[dropcap size=dropcap]T[/dropcap]o shorten the eventual boring introduction, it must be said from the beginning that Batman: Arkham Asylum Expansion pack and Batman: ArkhamCity are probably the best superhero games ever released. In these circumstances, one might wonder about how could a prequel like Batman: Arkham Origins fail? Can it be because it was developed by Warner Bros. Montreal instead of Rocksteady Studios? Because they chose to hire a new cast of actors? Or can it be because they have recycled many new things from the previous titles?
Whether it is a failure or not, depends on what you are looking when playing a batman themed game. If you are looking for innovations in the first place, then you will probably be disappointed about Batman: Arkham Origins. The game developed by WB Games Montreal can be considered more of an expansion pack for ArkhamCity. The developers followed the classic recipe: new locations, new enemies, new tools, keeping the basic formula unchanged. On the other hand, if you only dream about new adventures featuring the Dark Knight in Gotham City and you have no other claims of originality, the game is exactly what you are looking for.
Unlike on other reviews or previews, we’ll start with the game-play. The producers have kept all the basic elements from the previous games, with a few exceptions however, hard to be noticed at a first glance.
Take for instance the fights: they are as dynamic as in the previous games, but the developers have introduced some new types of enemies, such as the martial arts specialists. Also, the arsenal of Batman’s gadgets was enriched with a brand new set of electrified gloves that can be used during combat with encouraging results. GothamCity got some new sectors and this should be it. No notable changes whatsoever. The streets are empty, there’s no traffic, no active population, except for the usual gangs.
I cannot say that the story blew me away either. The action from Batman: Arkham Origins takes place before the events of Arkham Asylum, just two years after Bruce Wayne decided to put the Batman’s cape. During the Christmas night, the Black Mask (a lesser known villain in the DC Comics universe) has put a reward of no less than 50 million dollars on the Dark Knight’s head. As expected, eight of the most dangerous criminals of GothamCity accept the challenge.
Unfortunately, the actors who brought to life the main characters in Arkham Asylum and Arkham City did not return for Batman: Arkham Origins. Thus, although Roger Craig Smith is not that bad in the role of Batman, we miss the original voice of Kevin Conroy. The feeling is even more obvious when it comes to Joker, as Troy Baker’s performance is not even near Mark Hamill’s performance.
Graphically, Batman: Arkham Origins Expansion pack looks decent. However, it is no better than the previous titles in the series as it is still based on the Unreal Engine 3. It seems that facial animations are uglier though, especially in the case of Alfred, the Wayne family’s butler. Otherwise, the visual appearance is satisfactory.
However, despite all the negative points highlighted before, Batman: Arkham Origins is not a bad game, and die-hard fans of previous titles will enjoy for sure all these additional hours of gameplay, even though the game uses the same formula for success.