[History of the Batman: Arkham #0] Evolution of Batman in mass media. / NURBAK blog (Stopgame.ru)

Sometimes I. I begin to doubt the rationality of my own actions. And I’m afraid that when I enter the goal of this hospital. when the crime threshold of Arkham and doors close behind me. It turns out that I returned home."Batman. The hospital Arkham. House of sorrow on sorrowful land "

Hmm … and I’m even happy to return to the origins.

Welcome to the hospital Arkham.

This place is not just called the worst on earth,

This game is not just that many call the best in the series

In the next hour, I will conduct meticulous briefing for you, after which you will navigate in the hospital, as at home, you will be ready to meet with any of the patients of the clinic, because I will tell you what Free Flow is. Looking at the game, you will see much more details than before, even without detective vision.

Greetings, dear viewer.

Let’s start our immersion in the abyss of madness.

So, the history of the game analyzed today takes the beginning … from the end. From the end of Argonaut Games, more precisely.

Now, I am sure, few of you remembered at least a couple of games for their authorship, and at one time these guys were involved in such a warm heart of a retrogaem, projects like: Aladdin with PS1, the first two games about Harry Potter, Swat Global Strike Team and much more.

All of the above games were based on the advanced for their time engine Brender.

It is even more noteworthy that the Argonauts were also iron -made masters, it was thanks to their chip, Super Nintendo was able to at 3D, giving us Star Fox and Vortex.

However, by 2004, the studio things were extremely lousy at the studio.

And who knows, perhaps we would never see the Arkham series, if the Sci Games did not appear on time.

SCI at that time were publishers of the Argonauts Shooter Roll Call. They were so interested in the output of the game being developed that they hired all the employees who worked on the project to their company.

In the next couple of years, a financial covers of a financial covers of the inhabitant took place, Eidos bit off a piece from SCI, Worner Bros, who had just founded their gaming publishing house, for some reason also decided to bite out 10 percent of the SCI ..

From all this, it is only important for us that the Argonauts were renamed Rocksteady, and Roll Call turned into Urban Chaos: Riot Response.

SCI spoke about their new employees in an extremely positive way. It was a team that combined the skill and experience of industry veterans with enthusiasm and adventurism inherent in beginners.

Urban Chaos estimates and sales were … satisfactory. And, since 2004, the studio began to master the fashionable and youth Unreal Engine 3, constantly creating various demons on it. In parallel, they themselves screwed modifications on top of existing tools. So they played with the engine ..

So far in 2007, the right to play Batman fell into their hands.

Now let’s look at the zero output of this story of the series, and answer one simple question: why there was not a single Batman game in the analysis of Batman’s evolution? Although, there is no need to talk about a shortage of interactive entertainment about a dark knight ..

And the case is in the approach of Rocksteady to implement the project.
This game should not have been like any previous game about Batman or superheroes in general. Rockstadi wanted to create a world of magical realism, a world in which you can believe. Gimpley, sound, music, environment – all this should have been recognizable, and, at the same time, unique. Rockstadi faced an interesting task-Batman, like a superhero, should easily throw out any small trash … However, it was necessary to hold a balance, because he was still just a person. The game was supposed to show us Batman from all possible sides. And believe me, developers with the versatility of the project coped with a bang.

The process of creating the game was extremely meticulous. One of the employees even spent six months on the rendering of only a cloak, having recorded thousands of unique animations that allowed the cloak to be felt alive.

(Do not pay attention if the cloak sometimes flies through the enemies on the footage, this is the cost of transferring the game to Unreal Engine 4)

Creating the sound, the composer Nick Arundel and the sound engineer Ron Fish wanted to create something unique without using the soundbans and recording everything from scratch. For example, the sounds of an explosive gel, these are hundreds of different recorded pshykov cans with whipped cream. The sounds of a cloak are a leather jacket, which was waved in a variety of ways. Similar sounds could be found in other sources, but Rockstadedy wanted uniqueness in everything.

The game designers wanted to make Batman as easy as possible in development, while not turning the game into routine. For example, we are shown how hand-to-hand strokes are built, as soon as we try it, they give us Stals, then platforming, a detective segment, then again a fight, only with some modifiers, and so on until the end of the game; The game holds the rhythm, constantly throwing the player more and more difficult tasks and throws more and more new enemies against Batman, each of which needs his own approach.

Let’s take a closer look at all these aspects.

