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Arkham Asylum 2. A discussion on where to go.

Started by Sabby, April 24, 2010, 01:21:32 AM

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Sabby

Arkham Asylum had fantastic gameplay, and a sequel has been announced. As impressed as I was with the game, I always felt that it was simply ground work. The very narrow spectrum of gameplay options was very polished and precise. In other words, they made it tight and responsive at the sacrifice of variety.

This isn't really a bad thing. I'd rather have a fun and focused game then one teeming with half baked ideas.

But the whole point of laying the ground work is to build upon it, and I'm hopeful of that AA2 will do just that. With the gameplay mechanics set, now they need to expand. A lot. Because for me, AA2's success (with me on a personal level, not sales) rides on its expansion of gameplay options.

Heres where we can discuss how AA2's gameplay can expand and improve.

For me, dodging and gadgets are a priority. Batman felt too slow for me. Countering incoming attacks, and flooring someone with a single strong hit seemed your only options for dealing with a man trying to hit you. The only dodge option you had was one that would take you clear out of a fight to give you space.

If there were enemies or attacks that were too quick, like the red suited, knife wielding enemies, the dodge button could be used to duck and weave out of the way. Three swings, three dodges, three quick button presses, Bats swishes and backsteps three times.

And why not give players the option to use the dodge button in place of the counter button? Let them duck a swinging pipe instead of grabbing it, for no other reason then to mix it up a bit. If I want to let three guys stumble and stagger around as they swing their fists at nothing but midair, before casually flooring one of them, I should be able to. It feels like the super heroish thing to do, and I could just see the training scenario for it matching up with interrogating a thug. Plus it could be a strategic option as well, as a good dodge could see an enemy tripping face first into a wall, or giving his friend a cheek full of lead pipe.

And then, theres the gadgets. They had very little use in combat. The Batclaw and Batarangs could be used, and I founded a charged multibatarang throw to be very useful, but there needs to be more then that. Just assigning a combat oriented gadget to a quick use button, and then unlocking it as the combo meter rises is a good start. Once Grab or Instant Takedown becomes available, tap the button assigned to your whip (I honestly have no clue whether or not he uses one, as I'm not too into comics, but I just love whips) and then lash it out at everyone in a 90 degree angle of the direction you point.

Another big thing is distructible environments. Go see Watchmen >.> That. Do some of that.

Brandon

The two things I loved most about batman was the martial arts combat and the stealth areas. The combat was just beautiful, and while a dodge move might be cool I just think its even cooler to counter attack and break some bones in the process. IMO the combat is as good as it gets and the only additions I might make is various bat gadgets like bola's and batarangs (ok batarangs that work better then in the first one).  Likewise the stealth sequences were done perfectly and beyond some new gadgets I really cant think of anything new to add to them.

The best narrative and thematic scenes of the first one were easily the Scarecrow scenes where batmans exposed to the fear toxin and goes through a hallucination based around a nightmarish introspective of the darkest reccesses of his soul. If they get rid of those I will be pissed

However some other ideas I have involve batman in alternate enviroments. Wouldnt it be awesome to jump in the car and race around the city using various weapons as you try and run down one of the super villains and save the citizens of Gotham? What about doing that in the air with batmans aircraft? How about an entirly underwater fight against killer croc or some other villain? Those are the kind of things I would like to see in the next game.
Brandon: What makes him tick? - My on's and off's - My open games thread - My Away Thread
Limits: I do not, under any circumstances play out scenes involving M/M, non-con, or toilet play

Inkidu

Sabby I absolutely, positively disagree with your assessment of the gadgets.

As a person who has beaten the game 100% I can say that gadgets saved my as more than a few times. Especially with the multi-baterang and claw. Sure they have to be implemented with timing in mind but nothing beats the satisfaction I get when the jackasses go for the gun or try to lob crap at me then to tap that trigger and baterang their asses down. Or when three people (especially knife wielders or stun-rod guys) come charging and you bat-claw them and jump over their heads making them perfect ground targets.
When I played AA religiously I always strove to be the Batman. The gadgets are his range when your don't think you can kick them fast enough. Even with that freakin' impossible back spring mule kick of his.

On the combat. As a practitioner of karate I'll say if you're going to dodge you might as well counterattack. Batman does dodge in some of the animations but he soon fallows up with many a punishing blows. Sure it would be nice to look at but it wouldn't really serve any more purpose. I personally think those flip-over doges he does to be a lot more fun to look at.

I do agree: Environmental damage and finishers would be nice, expanded game combat, exploration, and predator game play
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