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Is the Batmobile the worst AAA gameplay mechanic in recent memory?
- Thread starter FirmBizBws
- Start date
Tank fights still feel tedious and it has sections that feel forced.
I like the Batmobile when it makes sense. This is a pretty bad case of Devs forcing a mechanic throughout a game, to justify its existence.
I've finished most of the main campaign and I don't think you're giving a fair representation of it at all.
I just 100%'d the game and I absolutely fucking LOVED the Batmobile. It's like controlling a Tachikoma and that's awesome as hell. Controls for it are perfect and it's extremely easy to use in both modes. So no, it's not even remotely close to the worst AAA gameplay mechanic in recent memory.
FirmBizBws
Becomes baffled, curling up into a ball when confronted with three controller options.
You mean the once in a blue moon prompt to press Triangle to "capture" a tank for your side?
Tank combat is no where near as complex as the actual fighting system in the game.
CrichtonKicks
Member
Once in a blue moon? Do you even understand how the secondary weapons work? If it's once in a blue moon then you are playing wrong.
I thought the Batmobile as a *car* was fine, but the Batmobile as a tank was absolutely god awful.
The tank battles are 95% you sitting on one small spot while hordes of enemies attack you from 360 degrees. So you just spin in circles shooting tanks over and over dodging stupid colored lines on the ground. Boring, repetitive, uninspired and about as far from feeling like Batman as something possibly could. As a mechanic it was a complete failure from any direction you look at it.
As far as the car goes, it was fun ripping around town smashing through world geometry and getting into car chases. Well except for the Riddler race tracks, fuck them, fuck them all the way.
The tank battles are 95% you sitting on one small spot while hordes of enemies attack you from 360 degrees. So you just spin in circles shooting tanks over and over dodging stupid colored lines on the ground. Boring, repetitive, uninspired and about as far from feeling like Batman as something possibly could. As a mechanic it was a complete failure from any direction you look at it.
As far as the car goes, it was fun ripping around town smashing through world geometry and getting into car chases. Well except for the Riddler race tracks, fuck them, fuck them all the way.
FirmBizBws
Becomes baffled, curling up into a ball when confronted with three controller options.
It doesn't appear often for me, maybe once per tank war, depending on how many tanks the section has me face.
I'm constantly firing the secondary so I assume I'm using the vehicle correctly.
Regardless, the issue is more that there's too much of this than me not playing correctly.
Beelzebufo
Banned
And time a quarter of the green circle fills you can use a secondary weapon like the tank hacking. It doesn't sound like you're using it correctly at all.
CrichtonKicks
Member
The capture mechanic is a secondary weapon- it uses the same "ammo" as the missiles and EMP. You can trigger it with just one bar filled.
I started out thinking "this feels slippery and too fast for its own good" in Pursuit Mode, and "a bit impotent" in Battle Mode, but after an hour of play it started to click, and I thought, "Holy shit, this is amazing."
The Batmobile feels incredibly empowering, the way you chew up the scenery, demolishing everything in your path (yet harmlessly pushing aside pedestrians with your force field, and knocking them out with slam shells — how convenient!). The entire city is designed around it, destructible at every corner so as to not slow down the Batman. There's something addictive about the sense of speed and power in Pursuit Mode, and the twitch maneuverability in Battle Mode — dodging one way while shooting another, and the satisfying *POP* of enemy drones as they burst into particle effects.
I love seeing the crisscrossing lines where an enemy is about to fire, and prancing between them like a ballet dancer on the battlefield. Or shutting everyone down with an EMP blast, or turning the drones against each other. The missile lock-ons can be annoying at times, but a quick spray from the turret shuts them down. The slow-mo effect when you destroy the last drone is always nice.
