Batman: Arkham Origins REVIEW! Adam Sessler Reviews

[@VintageKnight]

The voice actor that played Batman was really good, he sounded like a real Batman

[@BallyBoy95]

***** Woah, that was unexpected.

[@Keyblader7762]

Balram Shanker Trivedi Yup, Roger Craig Smith. Very talented actor.

[@matthewford8977]

Keyblader7762 yeah when it comes to vo in video games he is like the 2nd best voice actor in video games the 1st one beening nolan north that guy is in almost every game these days

[@RyRy22sp]

I AGREE!@Trevor Philips

[@coolgaara14]

Matthew Ford I'd say number one is Troy Baker. He was the main character's voice in several of the highly rated games including Bioshock Infinite and The Last of Us.

[@curtneedsaride]

I find it odd that the atmosphere wasn't mentioned at all in this review. What makes this game now one of my favorites and worthy of an annual replay is the fact that it takes place during a Winter storm on Christmas Eve. There's nothing that can get me excited for my vacation time and the holiday like being Batman and kicking some merry butt! Seriously, the atmosphere in this game is 10/10 for me.

[@charliefrench1897]

While I agree with you about it being set on Christmas eve really made this game feel special, I cant help but feel that WBmontreal could of portrayed the Christmas theme a little bit better. I don't know what it is but, rocksteadys batman games (all 3) have always had this really great polish and finish to them and I just felt that arkham origins didn't. The Christmas lights needed to be brighter and have more of a glare to them, it needed more big, bold and bright decorations around the city. I know it had decorations but, I think all the Christmas lights on the Windows needed to be more noticeable and also more Christmas songs playing in the background maybe? Also, I think the snow could of been a lot better. It's good in some places but you can really tell where the developers got lazy with the snow on rooftops especially near the steal meal area. Still tho, a fantastic game.

[@TheHarryBalzonya]

I think it has the best story of all of the Arkham games. Is the gameplay in all of the the same? Sure, but I think most of us knew that going in.

[@Montesama314]

This game would likely be better received if the game was the FIRST in the Arkham series. As Sessler says, it has some good things at its core--but from what I've seen, those things have all be done before in Arkham Asylum and City. Hell, the Deadshot side-mission was basically the same as "Catwoman v. Two-Face" in Arkham City, but with trickshots.

[@SuperMicklovin]

Oh definitely. Had this game been the first of the trilogy it would be getting game of the year awards,editors choice and the whole lot.

[@TissDiss]

I love Adam Sessler's reviews. Even if I don't agree with him, he has a very kind, conversational tone. Look forward to more.

[@JcGross93]

I loved it through and through. I didn't feel that it was too iterative, mainly because this is the first game in years that gave me a suitable challenge. Playing without visual hints in combat made me extremely immersed in the fights, particularly the bossfights (meanwhile resulting in some funny moments when for eg the joker shot me in the head :D ). Maybe it's just me, that I love the gameplay of the arkham games, and I'm just happy that the new studio didn't fuck things up. Also, the PC version is just gorgeous! And the new, Christmas setting is refreshing to Arkham Cities destroyed Gotham.

[@smexizool]

Arkham City wasn't destroyed really most of the building were intact. I guess Amusement Mile was half under water so i can see what you mean. But both of them were in the middle of winter. I hope they all aren't in the winter.

[@hamzahally-uk]

yes joker shot me in the head too haha

[@kaylinds1]

this game was epic as good as arkum city if you ask me. It was pretty long as well with lots of cool cut scenes, loads of boss battles, attention to detail and the little touches in the environment, like jokers influence in the levels were great. That big event in that penthouse i thought was the final act but it suprised me as the game kept going further and more awesome battles to be fought. :D i give this game a solid 9/10 and a definite keeper in your gaming library. :D

[@jacobatron504]

Origins is easily my least favorite arkham game. That being said, it's still a fantastic game in my opinion.

[@Night-Tid3]

Can i play this without playing the other batman games?

