Written by a friend of mine who's judgment I trust. I'll add my comment when I get the game from Amazon.
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This should sum it up nicely: this was the kind of game that, after playing for about 30 minutes, I looked up at the clock and realized 3 hours had gone by.
The demo only gave you a very small taste of the first level, its actually quite larger and the introductory sequence is quite more involved. As you level up, you will get access to upgrades to customize Bat’s with new abilities, new combos, improved armor, etc. As you progress you get access to new gadgets, you start with the batarang, followed by an explosive gel that Batman can use like remote charges. Very useful for blowing weakened walls and gaining access to secret areas. Combat is very satisfying and fluid, timing your strikes is very rewarding and the game encourages you to engage multiple foes at once. As you rack up your combo multiplier you can unlock powerful, unblockable moves. The Detective Mode of the cowl is far more versatile than the demo led you to believe. Besides showing you enemy locations, it will reveal secret areas or other items of interest in the world. At certain points it will enter into Forensic mode, where you scan a specific area looking for a clue. Once you have locked onto it and scanned it, the visor will then show you more instances of that evidence, allowing you to track down people of interest. Graphically you have seen what the game can do, there is little to no evidence of texture pop-in, and load times are nice and speedy. There are collectibles everywhere in the game, including Riddler trophies, interview tapes, laughing teeth, even different objects in the environments that you take pictures of in order to unlock more content. The game is masterfully built and I cant wait to tear into it some more.
Now, as a Batman nerd I would be remiss if I didn’t address the implementation of Bob Kane’s fiction. I am happy to report that this is, by far, the best Batman license game ever created. It’s the little details that allow you to immerse yourself in the universe, and Rocksteady has nailed it on every count. Batman’s costume is “correct”. In my estimation, the correct costume is dark gray outfit, solid black bat-logo, (the elongated version, and not the one with the bright yellow background), matte black cape, and the cowl with long pointy ears. (Not the retarded cat ears of other properties.) The villains are brilliantly interpreted and expertly voiced. It’s a shame that Mark Hamill is known for his role as Luke Skywalker, because his true acting prowess comes across as Joker. He is the perfect counterpoint to Kevin Conroy’s Batman. Harley has the perfect mix of hotness and psychosis. (I always believed she should wear a mini-skirt J ) When you see Killer Croc’s entrance, you will get a real sense for what a genuine menace he is. He is the most genuinely imposing and intimidating version of Croc I have ever seen. I am NOT looking forward to tangling with that guy. The only negative point I can find is their version of Riddler, who has been relegated to a mechanic/excuse to have lots of different collectibles throughout the game. That’s a minor nit, however.
In summary, this is a brilliantly executed game and an instant GOTY contender. Rocksteady’s debut title is incredibly impressive, and I for one am very much looking forward to what they can do in the future. Truly, the Dark Knight has returned.
5/5 "
"
This should sum it up nicely: this was the kind of game that, after playing for about 30 minutes, I looked up at the clock and realized 3 hours had gone by.
The demo only gave you a very small taste of the first level, its actually quite larger and the introductory sequence is quite more involved. As you level up, you will get access to upgrades to customize Bat’s with new abilities, new combos, improved armor, etc. As you progress you get access to new gadgets, you start with the batarang, followed by an explosive gel that Batman can use like remote charges. Very useful for blowing weakened walls and gaining access to secret areas. Combat is very satisfying and fluid, timing your strikes is very rewarding and the game encourages you to engage multiple foes at once. As you rack up your combo multiplier you can unlock powerful, unblockable moves. The Detective Mode of the cowl is far more versatile than the demo led you to believe. Besides showing you enemy locations, it will reveal secret areas or other items of interest in the world. At certain points it will enter into Forensic mode, where you scan a specific area looking for a clue. Once you have locked onto it and scanned it, the visor will then show you more instances of that evidence, allowing you to track down people of interest. Graphically you have seen what the game can do, there is little to no evidence of texture pop-in, and load times are nice and speedy. There are collectibles everywhere in the game, including Riddler trophies, interview tapes, laughing teeth, even different objects in the environments that you take pictures of in order to unlock more content. The game is masterfully built and I cant wait to tear into it some more.
Now, as a Batman nerd I would be remiss if I didn’t address the implementation of Bob Kane’s fiction. I am happy to report that this is, by far, the best Batman license game ever created. It’s the little details that allow you to immerse yourself in the universe, and Rocksteady has nailed it on every count. Batman’s costume is “correct”. In my estimation, the correct costume is dark gray outfit, solid black bat-logo, (the elongated version, and not the one with the bright yellow background), matte black cape, and the cowl with long pointy ears. (Not the retarded cat ears of other properties.) The villains are brilliantly interpreted and expertly voiced. It’s a shame that Mark Hamill is known for his role as Luke Skywalker, because his true acting prowess comes across as Joker. He is the perfect counterpoint to Kevin Conroy’s Batman. Harley has the perfect mix of hotness and psychosis. (I always believed she should wear a mini-skirt J ) When you see Killer Croc’s entrance, you will get a real sense for what a genuine menace he is. He is the most genuinely imposing and intimidating version of Croc I have ever seen. I am NOT looking forward to tangling with that guy. The only negative point I can find is their version of Riddler, who has been relegated to a mechanic/excuse to have lots of different collectibles throughout the game. That’s a minor nit, however.
In summary, this is a brilliantly executed game and an instant GOTY contender. Rocksteady’s debut title is incredibly impressive, and I for one am very much looking forward to what they can do in the future. Truly, the Dark Knight has returned.
5/5 "