Let’s start, as is customary, with the plot. For writing the story, Paul Dini was responsible, a man who wrote a large number of episodes for the Batman The Animated Series mentioned in the last issue. Yes, Paul Dini is not an eminent author of the comics, but he made a cartoon about Batman for almost 10 years and was a big connoisseur of everything, as for Batman and his history.

According to Paul Dini, the concept of the game was to issue a concentrated squeeze in the framework of the world living according to its rules, the idea of ​​locked Batman in the hospital was also the idea of ​​Paul Dini, by his understanding, the invisible walls would have destroyed the immersion and it would be difficult to explain why he should act in some closed framework … and, finally, in the best traditions of the Arkham medical, long Halloween and a dark victory, Paul Dini wanted to arrange Batman the worst night in his life.

This night starts with where the Batman’s games are usually ending – from the carriage of Joker.

However, Batman is in no hurry to rejoice, during the detention the Joker gave up too simply; Those who have already passed the game, perhaps, paid attention to Joker’s phrase about the bomb at the beginning of the game, and most likely forgot about this detail in the future. And all because the first Kitstzen of the game is part of the Batman: Road to Arkham comic book.

The whole last month, someone specially threw anonymous guidelines of the local police. The trace of the abducted psychotherapist Sarah Casseded allowed Viktor Zsazsa, who was left in the police station, the sausage led to the scarecrow, before Joker’s attack on the new mayor of Gotham, someone warned the local police. Also, in prison Blackgate (if anyone does not know, this is a prison for the sane enemies of Batman) began a fire and all prisoners were transferred to the Arkham hospital.

All these suspicious rackets of circumstances are haunted by Batman, he warns the commissar Gordon and the overseer of the clinic Quincy Sharp about the capture of the clown of the criminal world, and insists on the personal accompaniment of a small convoy to the ward of the madman.

On the way to the ward, the Joker tends to Batman everything, once again convincing that not everything is so cleanly, the prisoners translated from Blackgate chant the name of the clown, Wayland Jones, nicknamed the killer Krok, is also transported to the main block of the hospital Arkham, the tension grows until it happened, but no one wanted to recognize this, but no one wanted to recognize this. It turns out that all this was a trap of Joker ..

(No abstract memes) [*Zhokira trap.Zhpag*]

Harley Kuin has been managing the entire hospital security system for some time, and Joker is clearly trying to slow down his pursuers as much as possible.

As soon as we study the local combat system, oracle comes in touch and reports the news. The whole city stands on the ears due to the information that the Joker allegedly mined the whole city and will undermine the charges if someone sticks to the territory of the hospital. However, Batman understands that this is a bluff and behind this riot there is something more. And the main events should happen here ..

For some time later we meet in the open battle of the first archire Batman.

Victor Zsasz made shock therapy for one of the guards and threatens that if at least someone approaches him, he would kill the poor fellow. The situation is resolved extremely quickly, here we are taught the primary secrecy skills, and as such a fight does not happen, but it is too early to relax too much. Harley Kuin gets in touch and demonstrates the related chief overseer of the hospital, Queens Sharp.

Continuing the persecution, Batman overtakes Joker, but only so that he boasts of his new minions and disappears again in the depths of the hospital Arkham. However, all this night is the benefit of Joker, and he will not leave us alone for a long time. Having contacted, he demonstrates the recording of surveillance cameras showing that Kommisar Gordon is in danger, and Frankie Bowls guard officer all this time worked for the Joker.

The time has come to show why Batman is called the greatest detective in the world, using advanced technologies in the field of forensics (and gamemerane of the end of the zero), he tracks the francs along the train of fumes. While we are tracking Frankie, we can hear radio converters of other security officers who are clearly surprised by the behavior of yesterday’s colleague.

It is worth noting that Batman was one of the first to use what modern players call “a witch hunt”. This is a gameplay situation, consisting in finding a trace and walking on it to the goal of searching. This is in most modern games with the open world, the same witcher 3, Red Dead Redemption 2, Days Gone … Yes, in general, there are many of them.

It becomes clear that the Joker wants to detain us with all his might, and the time is as much as possible. Harley even drops an elevator on us so that we climb up.

Walking along the trail, we come to the place where we are taught secretive methods of fighting. First, the task is simpler, and then a little more complicated.

Unfortunately, while we were following the trail, the Joker realized how Batman was going to track him down, and decided to break his tracks in the bud, in his style, dealing with Frank.

