Batman - Arkham Knight - Initial Thoughts
I started Arkham Knight yesterday, after having it sat on the shelf for months, making way for new games and going through the motions of getting ranks in other games, I've neglected it.
At release it wasn't exactly seen as the pinnacle of the series, particularly the PC version which was plagued with issues at launch. So I left it a while before I gave it a go.
As a fan of the other games in the series, having finished Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Arkham Origins. Origins did it's best to really put me off the series, with somehow worse fight mechanics and lots of dull story and slow pacing. So I wasn't particularly enthused to get started, expecting more of the same.
Which is pretty accurate. However, I don't remember being quite so invested in the story as I am here, and the new touches and of course the Batmobile, have gotten me genuinely excited to keep playing through.
The fear takedown mechanic is excellent, too. Finally a means to rapidly dispatch armed guards, that feels properly "Batman" and doesn't result in me getting shot. Using the new Batsuit as a means to introduce new mechanics is a great touch. Allowing for better movement, better armor etc. I really liked how it introduced the changes as a part of the story.
The Batmobile!! Ok, so this could be a massive game-changer, right? Well.......it is and it isn't. Yeah it's cool, and it has this great tank-mode that makes it really nimble and gives you access to a cannon and some other weapons. But I'm already a little fed up of the tank battles, and I've only just left the first island! It's a nice idea, but it's essentially forcing the purpose of having the mode.
I love the power winch, and dragging the batmobile up a building was great. Using it as a secure transport for victims/villains is a nice touch, too.
It doesn't handle all that well though, and the streets don't seem to lend themselves to driving a big-ass car/tank. Particularly in a series where you've actively been encouraged to get high-up and glide around. I'm kinda used to that at this point.
It's a great addition, and I love the set-pieces I've seen so far, using it to blow holes in buildings, or to eject me out of it at high-speed/altitude. It just feels like they're really forcing the use of the tank, and it's not a little bit. I can see that I'll get frustrated with this sooner rather than later.
They have their own aesthetic, which really works for these games, and the city/thugs etc are a part of the whole "feel" of these games.
Sure cutscenes are nice, but I don't see anything that is obviously improved over the other games.
It has a developed and purposeful look and feel, and it runs with it. It works, and it's good. Does it need to be any more than that?
Which is pretty accurate. However, I don't remember being quite so invested in the story as I am here, and the new touches and of course the Batmobile, have gotten me genuinely excited to keep playing through.
What's new?
Additions to fights, include environmental takedowns (some a really quite cool to watch!), Batmobile takedowns are a personal favourite, setting your enemy up in the air to then get shot by the cannon on your Batmobile is very satisfying! The fluidity of the fights seems to be back to where it should be, after the misstep that was Arkham Origins. How do you take a perfect system and make it worse?
The fear takedown mechanic is excellent, too. Finally a means to rapidly dispatch armed guards, that feels properly "Batman" and doesn't result in me getting shot. Using the new Batsuit as a means to introduce new mechanics is a great touch. Allowing for better movement, better armor etc. I really liked how it introduced the changes as a part of the story.
The Batmobile!! Ok, so this could be a massive game-changer, right? Well.......it is and it isn't. Yeah it's cool, and it has this great tank-mode that makes it really nimble and gives you access to a cannon and some other weapons. But I'm already a little fed up of the tank battles, and I've only just left the first island! It's a nice idea, but it's essentially forcing the purpose of having the mode.
I love the power winch, and dragging the batmobile up a building was great. Using it as a secure transport for victims/villains is a nice touch, too.
It doesn't handle all that well though, and the streets don't seem to lend themselves to driving a big-ass car/tank. Particularly in a series where you've actively been encouraged to get high-up and glide around. I'm kinda used to that at this point.
It's a great addition, and I love the set-pieces I've seen so far, using it to blow holes in buildings, or to eject me out of it at high-speed/altitude. It just feels like they're really forcing the use of the tank, and it's not a little bit. I can see that I'll get frustrated with this sooner rather than later.