[@tuomassallinen5066]

+Oh yeah yes i higly recommend going for origins first then others

[@MrSiloterio]

+Jacob Clepper Back before Arkham Knight, I thought the writing in Origins trumped the previous games in the series.

[@jacobatron504]

+Digital Dissection I just didn't like how they did the whole "joker is the main villain after all" thing. They should've let black mask be a main bad guy for once, and have joker doing his own thing

[@Suko1983]

Arkham Asylum: 9/10 Arkham City: 10/10 Arkham Origins: 8/10

[@ZANIACKtheManiac]

Asylum >>> Origins > City

[@Suko1983]

¡Ni a palos!

[@RagnarokMic]

That's exactly right, Asylum lost a point for the ending, City didn't and Origins story was okay all around but mostly just a series of great moments rather than a strong narrative.

[@ZANIACKtheManiac]

Meme Iselfaneye City has an abysmal narrative.

[@jman2856]

The Individualist No it doesn't, calling it abysmal is stupid.

[@barbarian5042]

Adam, You clearly dedicate yourself and your time to these excellent, thorough reviews. I just want to say that it is very much appreciated, thank you. Great stuff! All the best

[@GhostMotley]

75% Off on Steam, it's not the best game in the series but it is still worth the purchase, especially with 75% off.

[@TalikThealchemist]

It was staring at me, I had to get it.

[@coolgaara14]

Frankly, this one is my favorite of the Arkham series. The voice acting was superb. The action and cut-scenes were awesome too.

[@Quomat]

I feel the game failed to do the most important thing that a prequel should do - make it feel like the previous games. In its own right Origins may be a great game, but I constantly get the feeling that the pacing, writing, voice acting, visuals, continuity and overall feel of the game is different from the games by Rocksteady. I would rather had a spinoff game with Nightwing for instance that existed in the same universe as the Arkham games. Then WBGM would have had a easier job making their own game, with their own style, pacing an writing, and they wouldn't have to ruin the continuity of AA and AC as Origins did.

[@SolarDragon007]

Since in this game they focused on Batman's early days, I think the next game should focus on an aging batman late in his career having to deal with the reality that he's a symbol of a waning era and won't always be around to protect Gotham. I also think it would be cool if in that game we would see elements of Neo Gotham begin to show up as this would be a great way to lead into a future Batman Beyond game.

[@rza884]

how about making a game where superman & batman meet for the first time just like batman the animated series, where joker work together with lex luther, you can play both batman & superman for a spark of innovation, just like arkham city where you play as batman & cat woman.

[@SolarDragon007]

rza884 That could be cool, but a Rocksteady superman game would be awesome

[@SolarDragon007]

rza884 It would also be cool if you could drive batman's vehicles in the next game.

[@rza884]

SolarDragon007 plus play as bruce wayne hitting on Lois lane in front of Clark kent, burrrnnn

[@thunter992]

I'm all for a barman beyond game

[@tattoofun2003]

The game is great. It took the best out of the previous two ones and pushed it further. The foundation is based on the good stuff only that AA and AC had. The story was very good. I liked the cutscenes a lot. The boss battles also. The game was trashed in the begining, but I think after all this time everyone is accepting that the game is very good. The Complete Edition is awesome!

[@jk2k187]

tattoofun2003 you been smokin crack

[@tattoofun2003]

no crack. sorry you didn't like it. AO is a very good game

[@Billysan291]

I thought the level designs in this one were rather dull and not very creative compared to Asylum and City. This leads to the issue mentioned in the review where you start to feel like it's the same thing over and over.

[@Nexstarcrazyness]

I felt the User interface in AO hindered the excitement of the new gadgets and upgrade scheme. It either felt too distant from AC and too close to AA (AA being not so intuitive and easily understood) and begged for me to figure out what should be priority and what to wait for. AC was screenshot based and less icon based. I think the screenshots made it really easy to sort out.

[@smexizool]

So I feel like the made the electrocutioner just so he would die and you get the gloves. Like why make him one of the 8 assassins if your not even going to fight him.

[@Agent47rulz]

You kidding me? His boss fight at the Penguin's base was epic!

