Batman Arkham City and Batman Arkham Asylum are two of the best video games ever made for this generation of consoles. Not only did both games receive oodles of critical acclaim and sell like the clappers, they made the best use of DC's Dark Knight in a video game.
 
Arkham City was larger in size and scope than its predecessor and it contained a nifty gliding mechanic allowing players to explore its Gothic urban landscape, but the series' key draw was nailed in Arkham Asylum. Here was a game where players seamlessley sequed from brutal combat, to atmospheric stealth play, to platforming and puzzle solving. The entire stealth genre of video game is still reeling from Arkham Asylum's impact.

To say that the expectations heaped on the newest addition to this franchise - the recently announced Batman Arkham Origins - are huge, is an understatment. Here, we delve into what has been made public about Batman's latest adventure.

Batman Arkham Origins: Story

The plot for Arkham Origins is set before the events of both Arkham City and Arkham Asylum. According to the developers, Batman is an experienced crime fighter, but has yet to meet many of the iconic villains in his rogue’s gallery.
According to a piece on Eurogamer, the main antagonist in this adventure will be Black Mask – who fans may remember was the villain featured in the DLC map packs.

The cover feature from Game Informer also revealed that Deathstroke – a mercenary and assassin in the DC universe – will feature in the game. For those prepared to put their trust in Wikipedia, the game's page states that both The Penguin and Gotham mob boss Albert Falcone will make appearances. 

Batman Arkham Origins: Gameplay

From the sounds of things, the new Batman game will have the same overall structure as Batman: Arkham City, in which players have a large, open-world sandbox to move about in. The game's world is reportedly twice the size of that in Arkham City, and parts of it will be based on the map contained in that game - although it wont' be ring-fenced by a massive prison wall.

Players will navigate the environment using Batman's cape and grappling claw device, but as the map opens up and the space they can move in becomes larger, they'll gain access to Batman's jet - the Batwing - allowing them to fast-travel to their destinations.

At its core, though, Batman Arkham Origins will feature the same cocktail of gameplay as its predecessors; players will be able to engage in free-flowing combat, scenarios in which stealth is key and the odd section that involves puzzle solving and detective work.

Batman Arkham Origins: Release Date

Batman Arkham Origins is set for release later this year on October 25th. No mention has yet been made about whether it will appear on next-generation platforms, but it has been confirmed for Xbox 360, PS3, PC, and Wii U.

A spin-off title, Batman Arkham Origins Blackgate has also been announced for the Nintendo 3DS and PS Vita handheld consoles.


BATMAN ARKHAM ORIGINS VILLAINS SPOTTED