The Spoilertastic Quickview - Batman: Arkham Origins

Comic book video games are hardly considered shining examples of quality, but 2009's Batman: Arkham Asylum and it's sequel, Batman: Arkham City, were delightful exceptions to the rule. The series was praised for it's gratifying predator mechanics combined with fluid and fast-paced action, all serving to top off the adventures of one of the most iconic caped crusaders fiction.

Origins tells the story of Bruce Wayne as a fledgling vigilante, some years before the events of the first two games. Two years after Bruce first takes flight as Batman, a riot at Blackgate prison prompts him to investigate, leading him to discover that the notorious criminal known as "Black Mask" has placed a large bounty on his head.

Despite the prequel setting, the Caped Crusader retains many of his tools and abilities as before. At the same time, the Bruce Wayne we see here is still approaching his prime and gives us a good look at what an "immature" Batman would look like. 10 assassins have been hired to take a crack at the bounty, and each encounter is more memorable than the last. Each boss battle is an action packed affair, rewarding quick thinking fighters with cinematic flair. Bane was a particular stand out, whose role in the plot more than redeemed his underwhelming appearance in Arkham Asylum.

There are a few shortcomings to make note of, many of which can be found in the structure of the plot. One of the biggest disappointments in the plot was the abrupt change to the Black Mask subplot. What begins as a face off between a new Batman and a less known villain becomes just another Batman-chase-Joker deal. The level design and game progression is tightly paced from mid-game onward, but it can come off as a little redundant just because it's a been there done that plot (Spoiler alert: A big spray painted sign of 'Joker's Madhouse'). Also, we were informed of 10 assassin's, but the absence of Shiva and Deadshot is impossible to ignore.   

The story itself has it's moments, but unfortunately the game wasn't the huge step up that City was from Asylum. That's not to say this was a bad thing, however. Every good element from the previous titles remains as solid as ever, whether it's stealthily stalking armed guards one by one, or being in the thick of a street brawl. If you loved the Arkham series, this has some of the coolest moments the series ever had. But if players are looking for a huge change, this is not the place to look.