Rather than giving a look at the rise of Bruce Wayne as a rich orphan to a crime-fighting vigilante, Batman: Arkham Origins chooses to give players control of Batman with nearly every gadget the hero has received over the course of the last two releases close to the outset. With the exception of the few times new characters are introduced for the first time such as The Joker and Commissioner Gordan, Batman: Arkham Origins seems to always feel like another storyline that doesn't fit chronologically in the Arkham video game's storyline. The game desperately attempts to piece together a storyline that would see the return of The Joker as the main antagonist rather than focusing on one of the many other great villains Batman has faced off with over the years, and the shoehorned storyline never manages to feel like much more than a halfhearted attempt to get a quick cash in on fans' love of a Batman versus The Joker narrative.
There are still some strong performances in Batman: Arkham Origins including the new Joker, Troy Baker. The actor gives a convincing portrayal of the maniacal psychopath that fans of the series will love, and unless you're listening closely, you won't be able to tell the difference between this Joker or the Mark Hamill version. Roger Craig Smith also gives a powerful performance as Batman, and there are plenty of noteworthy boss battles throughout the game that are noteworthy for both the strong voice acting and for how the fights were designed for players to experience. Many of the all-time great villains are included on the game's roster such as Bane, the Penguin and Deathstroke, though it seems the only person that hasn't met Batman yet turns out to be The Joker in this Origins storyline.
While the game does feature some pretty incredible boss battles, combat throughout the rest of the game is way more repetitive and not nearly as interesting. Batman has his typical arsenal of gear from other releases in the series, and fighting goons around Gotham City still features plenty of melee attacks mixed with well-timed counterattacks for the most damage. It isn't long into Batman: Arkham Origins though, and the player unlocks a special set of gauntlets that turns the game into a button mashing fest that doesn't require any skill to win, while earlier in the game, players can abuse other skills to make combat much less tactical than it was in previous releases. It does seem to take Batman a lot more hits to knock out enemies in the new release, but it doesn't seem like a very smart design choice for the new superhero game, even in an Origins tale.
Many of the features contained in Batman: Arkham City are retained in Batman: Arkham Origins. Batman has a full arsenal of weapons that includes grappling hooks, Batarangs and more. Completing missions and defeating enemies will reward the player with experience points that can be spent to unlock new gadgets and skills based around Batman's fighting abilities or detective skills. There are also some new collectibles to find littered throughout Gotham, but gone are the Riddler's challenges and some of the more interesting optional boss battles featured in Batman: Arkham City. Similar puzzle design also exists in the new release that does offer a few new ideas for players to decipher, and new crime scene investigations are a nice touch for a hero that is supposed to be the world's greatest detective.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of Batman: Arkham City was not being allowed to explore the world with the Batmobile, though it made sense from a design perspective. In Batman: Arkham Origins, players navigate around a large portion of Gotham City in a prequel where parts of Arkham City is included as part of the map, but the world should not be fully inhabited by criminals like the previous release. Yet exploring the barren city is similar to the last release with no real citizens or other interesting interactions with non-playable characters available outside of fighting with some thugs and criminals on the streets. Players do get access to the Batplane for quick travel around the map, which is a nice effect and the most efficient way to travel from one mission to the next, but it's hardly enough to keep players from realizing just how empty Gotham City is in a game that series that has so much potential to offer an amazing open world experience.
One brand new feature that Batman: Arkham Origins adds for the series is multiplayer. The online modes provide third-person shooter deathmatch or objective modes with a twist. The players take control of the bad guys, and Batman and Robin will randomly pop in to take out some of these goons in an attempt to make the city safer. The multiplayer mode is definitely a unique idea, and it offers up plenty of laughs if nothing else. Players that take control of Batman and Robin can string up foes or go for the knockout blow for some intimidation points, while gang members can do well enough in a match to become one of the boss characters Bane or The Joker. Some players will really enjoy the new multiplayer mode included in the new release, while most will probably overlook it in favor of the single player campaign or a more balanced and competitive online multiplayer title.
Batman: Arkham Origins does look amazing to be sure. Sitting atop the bridge that connects the two parts of the map presents some breathtaking views of Gotham City on Christmas Eve that will leave many players anxious for the holiday season. The character models and animations are as strong as ever too, and they combine the previously mentioned voice acting to help make the subpar storyline seem a bit more creative than what it really is. There are some framerate drops from time to time, especially during some of the biggest battles in the game, which is a real shame. It's also equally disappointing that Batman: Arkham Origins doesn't seem to take better advantage of the Nintendo Wii U gamepad that could've added some additional creative elements to the new release.
Batman: Arkham Origins isn't the game players want nor the game they deserve. The biggest fans of the Dark Knight will obviously still want to pick up the new release and can probably look past its flaws to fine enough enjoyment in the game, but it doesn't feature a strong storyline, and many of the recycled features from the Rocksteady releases feel tiring with no real improvements added to the game. Batman: Arkham Origins isn't terrible, but most gamers can definitely wait until they can find the game on sale to pick up this new release. Pick up this new release only if you're desperate to try out a new Batman game.
Batman: Arkham Origins is now available from all major retailers for the MSRP of $59.99 and can be purchased for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii U and PC. Batman: Arkham Origins is rated T by the ESRB for Blood, Drug Reference, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes & Violence. For more information on the game, check out the official Batman: Arkham Origins website.
Game Features:
Online Multiplayer 1-8
New Online Multiplayer Featuring Batman & Robin
Online Leaderboards
DLC Support
Trophy/Achievement Support
Game Information:
Developer: Warner Bros. Games Montreal
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PlayStation 3 (reviewed), Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii U & PC
Release Date: October 25, 2013
