Added: 05.12.2013 1:16 | 11 views | 0 comments


Its no secret that players have seen a few similarities between Final Fantasy XIII and a certain other game in the series. Thats right, looking at you Final Fantasy VII. Often times, players have even criticized XIII for the fact that Lightning exhibits a few Cloud-like tendencies. And that SOLDIER 1st Class costume she gets in Lightning Returns? Come on Square, not exactly being subtle here. Jokes aside though, the release of Lightning Returns over in Japan has prompted a rather shocking theory to brew in my head: The Final Fantasy XIII Trilogy is a prequel to the infamous Final Fantasy VII.

Added: 06.11.2013 10:17 | 12 views | 0 comments


"This month we have the Fabulous Arkham SA as our CotM for November. Profile: Devin Green and Anre Van Rooyen Age: 22 and 21 Location: Johannesburg SA Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/saarkham?ref=br_tf Website: a Website is currently under construction Background: Why did you create Arkham SA and why? Ive always loved the Batman Verse and its rouges gallery, The Joker of course being my favourite. I had cosplayed the character a few times before but never taking it as seriously. After Anre and I met and realized we both had a keen interest in the matter we decided to casually dress up for a con. After some success at KIN CON and ICON we realized that people were really beginning to enjoy us and how we portrayed the characters. My father had a passing idea of making a page and I took that up. I guess it was the best way to share our love for the craft and show people who were keen how we went about doing things. It also helps us stay excited and get amped for t...

Added: 04.11.2013 16:18 | 7 views | 0 comments


Excerpt: "The third game in the Arkham trilogy has arrived, and the events actually take place two years into the career of Batman after Bruce Wayne returned from his self-imposed exile. Bruce Wayne and his alter ego, Batman, is young, naive, and learning about himself while dealing with pent up frustration, anger, grief, and loss. Arkham Origins sets the stage for whats to come while introducing interesting characters, but with stale gameplay. Over the course of the game, youll see where the Origins name comes into play, as youll learn of characters humble beginnings: What a toll the venom that Bane uses takes on him, how the Joker becomes infatuated with Batman, and how Batman ensures how hell never take a life - and how doing so will haunt him even more. There are stark similarities between the struggles going on here as seen in The Dark Knight movie series. Inspiration is even drawn from the bat-suit design as well. Theres a lot of familiarity when playing Arkham Ori...

Added: 04.11.2013 12:17 | 12 views | 0 comments


Arkham Origins is a frustrating experience. It aims to be a sequel to Arkham City and a prequel to Arkham Asylum, but ultimately it falls short with both goals. Somewhere inside Origins lies a fantastic game, but its buried with several big issues surrounding the gameplay. When a semi-open world series relies so heavily on repeatedly hammering the A button and nauseum to progress, its probably time for a reinvention. If this was the first game released in the series, it would easily have scored much higher, but when its following two fantastic games, its not doing enough new to keep this fan interested. Troy Bakers Joker and the general story make this game worth a play through, but its advisable to wait until the price drops.

Added: 31.10.2013 13:17 | 10 views | 0 comments


AAAHHHA-HA-HA or is it HOOOOOHO-HO-HO, oh well who cares. Welcome back to Gotham kiddies and Merry Christmas! Now Christmas time is supposed to be about love and family and blah blah blah, but what we really care about is the presents! Sadly though, Santa is a bit tied up at the moment so your old pal Joker here has taken it upon himself to fill his boots for the city of Gotham during Christmas Eve night! Now I know what you're saying, "Joker how can you possibly expect to deliver all those presents in one night?" and the answer is simple! Employ a small army of ruthless and heavily armed elves all handpicked by yours truly!

Added: 30.10.2013 23:23 | 5 views | 0 comments


Sam Spencer: "Lets get one thing clear: I am a huge Batman fan. I have been ever since I first watched him take on The Joker in Tim Burtons film of 89. I have been through Joel Schumachers laughable take on Batman Robin, and even more recently whilst reading the reboot of the comics in The New 52. You may think that because of this I will be slightly biased but then again, because I am so passionate about the world of the Caped Crusader, it just means that there is a particular way in which I like my Batman games a certain criteria that must be filled, if you will. If you are a Batman fan like me that just means hopefully, if/when you play Batman Arkham Origins, you will have the same thoughts as I do."

