Support NeoGAF

[GQman2121]

About the Scarecrow thing,

Spoiler

the "use the middle stick to dodge joker's bullet" confused me more than the glitch

.

I thought the entire sequence was brilliant and that part just set it over the top.

 

[witness]

The 3rd scarecrow sequence was the most clever and shocking surprise in a game in many years, for me it was better than any of the tricks kojima pulled during MGS2. I'm glad they had the balls to go for it.

 

[Blindfutur3]

I really hope they don't do something like that because I didn't think my console red ringed but I thought it was just a stupid way to start the scene and i can see why someone would think that but to me The Scarecrow scenes were alright but pretty meh overall.

Oh man, I loved them. The build up to them were some of the best parts of the game, where he's just messing with your head.

Spoiler

The part where it puts you on a '2D' plane and you have to make your way to the bat signal wasn't great

, but otherwise they were excellent.

 

[Calavera520]

About the Scarecrow thing,

Spoiler

the "use the middle stick to dodge joker's bullet" confused me more than the glitch

.

yeah that puzzled me too, does it actually make any difference?

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Oh man, I loved them. The build up to them were some of the best parts of the game, where he's just messing with your head.

Spoiler

The part where it puts you on a '2D' plane and you have to make your way to the bat signal wasn't great

, but otherwise they were excellent.

Umm... No. Everything about the scarecrow scene was brilliant.

Oh and the dude you quote: Scarecrow scenes were ALRIGHT? Goddamn, You do NOT appreciate Batman in any way possible.

Again, the most brilliant scene in the game:

Spoiler

Batman seeing his parents die in Crime Alley. Becoming Young Bruce. Just laying down there with his parents dead.

So Beautiful and Powerful. I almost forgot how awesome gaming used to be in the late 90s until I played this game.

yeah that puzzled me too, does it actually make any difference?

Spoiler

Umm... there is no "middle stick"? Unless you own N64 controller :lol :lol

 

[Lothars]

Oh man, I loved them. The build up to them were some of the best parts of the game, where he's just messing with your head.

Spoiler

The part where it puts you on a '2D' plane and you have to make your way to the bat signal wasn't great

, but otherwise they were excellent.

Yeah I know what you mean and I don't blame you but some of the 2d plane stuff and just where it seems like you shouldn't of got hit and still had to retry were frustrating but at least the checkpoints were really generous.

 

[Ferrio]

yeah that puzzled me too, does it actually make any difference?

Spoiler

*smacks forehead*

 

[Lothars]

Umm... No. Everything about the scarecrow scene was brilliant.

Oh and the dude you quote: Scarecrow scenes were ALRIGHT? Goddamn, You do NOT appreciate Batman in any way possible.

I think Batman is a great game and I really like the combat but I do appreciate batman and I think the Scarecrow sequences were like the boss fights, not bad but not great.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Spoiler

*smacks forehead*

Batman: Arkham Asylum releasing on N64 CONFIRMED!!!

I think Batman is a great game and I really like the combat but I do appreciate batman and I think the Scarecrow sequences were like the boss fights, not bad but not great.

I think the scarecrow sequences were the best sequences in the game. It was seriously a breath of fresh air. Tired of all those blockbuster sequences in the game. Tired of all those half-assed so-called "scary moments" in gaming where they just spawn a random character from the left (ALWAYS THE LEFT. ALWAYS!). Tired of those bullshit ways of story telling where they don't know what the fuck is going on or how to control it so they make it an explosive cutscene. Tired of sequences that make you jump by INCREASING THE DAMN VOLUME EVERY TIME.