Another legendary enemy of the Dark Knight is entering the arena immediately – a mysterious.

More precisely … not that it goes to the arena, rather, will sit out in his den, entertaining himself with an intellectual duel with Batman. Having solved a fun linguistic problem, we bite on the only surviving guard from the Frankie detachment.

The further path leads us out, and we will finally see in all the glory of the hospital Arkham.

Here allow me to make a short pause and tell about the game space of Batman Arkham asylum. It is a small island, divided into eastern, northern and western sectors. Each sector contains different structures, the Arkham estate itself, a medical unit, an intensive care unit, a prison unit for a luxury of violent, even its own greenhouse.

The entire game card is available for study. Even though the card is not so big, there is something to look for here. At the end of the past issue, I said that Rockstadi is crazy fans! So, in the team of the developers there were those who are familiar with a large number of comics, and those who were familiar with Batman only from films. This allowed the team, constantly finalizing the concept, to introduce interesting details of Batman’s mythology in history, while holding a low threshold entrance for beginners. So where does the game space? Despite the fact that a dozen trophies and remarkable places are scattered throughout the hospital from which you can learn the history of this place.

Arkham estate was built for a very long time. And Rockstaded decided to demonstrate this by filling the hospital by the traces of historical events that could take place here. For example, in the local morgue there is the body of Ras al Gul, which at some point will disappear. In the list of employees of the night shift is the name of a childhood friend Bruce and the name Jason Todd. The encrypted records of the founder of the clinic are scattered throughout the clinic. That is, even those characters of Batman’s mythology, who are not in the game itself, left their mark. But even in addition to them, there are places in the premises of the clinic … which make them ask the question: what happened here?

(for example, old medical instruments, a large number of remains, incomprehensible steam machines and so on)

The hospital and its https://pirate-spins.co.uk/ surroundings consist of 40 rooms connected with 32 corridors, 4 large external zones and a couple of platform stages … And everywhere the developers left a couple of secrets.

Well, let’s continue about the plot.

Having reached the surface, Batman receives a signal from a Batmobile. By securing his car (or, conversely, securing the bandits from the Batmobile), Batman goes to another trace. Commissioner Gordon specifically dropped tobacco, a trace of which should lead to the owner of the smoking tube.

In the footsteps of bread crumbs, Batman reaches the medical unit, simultaneously saving local employees. Among these employees there is also one of the key figures of the local plot, Dotor Penelope Young.

She is trying to convince Batman to save her research, since they are the goal of Joker’s people. But, of course, the priority of the salvation of friends.

Rhe͌͊͋̏̃̊͋̌͐̑̾͐͝ã̎̂͗͊̏͌̆̈̅̔̚͠l҇̓͋̈҇̓͋̈y̓̔͆̾̅n͒̄̊n͒̄̊n͒̄̊ ͋͆̏̋̕ ͋͆̏̋̕ ͊͆̃͞ ͊͆̃͞ ̉̐̂̇̄͋ ̉̐̂̇̄͋ ̀̀̕ ̛̃͑͒̃̉͑̀̚ ҇̂͛͋̀̂̈̄̆̊ā̔̀̾̏̃̈y̑͝y̋̋̈y̋̋̈ỳ͝n̓̑̈y̔̊y̏͠a͂͌͊͑y͑̍̂͗̎͌͌̕y͑̍̂͗̎͌͌̕t̔̒͑͂̔̍̊̈̌͑͞ ̔̒͑͂̔̍̊̈̌͑͞ ̈̆̿̐̋̆͡h҇͗̋̐̇͛͊̿̄̏̂̍̈y҇͌͊͊͋̌̃̾͋ẙẙ ̌͐̊̾͞ ̌͐̊̾͞ ̌͐̊̾͞ ̓͐̀̇̎̌͞ ̓͐̀̇̎̌͞, we do not have time to save the commissar Gordon, the death Hallucinations with those whom he once could not save ..

Of course, this is all the nightmares inspired by the scarecrow.

These sections are atmospheric inserts with a fixed camera, where the main task is not to catch the eye of the enemy.

Escaping from the world of illusions, we understand that Gordon is still alive. Joker arranged for us another trap. Harley locked herself in the same room with Gordon, the crowds of Joker henchmen are blocking access to the room. If someone at least notice the presence of Batman, Gordon is the end.

