She can cling to certain ceilings and use her claws to scale walls, and her caltrops and bolas can be used in combat to trip and immobilize enemies. You spend only a short time playing as her during the main story, but once that's complete, you can switch between Batman and Catwoman at any time, and she has her own objectives and challenges to complete, and her own set of Riddler trophies to collect.

Leading up to Batman: Arkham City, Rocksteady talked a lot about the Catwoman missions in the game -- that 10 percent of Arkham City was all about Selina Kyle...If I can give you some advice, download and install the Catwoman missions before starting the game. Her four story missions, inserted throughout Batman: Arkham City, are a fun (albeit simple) change of pace, and literally change the opening of the game. I downloaded her stuff after beating the game the first time, and the integrated Catwoman stuff during my New Game Plus playthrough was way more enjoyable than just tackling her missions off the main menu. This is downloadable content that expands the mythos of the game as you're playing it. It explains events that are happening off camera.

Outside of the four missions, the Catwoman DLC gives you challenge maps for the feline and the ability to get the special Catwoman Riddler Trophies in Arkham City.

Catwoman is also a playable character with her own heist-focused storyline at specific points in the game. Her combat is more acrobatics-oriented and features her claws, whip, and bolas.[13] She has her own version of Detective Mode called "Thief Vision" to locate items for stealing.

So she plays differently, has her own missions scattered throughout the game, and has her own challenges and Riddler trophies. And she takes up 10% of the game. Sounds exactly like the Rachel missions in Ninja Gaiden Sigma. Now, when I finally play the game I may end up deciding that her sections are retarded and don't add anything to the game, but I won't know that until I play. In any case you can't put that on the same level as extra skins and new challenge maps. Unless someone can tell me that what I quoted above is bullshit?

If someone who rents the game misses out on 10% of the content that's definitely grounds for saying they're not getting the full game. And surely we can all agree that that's wrong?

 

[Ulminati]

Well if that not-so-secret area is any indication, next Batman game will have the Scarecrow.

The previous game had the Scarecrow

 

[Oriebam]

How's the stealth?

I am getting it for pc once it comes out(hopefully they'll make good cracks quickly)but it's nice to know if there are more than 5 stealth areas in the whole game(unless you count the generic sniper outposts and etc as stealth areas) and if it's still about exploiting and fucking around with the AI or if it's more restrictive/harder

 

[anus_pounder]

Well if that not-so-secret area is any indication, next Batman game will have the Scarecrow.

The previous game had the Scarecrow

From what I remember, you never actually fought the real scarecrow though. At least, thats what I remember. Also, what about that ending of AA where one of 3 hands (Scarecrow, killer croc, bane) grabs that barrel of venom ? Or did I just imagine that ending.

 

[HanoverF]

Stealth is a bit harder but it's mostly like the first game. They do have some new tricks like night vision and backpacks that block detective vision.

The Catwoman stuff boils down to several brawls and some stealth sections and then fighting Two-Face.

 

[Forest Dweller]

Did you play on hard?

 

[Reptilian Shapeshifter]

Did you play on hard?

I did, and I remember it being quite easy once you got the combos down. The guys with guns caused a little difficulty in some spots.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

How's the stealth?

I am getting it for pc once it comes out(hopefully they'll make good cracks quickly)but it's nice to know if there are more than 5 stealth areas in the whole game(unless you count the generic sniper outposts and etc as stealth areas) and if it's still about exploiting and fucking around with the AI or if it's more restrictive/harder

Well, there's considerably more stealth areas, with large sections of Arkham City being patrolled by armed guards. You also have fewer places to hide outdoors, and the enemy can now throw grenades to the last position they saw you in if you're unreachable. Eventually indoor enemies will also deploy mines.

But Batman's got plenty of new toys himself, a personal favourite being the ability to remotely jam firearms (can only be used twice at a time, takes a shitload of time to recharge).

 

[Drakron]

From what I remember, you never actually fought the real scarecrow though.

Well that is because the Scarecrow is a lot like Mad Hatter, he really not someone that fights directly ... at least if we ignore the Scarebeast, we do fight the Scarecrow the way it can only be done, by fighting the hallucinations created by the Fear toxins.

At least, thats what I remember.

Well you do chase him down to the sewers section and capture him after you beat his Fear toxins and then Killer Croc apparently kills him.

Also, what about that ending of AA where one of 3 hands (Scarecrow, killer croc, bane) grabs that barrel of venom ? Or did I just imagine that ending.

Well Bane is on AC, a side quest and I cannot really see Killer Croc as the mastermind of ... anything.

With Joker, Hugo Strange and Ra's al Ghul out of action I can only see Two-faces, Poison Ivy, Riddler and Scarecrow being able to be the next "main enemy" and I think we can count Riddler off since he being pushed to "dur dur collectibles" ... considering AC two secrets seem to be the Joker's Baby and the Scarecrow, I want to discount the Joker's Baby (since its fucking stupid) so that leaves me the Scarecrow that considering Azrael little message I think that is the most likely candidate.

 

[SuicideBunny]

http://crashfixes.com/fixing-batman-ark ... -no-sound/
this pc port is even worse than sr2.

 

[Mangoose]

It's running fine for me. I did have to turn off DX11 though. No PhysX either, as I have an ATI card. No crashes or sound issues whatsoever.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Performance has been great for me too. Only issue I've had is sometimes it freaks out when loading a save and gets stuck. Once I do load the game I've yet to run in to any problems.

