Media Batman: Arkham Knight

[GasparZizou]

I can't fathom V delivering on the same level as this. AA was amazing, AC was a stroke of genius, I just can't see this doing anything but something surreal.

If it turns out V is amazing, I'll take it back. But aside from the engine and graphics, the story seems to be same hokey thing from Peace Walker.

Not trying to stoke another fire argument in here by the way

Hokey? I can understand your doubts for the story, knowing where you're coming from, but Hokey? I don't see anything Hokey in MGSV so far, all the contrary.

Well, it all depends how GZ develops interest for TPP, it GZ bombs, I can see TPP not being very hyped but still very expected, if GZ is a success as a big glorified teaser, I can see TPP going toe to toe against this.

As far as quality is concerned, right now I see them both as equal.

 

[DiFabio]

I'm sure it's Doctor Thomas Elliot/Hush as a sort of "anti-Batman" character.

 

[Darth Zangetsu]

I guess the Arkham Knight was created by Geoff Johns. It's cool that they're getting creative, but I don't think originality was necessary in this case. If you're looking for an evil Batman, it's not exactly hard to find one. Off the top of my head, I can think of Prometheus and The Wrath, and that's not even counting the alternate earth variations.

Or the one's Morrison created. This sounds like the Devil Batman he created.

 

[Snake Plissken]

Hokey? I can understand your doubts for the story, knowing where you're coming from, but Hokey? I don't see anything Hokey in MGSV so far, all the contrary.

Well, it all depends how GZ develops interest for TPP, it GZ bombs, I can see TPP not being very hyped but still very expected, if GZ is a success as a big glorified teaser, I can see TPP going toe to toe against this.

As far as quality is concerned, right now I see them both as equal.

Quality will be on par, but from what was shown of the cast... it's very hokey to me.

 

[batfan08]

I'm sure it's Doctor Thomas Elliot/Hush as a sort of "anti-Batman" character.

That's an interesting point, but I'm not sure about turning an established character into a different one. Though, I suppose it would fit with the idea that Hush was only an alter ego created to allow anonymity while he healed.

Or the one's Morrison created. This sounds like the Devil Batman he created.

Yeah, I thought of him, as well.

Watch it be The Joker resurrected via Lazarus Pit, with newfound strength and agility, and everyone gets pissed.

 

[DiFabio]

Considering every freaking game so far has had the Joker as the main villain, I wouldn't be surprised.

Joker becomes roided boss fight Joker in Asylum then City comes around. Hugo Strange the big bad? Nope, all about Joker. Black Mask? Nope, actually Joker.

 

[GasparZizou]

So it's confirmed this is the last game of the series?

 

[GasparZizou]

Considering every freaking game so far has had the Joker as the main villain, I wouldn't be surprised.

Joker becomes roided boss fight Joker in Asylum then City comes around. Hugo Strange the big bad? Nope, all about Joker. Black Mask? Nope, actually Joker.

The real villain this time:

 

[Snake Plissken]

That's an interesting point, but I'm not sure about turning an established character into a different one. Though, I suppose it would fit with the idea that Hush was only an alter ego created to allow anonymity while he healed.



Yeah, I thought of him, as well.

Watch it be The Joker resurrected via Lazarus Pit, with newfound strength and agility, and everyone gets pissed.

Ugh I shutter at the idea of that

 

[Darth Zangetsu]

Yeah, I thought of him, as well.

Watch it be The Joker resurrected via Lazarus Pit, with newfound strength and agility, and everyone gets pissed.

I had the same thought. And I was already in the mode of "If this turns out to be Joker pulling a gag, I will be pissed."
Ras would be another candidate, but A)he would want Bruce to know it was him. B)he doesn't have the highest opinions of the rogues. He would be just as likely to kill them, before he used them in one of his plans.

 

[batfan08]

Considering every freaking game so far has had the Joker as the main villain, I wouldn't be surprised.

Joker becomes roided boss fight Joker in Asylum then City comes around. Hugo Strange the big bad? Nope, all about Joker. Black Mask? Nope, actually Joker.