As soon as we solve this problem, without any respite, we please the next trap. It turns out that as part of Dr. Young’s project, chemicals used by Beine were studied. But Bane himself is not in the best mood … Joker helps him to have fun, biting Bane’s body Titan. Batmobile saves us from losing in this heavy battle.

Having sent Gordon back to the Great Earth, Batman keeps his way to the local branch of the BET Peschers, which he equipped just in such cases. There he understands that the “Titan” and the scientific project mentioned by Dr. Young are connected. And, despite the presence of prototypes, the Joker does not have the most important thing – the formula of serum "Titan".

Our path to the formula is another trace of bread crumbs, all documents were destroyed. And Dr. Young grabbed Zsaz.

On the way to her salvation, we catch another trip from toxin scared and overtake Dr. Young. She thanks Batman for salvation and explains that the Titan project from the very beginning was initiated by the Joker. He was deceiving Dr. Young to continue research, and when she guessed, it was too late. The only copy of the formula is in the safe of the caretaker of the hospital … But, alas, the Joker here was ahead of the knight, and at the same time killed the only person who could help with the operational creation of the vaccine.

Recovering from the consequences of the explosion, Batman decides to go to save the overseer Sharp.

On the way we get to the green mile, the area inside the clinic, where you can not carry plants. One of Batman’s most charming architects is sitting there … Dr. Pamella Aisley, better known as a poisonous ivy.

She asks us to save the plants, since it hurts … However, the dark knight at that time is more likely to excite the salvation of the senior overseer. While Batman breaks through to the hostage, Harley releases his girlfriend … However, after some time he herself finds herself in imprisonment. Harley leads us to the trail of the Joker, to the greenhouse of the Arkham clinic, where he is already entertaining with his new toys with might and main.

Having broken containers with Titan and a couple of people who are pumped up by him, we ask for help from Poyshch, since Dr. Young Dead is dead, Batman would not really prevent the help of a talented medicine. She absolutely does not care about people, but Batman recalls that the plants on the island will also suffer if ivy does not provide assistance.

Agree, she sends us to collect samples from the roots of the oldest tree in Gotham … Yes, here is one but! We’ll have to climb into the sewer, where Krok reigns already with might and main.

On the way, we once again catch a trip, this time the last.

Having survived one of the most stressful segments of the game, Batman receives the necessary materials and prepares an antidote. However, ivy, pumped up by Titan, concluded that plants are even better, they become stronger and will soon be able to defend themselves from people.

Having overcome it, already the whole disheveled Batman goes to the final of this performance. Joker made a huge party where Batman is the main guest.

The Joker initially tries to turn Batin’s Batan’s pitching himself … But since it didn’t work out why the good is to disappear. Joker is pumped up with a “titanium”, a whole performance with helicopters and a crazy clown begins on the roof of the hospital.

Well, we figured out directly with the main plot, but, as is often the case with games based on some third-party characters, the game is full of references both to the comics about Batman and other works.

We will begin, perhaps, with the protagonist of this game – the hospitals Arkham.

A short excursion into history: the hospital Arkham appeared on the pages of comics not immediately. It originates in 1974, then it was also called Arkham Hospital and was an ordinary hospital, where Batman’s enemies were taken away if they suffered in battle. For the next 10 years, the history of the clinic has become overgrown with an increasing number of details, until, finally, in 1985, the canonical background and the location of the hospital were settled. If Batman’s modern appearance appeared in the “Return of the Dark Knight” by Frank Miller, then the modern appearance of Arkham appeared in 1989.

Let’s take a closer look at Grant Morrison Comic: “The History of Arkham: the House of Sorrow on Sorrowful Earth”. When writing a plot, Morrison put a lot of symbolism in the book. The comic tells about one rather terrible night in Batman’s history. Patients arranged a rebellion in a psychiatric hospital, took full control and took the staff of the clinic hostage. However, no one is in a hurry to run away from the hospital. Their only condition is to return one of his brothers home … Batman should be in the hospital Arkham. This book does not have the usual linear plot, Morrison created a psychotropic trip through different floors of the medical tiers, interconnected by the theme of madness. An unusual visual style of the book creates a unique work that could be created only within the framework of comics. I strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with this book if you haven’t done this yet. However, be prepared for the fact that it is … not like classic comics. This can be compared with artistic performance, which fully uses its format.

Passing Batman Arkham asylum, pay attention to many parallels and references to Alice in Wonderland, this thread also originates in the Morrison comic book.In Batman’s mythology, there are many crazy, inspired by Lewis Carollah’s characters and they all reflected in the Arkham clinic.

