Multiplayer mode announced for Batman: Arkham Origins

Of all the utter insanity that usually populates online multiplayer games, one thing I never thought I would experience is a playing a multiplayer game as the caped crusader, Batman. But Warner Bros. Games Montreal will be trying to pull off the unthinkable in “Batman: Arkham Origins.”

Only a few years ago, to think a video game featuring Batman would be worthwhile was a laughable idea. Before “Batman: Arkham Asylum” proved to the video gaming world that it was possible to create a quality game that was actually fun featuring the Dark Knight, the only titles featuring him (or other superheroes for that matter) were usually cheaply made movie tie-ins. The overwhelmingly positive fan and critical response to both “Arkham Asylum” and “Arkham City” have paved the way for a third Batman title in the “Arkham” universe, only this one is set at the beginning of Batman’s crime fighting career where he must fend off the attacks of numerous hitmen and assassins, lured to Gotham City by the villainous Black Mask.

 
Besides “Arkham Origins” being a prequel in the “Arkham” game universe, there is another aspect of its development that sets it apart from the previous two titles. Both “Asylum” and “City” were developed by Rocksteady Studios while this title is being developed by Warner Bros. Games Montreal (single player) and Splash Damage (multiplayer). Though the concept of the game is solid and the preview videos have created quite a stir on the internet, the fact that a new company is taking the reins of the “Arkham” series made me a bit nervous. The addition of multiplayer means that there is a much higher chance that this game will suffer from “great ideas but poor execution.”

But, being that “Arkham Origins” isn’t set to be released until October 25, there is still plenty of time for bother Warner Bros. and Splash Damage to fine tune the title. And I have to give both developers the benefit of the doubt – Invisible Predator Online does sound pretty cool.

The mode will feature eight players competing against each other – three players representing Joker’s gang, three players representing Bane’s gang and two players taking up the mantle of Batman and Robin. Allegedly, the multiplayer story does not cross over with the single player story, meaning you won’t see or be able to play Robin in the single player game. The “2 vs. 3 vs. 3” dynamic is pretty interesting, especially once you hear how the mode plays out.

The playable gang members from Joker and Bane’s outfits aren’t just any thugs off the street. These elite gang members bring powerful weaponry to the table as well as other gadgets to not only battle their rivals but to keep Batman and Robin at bay. The gang members will battle over three control points on the map. Controlling more points than the enemy team will cause their pool of respawns to slowly dwindle. Though, you’ll likely lose more lives to Batman and Robin.

As the gang elite battle below, Batman and Robin patrol the map in a manner similar to the single player game. Stealth in your biggest ally playing as the Dark Knight or Boy Wonder. Sticking to the shadows and executing silent takedowns are tantamount when playing as the caped duo because it won’t be possible to silently take down a gang member if he has recently seen either crime fighter. Just like in the single player game, it will be much harder to take down a foe if he is spooked than if he is completely unaware to your presence.

Taking out enough enemies will cause an intimidation meter to rise and once enough fear has been sown, the warring gangs will beat a hasty retreat, leaving Batman and Robin victorious. However, just as in the single player game, faceless gangsters aren’t the only problems the heroic duo will have to deal with.

Though each game starts with three human-controlled gangsters on each side, at certain points in every game, both Joker and Bane will become available for their respective team. Each villain brings a unique set of skills to the table. Bane, being a hulking behemoth, concentrates on smashing his enemies with an array of melee attacks. While Joker, on the other hand, relies on crafty gadgets and custom weaponry to turn the tide in his gang’s favor.

Tracking down enemies controlled by real life opponents as Batman or Robin should prove to be an absolutely exhilarating experience. Likewise, controlling a gang member on the ground who relies on his teammates and firearms, trying to capture control points all the while looking over your shoulder for either hero should provide for some truly exciting gameplay. Reports have said that team members will be switched up between rounds to give everyone a chance on all teams, but I’d have to imagine that Batman or Robin will be the most coveted characters.

