Game 51 - Arkham Knight - Week 80 - Jul 21

 

atman: Arkham Knight was a polarized game - but playing it I wonder if the criticisms were largely overblown. The story, the villains, Gotham were all absolutely superb and just as good if not better than the previous two games. The gameplay is a welcome evolution of Arkham City, but it's not without its blemishes. I paid minimal attention to the controversy and criticisms of the game at release, but a few gameplay issues are the only valid complains I could see. So let's start there.

I first bought Batman Arkham: Asylum for $120 - that was nuts and the most I've ever spent on a game before - I still to this day have no idea why there was a game price bubble at the time. But it was worth every dollar to see my favourite childhood super hero (and still is to this day) come to life in a way that was so on point. The story is what you'd expect from a Batman story, a rogues gallery chiefly taking inspiration from the greats such The Long Halloween and The Killing Joke but with references to almost every great Batman comic. In Asylum, the combat created a new gameplay trend within action games never seen before. Mad Max, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor and lesser known titles like Hand of Fate all adopted the gameplay to various degrees of success. The premise is simple, a button to attack, a counter, stun, dodge - leave the rest to combos and flashy animations. In Batman's case throw in some expensive gadgets and satisfying bone crunching and you have a Caped Crusader romp. It's all the more impressive that Rocksteady pioneered this gameplay style instead of adopting it, considering how perfect it is for a Batman game. He flies across the room, punches, kicks, elbows making you always feel like a badass. Beyond this is the predator mode, you use vents, gadgets and takedowns. Feeling the fear in the thugs around you as you pick them up from the darkness one by one. Lastly are the gadgets minigames, riddles, and detective games. You felt like you had donned the Cowl in every aspect. Arkham City took this an expanded it from a more Metroidvania experience into an open world. Especially with the glide and grapple hook mechanics. 

It's good to be back...

Arkham Knight has seen the final form of that vision, expanding from the small quarantined prison city of the second game to broader Gotham City. This evolution comes in the form of the Batmobile. And omg did they get this right. Press square to level the playing field - as you see Batman on his perch nose dive, cape flying up to stop his fall, a well timed Batmobile drifts around a corner as the Knight lands in the seat. It's go time. Here's the main issue of two. The tank combat. While it's fun at first my god does it get tedious. With the left trigger the Batmobile can transform into a tank mode. Enemies shoot you, you dodge there telegraphed shots, get enough hits in without getting hit and you can use a special ability. Repeat. While it's fun at first my god does it get tedious after the 100th, 500th, 1000th drone tank. Not to mention it just fundamentally doesn't feel Batman. I really wish the vehicle had more options or this gameplay was explored a little more - it feels underdeveloped. My Bat tank should have 6, 7, 8 weapons. Not 2 viable weapons. There should be more than four drone types in the entire game. Either that or reduce the sheer amount you have to fight (more on that later). 

Thankfully a lot of the Tank content is optional side-stories.

So what about when you're not in tank mode? The torque, throttle, thrusters.. it's all perfect. Drifting around the streets of Gotham in that absolute monster feels just right. If something looks like it would crumble under the bumper, it will. It feels like driving the Batmobile. The lynch and winch is a really nice addition. The turret can shoot its own grapple which gets pretty creative in puzzles, particularly when its pulling the Batmobile into hard to reach places. Controlling the Batmobile remotely to move  an elevator and allow Batman to squeeze through the shaft really makes you feel like an intellectual using his brain just as much as his fists to defeat foes. Even in combat the iconic vehicle comes into play. You can simply use rubber bullet machine guns to knock out criminals, or during combat you can knock an enemy skyward for a turret combo to blast them out of the sky. When I first experienced this my jaw dropped. It really does feel fully integrated into that Batman experience from Arkham City. That's the evolution of gameplay in a nutshell. There are many small design decisions that add up to the overall experience that make you feel like Batman. Detective mode is great, using the Batmobile as a scanner in one stand out mission to track down Barbra Gordon. Map markers are the Bat signal, when you're called by an ally like Alfred or Barbara for an important story beat - there's no MGS cutscene nor does Batman just put a finger on his ear and bluetooth piece. Instead he opens up a full holographic video to talk to the person and can walk around. A toy only this rich boy could have. 