The scarecrow sequence did SO MUCH justice to Batman Universe, it can't be compared to any other video game based on an IP as large as Batman. There was never a loophole, never a sequence created just to increase the game length and on top of that, a sequence so complex, to find it without a SINGLE glitch makes it even more immerse to the extend that you are literally sucked into it and want to know more about Batman's mind or what he fears or how the criminals take batman or how if you replace Batman with Joker, you see absolutely no difference between a psychopath or a vigilante. Other mediums of story-telling i.e. The Dark Knight or Animated Series TRIED to showcase this hyperbole but this is the first time an entity comes CLOSE to making you believe Batman is a fuck-up and a screw-up, and Scarecrow makes you believe... This game makes Nolan's scarecrow look like a pussy pimp selling ecstasy on the street. Scarecrow has NEVER been this easy to catch as easy they made it appear in other mediums (beside comics ofcourse) and this is THE definitive scarecrow.

 

[Blindfutur3]

Again, the most brilliant scene in the game:

Spoiler

Batman seeing his parents die in Crime Alley. Becoming Young Bruce. Just laying down there with his parents dead.

So Beautiful and Powerful. I almost forgot how awesome gaming used to be in the late 90s until I played this game.

This was the best part for me too. It was also the part where I realised just how good looking the game is.

Regarding the Scarecrow section. I don't know what it was, those sections looked great and 90% of Scarecrow's sectons were awesome, but there just wasn't much challenge and it just got tedious after a while.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

This was the best part for me too. It was also the part where I realised just how good looking the game is.

Regarding the Scarecrow section. I don't know what it was, those sections looked great and 90% of Scarecrow's sectons were awesome, but there just wasn't much challenge and it just got tedious after a while.

It wasn't meant to be a challenge as much as pulling you out of the combat and exploration. If there is one "weakness" in the game is that the player can NEVER admire the game's beauty since he is always using Detective Mode, discovering items and object and the only two instances they can truly admire it is 1. After the game ends, and 2. When Scarecrow fucks you up.

That said, I am indeed looking forward to the sequel (Yes, there will be Sequel!) and I HOPE Scarecrow makes a return.

 

[lastplayed]

The boss fights are the biggest let down for me. They're so pointless and frustrating, I had to die on one of them before it told me what I had to do, that's really bad game design.

 

[Ri'Orius]

The scarecrow sequence did SO MUCH justice to Batman Universe, it can't be compared to any other video game based on an IP as large as Batman. There was never a loophole, never a sequence created just to increase the game length and on top of that, a sequence so complex, to find it without a SINGLE glitch makes it even more immerse ... (fangasm here) ...

So I didn't follow most of that, but on one point: Immersion? The Scarecrow sequences were cool, but they were never very immersive to me (with the exception of the glitch/restart business, and even then only the beginning).

Heck, I remember one of 'em, when it started, displayed as the name of the room you'd just entered "Gotham Alleyway" or something else clearly wrong. Before the sequence had begun to get creepy, I suddenly thought "Huh? Oh, must be a Scarecrow sequence." Which was kinda disappointing.

 

[Red]

So I didn't follow most of that, but on one point: Immersion? The Scarecrow sequences were cool, but they were never very immersive to me (with the exception of the glitch/restart business, and even then only the beginning).

Heck, I remember one of 'em, when it started, displayed as the name of the room you'd just entered "Gotham Alleyway" or something else clearly wrong. Before the sequence had begun to get creepy, I suddenly thought "Huh? Oh, must be a Scarecrow sequence." Which was kinda disappointing.

Bolded the key part.

 

[MyEpitomeCliché]

Yes, it's finally the weekend, I'll finally have some free time, and I'll finally be able to play this game some more. Since we are on the topic of Scarecrow, is there more with him after the

Spoiler

2-D spotlight

sequence? If so, fuck yes.

 

[Blindfutur3]

It wasn't meant to be a challenge as much as pulling you out of the combat and exploration. If there is one "weakness" in the game is that the player can NEVER admire the game's beauty since he is always using Detective Mode, discovering items and object and the only two instances they can truly admire it is 1. After the game ends, and 2. When Scarecrow fucks you up.

That said, I am indeed looking forward to the sequel (Yes, there will be Sequel!) and I HOPE Scarecrow makes a return.