[@smexizool]

But Batman used K.O Punch and one shoted him

[@Beatlefan333]

I know joker is batman arch nemesis and all but does every game really need to be about him! Batman has so many rouges give others a chance in the spotlight too!

[@glitchburgh4249]

I'm glad someone got this game right. Definitely not a bad game like some publications would lead you to believe.

[@polo9190]

I never had that problem due to the fact if you are timing your hits and somewhat controlling who you hit, they end up just missing or even hitting their buddy.

[@PhilCapanelli]

omg the guy from g4tv i missed him

[@StargateFan2389]

Yeah Adam's now with Rev3Games :D, awesome isn't it?!

[@PhilCapanelli]

StargateFan2389 yes!

[@StargateFan2389]

Phil Capanelli I've been a fan of his since his Extended Play days on Tech TV!

[@iamtheknight5883]

blair and tiffany went to go work at dc comics you should check them out on youtube!

[@SuperJumpReviews]

how is the open world in Arkham city? I heard some people complain about that aspect of the game.

[@WodverWizard]

I liked the first two games, but I did not like this one. It uses too many assets from Arkham City. Because of this, the world feels much less interesting to me because I've seen so much of it before. Something about the combat also doesn't feel right. It feels like you're not in control of the situation 100% of the time. I lost countless combo's because of something that wasn't my fault (hits not registering, counter move not starting in time, etc.) The story and characters are also less interesting. I really had to force myself through the story. I'm glad I'm done with it. I haven't even tried the multiplayer. It seems like an even greater waste of time.

[@0Cypher1]

to address the second half of your comment, I would assume to move the ip in-house as opposed to a company they have less control over? I can not say for sure. I was a bit curious myself at first but as time went on you could see the passion coming from the dev's and actors in what they were trying to do.

[@iamtheknight5883]

i'm tired of all the undeserved hate from this game! this is like dmc and tomb raider reboot all over again! look if a game still keeps all the great things from previous entries and still manages to bring new stuff it's great! u cant expect this new dev to bring all this new content like rocksteady did with city! that's ridiculous! that's like asking martin luther king's son "please, stop racism again" an honestly this story engages me more than city because with that i was excited with hugo strange and his tyger guards taking main focus, it was another generic batman story that focused on joker!

[@jediharold12]

This is a prequel that is NOT made by its original creators Rock steady. And its only like 2 years after AC. Fans already had TOO much high expectations on a game that never tried to be the best Arkham game. I actually expected the game to be very bad, but in fact was amazing. Ppl dont admit it but AC and AA although great had tons of mistakes. Origins fixed alot of mistakes, which itself makes it very good. Its you're own fault if you had crazy amount of expectations on a game that was basically made to entertain us in the meantime till Rock steady makes their own game.

[@tiredsterma]

I was surprised that he did not mention the GLARING bugs, which I agree mostly appear after a few boss battles, but having the game not lock, but instead the mobs cannot touch you and you cannot touch them, getting stuck on objects and the bridge becoming ethereal were just a few.

[@ThePhantomThief100]

i think a game is short for a campaign mode.

[@FaizSuberi]

Agreed...should of made it a little bit longer. Story was so good but too short.

[@matthewford8977]

yeah but it makes for it with all the side stuff all the case files

[@Efstarforce330]

I mean when you have a high diction and you're used to using it can be a bit of a hassle to switch back using smaller words. I know because I do it as well, when sift through a Rolodex of words and all you can really think of is a big word that accurately describes that moment of conveys that point why use it? Not to mention I'm quite certain is pretty deep in being business oriented.

[@jw1714]

did he just bash Arkham city in the beginning...gtfo that game was great

[@stkkjj]

Ikr. Arkham city is awesome. This game was so un original that they had to make joker the main villain.

[@michaelhollins5970]

Bruce Wayne cool littery

[@thomasj219]

Bruce Wayne It still had it's flaws, I can finish it side missions and all in 6 hours, not that that in itself is a flaw but Origins definitely is underrated while city is overrated.

