Batman: Arkham Origins Info Explosion [Updated]

54
Lee Bradley

Further details on Batman: Arkham Origins have emerged online via Game Informer magazine, revealing a whole bunch of info on WB Montreal’s upcoming street thug face smasher. Here's the most interesting bits.

A prequel to Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, Origins takes place on Christmas Eve early in Batman’s career and is inspired by the seminal graphic novel Batman: Year One and comic book series Legends of the Dark Knight. 

Accordingly, the setting for the game, Gotham, is blanketed in snow and decorated with Christmas lights. And because this is a prequel, the Amusement Mile is not yet flooded and Old Gotham is not yet a prison.

Indeed, the game’s world also contains New Gotham, effectively doubling the size of Arkham CIty’s world. And because it’s so big, you can use the Batwing as a form of fast travel.

In the game Batman is being hunted after the Black Mask places a bounty on his head. Arriving in search of riches, supervillains from all over DC’s universe flood into Gotham to kill the Dark Knight and claim their reward. Deathstroke and Penguin are confirmed.

This isn’t the Batman we know from previous games. Instead he’s younger, a little rougher, a little less well-trained and prone to stepping over the line. It’s his job to work out exactly why the Black Mask is after him, while proving to the Gotham CIty Police Department that he’s on their side.

Apparently, WB Montreal are sticking true to the notion of Batman as a detective, citing the ace BBC series Sherlock as an inspiration. As such, the Dark Knight can use his first-person detective vision to track bullet paths, use holograms to act out theories and scans points of interest.

Apparently, as he does this Batman mutters ideas to himself.

Furthermore, players can also go to the Batcave and use the Batcomputer to run simulations and view them from multiple angles, or in slow motion, with the ability to pause or just try out new ideas. The ideas is that Batman uses these simulations in order to find further clues.

Gameplay-wise, the combat remains essentially the same, except with a few new tactics and opportunities folded in, to combat new enemy types. Similarly, gliding, ledge takedowns, sleeper holds and upside down strikes return.

There is some new stuff, however. For example, there’s a new gadget, the Remote Claw. This allows batman to target two objects and then pull them together. So players can bash objects and thugs together or just crash two thugs together in order to knock them out.

You can also do things like tie explosive barrels to perches, lure in enemies and then cut the rope from a distance with your Batarang, dropping the barrel and blowing up the bad dudes.

As far as the structure of the game is concerned, the city opens up as Batman dismantles a network of hacked towers. Each tower emits a signal that prevents the Batwing from gaining access and stops points of interest from being highlighted. Think Far Cry 3’s towers and you’re not far off.

Outside of the main campaign, there are a number of activities players can engage in.

There’s Crime in Progress events, which are dynamic and charge Batman with saving policemen from thugs and the like. You’ll encounter these events randomly as you explore the world.

There’s also a Most Wanted system, which provides Batman with a list of bad dudes to pursue. And beyond that, there’s also a Dark Knight system, which while not tutorials, train players to improve their combat and stealth for XP and upgrade rewards. 

The Dark Knight system exists alongside a Challenge mode, which will apparently return in some form.

So, what do you reckon? We’re still a little concerned about Rocksteady handing the reigns over to WB Montreal, but based on what we’ve heard so far, the signs are good. Roll on October 25th!

[Game Informer has requested that we remove the images. Don't worry, we'll have the proper high def versions soon]

