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[FirmBizBws]

Is the bat mobile the worst AAA gameplay mechanic in recent history? I cannot think of a single AAA franchise that has introduced a gameplay mechanic that essentially becomes the entire game.

It feels as if we are playing Batmobile the video game, featuring batman. The entire game is a fetch quest in which you go to X location, grab the bat mobile to either compete a race, wench something, jump over a gap, etc. I don't think i've ever seen anything like this before in gaming, in which a mechanic is introduced and instead of becoming a part of a video game, it becomes the game itself.

And the mechanic doesn't even work well, just type in "fuck the batmobile" in twitter and you will see tons of responses about how bad it is and people wishing that it wasn't in the game.

Not to go on a rant on this, I'm sure that a good chunk of those who have purchased the game understand the frustrations that come with the batmobile, but to go talk about other franchises, has anyone seen something like this happen before? In which a mechanic is introduced that ends up taking over a franchise that has a set gameplay system? Is there any mechanic worse than the one featured in Batmobile the video game?

 

[Regginator]

I agree it was pretty forced in quite a few segments, but I wouldn't say it's THAT bad. After getting the hang of it I didn't particularly mind, maybe even liked it a little bit. But it definitely overstayed its welcome as far as I'm concerned.

 

[G_Berry]

I like it. Sweet Batmobile WRECKAGE!

 

[ClaptoVaughn]

The horse in Witcher 3 had some annoying moments.

I haven't played much of Batman so I can't really comment on that.

 

[Korosenai]

Batmobile is my favorite new addition to the Arkham franchise. So much fun to use.

 

[Xemnas89]

I loved the batmobile sections.

 

[Fix The Scientist]

I don't think it's anywhere near as bad as you make it seem.

 

[Windom Earle]

It's great!

 

[Dragonslayer_023]

It's used way too much but I don't think I'd call it actively bad.

 

[Stallion Dan]

FLUDD.

 

[Antilurker77]

WoW Garrisons are worse.

 

[Lingitiz]

The segments themselves are actually decently designed, there's just too many of them in the game and it feels like everything revolves around it.

 

[Davide]

Not at all. The batmobile is awesome.

 

[Synth]

I don't think it's anywhere near as bad as you make it seem.

I hope not, because they way he makes it seem, is making me not feel like playing it, lol.

 

[RSTEIN]

Haven't played it yet, but can't be worse than gears 2 ice traversal.

 

[Haines]

This couldn't be talked about in the batman thread

 

[STILLethal]

I'm fine with it, its a welcome addition, but: they over did it. If the game focused a lot less on the batmobile it wouldve been better. It just got so repetitive

 

[theeraser]

I (mostly) liked it, though I did laugh at Jim Sterling's comment about it in his AK review:

how on Earth did Batman even cope without it before, since it’s crucial to literally everything here?

 

[casnix]

I agree. It's pretty terrible.

 

[CorporateClown]

I'm split on it. I loved using it and actually found it more fun than gliding around empty rooftops, but its use for puzzles, etc was ridiculous. Literally too much of a good thing.

 

[IdreamofHIME]

But the Batmobile is awesome. Handles a bit like soap sometimes, but is still badass.

 

[Corpekata]

Drone combat with it is pretty snoreworthy.

I don't hate it overall, but I don't think they really did much with it. It's definitely in the game more than it should be given they didn't really do too much interesting with it.

Some of the chase moments are kind of fun at least.

 

[shinobi602]

Don't understand the hate, loving it personally. Driving at high speeds wrecking and blasting shit with it is highly enjoyable.

 

[Primethius]

Not only is your description of how the game plays out not entirely accurate but I disagree regardless, the Batmobile was fantastic. Great to control, and the APC chases were fantastic.

 

[bryanee]

No, its a blast. Even more so when you pimp that car out and are taking out drones like they're nothing.

 

[Hopeford]

Frankly, I love the Batmobile. I know it got a bad reputation but I'm having tons of fun with it. I had a bad initial impression of it, but once I got the hang of it I started used it over flying if I could. There's just something magical about using that huge fucking tank and having the game tell me it's all entirely non-lethal.

While I'm aware I might be in the minority that actually liked the mechanic, I still think it's way overstating it to call it one of the worst mechanic in AAA games.

Like yeah, I get the complaints about the game feeling a bit fetch questy with the car, but honestly I loved the shit out of those fetch quests. When you got to bend over the glass in one of the first missions in the game to make a ramp, I was going "Aw, yeah." Had tons of fun with it. The jumping over gaps and stuff entertained me and I think the car handled pretty well. Could have done without some of the later tank combats but I still think it added to the game a lot and I wouldn't remove it from the game if I could.

 

[RoboPlato]

I usually hate vehicles in games and I love the Batmobile.