I would love Rocksteady forever if that was their ultimate plan. Connection to Arkham? Check. Vendetta against Batman? Check. Was Batman's doppelgänger in the comics? Check and check. I want this game to end with The Arkham Knight being revealed as Hugo Strange.

 

[Bill Lehecka]

Reading the Game Informer Article:

-One Year after Arkham City

-Crime has plummeted.

-Because the Joker is dead, the criminals decide to come together for once to take out Batman.

-Scarecrow plans fear toxin bombs throughout the city, forcing Gotham to evacuate 6 million people (I guess no random people in town.)

-No pre-rendered cinematics. Everything takes place in the new modified Unreal Engine. One character has the polygon count of an entire Arkham Asylum environment.

-They're using Apex cloth physics on Batman's cape and Gordon's jacket, which flow smoothly. Rain drops are seen trickling down Batman's suit.

-Kevin Conroy IS back, along with Nolan North (Penguin), Tara Strong (Harley), Wally Wingert (Riddler) and Troy Baker (Two-Face). (Editorial from ME: Troy's there... So Joker could be there... I mean, if Scarecrow's there, what's to say that Bats doesn't have a hallucination?)

-In memory, the Batmobile is 160MB, which would've just fit inside an XBox 360 if that was the whole game. Rocksteady understand the need for balance. The Batmobile can destroy barriers, but gliding will give Bats more freedom of movement and access to his gadgets.

-Batman can glide through almost any glass surface.

-Will definitely NOT be on previous gen. Sefton Hill said Rocksteady would need a lot of time on this, and they thought 3 years was too long a wait, so they basically gave WB Montreal the game engine. They were there for tech support with their engine, but basically let them be and gave them the freedom to make their own story.

-Batman can now throw counter enemies toward other enemies,

-No multiplayer. Sefton Hill said there was no time for multiplayer, and Warner Bros. was on board with that vision.

-Batman can incorporate environmental hazards into his combat.

-Riddler Challenges include time trials in the Batmobile. Riddler calls his new riddlers "The Next Generation of Riddles" RDRR. The only way to make it through the track is to use a radar pulse to change the track. The Batmobile will be able to drive on walls.

-Arkham Knight is the new villian, being developed with Rocksteady and Geoff Johns. Rocksteady really wanted to create a new villain for Batman.

-Batman visits Oracle in this game

-The screenshots are unbelievable. They look better than amazing. Someone will post them soon.

-WB Montreal will most likely still makes games in the Arkham Origins Period

 

[RIDDICK]

So it's confirmed this is the last game of the series?

Last game by Rocksteady. I doubt WB will abandon the series, even after WBM's big *** fail.

 

[batfan08]

Reading the Game Informer Article:

-One Year after Arkham City

-Crime has plummeted.

-Because the Joker is dead, the criminals decide to come together for once to take out Batman.

-Scarecrow plans fear toxin bombs throughout the city, forcing Gotham to evacuate 6 million people (I guess no random people in town.)

-No pre-rendered cinematics. Everything takes place in the new modified Unreal Engine. One character has the polygon count of an entire Arkham Asylum environment.

-They're using Apex cloth physics on Batman's cape and Gordon's jacket, which flow smoothly. Rain drops are seen trickling down Batman's suit.

-Kevin Conroy IS back, along with Nolan North (Penguin), Tara Strong (Harley), Wally Wingert (Riddler) and Troy Baker (Two-Face). (Editorial from ME: Troy's there... So Joker could be there... I mean, if Scarecrow's there, what's to say that Bats doesn't have a hallucination?)

-In memory, the Batmobile is 160MB, which would've just fit inside an XBox 360 if that was the whole game. Rocksteady understand the need for balance. The Batmobile can destroy barriers, but gliding will give Bats more freedom of movement and access to his gadgets.

-Batman can glide through almost any glass surface.

-Will definitely NOT be on previous gen. Sefton Hill said Rocksteady would need a lot of time on this, and they thought 3 years was too long a wait, so they basically gave WB Montreal the game engine. They were there for tech support with their engine, but basically let them be and gave them the freedom to make their own story.

-Batman can now throw counter enemies toward other enemies,

-No multiplayer. Sefton Hill said there was no time for multiplayer, and Warner Bros. was on board with that vision.