The design of the location reflects that this place was founded a century ago, modern electronic devices are easily adjacent to the steampunk design. According to Rockstadi themselves, it was very important to reflect the influence of time and cause the player discomfort by the views of old medical practices, mixed with modern medicine, causing dissonance.

Continuing a line about the plot, I want to present you a rubric, which I called "especially dangerous".
In the DC fan community, Batman’s opponents are called Roque Gallery, this term came from forensics and means a summary of police orientations. Since I did not find the local analogue of the term, but it would be a little strange to call the section “they are looking for them” … Welcome to “especially dangerous” – here I will tell you about the opponents of Batman, whom we meet in a particular game and briefly analyze what kind of character this.

Well, let me leave Joker at last.

The first enemy that we meet on our way is Wayland Jones, nicknamed Krok killer. Wayland was born with genetic atavism, similar to a variety of ichthyosis. Grew next to his uncle alkological, but soon ended up in a children’s shelter. Due to bullying from other children, he escaped from the shelter and found a wandering circus, where he joined as an exhibit on a fun to the public. Over time, he began to increase muscle mass. In the future, the anomalies of his genetics began to manifest itself more, and by the age of 16 he performed in an unusual attraction, breaking ridges to crocodiles. From there, the nickname was the murderer Krok.

Despite the fact that he often behaves as an animal, the intelligence of the crocus is above average, plus there are animal instincts and abilities of reptile. In the interpretation of Grant Morrison with his inherent symbolism, Krom symbolizes Leviathan and the Great Snake, and Batman, as St. George, pierces him with a spear, for the sake of delivering a peaceful people from the monster. In the interpretation of Morrison, Krok, by and large, has no choice and the monster acts as a victim, obliged to protect himself from an infinite number of attacks … And only when the monster becomes enough enough to stand up for himself, comes the hero who is the same monster, if the victim’s eyes look at him with the eyes of the victim.

In the game Arkham asylum, a more brutal version of Krok is already presented, in which the animal begins the animal than the human.

Batman’s next archire is Viktor Zsasz … Let me just call his zES, especially the Russian version of Wikipedia just uses this transcription.

Victor ZESS is a relatively young character in Batman’s mythology. He appeared on the pages of Shadow of the Batman in 1992. Victor ZESS grew up in a rich family and was distinguished by outstanding strategic skills. By the age of 20, he put on his own state and influential international company. When Zesa was 25 years old, his parents died in a disaster. This event greatly distorts the personality of Zes, after which he sets off in all serious ones, in a couple of months burning all his earned condition in the casino. The largest financial loss, he suffered in Penguin casino. I shed a meaningless existence, he decided to finish everything on the bridge … when suddenly a homeless. Zes himself, not understanding what he was doing, instinctively grabbing the knife, kills him … He felt the greatest revelation, looking into the eyes of the attacker. In these eyes, Zes did not see any meaning or mind. And he considered his mission to get rid of the people around him from meaninglessness. He perpetuates his every victim in the form of a scar on his body, for Batman he stores a special place … Under the left century, of course, ahemist.

The character is extremely popular in film adaptations and appeared in almost every mass product created about Batman of the last 20 years. This popularity can probably be explained in a memorable way with the most simple concept. In fact, this is a classic madman from the gallery of Batman’s villains and, one might say, a reference madman.

The next archire that appears on the screen is Harley Quin.

Psychotherapist Harlin Quincel has never been normal, mental, man. However, she always managed to hide it well. Her madness began to take root when Joker was sent to her therapy. Over time, Harley fell madly in love with her patient, becoming the right hand of a clown-printer of the criminal world.

The character is extremely interesting from the point of view that its debut took place in the animated series Batman The Animated Series. In the seventh series there is a moment when a cake is rolled out onto the holiday, from which someone was to jump out. Paul Dini and Bruce Tim considered that it would be extremely strange if the Joker jumped out of there, and began to create a Harley concept … However, as I said, literally one sentence back, jumping out of the Joker cake, is strange, so Joker jumps out of the cake)

The character conceived for one scene fell in love with Paul Dini, and the team that worked on the cartoon began to develop her concept, and over time the character migrated to comics. Her concept in comics has not really changed over the years, until 2016, but we will talk about this topic when the line reaches Arkham Knight.

The next in the list of "especially dangerous" is Edward Nigma, also known as a mysterious.

