All right.
Let’s talk about fans. Not Batman fans, mind you. Just regular old ceiling fans.
Don’t worry.
I know almost exactly what I’m doing.
Early on in Arkham
Knight, there’s a sequence where Batman gets to walk around the Gotham City
police headquarters -- AKA the home base of Commissioner Jim Gordon, the best Batman character. It’s not a long stay, but you at least get to
see their inner workings, including a strategy meeting for the boys (and
girls!) in blue. I can’t say I paid too
much attention to it, though, even if a quirk of the game is that NPCs giving
instructions will repeat that dialogue until you presumably leave. I was busy looking at the room.
I had already swiveled the camera enough to take a
good look at the room, but something caught my eye. Shadows were cast throughout thanks to a
slowly-spinning ceiling fan -- which in turn made me focus on it so much I
ignored everything else. Essentially,
there were five streaks of darkness in the room at all times. So it would mean that the lightbulb for the
fan (or the room at large) is above
the fan’s blades; a two-second Google search will give seventeen million hits
for ceiling fans with lights -- and popping over to the images tab shows one
fan after another with lights below the
fan where they belong. That design is
more practical, because if for any reason the fan’s blades are stopped, then
it’s going to cast shadows over policemen doing paperwork or looking at
sensitive materials. That seems
problematic. Plus, Gotham City is
already dark enough, isn’t it?
So why am I talking about fans? Simple.
Because it’s emblematic of all the problems with Arkham Knight. The devs put
in stuff that would look cool, and didn’t bother asking if it would make
sense. Typically, it doesn’t.
Here’s the setup.
It’s Halloween time in Gotham, but the age of tricks and treats gets cut
short thanks to Scarecrow’s antics.
Namely, he’s threatening to detonate a bomb -- filled with his latest
and greatest fear toxin yet -- in the city, which will inevitably spread to the
entire east coast. Naturally, Batman
ain’t havin’ that, so he decides to go sort things out before Scarecrow can
blow up his big dumb fear bomb. (In
hindsight, he probably should have detonated it in relative secrecy and not blabbed to the city about his
plans.) The trick this time is that
Batman also has to deal with the Arkham Knight, a guy who dresses up like a
cyber-Batman and knows most of his tricks intimately -- and also has a militia
and fleet of drone tanks at his disposal, just in case Scarecrow’s cerebral
assassinations were too subtle.
Essentially, Batman has to beat them both while
also making sure that the streets of Gotham -- evacuated for fear of getting
caught in the blast -- stays in one piece.
Tanks roll around at their leisure, thugs take to the streets to raid
whatever they can get their hands on, and other villains slink about to further
their evil plans. (The Riddler is in
there for sure, but I don’t feel like messing with him, which I’ll explain later
on.) So as usual, Bats has got a busy --
and curiously perpetual -- night ahead of him.
But in the early hours, things only get more complex. Sooooo…INCOMING SPOILERS (that
anyone could probably see coming):
Joker’s back as a figment of Batman’s imagination
(thanks to a healthy dose of fear gas), and I’m gonna go ahead and assume that
the Arkham Knight is one of the Robins (which was recently and rightfully confirmed in a conversation with my brother).
Not like I care about the latter, because he’s really kind of dull.
I’m no expert on the Batman mythos, but I thought
that the point and allure of his rogues’ gallery was that they were reflections
of the dark knight. And sure, I guess
that even at this early stage in the game, I can see the reflections of the
Arkham Knight. He knows his enemy’s
secrets; he’s got tons of resources; he’s willing to compromise law and
liberties alike; he’s got a serious grudge against those that have slighted
him. But it’s just so blatant and
on-the-nose with this guy that it’s had to take him seriously. He’s loud, he’s obnoxious, he’s prone to
hissy fits, and his menace is kneecapped by just how bland he is overall. Also, if he hates Batman so much, then why is
he dressed almost exactly like him?
Despite being a series standby, Scarecrow’s not
all that appealing either. He’s one of
those just according to keikaku-type
characters who acts like everything is fine and he’s always winning. More pressingly, he’s a gleeful participant
in what I’m going to call “Handsome Jackin’ it”
-- where one character (usually a villain) will jabber on and on to the
player/player character about their plans, how awesome they are, and/or how
much the good guys suck. It annoys the
shit out of me, because there’s no rapport between two characters; Scarecrow might
as well be talking to a brick wall, especially since he’s gloating so
“eloquently” to Batman.
I’m disappointed in Rocksteady/WB for adding in
the Joker again, but I can’t say I’m surprised.
The very first thing you do in the game is cremate Joker -- you press
the button yourself -- but that’s as believable as a sloth running a
marathon. They didn’t have the restraint
to keep him out of the game, so now he’s back so he can in essence start
Handsome Jackin’ it to Batman without repercussion. He’s got some good lines, for sure, but it
feels like the devs used him as a crutch instead of a tool. They either should have done without him for
one game, or not set up his death from the get-go…so in a way, his return here
almost implies that the devs ran out of steam and ideas for the finale, but
that’s all a bunch of speculation.