Added: 28.10.2013 20:04 | 13 views | 0 comments


Jingle bells, Batman smells. Video games have become so chock-full of conceits that anyone without experience in the medium would be forgiven for laughing in the face of even the most blockbuster, AAA releases. When Mario doubles in size, we shrug it off as a tenant of Nintendo gospel, but the more rationally minded player would dismiss this in the face of perceived impossibilities. Depending on the focus, the relationship between player and player-character could be solidified or be totally broken by mechanical conceits. Thankfully for Batman’s Arkham adventures so far, such conceits—like a steady gadget progression or a health bar—have enabled Warner Bros. Games to unleash what was previously unheard of: excellent Batman games that maintain tension and enrapture players with twisting plot lines. Both prior Arkham games proved successful in packing in more villains than a California penitentiary, but the latest Batman game from WB Montreal feels more forced than elegant, shedding light on how narrative ploys can weaken an experience too. While Black Mask’s bounty on Batman has attracted eight assassins to Gotham in a prequel to , players will find something more like a cast of benchwarmers than an elite killing squad out for Bat blood in Batman: Arkham Origins. I want to be clear that Arkham Origins is far from anything resembling a failure. Many of the have returned, including Batman’s fantastic method of locomotion: grappling around the city and gliding with ease. Players can rocket off into the night, discover hidden goodies, engage in hand-to-hand combat with thugs, and just as easily disappear around another skyscraper. The map design itself is nowhere near as interesting as that of Arkham City, with a lengthy bridge stupidly conjoining two sections of Gotham, but plenty of nooks and crannies await Batman’s investigation. Players will get caught up in Black Mask’s . At one point in the beautifully realized Batcave, Alfred asks Batman why he’s risking his life jaunting around an assassin-filled Gotham even though no one knows his identity and a safe Christmas Eve complete with ham is waiting for him at home. Batman replies that the nefarious forces that seek his demise would put innocent lives in danger to draw him out. This question and answer stuck with me for the remainder of Origins. Arkham Asylum stayed believable because it drew Batman into the supervillain’s natural habitat. Arkham City’s central conceit tried to validate that the supervillain problem was so viral that it inevitably spread to Gotham City, but Origins tries too many twists and turns, none of which satisfy on the level I wanted. Surprisingly, new Batman and Joker voice actors, Roger Craig Smith and Troy Baker respectively, did not disappoint even in the slightest. I grew up with Kevin Conroy, and the prior Arkham games were made better by his talents, but Smith manages to make this younger Batman sound untested and eager with room to grow into Conroy’s portrayal of The Dark Knight. Baker’s dialogue isn’t as well-written as Hamill’s was in Asylum and City, but he’s now my third-favorite Joker in any Batman media ever. The production values in Origins set the bar for superhero games and the Warner Bros. orchestra can still sweep players up in the moment, whether Batman's exploring the city or battling a (foolish) assassin. Freeflow combat and Predator challenges unlock steadily as players proceed through the game, and replaying these for high scores and long combo chains is still extremely satisfying. Having dug deep into Batman’s fisticuffs in previous games, I can say without a doubt that there’s still no better brawling system in modern gaming. Building a better superhero game in the wake of Rocksteady Studios might seem impossible, though fans of the franchise will note that WB Montreal had the talent to create an even better sophomore effort. (Warner Bros. Montreal has only previously developed ). The same cannot be said for Batman’s new multiplayer mode, which was developed by Splash Damage. Serving as an endeavor not a single Bat fan expected nor wanted, multiplayer pits two teams of thugs against each other, while tossing in the dynamic duo of Batman and Robin for good measure. The heroes can win the match by steadily dispatching enemies unseen and undamaged, while the warring factions of Joker and Bane henchmen try to whittle each other’s reinforcements down as fast as possible, or kill the Bat and Boy Wonder if the opportunity arises. Joker and Bane's thugs can be replaced by their bosses if they’re lucky, but avoiding online play won't ruin the experience. Multiplayer's gunplay feels rickety and the mode is so threadbare that players are more likely to enjoy . Batman: Arkham Origins is a welcome extension of one of my favorite franchises this generation of consoles. Exploring labyrinthine lairs and gliding over the unsuspecting heads of rooftop thugs still make the player feel like Batman through and through and what WB Montreal lacks in experience, they make up for in smooth emulation of Rocksteady’s tested gameplay mechanics. Even if the story isn’t as entertaining or believable, even if the villains feel like B-team bottom-of-the-barrel fodder for Batman’s continuing crusade against darkness, Arkham Origins still succeeds in empowering players and making them feel like the greatest detective in the world. Copy provided by publisher. Review based on PS3 version. Xbox 360 version tested. Also available on PC and Wii U.

Added: 25.10.2013 22:18 | 3 views | 0 comments


*SPOILER* The Batman Meets Joker Cutscene of Batman: Arkham Origins.