-Batman can incorporate environmental hazards into his combat.

-Riddler Challenges include time trials in the Batmobile. Riddler calls his new riddlers "The Next Generation of Riddles" RDRR. The only way to make it through the track is to use a radar pulse to change the track. The Batmobile will be able to drive on walls.

-Arkham Knight is the new villian, being developed with Rocksteady and Geoff Johns. Rocksteady really wanted to create a new villain for Batman.

-Batman visits Oracle in this game

-The screenshots are unbelievable. They look better than amazing. Someone will post them soon.

-WB Montreal will most likely still makes games in the Arkham Origins Period

Thanks for the details, Bill! I am really dying to see those screenshots, now.

 

[Bill Lehecka]

Thanks for the details, Bill! I am really dying to see those screenshots, now.

I'm in the middle of work, but I also know that GI tends to come down on people who post their screenshots online before the print version is in stores. If you have $5, you can download it onto the iPad. I found it to be a good purchase. Plus, they have bonus content the entire month highlighting Arkham Knight. I'm not paid to plug...

 

[Johnny Utah]

-No more pre-rendered cinematics everything is done in engine
-The larger riots can have up to 50 people flipping cars and looting stores.

Characters
-Things such as Gordon's trench coat and Batman's cape now have Apex cloth physics. They react realistically to changes in wind and movement
-When it rains rains bead of water run down Batman's suit tracing every groove
-The wrinkles on Gordon's face crinkle as he talks

The City
-The city is as detailed as ever with realistic moving clouds with the moon shining through
-Halloween characters and balloons litter the street adding a creepy vibe
-Neon signs of the various shops shine brightly around the city
-The skyline has helicopters and blimps flying through it
-Steam puffs out of the sewers in a realistic way

 

[batfan08]

Oh, yeah, I didn't mean for you to post them or anything. If they'd just make an iPhone version (like their Android one), I'd buy it in a heartbeat, but, I'm iPadless, and, generally, my GameStops don't have the GIs when they first come out.

 

[GasparZizou]

Thanks for the info Bill, good to hear it's a better engine, can't wait for some screens.

Last game by Rocksteady. I doubt WB will abandon the series, even after WBM's big *** fail.

Yeah that's what I thought, well the franchise still has a lot of juice.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Rocksteady rethought the entire city structure to accommodate the Batmobile and street traffic
Arkham Knight is built on a "juiced up" version of the a custom Unreal Engine to make use of the Xbox One and PS4.
By not being cross-gen they've been able to push what the machines can do
Rocksteady describe Arkham Knight as "a real, genuine next-gen game"
There is no multiplayer in Arkham Knight. Rocksteady is focused on "making the best single-player experience it can" and doesn't feel it needs multiplayer.
"Arkham Knight" is also the name of a new archrival that was created from scratch by DC Entertainment's Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns, known for his work on Green Lantern and Justice League.
The character will "really challenge Batman to go head to head with him in lots of different ways"
Kevin Conroy is going to be voicing Batman, Nolan North will be boicing Penguin, Wally Wingert will be doing Riddler, Tara Strong returns as Harley Quinn and Troy Baker will be Two-Face
Gameplay

