Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate

( PC – Metroidvania – 2014 ) + TRAILER

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I would hesitate to call Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate a spin-off in that conventional sense since it's a sequel to Origins, albeit one originally intended to be a handheld experience. Both of these developmental aspects bring their own issues to the table, but that does make the game itself bad?

Set merely three months after events in Origins we have a more low key story with a riot breaking out in Blackgate prison which gets Batman's attention only for him to run into Catwoman for the first time. It ends up as predictably as you can imagine considering her character, but it does result in an interesting dynamic where SHE is your go-to radio handler. I was disappointed to see it's once again the usual rogues' gallery; Joker, Penguin and Black Mask. In hindsight that shouldn't be a surprise since Blackgate is riding the coattails of an existing game for that familiarity.

To stay on the topic there isn't much concerning characters here that you won't see coming nor is there a genuine narrative surprise. I think structural decision may have lead to this because game technically lets you choose the villain dispatch order and who you bring in last actually matters, though. Blackgate also bears the burden of being a Suicide Squad tie-in of all things which may have also affected the character roster you engage in fisticuffs with.

In short, it's a safe and predictable Batman story. If you've played Arkham games up to this point you already know what to except. Only blander.

And now I'm now over and done with what you could construe as a matter of preference. Gameplay is more clear cut if you ask me – adapting the Arkham formula into a 2.5D portable Metroidvania is impressive. On handheld where it was originally released. Keep in mind I'm playing and discussing a touched up version made for PC and consoles. Impressions are less impressive in that particular arena.

Two chief frustrations I have with Blackgate both derive from trying to fit already existing formula into different packaging. Take combat, for example. You still have your reliable “counter telegraphed attacks and specialty enemies”, but at the same time combat as such is simplified and scale back to a point it actively distracted me from everything else. Gadgets are now strictly relegated to environmental navigation/puzzle solving and that's where movements takes the hit as we've lost that full 3D control. I have a soft spot for 2.5D games as long as developers execute it in such a manner where it doesn't interfere with the act of PLAYING the game. You tell me if limited movement and camera perspective go along with free-form combat and level navigation. This sometimes results in finagling to get around to higher priority enemies you want to deal with first and overt reliance on in-game map just so you don't get bamboozled by shifting perspectives or context sensitive interactions. That burning corridor in the background doesn't immediately scream “way forward” to me.

Mood, if not graphical fidelity itself, was transported from the main series perfectly.

There's a degree of... disconnect between in-game assets and animated comic cutscenes.

Infuriatingly, you cannot get all of already scarce Batman suits in a single playthrough.

Amusingly enough and in stark contrast to other Arkham games I ended up almost not using Detective Vision at all. Why? Because there's a more focused alternative existing alongside which lets you scan objects, usually mandatory if you want to progress so said objects will become functional to Batman. This ended up being more of an annoyance than I expected since you figure things out, but need to jump through hoops first so the game knows YOU know.

Given this is a Metroidvania going back and re-visiting locations is a given with more unlocking as you acquire new gadgets. Entire affair is strictly level-based so no open world to mess around in. I grew steadily annoyed with how progress was arbitrarily locked in the most generic way imaginable with color-coded clearance access cards. Combined with case clues collectibles, if you really want artwork pieces, and lack of easy travel around Blackgate it became a chore to track down all those ?s popping up on my map... only to realize I can't even get all the suits, which are the main draw. Yeah sure, there are various upgrades to find, but game does this thing where depending which of the three villains you tackle last determines the final piece of three possible suits. In essence, you're left with blue balls in two cases and game requires additional playthroughs for completion. I'll pass, thanks.

So that's pretty negative, right? What about production and all that stuff? It's more of the same. Blackgate was undoubtedly an impressive game on 3DS and PS Vita, but even with upgrades it must've underwent for home console/PC re-release those roots still show through. I'm talking character models with rudimentary or lack of animations, blatantly bad textures in places you weren't intended to see with fixed camera angles and animated comic bits oddly clashing stylistically with actual game assets. All of those are technical issues in a game that nails the aesthetic of its bigger brother just right, minus the Christmas vibes.