Gotham has been expanded so traversal in general is a lot more fun. This leads to the second issue - too much filler content. The amount of side missions is insane. Go here clear this camp, defeat these Arkham mercs, disarm this bomb, disable this tower. Some of these are fun - but after a while they all blur together and you just want them to be over and done with. It should be noted that this was partially self-inflicted, most of this stuff is optional. So in this sense I think a lot of the harsh criticism was overblown. However there are a few aspects working against you here. Arkham City beckoned you to experience everything and many side-missions led to cool villain fights from the comics. Knight is largely the same but with far more fat to cut through. To get the true ending, defeat Deathstroke in a cool scene and activate the Knightfall Protocol you need to 100% the game. I would say it was worth it in the end. The gameplay is still fun - but regardless of if you skipped it or pushed through it much of it felt unnecessary and the overall experience was less tighter than Asylum and City as a result. If City was a 10/10, then Knight is a 9/10 for this reason and this reason alone. 

Why'd you do it Deathstroke, so many bloody mercs hired and locked up...

The art? It's perfect. Dark, gothic and crisp. I have no doubt this is the most realised iteration of Batman facelifted direct from the comics and the animated series, that we will ever see. But a picture paints a thousand words, so prepare below for a high wordcount. 

You can even see Arkham Asylum and Wayne Manor in the distance.

The villains of the Batman mythos is why it is the greatest super hero series of all time. A heroes story, plight, success and trophies are only as impressive as the adversary and struggle he faces. Achievement is measured by what it took to get there. The sheer rogue gallery of the Dark Knight is second to none. A dark reflection of the well of insanity that we all know we hold within us. Each villain could and has had it's own complete story at some point, what they lack in the power they certainly make up for in unpredictability. The villains are on full display here yet again. It's fun to take down the Riddler, Two-Face, Cobblepot, Firefly again. I really enjoyed the villains that don't end in fisticuffs, like Hush trying to steal Bruce Wayne's identity again breaking into Wayne Tower. They are some of the best moments for Bat fans. 

It's cool to see the Bat family here on full display. In prior games they were only referenced or in brief chats, here they show up to help you take down various villains. Nightwing has tracked down the Penguin from his turf. Robin is on the hunt for Harley. Catwoman will reluctantly help you take down Enigma. In each of these encounters you can switch between the two in a double team combo that is oh so so smooth. All the characters, ally or foe, have perfect voice acting. Many returning from the prior games and animated series - there's not a single character that hasn't been done right here. 

Riddler has taken Catwoman hostage and forces you to solve his riddles to save here. It's an interesting premise and I always love to see these two perform their reluctantly sexual song and dance together. Riddler makes an interesting third wheel. Trophies aren't very different here with the one big exception of the Batmobile. I still enjoy them enough to 100%. 

Well these are fun...

The main plot is pretty standard fair, it's the execution that made it so exceptional. We're treated to a first person scene as a police officer encountering Scarecrow, and witnessing the effects of his new toxin first hand. I love Scarecrow and this was amazing, I'm so happy to see him take the spotlight in this final iteration. The toxin has been planted all over Gotham and the inhabitants have been evacuated and inmates have been liberated from Blackgate penitentiary. If that wasn't bad enough, a group of mercenaries led by the mysterious Arkham Knight have taken over the city, working with Scarecrow.

I saw the twists coming a mile away. Of course Arkham Knight was going to be Jason Todd aka Red Hood, especially with all the re-treading of comics that lead up to the death in a family. However I did not see Deathstroke being the true mastermind of the mercenaries. While it did feel like a convenient excuse to squeeze in another villain, I'm okay with that, the more the merrier. This is Batman after all and I like Deathstroke. 

So you stop the Scarecrow and his gas cloud, before it consumes Gotham entirely. We're treated to some absolute havoc on the streets, reminding us just how far we've come to falling. Lock up all the dangerous crims in Gotham. Scarecrow reveals Batman's identity in an AWESOME end sequence that's perfect for a villain that preys on fear. What other fear does a masked hero have then to endanger his loved ones? With his identify revealed Bruce Wayne leaves the cowl behind and activates Knightfall protocol, burning Wayne Manor, the Batcave and all evidence to the ground.  

This was such an awesome secret ending and way to wrap up the Batman trilogy...

Azrael wasn't worthy of the cowl so you locked him up with the rest of the crims. 