Honestly, I’m more confused by the circumstances
of his “return”. So Scarecrow’s gas is
shown in the game’s opening minutes to make people see some horrifying imagery,
and remains active until Batman can presumably give them a cure (you see an
affected policeman losing his mind in a cell).
So Batman gets a huge dose of that gas -- presumably the same fear toxin
-- and it makes him see…the Joker?
Comic fans, I need you to help me out here: has
Batman ever been shown to be afraid of
the Joker? He’s got every reason to, but
I always thought he saw the clown prince as a nuisance, not as someone to be
scared of. Or is he afraid because Joker
symbolizes his inability to control every situation? I doubt that, because Batman as a character
and Batman as the player’s avatar regularly
has control of the situation. Or is he afraid of the fact that he’ll
never be rid of Joker now that he’s got him in his brain? Again, I have my doubts about that -- seeing
as how he’s Batman, and can probably make a cure with as much effort as it
takes to make the average milkshake.
Based on where I am in the story, it looks as if
the main theme of the game -- story-wise, at least -- is that Batman isn’t the
invincible hero everyone thinks he is…except when he is…except when he
isn’t. The core conflict: he’s gotten so
used to being “the only one that can save the day” that it’s the only course of
action he’ll accept. He won’t take help
from Robin, he tells police crews that he’ll handle it and they should stay
back, and he goes into martyr mode despite Alfred’s desperate protests. It’s an interesting idea, and one I hope gets
developed in full…but right now, it feels like there’s a shortage of good
execution.
I mean, Batman pretty much has a point, doesn’t
he? He’s really the only one that can save
the day. The police don’t have the
manpower or tech. Robin’s busy with
stuff on his end. Alfred’s a
butler. And sure, you could argue that
the other good guys of Gotham could help if Batman shared some of his toys --
but he hasn’t, and now he’s the only hero the city’s got left. He’s justified in thinking the way he
does.
But on the flip-side, he gets help constantly.
Barbara Gordon/Oracle helps him out extensively as his mission control,
even if it means staying in the city and risking a fear-bomb. Her computer wizardry and intel let Batman
get within even a foot of Scarecrow in the first place -- so what, is he only
willing to accept help from people in wheelchairs? Physical help is out of the question, but all
the info money can buy is in the green?
I don’t know, man. It feels like
they added in this wrinkle to the character without asking if it made sense.
But how about the gameplay? Surely it’s airtight, right? Right?
In all fairness, there are things to like about
the gameplay. For example, I think Arkham Knight is at its best when Batman
gets to be a detective -- searching the environment for clues and building up a
stock of evidence or countermeasures with whatever’s on-hand. It’s limited to the odd minigame here or the
rudimentary search there, but it’s something.
It’s still appreciable. I guess
it’s too late to wish for an expanded version of the detective segments, what
with this being the last game in the franchise (for now), but for what it’s
worth? There’s something strangely
satisfying about sorting through the clues at a crime scene or disaster zone.
In terms of conflict resolution, I have to say
that the stealth segments are my favorite of the bunch. As someone who manages to screw up every
stealth attempt under the sun (and under the suns of different galaxies), I
can’t help but like AK’s implementation
-- to an extent, at least. The core
ideas are there; use high vantage points to get the drop on enemies, and
dispatch them sneakily with Batman’s skills and gadgets. Much like the detective segments, using your
wits (in theory) and cracking the myriad puzzles throughout Gotham is
inherently rewarding, much more than using brute force.
So what’s the problem then? Well, it’s the same problem that weaves its
way through the game: the devs went and added too much, and weakened everything
as a result. Or, alternatively: they put
in stuff that would look cool, and didn’t bother asking if it would make sense.
One of the game’s new wrinkles is that early on,
Batman gets a new armor- and tech-lined suit that enhances his capabilities --
and you just know already what I’m going to say next, don’t you? If not, then let me put it this way: this is
a suit that lets Bats move faster and hit harder, and enhances his ability to
fly through the air. So basically, the
superhero whose notable trait is that he doesn’t have a superpower (besides
money) can suddenly take out a trio of bad guys at once -- at least, because I
assume upgrades can boost that count -- before they can even fire a bullet at
him. Can you see how that might be a
problem?
The multi-enemy takedown is an ability featured
almost as soon as you get the new suit, and something you’re practically
required to use to clear a stealth section. So for a gameplay segment that should pride
itself in making the players consider their next move carefully and not rely on brute force, suddenly the
game makes brute force into one of the best possible options. Why bother systematically taking down one
enemy at a time with a slow move when you can beat three of them
instantly?
The “balance” behind the multi-takedown is that A)
you have to recharge it with silent takedowns, and B) it makes noise that can
attract fresh and potentially-armed enemies.
But the areas I’ve encountered thus far in AK are too forgiving to make it a concern; Batman can decide when
and how and how long to engage enemies before he zips well out of their
attack/vision range with his grappling hook.
(Or he can toss out a smoke pellet to reset the situation, but the
grappling hook works fine.) The biggest
threat I’ve faced so far has been from gunmen, and even they’re not so tough;
you can disarm them from afar with your Batclaw, and if for some reason you end
up getting spotted, you can mash Square to punch them to death
unconsciousness. And you’ll still have
time to make your escape.