The build up to the section I keep referring to is more than enough to take you out of the game and show you it's beauty. It was the parts where Scarecrow is screwing with you that I noticed it. It's just the section where you're making your way

Spoiler

along the 2D plane to the bat signal

that seems pointless and there as a way to draw it out.

I'm sure a boss fight with the Scarecrow could have been done a lot better and more creatively.

That said, I pretty much agree with you on everything else. I spent most of my time in detective mode and missed out on a lot of the beauty of the game.

 

[Red]

Still don't understand the criticism of detective mode. If you didn't like it, why didn't you turn it off? Try thinking of a better excuse than "the game didn't force me to," because that's your fault, no one else's.

 

[theluma]

Yes, it's finally the weekend, I'll finally have some free time, and I'll finally be able to play this game some more. Since we are on the topic of Scarecrow, is there more with him after the

Spoiler

2-D spotlight

sequence? If so, fuck yes.

Yeah it gets a helluva lot better.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Still don't understand the criticism of detective mode. If you didn't like it, why didn't you turn it off? Try thinking of a better excuse than "the game didn't force me to," because that's your fault, no one else's.

Why ofcourse, turn off the detective mode so you don't know which door to enter or what block of wall to rip apart or which ventilation shaft to enter or where the enemies are waiting for you or where to look out for the traces of nicotine or alcohol or blood or where E.Nigma is hiding his family jewels or how the Spirit of Arkham is fucking up with you. Surely, it would've made the game MUCH MORE BETTER since they are NOT forcing me to use it.

Sarcasm aside, Detective Mode is brilliant and the game cannot be the same without it but is is pretty much forcing you to use it except maybe when you replay the game, you know your way in/out and don't care about collectible. It's like saying "You're not forced to eat mushroom when playing as Mario!"

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Detective Mood forcing a sort of stress level so you can't use it constantly would have been a good way to implement it.

I honestly like keeping it on because it gives Batman white eyes.

 

[Red]

Why ofcourse, turn off the detective mode so you don't know which door to enter or what block of wall to rip apart or which ventilation shaft to enter or where the enemies are waiting for you or where to look out for the traces of nicotine or alcohol or blood or where E.Nigma is hiding his family jewels or how the Spirit of Arkham is fucking up with you. Surely, it would've made the game MUCH MORE BETTER since they are NOT forcing me to use it.

Sarcasm aside, Detective Mode is brilliant and the game cannot be the same without it but is is pretty much forcing you to use it except maybe when you replay the game and don't care about collectible.

I know I can't be the only one who turned it on only when necessary. I mean, you can plainly see a grate, you don't need it to glow orange to know you can remove it :lol

Pretty much the only times I made sure to use it were when I was in a room with armed guards (to check how many were left) and when I was lining up a riddler challenge. Those "forensic" trails are just fluff anyway, there's pretty much only one untread path for all those sequences which totally nullifies any "detective" work you might be under the illusion of performing.

I don't think it really matters one way or the other how often you use it, but when you make the argument that you're missing the sights Rocksteady has prepared because you always have it turned on-- well, that's silly. Turn it off. Your argument is null.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Detective Mood forcing a sort of stress level so you can't use it constantly would have been a good way to implement it.

I honestly like keeping it on because it gives Batman white eyes.

and RED EYES!!

I know I can't be the only one who turned it on only when necessary. I mean, you can plainly see a grate, you don't need it to glow orange to know you can remove it :lol

Pretty much the only times I made sure to use it were when I was in a room with armed guards (to check how many were left) and when I was lining up a riddler challenge. Those "forensic" trails are just fluff anyway, there's pretty much only one untread path for all those sequences which totally nullifies any "detective" work you might be under the illusion of performing.

Don't get me wrong. I did try to play the game using as little of Detective Mode as possible but yes, it's a part of the game and you can play the entire game with Detective Mode on and complete it with ease, rather than not using it all and be clueless. Batman is all about gadgets, and not using his gadgets is blasphemy!