There's also something to be said about the way Batman can dive into the Batmobile anytime he's near a road, whether he's mid-glide or looking down from a rooftop. The many different ways Batman can scramble into the cockpit just adds to the seamlessness of the experience. Having a mobile launching platform that can eject Batman, at speed, straight into a glide is a fun alternative to the usual grappling hook. And having a way to traverse the city at street level, other than walking or running, really allows you to appreciate the detail of Gotham City. In the other Arkham games, the fastest way around the city was grappling and gliding, which often took place high above the city. Now you can travel equally fast on the streets.
The best part about the Batmobile, however, is the "tension and release" it provides, and the way this benefits pacing. There are many sequences where you infiltrate a facility as Batman and must find a way to grant the Batmobile access. Inside the facility, Batman is outnumbered and outgunned by heavy artillery he can't defeat by himself. The sweet release when you finally get the Batmobile into the room to wreck everyone's shit is one of the best parts of this game.
Really, the Batmobile is so great that I wonder if the previous Arkham games will now feel a bit "empty" or "slow" without it. Just having the option makes the experience so much more exciting. It's a great addition, without a doubt.
The Batmobile feels incredibly empowering, the way you chew up the scenery, demolishing everything in your path (yet harmlessly pushing aside pedestrians with your force field, and knocking them out with slam shells — how convenient!). The entire city is designed around it, destructible at every corner so as to not slow down the Batman. There's something addictive about the sense of speed and power in Pursuit Mode, and the twitch maneuverability in Battle Mode — dodging one way while shooting another, and the satisfying *POP* of enemy drones as they burst into particle effects.
I love seeing the crisscrossing lines where an enemy is about to fire, and prancing between them like a ballet dancer on the battlefield. Or shutting everyone down with an EMP blast, or turning the drones against each other. The missile lock-ons can be annoying at times, but a quick spray from the turret shuts them down. The slow-mo effect when you destroy the last drone is always nice.
There's also something to be said about the way Batman can dive into the Batmobile anytime he's near a road, whether he's mid-glide or looking down from a rooftop. The many different ways Batman can scramble into the cockpit just adds to the seamlessness of the experience. Having a mobile launching platform that can eject Batman, at speed, straight into a glide is a fun alternative to the usual grappling hook. And having a way to traverse the city at street level, other than walking or running, really allows you to appreciate the detail of Gotham City. In the other Arkham games, the fastest way around the city was grappling and gliding, which often took place high above the city. Now you can travel equally fast on the streets.
The best part about the Batmobile, however, is the "tension and release" it provides, and the way this benefits pacing. There are many sequences where you infiltrate a facility as Batman and must find a way to grant the Batmobile access. Inside the facility, Batman is outnumbered and outgunned by heavy artillery he can't defeat by himself. The sweet release when you finally get the Batmobile into the room to wreck everyone's shit is one of the best parts of this game.
Really, the Batmobile is so great that I wonder if the previous Arkham games will now feel a bit "empty" or "slow" without it. Just having the option makes the experience so much more exciting. It's a great addition, without a doubt.
That Batmobile's alright, but it's pretty forced in a bunch of scenarios.
The first Riddler Race was just shit. A real poor example of how to use the Batmobile. One of the first things you do is also jump the damn car onto several rooftops to wench something - when you had the fucking Batplane RIGHT THERE that could have done the same fucking thing.
The first Riddler Race was just shit. A real poor example of how to use the Batmobile. One of the first things you do is also jump the damn car onto several rooftops to wench something - when you had the fucking Batplane RIGHT THERE that could have done the same fucking thing.
FirmBizBws
Becomes baffled, curling up into a ball when confronted with three controller options.
Oh so there is logic behind it, I always thought it just popped up, didn't know this, thanks. Might be more beneficial to just use the missile tho if this is case. Depending on the situation.
Spyder_Monkey
Banned
No.
I like being able to summon the Batmobile from a variety of areas, and the visual of the car blazing towards you after you call it with Batman flying into it is quite impressive even after you've seen it a few times. However, it's otherwise a pretty rote mechanic.