This is one of Batman’s oldest enemies, from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared on pages in 1948. Eddie Neshton, aka Edward Nigma, since childhood he loved mysteries very much. One of the determining moments of his life is to study in high school, where one day the teacher arranged a puzzle competition. Eddie’s boy was always narcissistic and was very hoping to become more popular among peers by demonstrating his outstanding intelligent talents. However, he attracted only school bullying, which began to laugh at the abstruse nigma. His extremely strange father, who, having learned about the victory, beat the boy, accusing him of fraud. Over the years, Edward was convinced of his intellectual superiority over others, and eventually embarked on the path of crime; In his impulse to demonstrate the stupidity of others, he always leaves riddles, the answers to which can take the trail of the nigma.

Of course, Batman catches him every time, because of which the mania of the personality of the Dark Knight and the intellectual victory over him became the new mania of the mysterious man.

In the Games of the Arkham series, the mysterious is responsible for collectible objects, its riddles and collected trophies unlock different intra -game awards and open a large number of text documents revealing the details of the Universe.

The next patient is usually kept in prison Blackheate, and not in Arkham.

Since he is not crazy. In the last video, I briefly mentioned him in the context of the Nolan trilogy, and now, finally, let’s take a closer look at the image of the local Bane.

Bane is also a relatively young character by comics standards. His appearance was preceded by a whole global, where the unknown person blew up the walls of Arkham, releasing all patients. Batman dealt with the consequences for several months and then, having studied his enemy, Bayne came. This is the only enemy who was able to break Batman, both literally – damaging his back and paralyzing for a long time, and psychologically, forcing him to doubt the rationality of his actions.

Bane is the same Batman because. He was born and raised in prison, where he was serving his father-revolutionary. He constantly developed new skills, looking for mentors who could teach him something. His only friend was Osita, a plush bear, in the back of which Bane always kept sharpening in case of important negotiations. Bane has his own principles, although there are no moral limiters, like Batman’s, and over time, Bane even penetrated with respect and often fights with Batman, and not against him. Bane was also training at the head of the devil, better known as Ras Al Gw. Remember I said: Krok is so strong that I broke your back with crocodiles? So Bane broke in several places the hands of the croc. just to scare Batman.

Bane’s only great weakness is the Venom substance he takes, in the absence of which he begins strong breaking. The very substance was an experimental drug, which was tested on life -sentenced in prison of the city of Santa Prisk.

But … in the Arkham series, we already see Bane degrading from the accepted substances. He is many times dumber of the original and is a stupid thug. The only game in the Arkham series, where there was a more or less canonical Bane, is Arkham Origins.

And the last note about Bane. The substance "Titan", which is a catalyst for many events in the Arkham series, was developed on the basis of Venom, which uses Bane.

Local Bane is one of those things that I do not like in the series. With my head I understand why so. But such potential was wasted.

The next patient of the clinic we stumble upon, an outstanding psychiatrist in the study of human phobias, Dr. Jonathan Crane, better known as scarecrow.

The name of Dr. Crane is a reference to Krane’s hikoboda, the protagonist of Washington Irving Washington Legends. This is one of the oldest characters in Batman’s mythology, which appeared back in 1941. In the last video, I talked about the comics of those times, and you yourself must understand that such a gloomy character did not take root in the comics for a long time, disappearing for almost 20 years. Starting from the 70s, he flickered here and there, but they began to truly promote the character in the 90s. I dare to assume that to some extent this contributed to Paul Dini, who showed what cool stories even in children’s framework can be written about the scarecrow.

In the same 90s, Pugalo received his canonical Orijin, suspiciously similar to the biography of Tim Berton. Crane in childhood often locked in the basement, because of which the boy stuttered greatly and grew up with an extremely gloomy person who sees the world in dark tones. Starting from the New 52 arch, his Orijin was slightly changed. According to this version, Jonathan’s father worked for the government, where for military purposes he developed toxins that cause fear. He held tests in his son, sometimes frightening him for hours to collect data.
When the senior Crane died, they remembered Crane Jr. only after a couple of days, all this time he sat in a basement specially equipped with the maximum number of terrible elements.

Fear is the main passion of Dr. Crane, and he spent most of his life on the study of psychology. However, his dubious research methods quickly forced him to go into the criminal path, and as a scarecrow it is easier to find finances and experimental tests for his tests.