 

[Ri'Orius]

Bolded the key part.

Sure, there was a moment of confusion. But it was confusion based not on what was happening in the game, but rather what was happening in the UI. And once the moment of confusion was resolved, immersion was broken--I felt more like I was playing a game than that I was being Batman.

The moment was nice. The aftermath, however...

 

[Coldsnap]

Anyone else play the game a bit but have no urge to go back and finish it?

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Sure, there was a moment of confusion. But it was confusion based not on what was happening in the game, but rather what was happening in the UI. And once the moment of confusion was resolved, immersion was broken--I felt more like I was playing a game than that I was being Batman.

The moment was nice. The aftermath, however...

I guess every other game disappoints you since most of them don't even involve this "confusion". Shooters might be the most boring genre according to you for it's a simple "shoot to kill" scenario in most of them.

Anyone else play the game a bit but have no urge to go back and finish it?

*does not raises hand*

 

[Red]

Don't get me wrong. I did try to play the game using as little of Detective Mode as possible but yes, it's a part of the game and you can play the entire game with Detective Mode on and complete it with ease, rather than not using it all and be clueless. Batman is all about gadgets, and not using his gadgets is blasphemy!

You could have played it on easy, too, and things would have been even simpler.

Spoiler

But you didn't.

Spoiler

I hope.

 

[Ri'Orius]

I guess every other game disappoints you since most of them don't even involve this "confusion". Shooters might be the most boring genre according to you for it's a simple "shoot to kill" scenario in most of them.

Well, honestly immersion isn't high on my list of priorities when playing video games, so no, I'm not that disappointed when it's broken.

But when one of the biggest immersion breaks in the game occurs in a segment that someone lauds as being immersive, I feel obligated to point it out.

 

[Red]

But when one of the biggest immersion breaks in the game occurs in a segment that someone lauds as being immersive, I feel obligated to point it out.

We're gamers, hyperbole is our first language.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

You could have played it on easy, too, and things would have been even simpler.

Spoiler

But you didn't.

Spoiler

I hope.

Spoiler

I played on Normal. Easy is for pussies! I wish I played on Hard from the beginning but I avoided it for I didn't know how 'HARD' hard can be (and from reading other people's comments, hard was fairly reasonable!!).

>;(

Alright, alright! We all enjoyed the game right??

Spoiler

(beside the players who ask questions like "I'm 2% into the game. Does it get better?" *SMH!!*)

Good!

Group hug?

 

[Red]

Spoiler

I played on Normal. Easy is for pussies! I wish I played on Hard from the beginning but I avoided it for I didn't know how 'HARD' hard can be (and from reading other people's comments, hard was fairly reasonable!!).

>;(

That's sort of my point :lol

You can say "easy is for pussies," but then you say you can understand why someone played with detective mode on the whole time since it allows you to "finish the game with ease" :lol

I guess that's what happens when players are given too much choice; they blame the game's design for not exploring the options they've ignored.

 

[Minamu]

I can definitely see why some people didn't think the Scarecrow parts were the best thing since Jesus Christ. To me, it was a nice change of pace but it wasn't really scary at all & the gameplay didn't feel very well thought out either.

Spoiler

It was just hide & seek with a lame auto game over if you step into the light. The combat in those places weren't anything special either, gameplay wise. The skeletons were a nice touch though. But the worst part of it was probably that it was the same thing all three times. It didn't change that much beyond level layout & location. It only truly bloomed at the end with the you know what part & the cutscenes from the real world with Scarecrow talking to you & injecting more poison.

So yeah, they weren't THAT ultra kickass awesome that a lot people make them out to be. Imho.

But definitely a nice change of pace & it would've sucked if they weren't there at all.

 

[Ri'Orius]

We're gamers, hyperbole is our first language.

We're also message board denizens; we tend to be rather fluent in pedantry as well

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

I guess that's what happens when players are given too much choice; they blame the game's design for not exploring the options they've ignored.

