God bless the PSN E3 sale. I picked up Arkham Knight Premium Edition for $25. Super good deal. Every single piece of DLC is included, and there's a disgusting amount of DLC.
But enough about that! Let's talk about the game! I should preface this with I don't read Batman comics. I just play the Arkham games. So my surface knowledge of Batman applies.
Arkham Knight is the 3rd Arkham game I've played. I missed Asylum and I wish I hadn't but w/e. I'll play it eventually. Off the...bat...this is one of the prettiest game I've ever played. It is so visually impressive. The art style of the neon lights of Gotham are so appealing. The rain sets the mood perfectly much like the snow in Origins. I think I prefer the visuals in Origins more because of the snow and the fact that it was on Christmas eve and that's also a nice tone setter.
The combat is awesome but flawed. It's the same Arkham combat we know. I love the throw counters . They are incredibly satisfying. When you have segments with another partner like Catwoman, Nightwing, or Robin, the Chrono Trigger-style Dual Tech moves are so cool! More games need moves like this. What I don't like about the combat is the unblockables. You'll be in an animation and someone will try to attack you normally. During the counter animation, someone will charge up a grab and my mind constantly froze as to what to do and I'd just get hit. That was quite annoying. If a medic shows up, that guy becomes your highest priority because they not only revive guys, but they give them invincibility armor and makes any attack unblockable.
The stealth is the same as it's always been but this time there's multi-takedowns which are cool.
I hate the batmobile. There are so many moments where they shove me in the car and I just don't want to be in it. It's literally shut up and drive. The puzzles are terrible. Some of the worst puzzles in the entire series. The biggest problem is that it doesn't tell you you're supposed to start platforming with the fucking Batmobile or use the remote control with the batmobile.
As for the story, I liked it. I think I like it more than City's story because I don't think Hugo Strange is that good of a villain. He's just some guy. I like Scarecrow more than Strange, but at the 75% mark, I got so tired of him talking in poetry. The Arkham Knight is great. He's like Batman's Vergil in this story. His robotic design is awesome too. I wish you took out Scarecrow before taking out the Arkham Knight.
I hate it that the Joker is even in this story. I'm so sick of the Joker at this point, where I kinda hate the character now. Could they not write a story without him? Jeez. It does fit in with the ties to Jason Todd, but even then, it could've been just that one scene in the Batcave.
Overall, I enjoyed it. It was worth the $25. However, in the end, I wish it was this game's engine and visuals, but with Arkham Origins' story and puzzles.
The batmobile adds nothing. I wish it was the Arkham equivalent to boats in Assassin's Creed, but it was not to be.
I'm definitely gonna go back and play the DLC campaigns.
I give it a 7/10.
But enough about that! Let's talk about the game! I should preface this with I don't read Batman comics. I just play the Arkham games. So my surface knowledge of Batman applies.
Arkham Knight is the 3rd Arkham game I've played. I missed Asylum and I wish I hadn't but w/e. I'll play it eventually. Off the...bat...this is one of the prettiest game I've ever played. It is so visually impressive. The art style of the neon lights of Gotham are so appealing. The rain sets the mood perfectly much like the snow in Origins. I think I prefer the visuals in Origins more because of the snow and the fact that it was on Christmas eve and that's also a nice tone setter.
The combat is awesome but flawed. It's the same Arkham combat we know. I love the throw counters . They are incredibly satisfying. When you have segments with another partner like Catwoman, Nightwing, or Robin, the Chrono Trigger-style Dual Tech moves are so cool! More games need moves like this. What I don't like about the combat is the unblockables. You'll be in an animation and someone will try to attack you normally. During the counter animation, someone will charge up a grab and my mind constantly froze as to what to do and I'd just get hit. That was quite annoying. If a medic shows up, that guy becomes your highest priority because they not only revive guys, but they give them invincibility armor and makes any attack unblockable.
The stealth is the same as it's always been but this time there's multi-takedowns which are cool.
I hate the batmobile. There are so many moments where they shove me in the car and I just don't want to be in it. It's literally shut up and drive. The puzzles are terrible. Some of the worst puzzles in the entire series. The biggest problem is that it doesn't tell you you're supposed to start platforming with the fucking Batmobile or use the remote control with the batmobile.
As for the story, I liked it. I think I like it more than City's story because I don't think Hugo Strange is that good of a villain. He's just some guy. I like Scarecrow more than Strange, but at the 75% mark, I got so tired of him talking in poetry. The Arkham Knight is great. He's like Batman's Vergil in this story. His robotic design is awesome too. I wish you took out Scarecrow before taking out the Arkham Knight.
I hate it that the Joker is even in this story. I'm so sick of the Joker at this point, where I kinda hate the character now. Could they not write a story without him? Jeez. It does fit in with the ties to Jason Todd, but even then, it could've been just that one scene in the Batcave.
Overall, I enjoyed it. It was worth the $25. However, in the end, I wish it was this game's engine and visuals, but with Arkham Origins' story and puzzles.
Also because Deathstroke's fight in that was amazing.
I'm definitely gonna go back and play the DLC campaigns.
I give it a 7/10.