We dilute a number of harsh and terrible patients, someone more charming and beautiful.

Professor in the field of botanists and pharmaceuticals, Pamella Lilian Aisley, better known as poisonous ivy.

This character appeared in the active period of the second wave of feminism. The main theme of this character is always seduction. This is manifested both in the background of the character and in its abilities. Her story has changed more than once, but only in details, in its general essence, there is always an dear man who at some point betrays her, leaving her for sure death, after which she is already returning in the image of a poisonous ivy.

The main catalyst for her modern image again became the floor of Dini and Bruce Tim, adding to its usual image of the fatal beauty a touch of radical eco -activism. In the first season of the cartoon, she did not have the ability to manage plants, no deadly kisses. However, Ivy from the fourth season of the cartoon, in its original form, migrated to the Arkham series.

A character created in the wave of a modern, at that time, social movement, surprisingly well got along with Batman’s mythology, and is one of the most popular opponents of a dark knight. And, unlike many heroes, has never changed dramatically.

And finally, the leading of this parade is the Joker!

The quintessence of madness, one of the main figures in the Pantheon of DC characters and the most popular enemy of Batman.

The character appeared in the first issue of an independent comic book about Batman. And even at the time of the creation of the concept of the hero, he was unstable. Bill Finger based Joker on the “man who laughs” performed by actor Konrad Faidt; Jerry Robinson, creating a concept, insisted on the image of a Joker from playing cards, and Bob Kane wanted the image of an unsuccessful comedian whose crimes were more like an intricate sketch. Over the years, all these concepts got along in it.

As I said in the last video, in the first releases of the Batman comics, tin took place, and the Joker within this framework was quite comfortable. He arranged interestingly designed robberies and used all the attributes we knew, like a toxin that makes everyone smile or mechanical jaws. At the same time, his background has always been a mystery. They decided to shed light on this story almost 10 years later, having attributed the story of the gangster, nicknamed the Red Coll, the cap was going to rob the factory, but in the process due to Batman’s intervention, he fell into a vat with acid, his skin became completely white, and his hair was dyed in green. Starting with Berton’s film adaptation in 1986, a detail appeared about the tightened muscles that hold an eternal smile on his face.

Of course, during the Code comic, the Joker has become an ordinary annoying jester, which can be compared with the opponents of Power Ranges.

If Frank Miller returned the gloomy Batman to us, then for the return of Joker it is worth giving thanks to Alan Moore, and his killed joke.

This comic is a canon for the Arkham series, so let’s go very briefly on this plot. The comic tells us one of the many prehistories of the Joker, in which Moore combines all three original concepts. The Joker was an unsuccessful standap comic and in search of fast upright agreed to carry out local gangsters to his past place of work – at the chemical production plant, there he is given the same unfortunate red cap. And, according to tradition, Batman’s coming forces Joker to fall into a vat with acid.

Once he visits Commissioner Gordon and cripples his daughter Barbara, leaving that cripple forever. Then it arranges a crazy trip for both the commissar and for Batman. All this was in order to prove his idea that one unsuccessful day can immerse a person in madness.

I also note that the Joker is the eternal enemy of Batman, who appears in almost every interpretation. There were even comics where Joker was able to win, after which he lost at least any meaning in life and gradually became a normal part of society.

As mentioned dozens of times in a variety of comics, films, and in the Arkham series itself, this confrontation will not end until one of them will die.

Well! With everything about the plot and history we finished, it’s time to talk about gameplay!

Free Flow-Bar Batman has already become a household name. The classic attribute of Batman fights is an intuitive system based on strikes and counterattacks. The comic base of Batman did not help much, since the pages usually depicted single blows, and cut off all enemies from one blow … For this, it would have to be artificially increasing the number of enemies or, on the contrary, make Batman weaker (which, by the way, for years, the developers of other Batman games did). At some point, there was even an idea during the battle to set a view from the side and turn the game into real fighting, but later the idea of ​​combining mechanics with rhythm guards came. Batman was supposed to pour powerful single blows and counterattacks. The general realistic tone of the game inspired the idea of ​​using real combat styles.

Both in comics and in the cinema, Batman always knew how to fight, and owned a huge number of military equipment. From the Arkham series, he combines hard straight strokes with his hands, like in boxing, straight blows with thakvondo legs, counterattacks with legs from Hopkido, heads of arms and legs from jiu-jitsu, shots from judo … Huge physical strength and speed.

