The Antitype said:
Both games are awesome, but I definitely prefer the more structured, tightly paced feel of the first game.
Yeah, it's cool to be able to go around Gotham, but to do what? Beat up random thugs for XP? Fly through hoops? Answer phones and bus across the city to answer another one? Pick up collectables? This is the same repetitive shit that people rightfully blasted the open-world Spider-Man games for. There are even balloons!
Agreed. I generally dont like open world games so I was hesitant here. Im not very far in and Im enjoying it somewhat but the first game is leagues better.
My biggest (yet small) gripe here is that they dont quite explain why he's missing gadgets and combat moves. In the first game, you have a clear idea of why he is handicapped. He left some of his stuff at the batcave and you have to get it back. Here he just... doesnt know things for some reason. "OH I FORGOT I HAD THIS BATSWARM MOVE. LEMME 'BUY' IT." Seems out of the blue to me especially since, again, they made an attempt to explain it in the first game.
And I agree with your second point. The reason I dont quite love open world games is because the story never really makes sense. Like in GTA games. "My friend is dying, but wait lemme stop and look for some pigeons." And here "Im dying of an unknown virus and I dont know how long I have... but lemme find some more riddler trophies before rescuing freeze." Theres always a clear disconnect. And I can never shake that feeling. Yea I can just got through the story mode but then I feel like Im missing something. You can make the argument that since you're Batman, you have to make that tough decision to put others before yourself but then there isnt any downside to NOT doing the side missions as far as Ive seen. Nothing is urgent. Nothing is and emergency. Its just sort of "there." Like its all pointless.
I loved the intentional pacing and linearity of the first game. I felt like Batman. In this game I feel like a buffoon flying around in a Bat suit, confused about where to go and suffering from selective amnesia regarding what I learned in training.
And the challenge rooms (where you have to clear a room of baddies) are much less satisfying for some reason. They were set up for you to be a badass in the first game. Here it just seems kind of random. In AA they kind of went out of their way to make you feel like a badass. Thats completely lost somehow. Somewhat disappointing so far. Hopefully it gets better.