[@thomasj219]

***** Yea totally unexpected that in a prequel to a series of games really about batman and hoers relationship that he would show up...... I still don't get how people were surprised that he became the main villain.

[@stkkjj]

***** I understand him showing up. But advertising a new character as the main villain and then being totally unoriginal by just having joker the main villain again? Arkham Knight won't have joker as the main villain, I don't see how expecting it excuses that there was a lack of creativity

[@Rev3Games]

You shall find out next week! :)

[@wkumatchstick]

dislikes: Game breaking glitches. Corrupted saves, environments that wont load, freezes, crashes. I played on xbox and give WB game a 2 out 5 for shipping out a poorly tested product.

[@RALPH799]

if you want to file a complaint on wbgames montreal heres the info and when you call the ftc and better business bureau give the wbgames montreals addy and phone number info= Your complaint, comment, or inquiry may help us spot a pattern of law violations requiring law enforcement action. It also may help us recognize and tell people about bigger trends affecting consumers. We do not resolve individual consumer disputes. For Competition Issues click here. About a Company, an Organization, or a Business Practice Online: www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ Phone: Call our toll-free helpline: 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261 wbgames montreal info=Contact Information homePlace Dupuis - Tour 3 888, boul. de Maisonneuve E Montréal, QC H2L 4S8 phone=514.395.4745 e-mail:[e-mail] New York City Office Better Business Bureau Serving Metropolitan New York, Inc. 30 East 33rd St., 12th Floor New York, NY 10016 Office Hours: 9-5 Monday through Friday 212.533.6200 Fax: [phone] [e-mail]

[@SuperJumpReviews]

which story do you prefer though, City or Origins?

[@Mr2ndAmmendment]

Let me guess.. Call of Duty gets a 10/10 then?

[@l1qu1dm3t4lIV]

I suppose no review is going to mention how they gimped the Grapnel Hook. You can float all the way to the ground in many parts of the city without catching. Between little things like that and the bugs i wonder if there were playtesters.

[@BeaniethemanMixes]

THIS GAME IS SHIT,,, that hurts

[@LiqzZsource]

Hey Adam, I loved how you included which studios developed which part of the game. I didn't realise Splash Damage were involved with the franchise until now. Great review :)

[@samsreview7335]

Arkham Origins "Best in the Arkham Series" ...With this one comment all respect for Adam Sessler's reviews are lost!!! The story is TOO long & Poorly written... I couldn't wait for it to be over & "surprise plot twists" were seen coming from a MILE away!!! The boss battles just button mashers & the Countless glitches made it nearly unplayable!!! This game is AT BEST the "Batman & Robin" of the Arkham series... 5/10

[@PITwelve]

Have to disagree with you. Much like Rogue Empire and I are discussing, if you prefer a more focused story ala Asylum then you'll probably enjoy Origins. It all comes down to opinion but personally I really really enjoyed Origins. I didn't encounter any bugs and thought the campaign was great. Boss battles were definitely not button mashers either.

[@batfreeze56]

You said everything that I was going to say. I loved City, but that's because it had a great story and characters such as my favorite, Mr Freeze. And by God did Origins have us wanting to cry at how poorly the story and surprises were presented. It was a 4.9/10 to me, because Montreal was so afraid of messing up that they literally copied and pasted some of the elements from City, only really badly. For example, I was REALLY looking forward to Black Mask being the main villain. Then, Montreal gives us the Joker, WHY?!! Plus, the Lady Shiva blood trail is exactly how you get to Ra's Al Ghul! This was a huge disappointment to me, as I am a huge Batman fan!

[@samsreview7335]

Don't get me wrong, this game is ok & there is fun to be had with it... But that's just it, it's "OK" If you've read the comics half the story was lifted straight out the comic stories such as "The Killing Joke" "Mad Love" & the New story DLC seem to be an EXACT rip off of the Batman Animated series episode called "Heart of Ice" Not very ORIGINAL story writing or tell to be had in Arkham Origins + MASSIVE PLOT HOLE... Black Mask CAN'T remove his mask, it is fused to his face!!!