Like Arkham
Origins before it, the deck is stacked so far in Batman’s favor that even
if you do manage to get a perfect
stealthy run, the stakes and difficulty aren’t there to provide the expected
catharsis. That’s kind of a given,
seeing as how one of the game’s necessary evils is a vision mode that lets you
see enemies through walls, but there’s always a voice in the back of my head
that says “Why bother with stealth when you can rush in and punch
everyone?” The obvious answers are
“Because that’s how Batman would do it” and “Because it feels good” but those
aren’t good answers. In some ways,
they’re excuses.
Even though we’re years off from the first game’s
release, I’m still not sold on the series’ combat system. I’ll gladly admit that it’s likely the best
it’s ever been, though, or at least better than Origins; the final hits landed on enemies have the force of a
shotgun blast, and Batman’s picked up some cool new animations (presumably by
watching lots of wrestling matches).
Likewise, I think it’s easier to aim here than it was back then, and as
far as I can tell you can’t win just by standing in a corner and spamming
Batarangs. And it’s not as if it’s an
objectively bad system; I can see why people like it, because if nothing else
it lets the player feel what it’s like to be a guy that can rhythmically take
down twenty dudes at once -- a count that I’m referencing quite literally.
I guess my problem with it is made all the more
obvious in light of me and the special edition f DMC4. Sure, in that game you
can also take on twenty enemies at once -- not necessarily all the time, but
it’s possible. And some of those hordes
don’t bring in the ball-busting difficulty.
So what’s the difference? Well,
in DMC4, it’s as much about the style
as it is about the difficulty; it’s an active, freeform system that lets you do
whatever to slay the demons before you.
Fight on the ground, fight in the air, use your sword, use your guns,
charge your guns, charge your sword, pop your Devil Trigger, use this move, use
that move, attack one guy, attack multiple guys, switch your gun, switch your
sword, switch your style -- all options tapped at a furious pace, itself
afforded by the pace of the game.
Comparatively, all of the Arkham games feel like I’m playing underwater with cinder blocks on
my limbs. That’s hyperbole, sure,
because ultimately it’s something I can deal with; the DMC games aren’t always the most accessible, least of all because
of their pace. But the problem is that
Batman’s combat isn’t suited for style.
He may do cool stuff on a regular basis, but the issue is one of
rhythm. DMC4’s combat is wild because of two factors: the sheer number of
inputs the player can make, and the offenses of its enemies (who are as much a
threat to your pride as they are your health -- maybe more so). It takes some real neuron-firing to get a SSS
rank, the route to which depends on the situation and your actions. The rhythm is wild and intense, but more
satisfying as a result.
In AK,
the rhythm is constantly the same. Sure,
some different enemy types force you to mix things up (and beat their gimmick
with one specific combo, so it’s buying into the DmC school of thought). And
sure, the entire point is to balance offense and defense via punches, stuns,
jumps, and counters -- each mapped to a face button. But the process is too regimented. Wail on a guy for a while, then hit counter
to stop an incoming baddie. Then wail on
a new guy, then counter another guy.
Then leap over here, or stun a guy there, and counter two guys at
once. Every time the counter symbol pops
up over some guy’s head, it feels like I’m being woken up -- and unlike Origins, you can most certainly score
knockouts with counters, thanks to your powered-up suit.
So like…if Batman has the resources to build a
super-suit, why isn’t he always wearing
it? And why not make an even better one?
Again, the combat’s probably the best it’s ever
been -- but for me, that doesn’t mean much.
It’s not lazily-made or anything, but the execution makes me feel lazy. And sleepy.
This is a game where Batman can and will slide as much as forty feet to
land a punch on a distant enemy, just because you kinda-sorta pushed the stick
in a direction while you hammered Square.
Even if there are plenty of combo strings and a dedicated move list,
what’s the point of mashing Square and adding in the occasional counter will
win one engagement after the next? And
I’ve been playing for hours, and there hasn’t been a single boss fight to mix
things up. What the hell? (Oh wait, yes there has; it was just against
a bunch of tanks and a helicopter. Perfect.)
Okay, sure, you can lob a similar complaint at DMC4 and every other character action
game around: why bother with stylish combos if the basics are enough to win a
fight? Well, that’s an extremely
debatable assumption; I can’t imagine fighting Credo or the Lumen Sage without
learning the systems’ ins and outs. But
the entire point of those games is to engage in their systems -- the heat born
from a chain of inputs and outputs. AK and its ilk just can’t compare -- and
while it’s unfair to even think of
putting them in the same genre, it doesn’t pardon the fact that it’s a gameplay
element that’s serviceable at most, and much too sluggish to be anything more
than quaint.
But it’s still leagues better than anything involving the Batmobile -- because
every time I’m forced to use it, a part of me dies inside.
What’s the problem? Well, I’ll get to that -- next time. Till then?
I don’t know, just play the 60’s theme in your head. Like, for days. It’ll be fun, and probably won’t drive you insane.
Yeah.
Probably.
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