Batman™: Arkham Origins Blackgate - Deluxe Edition Reviews

It just did not feel like a real arkham game

I'm sure 99% of people don't read the reviews. So you may not know that Naruto can be a bit harsh sometimes. You may not know this, but Naruto also grew up without a father. In fact, he never met either of his parents and never had any friends.

great game, makes me feel joy to play all the Arkham games in order lore wise

5 euro or less I payed too much for this game. I was done with the game after 5-10Hs the rest was just to get to 100%

Eh. I get why people don't like this. Having an Arkham game be a 2D platformer doesn't really fit with the main games, but considering that this is just meant to be a companion to Arkham Origins (it was only made for the 3DS and Playstation Vita) then it kinda makes sense. The 2D layout disguised to look 3D is weird so it's easy to get lost, but overall I thought this game was alright

DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THE ARKHAM NAME OR PRICE. This is not worth your time. As a fan of Metroidvanias and the Arkham Franchise, I tried so hard to write a positive review and get through the game, but it just was not possible. This is the 2014 port of the 3ds/PsVita Game of the Same name. Due to system limitations, an Arkham Prison was shrunk into a 2.5D metroidvania. That by itself is not a bad thing, and in fact was very good during the tutorial. This all completely fell apart during after the first part of the game, after the Bronze Tiger Boss fight, when it was apparent enemies were not going to improve, level design was repetitive, and story had no stakes. The game is a monotonous route of going through the 3 wards of an arkham prison, controlled by Joker, Blask Mask, and Penguin respectively. While that seems fine on paper, the villains are 2d caricatures who apart from their signature motifs (Penguin's bird, Joker's clown weapons) have no other defining features. The 2.5D isometric map is extremely confusing to navigate and lack teleport points evolved in the genre (and the Arkham games themselves!). What infuriates me is that this makes the game more confusing than the original version. Backtracking is frustrating, and exploring hidden items using detective mode is a slog. Combat is the worst, dumbed down to only being able to defeat enemies in a certain way. There is often only one way to defeat enemies and bosses and no others. Unless you tank damage, enemies and bosses are not satisfying and a chore to defeat. You can also only defeat enemies with hand to hand combat as logical items such as the batarang cannot deal damage. For achievement hunters, you must be online to get achievements. Put a different way, if this were anything but a batman game, few people would buy this.

This game had potential as a Metroidvania take on the Arkham franchise, but in execution, it fell short. The combat is rough, tedious, and lacks the fluidity of previous Batman games. Boss fights feel uninspired, and the detective mode becomes an annoying chore, forcing players to scan every room just to avoid missing collectibles. The map design is among the worst we've experienced, making navigation frustrating. Going for 100% completion feels like a repetitive grind, with little reward. Stats don’t carry over into New Game Plus, and unlocking all suits requires three full playthroughs, which just feels like a lazy way to stretch content. The upgrade system lacks impact, making progression feel hollow. On top of that, the blocking mechanic is inconsistent, making fights—especially the final boss—more frustrating than challenging. While the story has its moments, it’s not enough to redeem the overall experience. If this game didn’t have the Arkham name attached, hardly anyone would bother with it. Play it only if you’re a die-hard fan looking to complete every Arkham title. Otherwise, skip it.

Some may see that this is a 2-D metroidvania style game and initially be dissuaded from it, being atypical for a game carrying the Batman Arkham name. I personally found it to be quite entertaining, and while it suffers from the typical faults of a metroidvania, like backtracking and diverting your path for a single upgrade you need to progress, it doesn't stand as a bad representation of the genre. There are a number of Pros and Cons to the game, and I would like to list them now: Pros 1. The cut scenes being told in a comic book style is quite refreshing for a superhero who derives from comics 2. I like that the suits, previously only cosmetic, now provide some buffs and abilities 3. The non-linear order in which you can take down the bosses and the endings that result from it is quite nice. 4. Like with all games in the Arkham saga, the voice acting is incredible 5. The gadgets, while limited, provide just enough to get around and solve a decent number of puzzles 6. The bosses provide a decent level of challeneg instead of just being big combat encounters, each showing personality and style from the villains 7. The inspect tool they added to detective mode is a nice touch that makes the player think instead of detective mode revealing all 8. Continues what arkham origins did in setting up the suicide squad in the Arkhamverse. I hope they soon get a good game 9. Lots of secrets to collect giving the player a decent post-game experience Cons: 1. The combat system is so archaic and clunky 2. The relation with Batman and Catwoman feels forced in this game, I know this is their first encounter, but having Selina be the proto-Oracle in this game feels wrong. 3. The twist ending felt forced as well. 4. The fact you have to inspect every breakable wall before you can break it I'm sure there are more Pros and Cons that I missed, which is why I'm allowing comments so the community can help build the list and give feedback. Overall i would recommend this game, but only if its on sale, as $20 is too much, that can get you any of the 4 main Arkham games

Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate is like the diet soda of the Arkham series — same branding, but none of the satisfying flavor. This game takes everything that made Batman awesome and gives it a buzz cut. The story is a soggy sandwich of clichés, the combat feels like Batman forgot his morning coffee. It’s as if the developers looked at the Arkham formula and said, "Let’s make it, but worse." If the other Arkham games are a gourmet meal, Blackgate is the microwave dinner. Save your time and replay Arkham Asylum — your inner Dark Knight will thank you.

I'm not entirely sure whether this game is actually considered part of the Batman Arkham series, but it's one of the least recommended games among them. But I couldn't go so far as to call it the worst Batman IP game.