[@PITwelve]

Sam Warren Yeah I hear ya, and I did pick up on all of the story inspirations from the comics. Which is probably why I liked it so much. I'm pretty excited for the Mr. Freeze story being based on the Animated Series, it makes it feel like it's the same universe. Maybe at this point in the "arkham verse" he hadn't had his mask fused to his face yet. Who knows, maybe WB Montreal isn't being given the creative freedom with the story arcs that Rocksteady was given.

[@Joela393]

Nah, is a 7/10

[@tobar1p]

Experiences vary. I just completed the main story after putting in 28 hours of play. In that time I only ran into two glitches. The first was a boss disappearing during a boss fight and the second was a building failing to load properly and I was able to fly straight through it. Both were easily fixed by reloading the last quick save.

[@TheRogueEmpire]

better then arkham city. period.

[@williamtarr1573]

Bullshit!

[@PITwelve]

better in some ways, but lacking in others. It's pretty hard for me to pick the best of the three b/c they're all so good. I lean towards City as being the "EmpireSB" of the series so far.

[@TheRogueEmpire]

***** well, alot of it is opinion for me, and it does have its problems, but the biggest part that i love and that is definetly better then city is the story. much more focused and in depth with the charectors. its more like asylum in that respect.(which i think is the best out of the trilogy)

[@PITwelve]

Yeah, I would have to agree with you. The story for Origins definitely better for all of the reasons you listed. And I agree that Asylum's story was better than City as well.

[@RagnarokMic]

The Rogue Empire Origins story was like a filler issue to City's event issue, the whole of the Joker arc in City was much better than the entire story of Origins. Also disagree on depth, Riddler was more substantial, Freeze, Penguin, Ra's, Hugo, all deeper characters than what was given in Origins (only Bane was better in Origins); the Joker was AS deep, but the story delivered was better in City, fantastic ending, where Origins' ending was pretty disappointing...all build up, no real payoff.

[@Kaldaien]

Adam, what is your objection to collectibles and uncovering the map as the game progresses? I actually thoroughly enjoyed collecting the pages in Assassin's Creed 3 despite having played the Wii U version, where the added effort of collecting them is not recognized with an achievement or trophy. It adds a layer of exploration that actually gives you a reason (optional) to explore the open-world aspect of the game world.

[@TheLoneDrow916]

You have a good point that "most" people use the top half. It is only most, where publications like Game Informer use the bottom half when need be. But you have a solid point

[@jlrhind94]

What model ps3 do you have? Im using the original fat one that I bought off someone that he got for $10 bucks at a pawn shop and it works near perfect. A few framerate freezes when I drop down from large distances or enter new rooms, but it's very minor and forgivable. Also did you download it or get a hardcopy?

[@Lulmaarraak1]

Am I alone in experiencing major technical issues with the multiplayer mode? I love playing it but I get like 5+ crashes a day along with some bugs and trying to get into a game comes with a lot of error messages. (I play on PS3 - Europe)

[@mikhailmarchenko4838]

Hey Adam! I appreciate your review! Thank you! Any news about Rocksteady? Do you know if they are making a next-gen Batman game?

[@marvincool3744]

The multiplayer in this game is SO underrated. It has a nice star wars battlefront 2 style gameplay, which is very much a welcome feature.

[@LVStud71]

I think the one thing worth mentioning is that this is the first time in a Batman game where you actually face crimes around Gotham and feel what it's like to be Batman to have to decide on which crime is worth you attention. Do you pass up an ATM break in to catch an arms deal? Do you drop in and save Police from an uprising or hunt down an assassin? You can't clean up all crime and you have to decide which is worth your time. THAT, was a first in a Batman game. Most excellent.

[@mastermclovin0]

So (as someone who hasn't played any of them) which one is the best starting point?

[@jacobhoskins3433]

The problem with making the boss fights actual fights is that many of Batman's villains are completely outclassed by him physically, or they have powers that would make it impossible for Batman to face them in hand to hand combat, so it is tough to have an actual direct confrontation with them.