So that's it right? A nice little run of the mill Batman story where the villains are thwarted yet again. Well not exactly. Like I said the story was all about execution. And the story went above and beyond by exploring the psyche of Bruce Wayne and what it means to be the Batman. The Joker died at the end of Arkham City and his body being cremated at the start of Arkham Knight casts away any doubt of his death being faked. Part way through the story its revealed that his blood has been mixed with a toxin that's infecting others and turning them into the Joker. This is revealed in specular fashion with Harley Quinn helping the four Jokers you had locked up escape. Lost, grieving, she wants her Mr. J back, even in spirit. You might question why there was a fifth empty cage and Robin certainly did. The old man was infected and shows no signs of being the Joker, so he helps you track and take down the others with Robin. Afterwards he and Harley promptly kill them all. There can only be one Joker he exclaims as he looks into Batman's eyes. "Oh...... you will be brilliant" he says before putting a bullet in his skull. There can only be one Joker...

The story from here takes a turn that in my opinion makes it one of the best Batman stories in the entire franchise. Your old drinking buddy starts appearing on posts, leaning against the Batmobile, in the drivers seat - commenting or sliding in a joke wherever he can. He's the best villain of the series, we all know that and it's just a ingenious way to develop that Bat and Clown relationship further. I never in a million years would have thought that killing off the Joker, would have led to him becoming a better character. At the end of Arkham City I thought his story was done, boy was I wrong. The entire story you're questioning whether he will become the Joker. He locks Robin up after he tries to convince Batman (with pretty obvious intention of force if Bruce disagrees) to lock himself up. The entire story Batman ignores the Joker, true to his character and willpower. Even when he speaks to villains her refers to them by their name, Harvey, Selina, Cobblepot, Enigma, not willing to engage and add to their delusions and alter egos. Bruce is peak human intelligence, he knows the Joker isn't real... at least for now. But that's not much different to the regular story, it gives the Joker the spotlight, exactly what he deserves to make the writing shine. The Joker Batman's head has him at his peak capacity - echoing the weight of the cowl and past mistakes like Death in Family or The Killing Joke constantly throughout the story. 

The Killing Joke is Alan Moore's greatest work, encapsulating the eternal struggle between the two perfectly. 

A death in the family - Jason Todd before his inevitable rebirth as the Red Hood. 

All this culminates in an absolutely epic conclusion. Batman about to stop Scarecrow, only just resisted becoming the new Joker. He's captured by Scarecrow and his identity has been revealed. The Scarecrow injects him with his fear toxin. But little does he know Batman is not alone. He seemingly gives into his greatest fear. After walking the line of madness for so many years, Batman is no more, but is now the Joker. In this sequence we play the Joker, driving into a den with a Batmobile decked out in Joker graffiti and the typical decor we'd expect. You shoot down the nearby cronies but this time the bullets are real. They don't get back up. The Joker hops out of the car and carries on, shotgun in tow he blasts away the Riddler, blasts away Cobblepot and blasts away Two-Face. There can only be one Clown Prince of Crime. Finally he blasts away Commissioner Gordon, with Batman gone he was the last defence against Chaos. Gotham burns. Well then something unexpected happens. The scene cuts to black over Gotham burning. Bats is that you? More black. Oh batssss. Pitch black. Triangle to activate flashlight. We're back to the scene of the Joker. His body is being cremated. "Good times". Then his grave "No that can't be my grave, small, overgrown. Oh I get it. I've been forgotten. Funny bats. But some jokes can be in bad taste". Papers dot the scenes of the Joker, forgotten. As you wander the rest of the memoriam to Joker you'll find exhibits to no one remembering the Joker. Turning around will reveal the Bat as a statue, blacking you from going back, preventing you from avoiding the fade into dust. Creepy. Moving forward shows another bat statue. Creepy. Lucky you have a shotgun. Vicky Vale mistakes Joker for the Riddler... Ouch. Let's forget about him and move on. "You think that's scary Bats?" More statues. More statues. Not enough ammo. The Bat takes the Joker. He's locked away. The key is gone. He's forgotten. Forever. 

As the scene returns to the Scarecrow, the green fades from Bruce's eyes. He injects him once again, one final dose. "I'm not afraid Crane". A well placed shot from the Redhood and Bruce chokes the Scarecrow into submission, taking a healthy does of his own medicine. He is terrified... Bats. Lots and lots of bats. Ugh, who wouldn't be. I've gone into a lot of detail for this scene but I needed to express just how epic it is for Batman. Infected with the joker, infected with a fear toxin, his willpower and strength of mind, his singular purpose is so great that he intentionally lets go, pits the fear toxin against the Joker and then uses them to cancel each other out. He defeats his own fear and compartmentalises it, the Joker, forever. Through sheer force of will. That right there is Batman. More than any other scene on any silver screen or glossed paperback panel. 

Jokers on you...