Though the single and multiplayer modes are not said to be connected in terms of the story, completing portions of the single player is said to unlock things for multiplayer. But whether those unlocks are items, skins or new characters remains to be seen.

“Batman: Arkham Origins” was already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated games of the fall. Now, with the introduction of multiplayer to the series, “Origins” could be one of Batman’s greatest triumphs – or biggest failures. Either way, it will be a long wait for October 25.

State of Decay Stories - A Brother's Promise (Part 1)

A Brother's Promise - Part 1

As Ed prepared for his journey to the lake, Lily’s brother, Jacob, milled about the grounds of the church in Spencer’s Mill. “Of all the places in the world,” Jacob thought, “This is the last place I expected to wind up.”

Jacob did not have fond memories of Trumbull Valley. In fact, he hadn’t even been back in his home town more than few days before the undead plague hit. When he was barely a teenager, Jacob and Lily’s mother died, putting a terrible strain on their family. Jacob was expected to help his father, Thomas, make ends meet in the household while also looking after Lily, his younger sister. Lily having been diagnosed with the disease Lupus made Jacob’s help around the house all but necessary. But to 13-year-old Jacob, he wanted no part of the adult responsibilities that had suddenly been heaped on him. As soon as he was able, Jacob left home to attend Danforth College. The decision to leave home caused a terrible fight between Jacob and his father, one that the two never reconciled. Now, they would never have that chance.

Jacob often felt like the odd man out at the church. The others all seemed to have jobs, to have duties that required their attention – Jacob didn’t. He’d offer his help wherever he could, though. He was blessed with natural strength and though he never focused it on sports or other athletic endeavors, he was still quite strong and was regularly asked to help move supplies or lend a hand reinforcing the church’s facilities.

Right now, though, Jacob had no tasks at hand. With nowhere to be and nothing to do, Jacob aimlessly wandered, letting his mind do the same. He eventually found himself atop the watchtower  platform with another survivor, Sam, who was on lookout duty. As Jacob surveyed the landscape and town in front of him, a thought came to him so suddenly it almost took him by surprise.

Where had he been when he last felt like this? Looking out over the town, he had a strange sense of deja-vu, but could not place the feeling. He went to the railing of the watchtower, listening to the wood creak as he leaned against it. He couldn’t for the life of him remember why this felt familiar until…

Sally! Sally Savini and her tree house! The childhood memories of himself and his best friend Sally playing in her family’s tree house came flooding back into his conscious mind. “God,” Jacob thought, “I haven’t thought of Sally since I was a kid. We used to have such a blast in that tree house.”

All at once, an idea began to form in Jacob’s head. With the memories of his youth and Sally’s tree house coming back to him, he also remembered how much he had wanted to live with Sally’s family when he was a kid. In that tree house, he didn’t have to think about his worries. He was away from Lily and his father. Away from the house that seemed like a tomb ever since his mother died. In that tree house, he was immune to all the problems down on the ground. Now those ideas seemed silly to him – to think he could hide from his responsibilities in a tree house barely eight feet off the ground.

He caught Sam regarding him out of the corner of his eye. “She must think I’m losing it, grinning to myself like a loon,” Jacob thought. But the memory of Sally’s tree house would not leave his mind. Jacob tried to remember where Sally lived. Was it somewhere in Spencer’s Mill? No, not in Spencer’s Mill, he thought, it was down in Marshall – the larger, more urban community a few miles south of Spencer’s Mill. Her house, he now remembered clearly, sat just across the river that divided the town. The tree house was on the corner of their property and looked out over the eastern side of town. The eastern side of town also sat downhill from Sally’s tree house, which made the view of Marshall even better.

Just then, the idea he saw clearly the idea which had been forming this whole time – why not move into Sally’s old house? With all that has been going on, he was sure Sally’s family would be long gone. Heck, he had been gone from the area for so long, she and her family could have left before this insanity started and he wouldn’t have even known.

