Arkham Has Moved

[Russell]

Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 is the tentative title for the currently unnamed sequel to famed action-adventure stealth video game Batman: Arkham Asylum, based on DC Comics' Batman for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. It is being developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics. The game was officially announced during the beginning of the 2009 Spike Video Game Awards.

The game is set in Gotham City, and will be similar to Batman: Arkham Asylum in its underlying gameplay. A teaser trailer was released, and featured a battered Joker, recovering from his wounds in the first game, being nursed by Harley Quinn, while Gotham descends into chaos.[1] The sequel was confirmed by famed Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy to be "really, really dark." While relating the game's dark nature to the animated movie Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, Conroy also said, "it involves a lot of the villains and it goes to that area – it's that dark." He also revealed that Two-Face is officially in the game.[2] Voice artists Maurice LaMarche and Stana Katic revealed that Mr. Freeze and Talia al Ghul will feature in the game, having mentioned they will be voicing the respective characters.[3] Wally Wingert has confirmed that the Riddler will also be in the game, though did not specify whether the character would appear physically.[4] Mark Hamill has confirmed this will be the final time he voices the Joker.[5]

Nothing there most of us didn't already known, but it's not coming out until 2011.

 

[Kujata]

this is a game I can honestly say I'm really looking forward to. Had nothing bad to say about the first one, excited to see the second one, expecting they put the same level of work into it.

 

[Interslicery]

My only problem with the first one was it lacked in replay value. it's a very linear game aside from riddlers quests, and while it was great the first time, I dont want to go find them all every time.

I have high, high hopes for this tho, I hope they can pull it off.

 

[Max Payne]

The UK's Official Xbox Magazine will reveal the first details of Warner's hotly anticipated Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 (proper name TBC, of course) in its October issue - which will hit shelves on Thursday, September 2nd.

And PlayStation fans won't miss out either - with Official PlayStation Magazine revealing PS3-related deets on the very same day.

The Next Month page in OXM's current issue promises: 'No joke: The first details and screens of Rocksteady's stunning sequel.'

We like the sound of stunning. The first game blew us away - we'd be very surprised if this doesn't manage the same.

Little is known about Arkham Asylum 2's content - although bad guys Two-Face, Mr. Freeze and Talia al Ghul have been outed.

Meanwhile, the first review of Codemasters' F1 2010 will also feature in OXM Issue 64.

 

[X-SOLDIER]

Fucking finally. Can't WAIT to dig into the details, and see what's in store next.


X

 

[Sheva Alomar]

I finally bought and finished the first game, so it looks like I am just in time to read new details for this second Batman video game. :3

 

[Joe]

I hope Jensen is included as the Red Hood

 

[X-SOLDIER]

http://kotaku.com/5605229/batman-arkham-asylum-sequel-coming-fall-2011

Image of Batman & background from the website are under spoiler tags because they're really fucking large.

Spoiler

X

 

[Super Mario]

Welcome to Arkham City.

 

[Russell]

 

[Max Payne]

Damn you X.

Also, I knew Selina would be in this game.

I hope they upgraded the model fidelity.

 

[Max Payne]

 

[X-SOLDIER]

Damn me?! What for?

Anyone else find it odd that he's got a nosebleed in both pictures? I doesn't look like somebody decked him, so I can only assume that it might be a side effect of some kind of toxin, or possibly results of his Titan/Un-Titaning when fighting Joker (I wonder how long after AA this is).

So, we've seen / know of Freeze, Talia, Joker, Harley, Two-Face, & Catwoman, and have seen hints of Penguin & Black Mask. It's gonna be a HELL of a cast. Ivy'd better be kept in a goddamn containment cell this time. Cause I don't wanna deal with her crazy shit vines again, (but I wouldn't mind seeing her up on display again)



X

 

[Max Payne]

Damn me?! What for?

BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO POST THAT.

Anyone else find it odd that he's got a nosebleed in both pictures? I doesn't look like somebody decked him, so I can only assume that it might be a side effect of some kind of toxin, or possibly results of his Titan/Un-Titaning when fighting Joker (I wonder how long after AA this is).