[@A-Oh-Trey]

Good review. I agree, loved the writing in this game. I put Origins' story on level with Asylum's. It only suffers from being the 3rd game in a series with short intervals between them. It was a great rental, especially on winter break.

[@jacksquatjb]

I noticed that freeflow is off in that enemies attack quicker. In the older games, I could punch 3 goons before the one that was attacking could land a hit, but in this one I would try that kind of Batman stunt and get punched. The camera also flounders, making seeing someone wind-up a punch invisible. Also, enemies lying on the ground about to pass out will have the "dizzy" animation over their head. This consistently broke my combo because I'd try to ground takedown the enemies, only to find they were passing out. Honestly, the combat was really lacking for me in this game, which is odd because I excelled at in in the other ones. I also agree that a lot of the side quests led to anticlimactic resolutions (especially Enigma's). I also was greatly disappointed in the final Bane fight, which turned out to be the last fight. Before Bane used the TN-1 was great, but the final encounter was little more than a repetitive minigame than a final battle...

[@reggiemass909]

A time when Netflix needed to be advertised. "Thank you for calling Netflix, you're Greenlit! How can I help you?" - south park dudes

[@Altar360]

Can you at least play any challenge mode in co-op, or is the team based shooter the only bit of multiplayer bit of the game?

[@JWesleyEdwards]

I haven't played it yet...it's still installing...but my best guess would be the quality of the brawling itself. I don't mind if there are tons of fights if the combat system is one of the best made. I do mind if it's just "Jam X, jump when the enemy moves, then jam X again."

[@OEyeCu812]

troy is amazing as hes in three big titles this year and you might not know its him without watching the credits. Many voice actors sound the same game to game, not him

[@matthewhowe8986]

Your point is valid in that yes there is a new team behind the wheel of the Arkham games. However, Adam's job is to review the game, not every circumstance behind its creation. With that said, it seems to me a tad odd, that Warner would give one of their flagship games, to a new studio, when it was quite obvious that Rocksteady were quite ambitious with the title already.

[@thedrawingdude123]

Is the lip sync any good? Because in the demo that they released only a few days before the release of the game had terrible lip sync...;)

[@sion8]

I need an explanation about that gameplay mechanic of the mapping in “Origens” and those angry cartographers.

[@0Cypher1]

by that I mean, the ending seemed to say to (to me at least) the devs you did good here but these are the points you want to improve upon in the future. overall it the review makes me want to get my hands on the game more now after getting a positive review in the areas that I usually look for in any entertainment, story and music...

[@N1qhtw1nq]

Always appreciate your insightful reviews! Keep up the good work!

[@iamtheknight5883]

i think the characters fit well with settings. like the three main parts of arkham city were controlled by two-face, penguin,and joker. the courthouse fit with 2 face bcuz of his past as a district attorney and the whole justice theme in batman. the museum fits well bcuz of penguin's love of collecting things and putting them on display. and the steel mill fits w/joker bcuz it was also the site of an abandoned amusement park

[@samuraigundam0079]

... As a matter of fact, Adam is the kind of person that made me want to expand my knowledge across the board. He delivers his reviews in the way that is natural to him. Given that one of his inspirations was Roger Ebert, and my having read a number of his reviews and essays, the way Adam speaks comes as no surprise, to me, that this is Adams natural way of speaking, and I love it.

[@killerred156]

so Happy I came across this! I love sessler's reviews and missed him from XPLAY happy to see him still in the industry!

[@HulksterWarhammer]

Great review again. Very honest and I like that you comment on the lack of innovation without panning it. Personally the lack of change is fine for me.

[@tullio2584]

Adam, fantastic review. I just picked up the game a few days ago and I am loving every minute of the story; but as you mentioned, the game lacks that "fresh" what's new feeling that we received with Asylum and Arkham City. Nothing wrong with sticking with what works, but I hope that if they plan on making future Batman games, they spice things up a bit and give us new things to look forward to in addition to what we already love and cherish. Once again great review!!

