Eric Holmes, creative director at WB Games Montreal, speaks with Shibaji Roychoudhury about the next generation gaming by Rocksteady games and the newage Batman in those games
What’s going on in the world of Batman gaming right nowIJ
The Black Mask, Gotham’s most powerful crime lord, has placed a bounty of $50 million on the head of the Batman. Eight of the greatest assassins of the DC Comics Universe have come to compete for the prize— a battle which takes place on Christmas Eve. That is the main idea behind Batman:Arkham Origins released in PS3 and XBox formats.
How are you ensuring that the experience everyone loved from the first two titles is transferred to this gameIJ
Our drive is to make this story a pivotal one for Batman. Rocksteady’s games are fantastic in every detail and we’re driving to make this one just as strong in every respect. We understand what makes the Rocksteady games tick and have found ways to add new elements that fit within the existing mechanics that were established so strongly in Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City. Through the “early career Batman” setting and making this story a pivotal one for Batman, I think we’ve not only found our own voice for Batman, but a story that fans need to see.
Why go backwards and make a prequelIJ
We wanted to tell a story that’s not only compelling, but pivotal to the character. By going back earlier into Batman’s formative experiences, we can tell a story that isn’t just another Batman story, but a story that makes Batman who he is. This just makes gaming much more real.
What features are you most excited about to unveil with this version of BatmanIJ
By core gameplay features, I think the new enemies are probably the most fun for me, personally. Enemies like the Martial Artist really mix up how you fight as Batman and build on the great foundations laid down by Rocksteady. Batman’s fighting style is all about counters — well these Martial Artists can counter too! It’s fun to add something new through that, but also have it work so well with what has already been made.
What kind of new weapons can we expect from Batman Arkham Origin, the gameIJ
The one thing we’ve shown so far is the Remote Claw. It’s a gadget that Batman uses to build connections between things using two claws, a high tensile line and a high power reel that pulls the line taught.
Batman can use it to build tightropes, but also to create takedown opportunities, smash enemies together (the line reels them together) or launch projectiles at enemies. Imagine launching a fire extinguisher into a crowd of enemies, or yanking a criminal up to a gargoyle using the line. It can let you be surgical with certain problematic enemies in the predator rooms.
Can we expect to see some vehicle combatIJ
Batman uses a new vehicle, the Batwing, to travel around the much larger playspace seen in Arkham Origins. It’s a fast travel system that lets him shortcut around the map once he has seized control of map territory.
How does he fightIJ How does it impact the game playIJ What technology have you usedIJ
Batman has top-level martial arts skills and an armoury of gadgets to take down even the toughest opponents. Not only do we’ve new gadgets and combat moves, but we’ve some exciting new enemies for him to engage with. Players need to rip off the armour of the large, powerful Armored Enforcers before they can even hurt them. Skilled Martial Artist enemies can counter players’ techniques, forcing them to pay extra attention when engaging them. Batman has so much functionality that a lot of people don’t even use all his abilities.
When can we expect to see the release of OriginsIJ
October 25th, on PS3, Xbox 360, Wii-U and PC. The handheld game Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate will also be out that day on 3DS and PSVita.
Are there any plans of releasing this on android platformIJ
We haven’t made any announcements regarding the Android platform.