I did not blame the game design. I love the way it is and it would've sucked if it was any difference. I am not "complaining" but rather giving an after-though that you realize the true beauty of the game after you complete it!

 

[Red]

I did not blame the game design. I love the way it is and it would've sucked if it was any difference. I am not "complaining" but rather giving an after-though that you realize the true beauty of the game after you complete it!

Not trying to attack you, was mainly addressing the argument. A few people here have been tossing it around.

We're also message board denizens; we tend to be rather fluent in pedantry as well

That makes us sound so obnoxious.

 

[OokieSpookie]

Anyone else play the game a bit but have no urge to go back and finish it?

Nope.
Just you.

 

[vazel]

The boss fights are the biggest let down for me. They're so pointless and frustrating, I had to die on one of them before it told me what I had to do, that's really bad game design.

:lol Gotta love gaming these days.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

lastplayed, you might one of the only few to die on the boss fights. I thought they were pretty straight forward except the last boss. But then again, not all gamers are created equal!

 

[Red]

:lol Gotta love gaming these days.

"Back in my day, we didn't have any 'o dem cheat codes or fancy in game hints! We didn't even have continues! We went up against bosses with no weak points and beat 'em with our bare mega busters, plotted routes out on napkins because there was no in-game map! Played for hours on end only to have it all ripped apart in an instant! Why? Because we were gamers, that's why! Say, did I ever tell you about the time I went all the way through Battletoads without even getting hit? I did? Oh, well it's time to hear it again."

 

[lastplayed]

Well, whatever. I didn't enjoy any of the boss fights, and that's a failure of the designers, not me.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Well, whatever. I didn't enjoy any of the boss fights, and that's a failure of the designers, not me.

ADMIT YOUR FAILURE! YOU ARE A FAILURE! YOU ALWAYS WERE AND ALWAYS WILL BE!

Oh and where's my group hug?

 

[Valkyr Junkie]

Well, whatever. I didn't enjoy any of the boss fights, and that's a failure of the designers, not me.

It's their failure that you were not entertained? Plenty of us here were. Who's in the wrong here?

Despite what you may think, it is in fact impossible for a video game to be a flawless experience for everyone.

 

[lastplayed]

ADMIT YOUR FAILURE! YOU ARE A FAILURE! YOU ALWAYS WERE AND ALWAYS WILL BE!

Oh and where's my group hug?

I guess my only failure is not rating this game 10/10 right? I don't think it's a perfect game, so I guess I deserve everything I get.

Yes it's a GOOD game, I love it - just not the boss fights. I've always hated boss fights.

 

[DihcarEM]

I know I can't be the only one who turned it on only when necessary. I mean, you can plainly see a grate, you don't need it to glow orange to know you can remove it :lol

Agreed, i played it on hard the first time trough and only used D mode when needed. I saw all the beauty that this game offers. I only use it a lot more now on the predator challenges.

 

[Creamium]

Getting better at freeflowing! Only 3 challenges left to 3 star, I'm slowly getting the hang of it. I really hate the cinderblock fools in Sewer extreme, always throwing their rocks offscreen dagnab it.

 

[Valkyr Junkie]

Getting better at freeflowing! Only 3 challenges left to 3 star, I'm slowly getting the hang of it. I really hate the cinderblock fools in Sewer extreme, always throwing their rocks offscreen dagnab it.

That's the only extreme combat challenge I've 3-starred so far. If you want to be cheap (this is what I did to get my 40x trophy as well), just evade and punch repeatedly until your multiplier is ridiculously high. It's one of the few combat challenges that give you enough room, and time to use that method really easily.

 

[EzLink]

The boss fights are the biggest let down for me. They're so pointless and frustrating, I had to die on one of them before it told me what I had to do, that's really bad game design.

Wooooooow

 

[Bog]

I got so psyched up when I saw

Spoiler

the frozen over area.

Not watching anything about the game ahead of time made me think

Spoiler

he'd show up later on.