[@SuperJumpReviews]

what's better? Arkham city or Arkham origins? I don't know which one to play first.

[@0Cypher1]

Question, wouldn't you want the new studio to prove they have the game in good hands before trying to reinvent the wheel. if you bring in an entirely new team (VO actors, writers, etc...) wouldn't you want a certain portion (of the game) to have that feeling that we understand why you loved the previous games and we aren't just trying to slap its name on any old piece of code we put together?

[@solotopp]

Adam, should I make a new PSN account when the PS4 comes out or will my past downloads transfer? Maybe a video on this... :)

[@ernstoppable]

Rev3 always with the brilliant reviews. You guys always nail the answers an eager gamer would be burning to ask. Keep it up guys

[@justinjavellana]

As someone who hasn't played both Arkham Asylum and City, would Origins be a good place to start since it's a prequel?

[@modestmouthful]

Has the crew at Rev3 been using the PS4 and XboxONE for those cross-gen game review copies? Curious if you could do a opinion piece if yall do have one.

[@stryker1121]

I'll reiterate the sentiments here by saying how much I've come to enjoy your detailed, smartly put together reviews, Adam. Thank you! As for the game, pretty much could see this result coming down the pike..most every review has been like Adam's basically saying WB Montreal didn't break the formula but did nothing to improve it. Straight-to-DVD, B-side, pick your euphemism...doesn't mean it's a bad thing, but next R-steady Bats game needs to make the innovative leap.

[@SuperJumpReviews]

thanks, I already played Asylum which I loved so I try to pick up Origins this holiday if I can get it for cheap.

[@RainerUnsen]

i agree concerning the bugs and glitches, also i encounter audio-dropouts and heavy drops in framerate. rocksteady did a way better job on that front, feels a bit like a rushed release. however, i think the story isn't all that bad, and production values are high altogether. it's more a 3.9 out of 5 than an actual 4 :)

[@JthanDestroyer]

I'm actually considering getting this game first then playing arkham asylum and arkham city afterwards. For those who have played all three or the first 2 does that sound like a good idea or should I just start with asylum?

[@Duhya]

This looks like a real good game for a first-timer to the series. Is the story standalone? Or do i need to know story of last 2 games.

[@MrBACN]

sessler was the absolute best thing about x-play the second being his chemistry with morgan web, i consider him the authority when it comes to game reviews because he's intelligent, entirely objective, and explains his opinions in great detail so you understand his assessments. he treats games like art and i respect that, I don't think he's ever been pompous just passionate with a sardonic sense of humor that makes him fun to watch.

[@LikeACrouton]

I haven't played an Arkham game since the first one, you think I would feel the repetition so fast? Cuz i'm real interested in this

[@m0ccha]

If you're doing it for the purpose of the story, then that sounds like a good idea. The advancements in the gameplay might upset you, however, if you go from the newest to the oldest. The control scheme was considerably improved in AC compared to the first game. It also opened a lot of moves that I kind of missed when I tried to play the first Arkham game again.

[@SuperJumpReviews]

I already played Asylum so I'll try to pick up Origins if I can find it on sale. Thanks.

[@KryptonianChaos1]

What console are you playing on?

[@Zoidberg412]

Can't wait to play it! But I have to finish a paper and class before I can really dive into it... Hopefully it arrives soon (got it from amazon) and I can get some time in before my class at 2.

[@DATskorge]

After you beat Anarky, he has a monologue which is phenomenal. Don't leave while he's talking. It gets very interesting as Anarky contemplates Batman's role as merely a temporary solution who breeds complacency in the good folk of Gotham.

[@Zagardal]

God I love your reviews. They are so balanced and express every single point in such interesing ways that they're always a pleassure to watch, even if the game doesn't always deserve it.

[@Darkbeatdk]

I agree 100% with your review Adam. My expectance for the game, was that it would be more of the same and going into it with that in mind, has actually made me very impressed with the slight innovations they have made. I'm having a blast with it!