The house, from what he could remember, was more than big enough to accommodate the relatively small group of survivors. Plus, the tree house would make a great watchtower. With the wheels of his mind in motion, Jacob set off to find Marcus. He would tell Marcus that he felt the group was outgrowing the church, as well as Spencer’s Mill, and that they ought to look into moving to Marshall. With any luck, Jacob would be able to convince Marcus that Sally’s old house would suit their needs better than the church. Jacob quickly climbed down from the watchtower and went to find Marcus.

As Jacob climbed down from the watchtower, Marcus was exiting the church. After replaying the events at the gun store over in his mind a few times, Marcus was resigned to the feeling that sleep would not come. He decided to get back out in the sunshine, maybe work in the garden a bit, and hopefully his frayed nerves would be calm enough to let him get some rest.

But before he could decide on a task, Jacob caught his attention and started talking about looking for a new home site. As he rambled on, it became clear to Marcus that none of the reasons Jacob gave were the true reason he wanted to go scouting for a new home site. But Marcus played along and decided that going with Jacob on a run down to Marshall would not be a bad idea. He knew Jacob knew nothing about the kind of resources left in Spencer’s Mill, even though they were dwindling. Marcus and the other runners had to go further and further from the church for what seemed like less and less. Plus, as Marcus knew all too well, the only gun store in town was picked clean.

Jacob could hardly contain his excitement when Marcus agreed to go Marshall. Not just because he was eager to finally leave the church grounds, but because for the first time in a long time, he felt useful. He bounded up the steps to the church to tell Lily where he and Marcus were heading.

“You think that’s a good idea?” said Lily.

“What could go wrong,” asked Jacob. “We’re just driving down to Marshall, we won’t even get out of the car. Plus, Marcus will be there. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“It’s just that you’ve never been out there…and I don’t want you to leave again,” said Lily.

“Lil…c’mon, I’m an adult, I can take of myself. And I won’t be leaving for long. I’ll come back – I promise,” said Jacob, smiling and putting his hands on his sister’s shoulders. As he finished speaking, he lightly kissed Lily on the top of her head, smiled, and turned to leave. Lily was about to call after him, but before she could, Jacob was gone.

---

The trip to Marshall was uneventful. Marcus decided to take a four-door pickup truck for the journey, telling Jacob that these big trucks were the best at wiping out large groups of zombies. They were sturdy and relatively quick for their size. Marcus took the wheel and the two made small talk about their lives, their families and what they’d be doing right now if the dead hadn’t decided to stop being dead.

The roads leading into Marshall were congested – clogged with the remnants of vehicles and people trying to evacuate the small town. A small river surrounded Marshall, leaving bridges as the only entrance and exit into the town. Once of the Marshall side of the river, Marcus and Jacob were surprised by how relatively untouched the town looked. They knew that there must be survivors somewhere in the town but judging from the looks of most buildings and houses, there weren’t many.

As the two drove through town, they noted a large supermarket which could contain enough food to feed their group for months as well as a small restaurant with low wall that could be a new home site. Heading to the west side of town, Jacob made sure to point out the Savini Residence. Marcus noticed that house had plenty of free space inside of high walls, as well as a built in watchtower. Judging from his enthusiasm, this was probably what Jacob wanted to show Marcus. Despite his excitement, Marcus continued to search the town. Before heading back to the main road, which would take them back to Spencer’s Mill, Marcus also noticed a large truck depot on the far west side of town. The entire depot was surrounded by fences and, if the group could secure the interior, would provide them with more than enough space for everyone to finally stretch out and have some privacy. It would be a big job, though, and Marcus wasn’t sure they had the manpower or resources just yet to make a move to the depot.

As Marcus turned the truck back toward Spencer’s Mill, Jacob again, trying to sound casual, mentioned the treehouse watchtower and how useful it could be. With a smile, Marcus said he would think about it and when they got back, they would discuss the idea of moving with the rest of the group. As he drove, Marcus caught himself yawning. Hopefully when they got back, Marcus thought, he could finally get some sleep.

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 What a surprise - this went way longer than I planned. I didn't originally intend this to be two parts but when I was preparing this week's post, I overlooked this portion of the story and needed to fill in the gaps, so to speak, so this post was turned into a two-parter.

