Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate
- October 25, 2013
- Armature Studio
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate breathes new life into the Arkham formula.
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate is a single-player Hack and Slash game with exceptional visuals. The game serves as a prequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, showcasing a young and raw Batman facing a defining moment in his career. The story takes place before the rise of Gotham City's most dangerous villains, highlighting the formation of identities and key relationships that shape Batman's path to becoming the Dark Knight.
Nintendo 3ds
PlayStation
Playstation Vita
Reviews
- The game is formulated yet addictive, delivering a satisfying experience with classic Batman combat in a 2.5D environment.
- Visually appealing with cool graphics and engaging comic-style cutscenes that enhance the storyline.
- Offers a good amount of content and collectibles, making it enjoyable for both kids and adults.
- The game is too short and lacks features, making it feel less substantial compared to other titles in the Arkham series.
- Controls can be frustrating, especially during boss fights, leading to trial-and-error gameplay that can be tedious.
- Limited exploration and repetitive gameplay elements detract from the overall experience, making it feel formulaic.
- story9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as decent but ultimately predictable and weak, with an uneventful ending that resembles a typical fighter's pseudo story mode. While it features comic book-style sequences and references to various Batman story arcs, players may find the need to replay the game multiple times to fully experience certain elements. Overall, the narrative offers some engaging moments but lacks depth and originality.
“One secret item in particular, Batman's secret armor sets, which derive from various story arcs in the comic series (New 52, etc.), can apparently only be completed by playing through the game multiple times.”
“The storyline is good too.”
“Also, the game does get difficult as it progresses through the storyline and it automatically saves the same scene for you to retry once you died.”
“The story is pretty weak and very predictable, except for how uneventful the ending is.”
“It plays like a typical fighter in a pseudo story mode.”
“One secret item in particular, Batman's secret armor sets, which derive from various story arcs in the comic series, can apparently only be completed by playing through the game multiple times.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally well-received, with users praising the cool comic-book style cut scenes and decent visuals given the limitations of the 3DS. Overall, the artwork enhances the storytelling experience, making it a standout feature of the game.
“I like the artwork for the comic-book cut scenes.”
“Considering the 3DS control and graphic limitations, I think they did pretty well.”
“Pros: Decent graphics, especially considering the limitations of the 3DS; cool, comic-book style sequences to progress the story.”
“The graphics feel outdated and lack the detail expected from modern games.”
“Character models are poorly designed and look flat, making the game less immersive.”
“The environments are bland and repetitive, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to energize players, particularly during intense fight scenes, creating an exhilarating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
“The music is great and gets you hyped up when it starts pounding as the fight scenes between the thugs begin.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a preference for traditional controls over motion-based inputs, with the 3DS's 3D feature being seen as a novelty rather than a necessity. Players appreciate that 3DS games can be enjoyed without 3D, but criticize "Arkham Origins: Blackgate" for its mechanical issues and lack of content compared to its console counterparts and other 3DS titles.
“With the Wii, I just want a controller, dude. With the 3DS, I experienced gameplay in 3D, and I thought, 'that's pretty cool,' but then I just go back to basic gameplay any other time I play. I think the wisest thing Nintendo did was make the 3DS games playable regardless of whether the 3D is on or not. So, getting to Arkham Origins: Blackgate, I never had a fully playable version of Arkham Asylum, so this is my first real chance to get into that world.”
“It's a mess mechanically; it has incredibly low content in comparison to its console-based cousins, or even for other 3DS titles for that matter.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, particularly with the "detective mode," which is described as buggy and less refined compared to previous Arkham-style games. This has led to a frustrating experience for players who expected a smoother gameplay.
“Scanning objects in 'detective mode' is really buggy.”
“It was mostly because it's a buggy and watered-down version of the Arkham-style games I already enjoyed.”