 

[luckygodzilla]

Why you gotta talk about my wrecking ball on wheels like that

 

[Crossing Eden]

It controls like a dream so no. I'm having a ton of fun with it.

 

[Seik]

While these sections are WAY too much present in the game, I kinda enjoy them.

But yeah, too many.

 

[Enter the Dragon Punch]

WoW Garrisons are worse.

WoW isn't AAA anymore

 

[Dr. Buni]

FLUDD.

recent memory

2002 isn't quite recent. Also, F.L.U.D.D. was great.

 

[PBY]

I agree. Don't understand what they were thinking with the vehicular platforming.

 

[PROh1bited]

No. The tank part is repetitive, but when you're in the batmobile its basically Burnout.

 

[a916]

No OP lol...

Witcher 3 is a better game overall but that horse is blind/stupid/glitched. That's only in recent history...

 

[Deleted member 325805]

Nothing will top Roach.

 

[krameriffic]

The segments themselves are actually decently designed, there's just too many of them in the game and it feels like everything revolves around it.

This. I think they put too much focus on it, but it's fine. The biggest problem is the boss fights with it. They didn't put a single decent melee combat boss sequence in the game (nothing to rival the challenge of the first Bane fight in Origins).

Spoiler

They should have scrapped the stupid ass drill fight with Arkham Knight and replaced it with a punch'em'up fight. They already had a Batmobile fight with the Cloudburst tank, you didn't need to fight him again in the Batmobile.

 

[QaaQer]

Mechanics that take a bit of practise and skill != worst mechanic ever. Jeez, no wonder game devs make games super easy.

 

[sjay1994]

Lol no. It does feel like it forced in your face a lot, but its not that bad. I actually enjoy some of the tank battles.

What I fucking hate about it is when the game wants you to drive on walls, which thankfully isn't too often.

 

[fedexpeon]

WoW Garrisons are worse.

This.
Fucking Farmville shit, and point/click mobile crap roll into one.
The problem is that it isn't an optional part of the game unless you want to be an undergeared scrubs.

 

[jetjevons]

Haven't played it yet, but can't be worse than gears 2 ice traversal.

GoW 2? I guess 7 years ago is recent memory.

 

[robotrock]

It's a really fun thing to drive. The way they incorporated it in the main story for some puzzles and tedious combat with some drones wasn't fun.

I will happily drive around Gotham with the Batmobile. Power slide and donut all day.

 

[Zabka]

Driving it is pretty cool but the tank stuff is turrible. Switching to Toggle Mode controls helped a lot though.

 

[Courage]

I don't think so. It was merely cookie cutter.

There was some cool moments, and the puzzles were well done. But some of the tank sections/boss fight felt shoehorned.

With that said, I feel this game would have gotten backlash in any way the Batmobile was implemented, tank mode or not. It's not something a lot of people want in their Batman game.

 

[XANDER CAGE]

I like all the individual elements of the Batmobile - it's fun to drive, it's neat in puzzles, and the tank combat works - but it's just used too much, the tank stuff especially. I wouldn't call it the worst addition, but it does feel overused.

I think the first few weeks of FFXIV's Hunt system are the worst addition to a big game I've experienced recently. Granted, not really an addition to a series so much as a patched-in new mechanic, but the early days of Hunts was a real lord of the flies situation.

 

[napalmjam]

No lol

 

[Daingurse]

Worse than Roach? I don't like that horse lol.

 

[Corpekata]

Mechanics that take a bit of practise and skill != worst mechanic ever. Jeez, no wonder game devs make games super easy.

So much skill involved in the drone combat man. Sometimes you gotta point, then shoot. Sometimes you gotta move the tank slightly. Phew. Don't know how people keep up.

If this mechanic is what you consider needing practice and skill, you ain't got room to lecture people about games being made super easy.

 

[Luigi87]

I like all the individual elements of the Batmobile - it's fun to drive, it's neat in puzzles, and the tank combat works - but it's just used too much, the tank stuff especially. I wouldn't call it the worst addition, but it does feel overused.

This is how I feel. Enjoyable, but it was too much too often.

 

[Fury451]

I agree it was pretty forced in quite a few segments, but I wouldn't say it's THAT bad. After getting the hang of it I didn't particularly mind, maybe even liked it a little bit. But it definitely overstayed its welcome as far as I'm concerned.

This sums up my thoughts pretty well.

Riddler races were stupid, but I didn't mind using it to solve some trophy puzzles- it felt clever there actually. Being forced to drag it around killed the tight design and focus the previous games had, and amplified the focus problems Arkham City had.

The segments themselves are actually decently designed, there's just too many of them in the game and it feels like everything revolves around it.

Also a good summary.