Arkham sells 2M, Warner gets serious about DC licensing

You might have heard the news yesterday that Warner Bros. has shaken up DC to better do battle with the now Disney-owned Marvel. Part of that strategy, according to the L.A. Times, is making better use of its IP in licensed properties like video games.

[niceboy]

Remember it's on PC, PS3, Xbox360

[nycredude]

I think it should end up being pretty even between the PS3 and 360. Pc I am nut sure.

[Sonyslave3]

I want a superman game come DC.

[TheBand1t]

I still don't think the world is ready for another Superman game after the abomination that was Superman 64.

[BlackIceJoe]

I would love to see a game take place during Final Crisis or even the awesome series that is going on in the comics right now called Blackest Night. There are so many great DC characters that could really work great in a video game form.

I would love to see a Green Lantern game. Even a Green Arrow game. There is so many different DC characters that would work really well if there was a game of there's. I for one so would love to see an Outsiders game. I think it would work really great if it could be a co-op game.

Great news on Arkham Asylum I would love to see a sequel and the game take place at Blackgate Penetanery.

[dolan]

I should have waited for the game to hit the bargin bin. The over the top hype reminded me of the absurd GTA4 reviews. Button mashing combat and a collectathon.

I don't think I could stand to play another Batman or DC game if they use that same horrible Unreal Engine again. That smear everything in the background out with blur and characters made out of shiny plastic look makes me nausious. They have the cash now. Now excuse not to create a real next gen engine and dump that Unreal Engine garbage.

[40cal]

Did you just say button mashing and Batman AA in the same sentence?

Dude, you really have zero grasp of the comBAT system. When you do then you really feel like your whooping ass Batman style. Great job Rocksteady.

You probably thought Heavenly Sword was a button masher too.

[Major_Tom]

Um.. Batmans enemies are set up in a way that you CAN'T Button Mash or else you will get your ass handed to you, what game were you playing?

[ATY]

The game most definitely is a button masher.

Pretty much every non-boss fight is a group of enemies you pretty much just have to cycle from one to another hitting. Sure that a few extras thrown in like the guys with electricity rods you have to jump over, but for the most part combat is just spam buttons while randomly moving back and forth between enemies.

The stealth stuff is the most disappointing. You barely even have to try to sneak up on enemies. You pretty much just walk up to all of them from behind and hit triangle.

Bosses are fairly standard and unremarkable.

Lots of collecting fills out the rest of the game.

The actual graphics engine is woefully outdated. But it does have very nice artwork and shots - "batman standing in silhouette against dreary nighttime skyline with giant moon overhead"

Found myself pretty much just plodding through the game just to finish it. The constant repeating of the Joker broadcasts really got annoying by about 1/3 of the way through the game.

[Jinxstar]

Oh man. I'm a comic fan in my own right. So many awesome labels they could use. Currently back logging my collection with Battle for the cowl and finishing up my Knightfall stuff. I would kill for some Manbat or Azrael stuff. Hush would make an amazing character. I like the batman feel. I think too much "over the top" Heroes makes for a difficult game like Superman or Green lantern. Also how would you be able to use green lantern... A set few things to shape with his ring? I don't like it. Batman however is just awesome. My ONLY gripe about the game is I felt like I had my Detective mode on 80+% of the time.The atmosphere of the game. The characters. The story of AA were all top notch and the size was great as well. I loved the game start to fin. Except the last boss... Kinda... I dunno... i guess thats 2 things but I would love some nightwing stuff now =D

comic con Baltimore here I come.

"Basic enemy juggling. Braindead and unrewarding."

So I take it you got the x 40 and complete every move in one combo trophies no problem then?

[ATY]

"Batmans enemies are set up in a way that you CAN'T Button Mash or else you will get your ass handed to you, what game were you playing?"

You can't possibly suck that bad that.

Group of enemies.

You hit one. Move the left stick towards a different enemy. Hit again. Occasionally hit counter. Later on you have to jump over the electric prod guys. Repeat until they all have dropped.

Basic enemy juggling. Braindead and unrewarding.

[Major_Tom]

Are you guys playing on HARD or Easy mode because I'm taking a guess and saying Easy Lol.

[SevWolf]

Batman's conbat, which I loved, can be summarized in ONE sentence.....easy to play HARD to master...if you try some of the hard challenge rooms you have to get 50k...that's crazy

[ATY]

LOL!

This like the responses you get from the little kiddies who play WoW when people talk about how dumbed down Blizzard made the game to appeal to the mass market and they start crying that WoW is 'hardcore'.

[locos85]

Anyone notice Batman's right arm is larger than his left in this game? Just a fun fact.

[Major_Tom]

Then don't come in here talking crap about a game when you play it on EZ mode and ask for a challenge ya door knob Jesus.

-1 for sub-par intelligence.

[ATY]

LOL! You thought you were badazz playing an easy game like Batman AA on 'hard mode'

Wow dude, you're Elite!