 

[Neiteio]

I love how huge an attention whore everyone at Rocksteady is, being all "Maybe we'll make a sequel if people like the game." :lol

Speaking of sequels, I'd like:

- A cold, rain-slick Gotham City setting, not open world, but with you exploring various corners of the city, reaching them by linear driving segments in the Batmobile.

- The return of

Spoiler

Croc, Bane and Scarecrow

, now infused with Titan. The hulks would be more hulked out than before; the other fellow, now as monstrous as his mindgames.

- A mob theme, with a coalition of crime syndicates led by

Spoiler

Two-Face, Penguin, Ventriloquist (Scarface)

and more. Imagine sneaking through the rafters of a room, watching the mobsters plot against Batman in a cigarette smoke-filled room below...

- Several encounters with

Spoiler

Catwoman

, fighting her in some, working with her in others, chasing her across rooftops at one point.

- A multiplayer component with Batman versus thugs; the thugs play from the first-person perspective and pack heat with limited ammo; Batman plays from the third-person perspective and tries to take them down Predator-style.

- Strong focus on dynamic lighting and shadows -- especially useful in the above, where Batman can take advantage of the darkness.

- Challenge Mode now featuring a plethora of unlockable characters.

- Other villains making their appearance as either direct bosses or forces driving the plot:

Spoiler

Mr. Freeze, as the game's Poison Ivy-style elemental-driven humanoid; Clayface, with Assassin's Creed-style blend-into-crowd games of cat-and-mouse, followed up by monstrous transformations and boss battles; Mad Hatter, at the amusement park in a Wonderland-themed underground, hypnotizing and mind-controlling friends into foes; and more.

Hmm, I suspect there's more, but I'm drawing a blank here.

 

[EzLink]

I love how huge an attention whore everyone at Rocksteady is, being all "Maybe we'll make a sequel if people like the game." :lol

Speaking of sequels, I'd like:

- A cold, rain-slick Gotham City setting, not open world, but with you exploring various corners of the city, reaching them by linear driving segments in the Batmobile.

- The return of

Spoiler

Croc, Bane and Scarecrow

, now infused with Titan. The hulks would be more hulked out than before; the other fellow, now as monstrous as his mindgames.

- A mob theme, with a coalition of crime syndicates led by

Spoiler

Two-Face, Penguin, Ventriloquist (Scarface)

and more. Imagine sneaking through the rafters of a room, watching the mobsters plot against Batman in a cigarette smoke-filled room below...

- Several encounters with

Spoiler

Catwoman

, fighting her in some, working with her in others, chasing her across rooftops at one point.

- A multiplayer component with Batman versus thugs; the thugs play from the first-person perspective and pack heat with limited ammo; Batman plays from the third-person perspective and tries to take them down Predator-style.

- Strong focus on dynamic lighting and shadows -- especially useful in the above, where Batman can take advantage of the darkness.

- Challenge Mode now featuring a plethora of unlockable characters.

- Other villains making their appearance as either direct bosses or forces driving the plot:

Spoiler

Mr. Freeze, as the game's Poison Ivy-style elemental-driven humanoid; Clayface, with Assassin's Creed-style blend-into-crowd games of cat-and-mouse, followed up by monstrous transformations and boss battles; Mad Hatter, at the amusement park in a Wonderland-themed underground, hypnotizing and mind-controlling friends into foes; and more.

Hmm, I suspect there's more, but I'm drawing a blank here.

This is actually the best wish-list for the sequel that I've read thus far. The only thing I'd add is to MAKE SURE YOU CAN USE EXTRA COSTUMES IN SINGLE PLAYER. Other than that, everything you mentioned would be fucking badass as hell

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Agreed with everything Neiteio said. I also want challenge mode to have several major characters instead of just thugs (think Assassin's Creed i.e. Capture Two-face without being detected etc etc).

I want this story to be the continuation of Batman: Arkham Asylum (without Robin ofcourse ):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooywVW39e5I