Given the fact that you are able to glide over such long distances, the Batmobile is largely useless for traversal, even with its launch boost. I like launching myself out of the car but it isn't exactly a critical feature, given that you can be swooping across the city in short order just using the grapnel. You may get a quicker burst with the car but it's mostly just an aesthetic thing (it looks cool, basically). Worse is that the actual gliding/grapnel mechanic is one of the best traversal systems in any open world, which makes the Batmobile feel even more like fluff as an actual car.
The tank combat is repetitive, and at least at point I'm at, rather easy. I like the way the car handles during combat mode, but the encounters leave zero room for creativity and little room for skill. In my case, they are just something to get out of the way before I can go on to something fun.
Given the fact that you are able to glide over such long distances, the Batmobile is largely useless for traversal, even with its launch boost. I like launching myself out of the car but it isn't exactly a critical feature, given that you can be swooping across the city in short order just using the grapnel. You may get a quicker burst with the car but it's mostly just an aesthetic thing (it looks cool, basically). Worse is that the actual gliding/grapnel mechanic is one of the best traversal systems in any open world, which makes the Batmobile feel even more like fluff as an actual car.
The tank combat is repetitive, and at least at point I'm at, rather easy. I like the way the car handles during combat mode, but the encounters leave zero room for creativity and little room for skill. In my case, they are just something to get out of the way before I can go on to something fun.
I feel like I'm losing my mind. I actually thought the batmobile works really well. Better than driving feels in most other open world games in fact, as I felt I had a lot of control over it even when going extremely fast, and had no trouble from stopping it skidding out.
I also think some of the puzzles with it are pretty inventive.
My only complaint is some of the tasks that make use of it kind of feel like busy work.
I also think some of the puzzles with it are pretty inventive.
My only complaint is some of the tasks that make use of it kind of feel like busy work.
WhateverItTakes
Banned
God no, smashing things is great! I like how they got the physics of the vehicle just right (after getting most of the upgrades I concede), heavy like a cannonball.
You'll get your more difficult tank battles. There are even times where you have to sneak around in the tank, creeping up and down alleys and slowly strafing around corners, hunting your prey while being hunted yourself. These include a couple boss encounters and numerous encounters with tanks that are extraordinarily powerful and are only vulnerable from behind, where you must lock onto them at length before firing a missile. These encounters were divisive for some but I personally loved them. Very suspenseful.
As for general traversal, I don't see how someone could be down on the option of having another way to traverse the city, especially one that allows you to tear up the city at street level, instead of just gliding over all that detail from high above. Grappling/gliding and the Batmobile are such different experiences that I feel they both have a well-earned place in the game. I use them in equal measure and was never bored.
Inspector Jones
Member
I love the Batmobile. It feels like a natural extension of Batman himself; and it's just so fluid to use. It's fast to get it and out, and a lot of fun to use.
So I disagree strongly.
So I disagree strongly.
I absolutely love it. It's a blast to use and looks amazing while doing so.
Anyome want to Photoshop a new box art with " Batmobile Arkham Knight" as the title and the Batmobile in place of Batman?
Anyome want to Photoshop a new box art with " Batmobile Arkham Knight" as the title and the Batmobile in place of Batman?
Kind of wish there was a reveal where Batman was actually killing people and the streets of Gotham weren't really empty.
ChaosZeroX
Banned
Agreed. I liked it for what it was and enjoyed it most segments. But having pretty much all the boss battles take place in the fucking Batmobile pissed me off.
I'm about 70% into the main story but
you can tell Batman is a real asshole in this game. It's also obvious why he's like that this time around so I wouldn't be surprised if he actually killed.
TheDarkKnight774
Member
No. I think it'd be better without so much tank controls. I think tank controls were thrown in so in the open world you could quickly reposition yourself and move on in a non frustrating manner. And then went...and add guns! It's the guns that is a bit much for me.