[Major_Tom]

And you're talking about challenge when you're playing on Easy difficulty, fall down the stupid tree and hit every branch until you struck your head on the ground or what.

[zootang]

Give us a proper Superman! People might die but it would be worth it.

[CobraKai]

I know this is crazy but how about a Superman game where the focus is on SAVING LIVES! Make it a little more like a Team Ico game something different that puts emphasis on the fact that he is a god among mortals. I mean fighting a jillion mechanized robots doesn't make Superman the inspiration he could be.

[djfullshred]

A game not about killing people or monsters? That is a rare concept.

I like it. I would play a game as Superman saving people (and fighting bad guys of course) if they made a quality game like that. I always prefer being the hero in game over a psycho like characters in GTA or Saints Row (but still like those games too though).

[qwertyuiopasdfghjkl]

Gotta hand it to Rocksteady, back in the day I played Urban Chaos and knew the developer had talent. Now after getting a good license and decent publisher, they've hit the big time. GJ.

[LukaX23]

Congrats, Eidos!

[qwertyuiopasdfghjkl]

Lets try to congratulate the developer. Ya know Rocksteady... the people who made the game...

[mcgrawgamer]

glad to see they finally realize good games = good sales = good money. this is great news 2 million sold and the pc version hasn't even released yet.

Batman paved the way like always in DC, now superman has to up the ante.

[Gamer_Politics]

lets hope Rocksteady can bring out some more hits with DC Characters

[ipe]

it sold most on ps3 than 360,and pc version is lost in translation as usualy.Its fact,not my opinion

[mrv321]

The sad bit is this has nothing to do with Batman but the fact the people who made this game truly made a great game, not just a good batman game.

Sure the fact that the story was kinda written but to appease the fans takes so much more effort. The story carries the game and the little details make it outstanding.

Don't think for a moment super hero games will be good, they won't, what'll happen is people rush games to meat deadlines and ruin the game. Just give a license to a game developer and say the movie is out on x, make the date or not... just make a good game. I'm not expecting another Batman but I don't want another E.T. I wished Batman was an arcade game, not because it's short or a rip off it's just psn/arcade games and movie games should go great together both are short and it's easier to make a Arcade/psn in less time, it's also easier to give value for money.

[SSCOOLCHEA]

everything on the aftermarket xbot is pirated....

[kevinx1000]

and even though pirating most 360 games still manage to sell better than most PS3 games.

[Pizzagaki]

Only marvel movie i take seriously is Spiderman, and Batman is the only DC movie i take seriously.
All the rest of the superhero movies where kind of OK, but not as great as Spiderman and Batman.

When it comes to games, Batman is the only great one tho.

[ia_studio]

what about iron-man pizzagaki

[Keowrath]

Iron Man, although an awesome film cannot be taken seriously.

... "We'll just try with 10% thrust"

[JonnyBigBoss]

I'm glad this game did so well. It basically shows all developers that you can take something that has been largely unsuccessful, and make it successful by putting a lot of time and effort into development.

[gauntletpython]

I know the game is selling well but I doubt it sold 2 mil... thats probably a shipped number.

[PimpHandHappy]

great game

best game of 2009 so far
IMO

[NMC2007]

I am still waiting for my copy to arrive(BuyNextGen.com)and can't wait to get my hands on it, would you say it's better than Resident Evil 5?

[PimpHandHappy]

so i cant say if its better but i did play the demo and i hated the controls... maybe if i had rented it i might have got the controls down

[CobraKai]

Yeah I'd say so. But they are different since RE focuses on guns and Batman is the opposite. In a way, Batman feels a little like Metroid and a little like Bioshock (that might just be me). I did love RE5 but I can't put AA down

[qwertyuiopasdfghjkl]

But definitely not best of 2009.

Best superhero game of 2009? You bet your bat-butt buddy.

[Kakihara]

These people saying the combat is just a case of mashing the attack button, you've got a way to prove it. Show us your leaderboard score or post a youtube video of you playing one of the extreme combat challenge rooms. I'm sure you'll all do really well, after all it's just mashing a button, eh??

[kingme71]

You mean if we actually make our games good they might sell more? Hmmm... who woulda thunk it?

[BULLETBOI]

I'm glad i supported this game because i never buy superhero games, they are just stupid and not worth my money...I hope Eidos and Rocksteady come up with another great hit....Looking forward to next year...

[monkey nuts]

I got the x40 and perfect combo trophies (go me) and there is no way you can call the combat button mashing. It takes skill to be able to clear the rumble in the jungle rooms in one continous move with out getting hit in any rounds. Looking forward to seeing what the WB / Disney competition brings.

[TwistedMetal]

justice league ultimate aliance game like the marvel one and the xmen game that has 4 players coop.

[monkey nuts]

I have justice league heros for my psp, its a pretty solid game and quite challenging in regards to the difficulty. Got chars' like green lantern, flash, superman, batman etc, theres literally loads. Could probably get it in the bargain bins for less than a tenner.

[naruto girl]

omg game of mult sells more than flopzone 2... poor sony :(