Comments
54
  • really looking forward to this,but can't say I am happy to know that I will have to listen to The Penguins voice again :(
  • This is shaping up to be great, please don't let us down WB!
  • Even if Rocksteady isn't behind it, I'm sure they're trying to live up to the past two games. I'll check it out for sure.
  • These screenshot are to good to be this gen in game, the odds are they are airbrushed like nearly all screenshots that dev's release which is very misleading.
  • @4 they look more like concept art to me...
  • I love the game and stories; hate the challenge mode. I wish they would remove it and add more to the actual game/story
  • We know what RockSteady can bring to the table. Though this sounds and looks good, we don't know is WBM will do a good job with it. Early days...
  • Batwing for travel, Deathstroke, different side activities and challenges...damn. This game might turn out really good!
  • @5, that's my thought's as well, they seem too polished to be gameplay image's. Concept art is always released first when a game's anounced, but I'll be sitting back and waiting for this, even if they made a game half as good as AC, it'd be a good game.
  • Always good to see Nolan North get paid. More. Sounds like they're taking a more open-world approach AND they're keeping the challenges? *drool* Sounds great, potentially....
  • @4 - Have you learned nothing from pre-release screenshots? They are almost never the same as the actual graphics. Doesn't always mean the graphics will be much different, but they always look slightly better to drive hype. I must admit, I was skeptical yesterday, but this sounds very interesting, and I'm going to give WBM a chance with it.
  • This actually looks pretty awesome. The Batwing might be a sole reason for purchase. Can't wait to see some gameplay vids, or trailers for that matter.
  • Sounds interesting, I'm hoping the riddles are coming back too.
  • I'm much more optimistic now - BUT it is always a nerdy pet-pev of mine when characters magically become more advanced looking - especially in a prequel!! Comparing this armored plated bat suit to "City's" is like comparing the Nolan's bat suit to Burton's.
  • Death stroke, black mask and penguin. Ok ... But it still doesn't make me happy rocksteady isn't involved.
  • Already I love the sound of this :)
  • I really want this to succeed - I loved the first two Arkhams. I might hold off on preordering it until the previews are in but, based on the blurb and the screens, it's all good so far. My only minor annoyance I can see is the Jammers you have to disable. I realise it encourages and rewards exploration, but surely there's another way beyond merely apeing Far Cry's radio towers or Assassin's Creed's viewpoints?
  • Finally a Batman game with a real town. At least I hope it feels real and isn´t just again flooded with gangsters.
  • hope kevin conroy is still doing batman's voice
  • Excited for this game but will wait until either a gameplay demo or trailer is shown (Probably at E3) before deciding on wether to pre order.
  • So penguins hasn't got his fancy 'monocle' yet, maybe we'll see how he gets it in the game
  • As long as Nolan North isn't the Penguin again I'm happy. That 'performance' made me consider Resident Evil 1 to be a vocal masterpiece. Regardless, this looks to be shaping up VERY nicely. If it runs on the same engine as Rocksteady's games it should play the same, and all we need to really worry about is the story.
  • Sounds good, I wonder what Rocksteady are upto though... Dropping explosive barrels on enemies seems kinda dumb as we all know what happens when you do that.
  • aslong as they keep the system RS made for the game im happy.
  • I would love to see this get grittier. In a lot of the earlier stories there used to be points where the panels would go red and Batman would just lose it, essentially beating the living hell out of whoever was in his way. That would be cool to see at some point in the story. Extremely excited for this game, may just have to give up on ACIV.
  • Bring back rocksteady, idiots
  • well as i said yesterday no rocksteady is a shame. but im willing to give the new game a chance and im certainly more intrigued now. i will buy it anyway, thats a given. just depends if its day one or later.
  • Batman does NOT cross the line and/or blow people up with explosive barrels
  • @28 he used to
  • Sounds promising even without Rocksteady, who I am sure is working on an even bigger unannounced game. Just please for the love of god no more Riddler Trophies. I didnt mind them in Asylum but City really killed them for me.
  • Anybody know why Rocksteady isnt making this Batman game?
  • @31 WB is cheap
  • @31 probably making a Man of Steel game
  • @31 Because they are probably working on something else.
  • probly won't come out until the next Xbox system is released.
  • @33 Actually I wouldn't bet on it. If there was a Man of Steel game, we'd have heard something. And considering that WB can use anything DC related to make a Superman game, they probably wouldn't hamstring themselves with a movie tie in and instead go for something based more off the comics or a little of both. So they could be working on a Superman game, or it could be anything. They could even be working on a Batman game for the next gen systems.
  • @35 They've already announced this will be releasing October 25th.
  • This sounds really good. Won't be too quick to judge WBM, but they have a lot to live up to
  • What the hell? I thought Batman never killed anyone, and thats the point of him to uphold justice and not kill people. Blowing up bad dudes with explosive barrels? WTF?
  • @39 You could lob people off buildings in Arkham City. Let us not forget the violently brutal skull-smashing you did. You also expect me to believe he takes a lead pipe from a thug and goes Barry Bonds on that sum'bitch and that thug can still breath without the help of tubes? The Arkham-Verse painted him in a violently aggressive light so it's truly not surprising.
  • Every person you knockout you can see breathing on the ground in their unconcious state. Batman never kills and now he is going John Rambo and blowing people up with red barrels?
  • @41 You can see them breathing and i get that but come on? Sometimes the damage done is far more than someone could take a live. Besides Batman has actually killed in comics before.
  • Well it still is not as blatant as blowing up people with red barrels lol, it just doesnt seem very batman at all to me, i admit i never have read any comics, but i have seen all the films and and alot of the animated series with mark hamill and kevin conroy. It just doesn't seem much like Batman that i know to be blowing people up.
  • Definite first day purchase, no matter who is developing it.
  • I'm sure this game will be good, however I think it's gonna be hard to top Rocksteady who quite frankly amazed me with the first 2!
  • Almost everything I thought would be changed hasn't! The combat, gadget uses and free roam were too much fun, and it seems like they expanded it. I can't wait to at least see some trailers or gameplay videos first. I was definitely skeptical about not having Rocksteady on board. But the challenges returning... Not too sure how I feel about those haha. I have completed them all, not looking forward to probably 3x as much.
  • I loved those challenges I just didn't like the campaigns.
  • This is one of the few games I'm going to pre-order. Couldn't be more excited for a new batman game.
  • Can't wait for this. Wish it was coming out before October because i don't know if Ill be able to get it then but nevertheless, it will be amazing. The first two and the mass effects are my favorite games ever. Glad to see a new one for each of them is in the works. #1 if thats the biggest problem, I'm sure we'll survive but I know what you mean. He sounded like a mix of ten different European accents with strep throat. Maybe we'll get lucky and the replace the voice actor.
  • wish i read more than the first post before commenting so i wouldn't be doing two in a row. #35- The pre-order is already being advertised for xbox 360. #41- Batman is known for being brutal and although its his M.O. not to kill, anything is possible with WB. In the dark knight rises remember *SPOILER ALERT* he beat the living crap out of bane and then gave him "his permision to die."
  • So is that rumour about the 70s Batman game not happening?
  • If anyone has seen the animated movie Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, he kills a few people...
  • If there is one thing we should have learned from GoW:Judgment and Aliens: Colonial Marines, it's this: NEVER PRE-ORDER! At least, I won't. I love the two Arkham games, but waiting one or two weeks to see what reviews the game got, play the demo (if there is one, there better be!) and maybe capitalize on a price-drop won't kill me! On another note: "Each tower emits a signal that prevents the Batwing from gaining access and stops points of interest from being highlighted. Think Far Cry 3’s towers and you’re not far off." Wasn't the Assassin's Creed series the first one to use such a system?
  • Bet you Rocksteady are working on a Batman which follows on from Arkham City. Hope they are or a Superman game would be nice too.
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