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[Origami Superman]

Making a second bad Batman game, probably.

Arkham City was a bad game.

Eh, it wasn't a bad game, but was certainly a step down from Asylum.

 

[Bravocado]

Hopefully working on batman beyond.

Will Friedle, is that you?

 

[Skilletor]

I don't care if he's considered THE actor, he is atrocious in the first 2 Arkham games and the guy who did it for Origins destroyed him. Conroy gives the most boring robotic performances and has some really poor timing in certain lines. He was completely outclassed in Origins.

Well, I'll never believe that, and from what I've played he certainly isn't outclassed. Origin's battle system keeps me from wanting to play the game anymore, so it's unlikely I'll have an opinion on Batman's VA for the entire game any time soon.

But, again, I'm biased. Fully willing to admit that.

 

[Veelk]

I don't care if he's considered THE actor, he is atrocious in the first 2 Arkham games and the guy who did it for Origins destroyed him. Conroy gives the most boring robotic performances and has some really poor timing in certain lines. He was completely outclassed in Origins.

It was the animations that made the characters seem off putting, not the voice acting. He'd be doing the threatening voice while Batman is standing there ordinarily. In general, WBM did a better job with camera work and the mannerisms of the characters than Rocksteady did as well as generally having better writing. Conroy's strength is his subtlty with Batman's voice, but without the animation to accompany it, it falls flat. It just wasn't his element.

 

[UrbanRats]

Eh, it wasn't a bad game, but was certainly a step down from Asylum.

To me, it was a step up from Asylum.
Aside from the plot i guess, but in that sense, Origins had the most interesting of the three.

 

[RPGCrazied]

Really want to see them do TMNT. Can you imagine finally an awesome game from the franchise? All the games out except Turtles in Time are shit. Least I think so.

 

[Strife In a Teacup]

Working on Batman: Arkham Supermarket.

Starring:

 

[Spring-Loaded]

Making a second bad Batman game, probably.

Arkham City was a bad game.

Eh, it wasn't a bad game, but was certainly a step down from Asylum.

I'm quoting myself because the matter of which Rocksteady-designed Arkham game is better is brought up (without justification beyond a vague "AA's just a tighter experience" ) too much.

I'm quoting myself because the matter of which Arkham game is best gets brought up too much.

but Arkham City does everything better.

This is pretty much irrefutable truth. Even the story of Asylum isn't better overall; the premise is better and the Scarecrow sequences were great, yet the execution of AA's story was lacking, especially the godawful resolution.

AA managed to fool people into thinking they were playing a pathfinding, Metroid-type game when they were actually playing a completely linear game set against the backdrop of interconnected hubs. You never have to figure out where to go; you're always pointed in the right direction and the abilities you acquire are handed to you as you move forward. There's nothing wrong with the way the game is structured, but it's structure doesn't do anything to elevate it. The gameplay is the main draw and the setting is interesting; the structure of the game itself is not a draw like that of a Metroid/castlevania game is.

Asylum is a good game, it's just is plagued by repetition. There are no changes in enemy type, the boss encounters have good aesthetics, but poor gameplay. The only proper fight is Poison Ivy, the rest have novel ideas but are executed in a middling manner. The final boss is atrocious both mechanically and thematically; just a stain on an otherwise solid experience. The point of the whole experience is considered less important than having a big bombastic (and shallow) physical fight. To top it off, the actually interesting twist that

Spoiler

the warden is insane and was plotting to kill the inmates

was relegated to an optional side mission. It's even a plot point in AC; it should've been the proper ending.

Between the two games, AC's only unique weakness is pacing. It's premise is less plausible than AA's and there are some contrivances that are lame, yet AA suffered from having a shortsighted focus on the Titan formula and physical fights that undercut the story's potential. AC being a bit more open can overwhelm the player and makes them feel like

Everything related to gameplay is superior in AC. Everything. Except maybe throws. There are plenty of predator segments and the fleshing out of abilities (look up "grapnel boost takedown") is perfect.

The overworld is just a more open AA. Why anyone prefers running through corridors and loading screens to traversing something resembling a cityscape (as Batman, no less) is beyond me. The grapnel boost is optional when it should've been mandatory; getting around is much quicker and fun with that upgrade, something a lot of people passed up.

There are too many Riddler trophies, yet almost all of them require some sort of thought to acquire. AA's are all behind a wall or up in rafters. Not only is the process of getting them more involving than in AA, but they're tied to a Saw-style series of deathtraps from which you have to save hostages. In addition, the side missions where you can save some of the non-criminal prisoners in the asylum are good. Actually getting to save people in a Batman game? Beautiful.

The games are both dripping with potential for a good story; all the work that went into the interview tapes and back stories leading up to each game are better than the main stories. Here's hoping that work is put into the main stories of future games.

And then there's the ending of AC. I understand how someone would prefer AA's story overall to AC's, but at the very least, AC had an actual climactic ending with something resembling a considerable conclusion. Batman slipping on a banana peel and breaking his neck would've been better than AA's ending though, so that isn't saying much.