No, it's just a stylistic choice to hype up the drama. Notice he's complete fine in the one I posted. This game however, is said to pick up right after the first one, where Two Face is raising hell.

So, we've seen / know of Freeze, Talia, Joker, Harley, Two-Face, & Catwoman, and have seen hints of Penguin & Black Mask. It's gonna be a HELL of a cast. Ivy'd better be kept in a goddamn containment cell this time. Cause I don't wanna deal with her crazy shit vines again, (but I wouldn't mind seeing her up on display again)

If Talia is in this game, Ras damn well better be.

 

[Russell]

It’s not out until Fall (Autumn) 2011.

 

[Max Payne]

Yeah, there's way too many good games coming out next year/

 

[X-SOLDIER]

BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO POST THAT.

No, it's just a stylistic choice to hype up the drama. Notice he's complete fine in the one I posted. This game however, is said to pick up right after the first one, where Two Face is raising hell.

Ah, didn't notice that before, but it's a good point. Glad to know they're right close together, though I wonder what items you'll get to start out with... I really like the coloration for the promo stuff. Nice and unique from the first one, but still VERY stylistically appropriate.

If Talia is in this game, Ras damn well better be.

Agreed. I wouldn't be surprised if he was working his best to finally convince Bats that Gotham's unsaveable by somehow also assisting to facilitate the fire at Blackgate, before the first game amongst other things.


X

 

[Max Payne]

The art style reminds me of Batman Black and White.

Also, I know it's never stopped him before, but Ras was dead during the first game. Now, Talia could have helped cause all of the chaos to reclaim her pop's body to dump it in a Pit.

 

[X-SOLDIER]

The art style reminds me of Batman Black and White.

Also, I know it's never stopped him before, but Ras was dead during the first game. Now, Talia could have helped cause all of the chaos to reclaim her pop's body to dump it in a Pit.

True, but I don't recall any information given in the game as to when he died. For all we know he was just tagged and bagged a couple hours before Bats showed up at Arkham with the Joker. (Although I do like the point you made).


Also - Any news on the Riddler being in the game, or leaving clues all around the place like he did in the last game?


X

 

[Russell]

The voice of the Riddler was confirmed, dunno if we'll see him this time....

 

[Max Payne]

http://gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/08/09/arkham-asylums-secret-room.aspx

Many gamers spent hours scouring every nook and cranny of Arkham Asylum last year. Whether it was Riddler trophies, interview tapes, or Chronicles of Arkham, the game wasn't short on hidden goodies. However, there was one area that most people never even knew existed...Warden Quincy Sharp's secret room. Inside this area, you can clearly see blueprints that lay out Arkham City. We ask developer Rocksteady how it remained hidden for so long and we provide a video guide on how to find it yourself.
Even if you've played Batman: Arkham Asylum through and through, got 100 percent clearance, and unlocked all of the achievements or trophies, you still probably haven't found Warden Sharp's secret room right off of his office. It's not located on any of the maps. You can't see the weak wall with Batman's detective vision. And you can only blow it up with several applications of explosive foam. We asked Rocksteady Studios lead narrative designer Paul Crocker how the team kept it hidden in the Internet age:
While building Batman: Arkham Asylum, we placed a number of ‘hooks’ into the game that tie into the ‘Arkham-Verse’. From the beginning we knew that Quincy was a bad guy, and planned what his next move would be. The room obviously ties into Arkham City, but to be fair, we hid it pretty well. We did assume that it would be found eventually and after following forum posts for 6 months or so, decided to announce it in the ‘Game of the Year’ podcast. The fans of the game have been amazing and again, reading the forums, we can see how much they value the efforts we have put into creating the background stories for the various characters and it was great to see all the posts and theories about the secret room once it was discovered. What I think people are really going to enjoy is not just how Arkham Asylum led to Arkham City, but also how the story in Arkham City sheds new light on the events you saw in Arkham Asylum.
Go ahead and give Arkham Asylum another spin in your console if you'd like to check it out for yourself. We show you exactly how to find it in the video below.