Batman begins with his traditional Arkham City suite but gets a darker plated one later in the game. It adds new abilities and has continuity with the look of the Batmobile
Arkham Knight is the end "of the later timeline"
Game Informer says Rocksteady isn't saying what's next but "it's most definitely not Batman related"
The finale has been in mind since the development of Arkham City
Arkham Knight takes place in a new central zone of Gotham City, which is split into three island and is in total roughly five times the size of Arkham City
Rocksteady is emphasising the detail is more important than the scale of the world. They don't want to create the biggest open-world, they want to create the richest, densest and most vibrant
There is more space in between buildings to make the environments "traffic-friendly" and it becomes more fun to glide around
Game Informer says the level of details is some of the most impressive its seen
Arkham Knight takes place one year after Arkham City
Joker is dead and crime rate has declined
Batman continues to work on tech to fight crime, even with less of it around
He knows something isn't right, but needs to wait to see what happens
With the Joker gone, other key villains have spent time coming together to plan Batman's downfall
Each villain has his/her own mission in the city and it's intended to spread Batman thin
Scarecrow has threatened to blow up bombs in gotham and cover it with a new version of his fear toxin, so the city is ordered to evac
Only criminals remain in the city; Gordon and his forces have been overwhelmed
In the demo there are between four and five times the number of thugs in Gotham City than in Arkham
Riots can feature up to 50 characters destroying things
Two-Face and Penguin are killing cops, because they can
Batman meets with Gordon and gives him tech to stay in contact
All of the game's cutscenes take place in-engine, there are no pre-rendered cinematics. They are seamlessly integrated.
Rocksteady is trying to take the level of in-game detail to the pre-rendered level
Albert Feliu, lead character artist, says the polygon count on one character in Arkham Knight is as big as the count of the whole Arkham Asylum environment
The detail in Gordon's face shows his age and it wrinkles as he talks
Apex cloth physics are being used on Batman's cape and Gordon's trench coat so they react properly to wind and movement
Although Jim Gordon believes she's gone, his daughter Barbara, a.k.a. Oracle is in the city and helping Batman
Oracle is a "strong character" and is a character Batman physically meets as opposed to just a voice he hears
She knows Batman's identity and is used to give him a human side
Arkhamverse Barbara lines up with comic continuity in that she was paralysed by the Joker
Batman knows Barbara is in the city and Jim Gordon believes she is not, the deception may become a plot point
A new streamlined control option is used to tell batman to sprint to the nearest ledge and dive straight down
Grapnel Gun now has a Mark 2 boost upgrade and slingshots Batman
Line launcher returns to give Batman perch points and ziplines can be created instantly while flying around
All quickfire gadgets, such as Batarangs, can be used in mid-air
The classic counter system also returns. Rocksteady doesn't want to overcomplicate it as it thinks the strength is in the simplicity
However, it has enhanced it somewhat with new features
Normal goons can now do the charge and tackle only the larger enemies could in previous games
A well timed backflip and Batarang can be used to instantly KO enemies doing a charge
Batman now has quick ground strikes but full ground takedowns are still available, though they take longer to execute
Batman can glide through glass surfaces
He has throw counters that grabs enemies and launches them into another for double damage
Hazards in the environment such as power generators can be mixed into combat
Riddler appears in the demo to put the Batmobile to the test in a three-lap time trial through the underground tunnels of Gotham, but to the only way to make it through is to use a special radar pulse that alters parts of the track
Players click the left stick to move obstacles while driving at high speeds and the course gets difficult with every lap
Riddler has a plan for Batman and the city too, beyond testing his skills
Batman still has detective vision
He can access grates from further away, when in range a button prompt appears and he'll roll forward to get under it
From a grate it's possible to initiate multiple takedowns, as one enemy is grabbed the action slows and the camera can be pointed in the direction of another enemy.
"Fear Takedowns" can be used on groups of three enemies as long as they're close together and none of them spot Batman
The demo ends with a mysterious villain describes as a "militaristic Batman" with what looks like an "Arkham A" on his chest appears to land a jump kick on Batman and stomp him. He points a gun at Batman and the screen fades to black as the shot is fired.
Batmobile

Batmobile is designed to be "the best car in any game ever", it takes up around 160mb of memory in game and will just about fit in an Xbox 360 (if that was the whole game). There are hundreds of thousands of polygons, as well as textures and shaders used on it
Batmobile is the only car Batman has access to in the game
It zooms to your location at the touch of the button
It can do burnouts, jumps, boosts and "rotate in a circle at a full stop to get you pointed in the right direction
It is bulletproof and can smash through barricades, trees and building corners
Enemies will try and jump out of its way
Driving gameplay is balanced with out-of-car gameplay so players don't just stay in it all the time
While Batmobile has speed and damage Batman has a better freedom of movement and gadgets,
Players can swap between the two based on what the job requires
Batmobile can missile lock and fire an immobilizer at enemy vehicles
Batmobile is designed to segue perfectly with Batman and his navigational skills
When within range of a key point Batman can eject out of the Batmobile and launch himself into a fast glide

 

[jrice73]

Just gobsmacked about this! Absolutely beautiful trailer. Everything Batman should be.