Part of this story is actually comprised of an in-game story mission, where Jacob and Marcus go down to Marshall.  I don't usually like to include the in-game missions as part of these stories, but it was almost necessary as a way to introduce Jacob. Not much in the way of action in this installment, either, which is weird for me. What is this, season two of The Walking Dead AMIRITE?  Don't worry though, part two of "A Brother's Promise" won't be light on bloodshed. 

State of Decay Stories - Ed's Return

Ed’s Return

Approaching the bridge, Ed began to slow his car. After leaving the warehouse and securing the newfound supplies in his vehicle, Ed had completely forgotten that the bridge leading to the lake at Mt. Tanner was ruined and unusable. Leaving his car and supplies on the road, Ed began searching for the rocky ledges that would lead him down to the riverbed below.

Ed remembered the basic layout of the lake area just past the bridge. The ranger’s station was his goal but there were also a few other points of interest along the way – a handful of tents and a maintenance shed were also nearby the station. The pit stop at the warehouse had left Ed feeling tired but he ignored that feeling. He was already at the lake – no point in turning back now.

As Ed crept closer and closer to the ranger station, he came upon the maintenance shed, finding it absolutely crawling with the undead. Ed was distraught, his newfound confidence suddenly waning. Where had all these monsters come from? It wasn’t that long ago that they were at the lake, Ed thought, how could the area become so utterly infested? He tried hard to think of exactly how many days ago they were last at the lake and became worried when he couldn’t come up with a concrete number.

Shaking his head, Ed brought himself back to awareness of the bleak situation. The shed was very close to the station itself – it would be incredibly difficult to sneak past. But, despite his better judgment, Ed continued toward the station, keeping low to the ground. Just as he was passing the opening in the fence surrounding the shed, one of the beasts, seemingly out of nowhere, grabbed a handful of Ed’s shirt. In the moment, Ed let out a slight gasp of alarm, turned and brought his crowbar down with a thud on the zombie’s skull.

With the most immediate threat down, Ed realized that the remainder of the zombies outside and around the shed were now moving towards him. Ed readied his weapon and stood his ground. He knew trying to search the station with a horde of zombies bearing down on him would be near impossible. As the ghouls marched toward him, Ed waded into their ranks.

The next few minutes are a blur in Ed’s memory. Fragments of zombie skull and congealing blood spattered his clothing as he became an instrument of zombie death. Though they heavily outnumbered him, Ed was determined to win this fight. Strategically moving from one ghoul to the next, Ed thinned their number considerably before moving toward the shed itself. As he did, a handful of zombies stumbled from its dark interior. Ed smirked as he pushed the one in front backwards, knocking the remainder on their backs, making them easy targets for the pointed end of his crowbar.

When he had finally finished, he counted more than 10 dead zombies on the ground outside the shed. Ed felt more tired and winded than he ever had in his life. “If the ranger station is this bad,” Ed thought, “I could be in some real trouble.”

Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Ed checked himself for wounds. Finding only scratches and bruises, he again began his trek to the ranger station. Working his way around the side of the building, Ed found the station’s parking lot and remembered the back door which led to it. Slowly approaching the building, Ed’s heart sank as he surveyed the interior through large, glass windows. The building was utterly packed with zombies. More than he had ever seen in one place before. Still trying to catch his breath from the melee at the shed, Ed knew he stood no chance of clearing the building. Even catching the attention of the masses that now inhabited the station could mean not making it back to the river, let alone the church. Feeling defeated, Ed turned to head back his vehicle while he was still able.

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Despite actually proving himself to be a useful character, Ed couldn't get into the ranger station when I first went back to the lake. I was very surprised to find that the area now seemed to be overrun with zombies, especially considering this place was the relatively quiet "tutorial" area just a few days prior. Literally every building I came across was an infestation and I was surprised that I managed to clear out the one infestation that I did. 

I'm hoping that since this piece was a little shorter that I'll have the next one up tomorrow.