[@SuperJumpReviews]

thanks! The only one I've played is Asylum so now I'll go for Origins!

[@rylog74]

is that why multiply player mode wasn't on wiiu?

[@SuperJumpReviews]

I played Asylum and loved it! Just debating on City or Origins at the moment.

[@chrisa8157]

The way Adam says "It's hard to miss someone if they don't go away" feels so true at times.

[@MrLimo217]

I take back whatever I said about sessler before, after watching his GTA V, LoU and other videos, he's actually a great, unbiased, honest and fair reviewer- very well informed and experienced cant wait for many more to come (AC4, etc)

[@c0wboys4life]

I love that he pointed out my two favorite boss fights, Deathstroke and Copperhead...even though i still feel Deathstroke should of played a bigger role because of how he was represented in the trailer. Not trying to spoil much but plain and simple, he was defeated way too early. There should of at least been 2 encounters with him instead of that one. While on the other end Bane was a blast to actually fight instead of how you had to fight him in AA...and that final boss fight was off the chain!

[@Sharp_3yE]

Well its more like they added things that make the game play better. I personally had problems with a few things such as batmans cape when he flew through the air. I didn't like how that looked but they change the look and made it better in my opinion. Also, even better combat. Multiple guys attacking you at once and you can counter 2 or 3 guys that attack you. A lil bit more investigating. They really just added things or changed them a bit to improve the game.

[@SuperJumpReviews]

wow, thanks! I bought arkham city but haven't played it yet but then Origins came out and it look pretty good from all the gameplay I've seen. Plus I like the fact that Origins takes place the night before christmas. Thanks for the advice, I'll play Origins first than.

[@JediMasterLego]

(continued from previous post) And Warner-Brothers-Montreal -- according to various interviews they had with various people, newscasters, interviewers, etc. etc. etc. -- built-upon what Rocksteady did in "Batman Arkham City", to create "Batman Arkham Origins". they didn't try to "change the formula"; they just improved upon, and/or added upon, what Rocksteady already did in "Batman Arkham City", to create "Batman Arkham Origins".

[@anubiisdoesthiis]

What Adam says around 5:10 is so important to current game franchises. I agree that some of these major franchises like "God of War", "Assassin's Creed", and now "Arkham" are coming out too frequently to truly inspire innovation. I think "GOW" and especially "AC" have become pretty stale and it makes perfect sense that I feel this way because I've played them so often throughout the years. If these franchises took a break, a LONG break, they could come back refreshed and better than ever.

[@NorthernNights-o3k]

I know that song at the start, but I can't pin it. Was it on the ssx ost?

[@MilanMJReviews]

I agreed with your review Adam. Unlike some reviews which crucified Origins for being similar to previous titles I found it's reliance on previous gameplay mechanics to work. Because the foundation of these games is so rock solid. The story, boss fights & tone of the game I felt was incredible & like you said, the writing is worth the admission alone. The game adds new things though, I love the new gadgets & I loved the detective side quests. My only gripes are bugs, other than that it's solid.

[@rockworm503]

Were you paying attention? It completely fits in the Arkham games storyline. Stay through the credits and listen to Quincy Sharp talking about how its time to bring the Asylum back. When Batman defeats Bane and he loses his memory it fits with how Bane is later and why he's not such a mastermind as he used to be. THis game rocked from start to finish. Its not as good as City but its very close.

[@IIITweedleIII]

i honestly agree with this comment & to add my own thoughts, is that WB Games did NOT necessarily make a prequel which we were lead to believe. they thrown everything every so often into our faces with hints & praise as if it was going to be the next (exact pre chapter) of RS's arkham series. in which in small details within the story dont match up. Personal pet peeve is that they gave The Joker a visualized perceptive Origins of being the Red Hood (talking to Harleen). which doesnt match Asylum

[@Stage-1_Gaming]

Good review Adam...thoughtful and concise. Can't wait to play this when I get home.

[@Mcseban]

4:55 - "this is the best of the Arkham titles." That's all I needed to hear, one of the best and fairest reviews so far.