 

[SuicideBunny]

well, for me the intro movies are glitchy. they have glitchy sound, the nvidia logo plays in slomo and soetimes they just don't show. the actual game runs perfectly fine though.

 

[villain of the story]

I'll probably get it once it goes on $10 sale, and by then the gameplay will feel like something new again.

EDIT: Or I could be dead by then.

$10? AA was up for grabs at $6.45 for a few weeks at GamersGate a short while ago.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Been slowing down on Skyrim and picking up on this a lot over the past few days. Seems quite good. The pseudo open world (Though it's small) kinda threw me initially. Now I'm digging it a bit more. Took getting more gadgets and hitting a story beat or two to get it rolling decently.

Also on the bright side, looks like pirated DLC works fine on a legit copy, so I can fuck around with Robin and Nightwing in the challenge modes. Just hope it won't put those achievements to Steam if I hit them. Then again since there are programs to manually unlock achievements on Steam which Valve hasn't given much of a shit about from my understanding, maybe even that would be safe.
Maybe.
GETTING COLD FEET NOW

 

[Mangoose]

I finished it a few days ago but I still keep going back to do more sidequests. As you continue in the game you actually learn and unlock new ways of traveling, and then now and then the open areas get harder, too.

Spoiler

Missile-launching helicopters roaming the streets hunting Batman at one point

On one hand I am still waiting for a fully sandbox Batman game, but on the other hand Arkham City takes advantage of its mini-sandbox/indoor-adventure mix well, because it's really good at both parts.

I didn't get very far in Arkham Asylum, but it seems that in AC, henchmen encounters are more difficult while making bosses are less annoying (though a little too easy sometimes).

Course I'm probably a little more "wowed" at this sequel given that I didn't play much of AA.

 

[Ulminati]

Also on the bright side, looks like pirated DLC works fine on a legit copy, so I can fuck around with Robin and Nightwing in the challenge modes. Just hope it won't put those achievements to Steam if I hit them. Then again since there are programs to manually unlock achievements on Steam which Valve hasn't given much of a shit about from my understanding, maybe even that would be safe.

Yeah. Play pirated content through the steam account that got all your other shit linked to it. Great idea. I can't think of anything that could go wrong.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Also on the bright side, looks like pirated DLC works fine on a legit copy, so I can fuck around with Robin and Nightwing in the challenge modes. Just hope it won't put those achievements to Steam if I hit them. Then again since there are programs to manually unlock achievements on Steam which Valve hasn't given much of a shit about from my understanding, maybe even that would be safe.

Yeah. Play pirated content through the steam account that got all your other shit linked to it. Great idea. I can't think of anything that could go wrong.

I normally wouldn't for a Steamworks game, but since Arkham City on Steam is some weird combination of GFWL and Steamworks it lowered my inhibitions.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

I finished it a few days ago but I still keep going back to do more sidequests. As you continue in the game you actually learn and unlock new ways of traveling, and then now and then the open areas get harder, too.

Spoiler

Missile-launching helicopters roaming the streets hunting Batman at one point

On one hand I am still waiting for a fully sandbox Batman game, but on the other hand Arkham City takes advantage of its mini-sandbox/indoor-adventure mix well, because it's really good at both parts.

I didn't get very far in Arkham Asylum, but it seems that in AC, henchmen encounters are more difficult while making bosses are less annoying (though a little too easy sometimes).

Course I'm probably a little more "wowed" at this sequel given that I didn't play much of AA.

Like those ever had a chance against the Goddamn Batman.

Anyway, the henchmen are actually tougher in AC. They've got a more aggressive AI (multiple enemies can attack at once, which can seriously hurt if you don't counter), they have more weapons and the groups are generally larger as well.

And trust me, the bosses in AC are the biggest improvement over AA. Most of all because there's variety to them, and they're more like old school boss fights than the El Toro fights we got in AA.

 

[Mangoose]

Yeah, thank fucking god - Bane ruined AA for me. I'm glad they realized that the strength in AA was fighting masses of melee and/or stealthily taking out gunmen one by one.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

Probably the biggest gameplay improvement is the quick-use for Gadgets, which is what they make good use of in boss fights for example.

They also threw in more variation to the stealth aspect, with more elaborate areas and the lategame goons using grenades (not a big threat, but it keeps you moving if you escape, and sets you up for I'm-fucking-with-you moments), Detective Vision scramblers, thermal goggles (you can get an upgrade to disable instant detection, but the main idea just changes from being detected to being held put for a few seconds that can be crucial for an opportunity ambush) and mines. And they can now destroy gargoyles/crevices/whatnot themselves if they see you escape through one. On the other hand you are given even more tools for fucking with the poor bastards, which is equally awesome.

 

[asper]

Whoah, unanimous Codex praise?!

Should I play the first game before buying this?

 

[Havoc]

The first game is awesome too.

 

[Mangoose]

Whoah, unanimous Codex praise?!

Nah, just two DC fanboys and a Steamwhore.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Yeah, play Arkham Asylum too. Even with the minor complaints of kinda shitty bossfights Asylum's really good.

Also preeeeeeeeeetty sure that I'm safe with the DLC since the DLC is only available via GFWL at the moment, so it either won't post achievements to Steam, or if it does, it'll presumably think I bought it via GFWL. Robin and Nightwing are sorta cool, and the only DLC map I checked out was Joker's challenge which was some timed infinite enemy arena which was neat.