AC is just a better game and a better Batman simulator. Don't let anyone try to tell you differently. The first experience with AA might be better than the one with AC, but any further analysis will show which one is superior.

Kevin Conroy's VOICE is great. Kevin Conroy has done good-to-amazing work as Batman in TAS, Justice League and various other animated media featuring Batman.

His work in the Arkham games is worse than his work elsewhere. In AA, he's pretty flat with no moments calling for much emotion. This performance seems better than AC's (I'll get to that in a bit), but only because there are fewer chances for it to be bad. What little emotion we do see paints him as kind of temperamental (he gets a random burst of anger when talking to oracle about "not letting Joker win"), when he tells the guards to "put this animal [Zsasz] back in his cell" (that was pretty good) and kind of a wise-cracking person ("I eat chumps like these for breakfast" [ugh]).

I would actually like those outbursts of anger if they were consistent with his overall personality throughout the game, but that's pretty much it. Now, Batman not showing fear/anger when, say, going into Croc's lair is great (he also gets a chance to show of his intelligence and ability to plan by spraying the explosive gel on the weak floor at the entrance of Croc's lair, character traits that gets pushed by the wayside in AC). Batman is mostly completely neutral, which makes those moments stand out in weird, "eat chumps like these"-level corny ways. There's also a few moments where Batman's thinking what he needs to do and he does it in his Bruce Wayne voice, which is just lame considering most Conroy incarnations of Batman use the Bat-voice when in private because that's his "true" identity.

Still, Conroy's AA performance doesn't seem that bad, but only because the extremely linear, stifling design limits the chance of it being noticeably bad. Batman rarely shows how smart he is and is constantly duped/at a disadvantage, but it makes sense because he's on the enemy's turf. He doesn't really show any emotion, but that's because almost everything that happens happens while he's Batman (no private moments with Alfred or anything). The story completely (completely) falls flat on its face at the end, but overall it was a steady ride because of the linearity.

Conroy's Batman in AC is more dynamic, but that just shows how little direction he must have been given. Without even focusing on the writing/plot (which has too many contrivances and questionable character decisions), the voice acting comes across weak. He tries to sound threatening to Penguin, but just sounds corny, like Adam West Batman ("I only came here for Freeze and the hostages, but now I'm taking you down too"). He gets angry at

Spoiler

Ra's Al Ghul

during the big reveal, but his anger sounds generic, and the circumstances don't really warrant any more of an angry reaction than many other situations prior (in which Batman doesn't react angrily); isn't a convincing angry voice either. He jokes about "breaking a nail" with Catwoman while in a terribly dire situation. He's all over the place.

Even outside the main game in AC, he's... weird. He snaps at Oracle during the Identity Theft murders for even suggesting that he may have killed those people while under mind control of some sort (something that does almost happen during the game) after a witness says they saw Bruce Wayne kill one of the victims. It's such a whiny, indignant reaction to a very reasonable suggestions (his rogue gallery includes the Mad Hatter who's capable of mind control, Scarecrow who uses hallucinogens, Hugo Strange who's a learned psychologist, Etc.). He's all "how could you suggest that??? I would never kill! and that's that because I said so!!" Lame. Then after the Mad Hatter sequence, he's all like "stay out of my head, Hatter!" (without calling him by his real name as he does with the other villains, which is doubly lame) as if he feels all violated. He shows no concern with why Mad Hatter was trying to take control of him (which is revealed in the inmate interview tapes), he's just offended at having his personal space invaded.

on top of all that, he gets constantly duped and only makes it through the game by ingenuity and brawn. In all the moments beyond the player's control, he's too dumb to live up to how smart Batman's supposed to be.

In Origins, Batman's VA's voice itself isn't necesasrily better than Kevin Conroy's but his performance was better than Conroy's in the previous games. He's angry at the right times, he sounds worried when he should, even his corny lines sound convincing in context; I thought that "I'm the reason the criminals breathe easier when the sun rises" line was kinda hokey in the trailer, but the scene it takes place in was so on point, and so not contrived (Alfred tried to casually voice his concern before that point, but couldn't keep up the facade) that it became awesome.

In Conroy's best performances in the DC Animated Universe, he was working with voice director Andrea Romano (who has worked on other shows like The Boondocks cartoon) and I believe that's what Conroy needs: direction. Justice League Unlimited was that long ago; he's been okay in some of the animated movies since then. He can still do a good job, but he needs more motivation beyond "sound angry here pls."

 

[LiK]

So secret we've known about it for like 6+ months now



Doubtful considering Warner paid out the ass back when Arkham City came out for that perpetual UE3 license. My bet that if anything it's going to be like CoD4 and the Quake engine is today, just UE3 at the core with lots and lots of patchwork Rocksteady tech hacked in over the top to the point the UE3 part of the engine is basically unrecognizable.

Then again, stranger things have happened in the VG world so eh who knows, but I wouldn't think they'd shell out all that money for that perpetual license if they're only going to do 2 games with it.

Who told you they were working on a new kart racer?!

 

[Vibranium]

.

Great points about Conroy and you echoed my thoughts exactly about how he needs direction. Playing through the Arkham games he's just so weird and randomly angry at some points that you would expect "the" Batman to be calm.