I do think they hit you on the head way too much at the start of the game with the batmobile. Like they were so happy with this new toy that it showed up everywhere. I'm half through the main story and things are starting to smooth out. I don't mind it as a change of pace, but I don't want it as a 50/50 split between it and predator/assault moments.
I do think they hit you on the head way too much at the start of the game with the batmobile. Like they were so happy with this new toy that it showed up everywhere. I'm half through the main story and things are starting to smooth out. I don't mind it as a change of pace, but I don't want it as a 50/50 split between it and predator/assault moments.
The thing with the Batmobile is that it's actually a very well designed mechanic (once you change to toggle mode) - it's the implementation into almost every facet of the game that's the problem. Vehicular platforming puzzles have to be one of the most ridiculous gameplay additions I've ever seen to a game. The battle mode is too basic and one dimensional to warrant how many tank fights there are in the main story.
The strength of the Batmobile lies in traversal around the city and the way its remote ability is used to assist you out of otherwise impenetrable situations. I feel like it could have been amazing with a more fleshed out battle mode and more thought put into how it was actually integrated into the game.
The strength of the Batmobile lies in traversal around the city and the way its remote ability is used to assist you out of otherwise impenetrable situations. I feel like it could have been amazing with a more fleshed out battle mode and more thought put into how it was actually integrated into the game.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
It was a fun little diversion but it was overused and could be quite frustrating at times. The absolute biggest offense is the fact that it was used as a boss fight on characters that deserved to be melee encounters.
Specifically Arkham Knight and
Specifically Arkham Knight and
Deathstroke
tearsintherain
Member
I thought the batmobile was just ok, it was kinda fun in some parts and I did eventually enjoy the riddler racing challenges, although the last one took me like 20 tries but it felt satisfying when I got it.
I absolutely HATE the mine-defuse thing though, where you are stuck in a tiny little area and like a million enemy tanks come gunning for you. I can't see shit, can't react fast enough, and just get frustrated and quit. Its not too bad early on but at around 40% it gets completely awful.
They should have definitely not emphasized the batmobile so much, I preferred just flying around the city.
I absolutely HATE the mine-defuse thing though, where you are stuck in a tiny little area and like a million enemy tanks come gunning for you. I can't see shit, can't react fast enough, and just get frustrated and quit. Its not too bad early on but at around 40% it gets completely awful.
They should have definitely not emphasized the batmobile so much, I preferred just flying around the city.
Team Klimt
Member
about 3 hrs in and I live it so far. We'll see how that shakes iut later, but I think it handles incredible well in both modes. I love the tank combat...
Inf3cted_b3ast
Member
No!!! the damn thing is bad ass
Megatron
Member
Yeah, I think the challenge the developers should have put to themselves is 'Can we make the game beatable without ever using the batmobile?" Maybe make those tank battles incredibly difficult playing as Batman, but technically possible. Other less obvious ways into buildings if you don't use the winch, etc. Then players would still use the batmobile, but wouldn't feel they always HAVE to use it.
Worst? No.
Most disappointing? Yes.
It's somewhat functional but it's completely hamfisted into the game and takes away a lot of focus from the design of the Arkham games. It's dominant strategy incarnate. It was a concept that sounded better before it was clear how reliant the game would be on it and the flair it provides.
For as much hype as the Batmobile was getting, and it was pretty much the main draw of the game, it wasn't worth it.
Most disappointing? Yes.
It's somewhat functional but it's completely hamfisted into the game and takes away a lot of focus from the design of the Arkham games. It's dominant strategy incarnate. It was a concept that sounded better before it was clear how reliant the game would be on it and the flair it provides.
For as much hype as the Batmobile was getting, and it was pretty much the main draw of the game, it wasn't worth it.
AHA-Lambda
Member
Nowhere close! The bat mobile really is nowhere near as bad as all this hate that's came out for it.
Pjsprojects
Member
Nop,it's used in the movies a lot so ties in very well with the game.
Some of the epic escapes you do in it are great for me.
Some of the epic escapes you do in it are great for me.