WHAT THE FUCK.

I knew those blueprints were of Gotham City, but it never occurred to me that they were for Arkham City.

FFS If Dini said there's clues for the next game all over the place in the first one, then there is a good a chance Ras is in this game.

 

[X-SOLDIER]

http://gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/08/09/arkham-asylums-secret-room.aspx




WHAT THE FUCK.

I knew those blueprints were of Gotham City, but it never occurred to me that they were for Arkham City.

FFS If Dini said there's clues for the next game all over the place in the first one, then there is a good a chance Ras is in this game.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

No way! Oh my GOD this amazes me to absolutely NO end.

Jaw = dropped.
Going to check it out shortly.


X

 

[X-SOLDIER]

I haven't gotten to take a look myself, but I found this browsing comment lists online.

http://gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/08/09/arkham-asylums-secret-room.aspx?PageIndex=2

I just turned on my PS3 and got to this secret room. A couple of details that I noticed is that at the edge of the second picture you can see a newspaper that reads: "Joker Caught At Arkham". Also, at the bottom right edge of the city blueprints it says: "Take Over Sec. K 125" I don't know if that's important or anything but I just wanted to point that out.

Edit: I just noticed that on the top of the whiteboard on which the blueprints are placed you can vaguely see the tip of the letters "Night Shift". This is the same whiteboard that is found in the Surgery section of the Medical Facility, the one with the Tommy Elliot riddle, which at the top reads: "Arkham Night Shift".

The Riddle: "Shhhhsshh! Rumors persist that Tommy Elliot operates in Arkham. Can it be true?"

Hush in Arkham City?


X

 

[Russell]

*runs off to find secret room*

 

[Max Payne]

Sharp took credit for getting the Joker situation of the first game under control. He then used that incident to help win the Mayoral election. After winning, he declares Blackgate and Arkham unfit, and buys off a portion of the slums of Gotham. Walling off the area and calling it "Arkham City", he contracts a mercenary group called Tyger into defending the walls. The prisoners are only given one rule: "Don't try to escape", with the penalty for doing so being death. Beyond that, they can do whatever they want within.

-Hugo Strange heads the new Arkham, though it seems like this fact is cloaked in mystery to the outside world. Those who look into him disappear.

-It's been a year. Two face is admitted into Arkham City and he realizes he has to make a move to assert himself in the new prison lest he be eaten alive (not literally, of course). He captures Catwoman, figuring a public execution should do the trick.

-The team is aiming for a highly detailed city, on the level of what they did in the first game with Arkham itself.

-Gadgets can now be used during fights- the article mentions Batman putting explosive gel on the back of one of his opponents during a brawl.

-You can now pull off multiple counterattacks at the same time.

-Many of the super villains have formed gangs, and taken control of differnt portions of the city.

-The team wants to push the "forensics" angle of the first game more, incorporating puzzles in them that will become more complex as the game goes on.

-Most of the key gadgets that were unlocked late in the first game are available by default (Beyond the explosive gel, the article also mentions the line launcher).

-Interrogations replace the Riddler maps of the first game.

-Batman can now taunt his enemies via a button press.

-Certain characters have optional sidestories within Arkham city (the article mentions Zsasz), that you can dig into.

-Harley has a new costume. From the article: "Instead of a nurse outfit, Harley now wears red and black pants, and a matching midriff-baring top. Her face paint has been scaled back to a much more subtle degree, and she now has a Joker tatoo on one of her hips peeking out over her waistband."

-Batman's been given a new gadget called the "broadcast analyzer". The article mentions several broadcasts Bats can listen in on, like the GCPD dispatch and Gotham FM. The main usage here has Batman tuning in to listen to a message left for him by the Joker.

-Oracle is missing, so Alfred is the one in Bruce's ear (at least at the beginning of the game).

-Rocksteady wouldn't detail their multiplayer plans.

Sounds like No Man's Land