12 Reviews of Christmas - Batman: Arkham Origins (2013)

        Hey guys, Chuck here. Well, we haven't done a game review for 12 Reviews of Christmas, so I think that today is the perfect day to do so. So, let's talk about the 2013 video game Batman: Arkham Origins, developed by WB Games Montreal and based on the DC Comics character Batman. 

        Set roughly eight years before the events of Arkham Asylum, Arkham Origins is set on Christmas Eve night in Gotham, were Roman Sionis/Black Mask has instigated a riot at Blackgate Penitentiary. Batman suits up and takes the Batwing to assist in quelling the riot. While Batman is able to save the Warden, he fails to save the life of Commissioner Loeb, who is executed by Black Mask. Batman goes after Black Mask, but is attacked by Waylon Jones/Killer Croc, who after their fight reveals that he's merely the first, and others are out there. Back at the Batcave, Batman and Alfred go over a data card, which reveals what Croc was talking about: Black Mask put a bounty of $50 million on Batman's head. As for the other assassins out to get Batman and collect? Well, they are as follows: Floyd Lawton/Deadshot, Lester Buchinsky/Electrocutioner, Garfield Lynns/Firefly, Slade Wilson/Deathstroke, Lady Shiva, Bane, and Copperhead. Alfred suggests that Batman stay home, as no one knows that Bruce Wayne is Batman. However, this is a bad idea, as the assassin's may harm civilians to lure out the Bat. 

       So, the game follows Batman's investigation into the bounty, deals with the various assassins, which includes fights with Electrocutioner and Deathstroke, an encounter with Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin on his ship, run-ins with Bane and Copperhead, and a bridge face-off against Firefly. Also, Batman's investigation leads to his first encounter with a mysterious madman known as the Joker. Evidently, Joker had been posing as Black Mask, who he had taken hostage days earlier, and it was Joker, not Sionis, that put the bounty on Batman's head. Bane, meanwhile, deduces Batman's identity, and opts to try and exploit that. 

         We also see Batman's dealing with the GCPD, and the beginning of a mutual trust between himself and Jim Gordon, as well as an early partnership between Batman and Gordon's daughter Barbara. Eventually, Bane is defeated, with no memory of the fact that Bruce Wayne is Batman, and Gordon decides not to pursue Batman's arrest, as he sees Batman as someone Gotham needs. During the credits, we hear Quincy Sharp vow to reopen Arkham Asylum to house the worst criminals in Gotham, and a post-credits scene shows Deathstroke get approached by Amanda Waller to join her Suicide Squad. 

         Now, while Batman encounters most of the assassins during the main mission, both Deadshot and Lady Shiva are relegated to side missions only, with Shive referencing her connection to the League of Assassins. Among the other side missions include having to retake control of several radio towers in Gotham hijacked by a mysterious man known as Enigma (which is obviously supposed to be the Riddler before he became the Riddler), and a teenage anarchist named Lonnie Machin/Anarky. Mad Hatter also returns for a side mission, and it's certainly more impressive than the one from Arkham City. 

          The voice cast in this game is certainly interesting. Both Roger Craig Smith and Troy Baker, while certainly not replacements for the iconic Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, definitely do a really good job as Batman and Joker. Nolan North returns as the Penguin and is excellent. But, my personal favorites are Brian Bloom as Black Mask, Rosa Salazar as Copperhead, and Mark Rolston as Deathstroke. Heck, of James Gunn were to include Black Mask in a future DC film, Brian Bloom would be perfect for the role. Some other really good performances were from the likes of Kelly Hu as Shiva, Matthew Mercer as Anarky, and Crispin Freeman as Firefly. 

         Gameplay wise, Arkham Origins has the exact same gameplay mechanics, graphics design, and map layout as Arkham City, with additional locations located across the bridge connecting what later becomes Arkham City with other parts of Gotham. And, with the exceptions of the electric gauntlets taken from Electrocutioner and a glue gun, most of Batman's gadgets are identical to the ones featured in Arkham City. The only really new feature is the ability to unlock fast travel locations, and being able to use the Batwing for fast travel between unlocked locations and the Batcave. 

         Overall, while this game is certainly a serviceable prequel to the Arkham series, it probably works a little better for fans who never played Arkham Asylum or Arkham City. But, I will say that it's a lot of fun to see Gotham City covered in snow and Christmas decorations. But, its gameplay feels like a copy/paste of the previously successful Arkham City. So, I give Batman: Arkham Origins a rating of 3.85/5. 

         Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and 12 Reviews of Christmas will be back with a fun breakdown of some of my favorite Christmas commercials.