What boggles my mind is how Wally Wingert was able to nail exactly how I hear The Riddler in the comics, presumably without much direction, while Conroy struggles so much.

 

[Spring-Loaded]

Great points about Conroy and you echoed my thoughts exactly about how he needs direction. Playing through the Arkham games he's just so weird and randomly angry at some points that you would expect "the" Batman to be calm.

What boggles my mind is how Wally Wingert was able to nail exactly how I hear The Riddler in the comics, presumably without much direction, while Conroy struggles so much.

Riddler's VA needs a more narrow range since he's a side character, but yes, he does a great job, capturing the "unwarrantably pompous" villain vibe perfectly.

I'd prefer if Conroy's Batman was just like All-Star Batman & Robin, "Goddamn Batman" Batman, just as long as he seemed consistent.

 

[EnVy_CaLiBeR]

Making the Superman game we all want.

Spoiler

I wish.

 

[Skilletor]

Making the Superman game we all want.

Spoiler

I wish.

The only Superman game anybody wants is one where he shows up in a Batman game.

 

[Some Nobody]

Hopefully working on that full open world Batman/Superman game with full Gotham city complete with Batmobile and full Metropolis. Both cities explorable by both characters. Also with completely new artstyle.

right?

I wish this was true. I'd love a game where I could play as Superman AND Batman.

Honestly, I'm disappointed by Rocksteady's complete silence this year. I guess they're trying to wait until Arkham Origins is done rolling out DLC before they mention the next game.

 

[Busty]

I seriously doubt that WB will just have Rocksteady fire out another installment in the Arkham series seeing as Montreal did such a solid job of making a game in the franchise.

I expect Rocksteady's new game will, of course, feature Batman and a lot of other DC characters if not the Justice League with a reveal this year and a releases in fall 2015 with marketing that ties into Man Of Steel 2/Batman VS. Superman.

I remember that one Paul Gale rumor that claimed Rocksteady were working on a TMNT game.

I really wish that was a thing.

Teenage Mutant Arkham Turtles pls

It wasn't a rumour. It was just that odd Paul Gale chap trying to 'start a rumour' because he quite fancied a TMNT game developed by Rocksteady. He even admitted as much (IIRC) in the very GAF thread about that nonsensical bollocks.

It was total and utter idiocy.

It's never going to happen. Ever.

 

[Markitron]

I don't care if he's considered THE actor, he is atrocious in the first 2 Arkham games and the guy who did it for Origins destroyed him. Conroy gives the most boring robotic performances and has some really poor timing in certain lines. He was completely outclassed in Origins.

I agree the actor in Origins was better but this statement is a little extreme

 

[Skilletor]

I agree the actor in Origins was better but this statement is a little extreme

Derek is all or nothing. It's why I love him. <3

 

[SargerusBR]

Making a second bad Batman game, probably.

Arkham City was a bad game.

 

[Fudgepuppy]

I hope the artstyle is different. Darker and more gothic please.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

I don't care if he's considered THE actor, he is atrocious in the first 2 Arkham games and the guy who did it for Origins destroyed him. Conroy gives the most boring robotic performances and has some really poor timing in certain lines. He was completely outclassed in Origins.

Not that he didn't phone it in, but are you sure the mediocre writing didn't have anything to do with it?

 

[abtom]

Making a second bad Batman game, probably.

Arkham City was a bad game.

 

[Haines]

Believe their next Batman sequel game is cross-gen and due late 2014, so I would be surprised if it didn't get revealed soon.

Cross gen? UGH

 

[digoutyoursoul]

Making the Superman game we all want.

Spoiler

I wish.

Superman 64 HD ?

 

[Derrick01]

Not that he didn't phone it in, but are you sure the mediocre writing didn't have anything to do with it?

No, I wasn't even talking about the stuff he was saying. It's how he said it, very monotone and sometimes he would say things very strangely. Look at the scene with Penguin in Arkham City before the arena fight, all of a sudden he starts talking really slow. There's lots of bad moments like that in the first 2 games, all done in his robot voice.

 

[Buckethead]

Sadly working on more batman

 

[XANDER CAGE]

Hopefully ready to take the series another massive step forward like City was while at the same time learning from the Origins team on how to make a good story and have a good Batman character (although Conroy seems to be back for this so that's not going to happen).

Conroy just reads what they write, why would this matter?

No, I wasn't even talking about the stuff he was saying. It's how he said it, very monotone and sometimes he would say things very strangely. Look at the scene with Penguin in Arkham City before the arena fight, all of a sudden he starts talking really slow. There's lots of bad moments like that in the first 2 games, all done in his robot voice.

Ah, never mind. I guess. I like Conroy so that doesn't really bug me, but I do think the Origins actor was good too.

 

[Vitter.]

Yeah i miss em! But what is worrisome in general is lack of announcements for next gen games.. E3 is a long way..

 

[abtom]

Conroy just reads what they write, why would this matter?

Conroy sounded really robotic in Arkham City. I felt Roger Craig Smith delivered a far more natural performance in Arkham Origins.