The combat system itself is called so because of the features due to which a sense of free flow is achieved. After a couple of blows, Batman can automatically switch between opponents overcoming long distances.

In total, fans have from 16 to 21 combat styles.

In Batman Arkham Asylum, the Free Flow system is the simplest. Sometimes you have to use a cloak and jump over enemies with shockers, but, by and large, a two -button battle. Blow, counterattack, well, and a special blow when filling out the comp home. This skeleton will be surrounded later by meat, but even the foundations of this system were enough so that most of the developers of the action with hand -to -hand battles borrow this system for their games.

I’m briefly summarized, Free Flow is convenient, it is beautiful, free flow is complete freedom in the arena.

Also, do not forget that Batman is famous not only for his open battle, he is also a wizard of secrecy. When it is too dangerous to climb openly, the game is transforming, turning into a kind of stealth head. Opponents can be eliminated, sneaking up from behind, as in the usual stages, as well as use the elements of the environment and their gadgets.

Both types of gameplay work perfectly in order to feel like an absolute predator. The very same “this was not locked me here, it was locked with me here”.

Also, a belt with Batman’s tools that has become a classic works for this. At the beginning of the video, I already said that the whole island is available for study, and you probably already guessed that there were elements of metroids here. It is important to note that if you want to run strictly according to the plot, you may not even notice this. For most of the previously inaccessible corners of the island, you need to open some special gadgets.

In this part, gadgets are strictly situational, and in a battle you often forget about them. In the following parts, especially in Arkham Knight, the use of gadgets is vital. They are diverse and useful both for studying the area and for secretive and open battle.
In the first game, gadgets are often used only for players with the environment. Here to break the grate with a hook, there to blow a thin wall.

The controlled Betarang was invented, but did not figure out where and how to use it really.

Triple claw, this is the same claw … only triple) Yes, they can break thin walls that can not reach the gel … But you need to use it a couple of times by the plot and for a couple of puzzles.

The only gadget changing game process is a cable. You can jump with it large abysses and reach the previously inaccessible corners of the island.
Now let’s move on to endgame content and DLC.

After passing the game, even from the debut part of the Batman Arkham, you can take yourself tests that are divided into 2 types, combat and predator tests. In the first, you need to most beautifully and preferably overcome the increasing in the number of opponents in hand -to -hand, and in the second to clean the room from armed bandits, sometimes fulfilling quite interesting conditions. For example, neutralize the bandit on the tower so that he attracts the attention of the rest, and the first to help, throw off the stairs as soon as he climbs upstairs. Together, 3 conditions on each test allow you to build interesting gameplay situations.

There is nothing to say about DLC in this part of Batman.

These are different test cards, there is an interesting alley of crime, an endless nightmare, where skeletons are dumped and a test falls as soon as you miss at least one blow … and exclusive play -to -play jocker for PlayStation consoles. In general, there were no interesting DLCs in this part.

According to the versions to different consoles, there are also empty, no portables or special editions for Nintendo WII.

Summarize allowed to impromptu;)

So, this block of the text is written separately from the main part, and is a summary of all of the above.

I’ll start, perhaps, with the fact that this game, without exaggeration, if I didn’t change, so certainly influenced the entire video game industry. After its release, dozens of games of larger studios borrowed game elements. This also applies to the combat system, the general principles of awards for collection objects. Often in old games, where there were collection objects, they had to be bought for the in -game currency. And here they are attached to collection objects, and in the future this fashion has already taken root in many other games. This game is truly the return of the legend … Although, given the past game projects, the coming of the legend.

But even she has its disadvantages, on which I want to briefly run. It must be clarified that most of my claims to Batman Arkham asylum, they are retrograde … That is, they appeared retroactively after meeting the rest.

First of all, this concerns the tone of the work, Arkham asylum in this regard is the most … light, that is, the easiest and most naive. If you argue with analogies with cinema Batmen, then Arkham Knight and Origins is Nolan, City is Berton’s second film, and asylum is Batman the Animated Series. I have repeatedly heard the opinion that Arkham asylum is like an episode of the animated series.

Some problems of identity arise from this. The most visual scene is the moment when Batman overcomes the transformation into a titanium monster and some time later heals a vaccine for himself. It would look normal in the cartoon, but in the game, the entire tone of which is built on dark magical realism, this scene is strongly knocked out.

Also in the problem of identity, I want to attribute the design of Batman himself and his costume. Original sketches were made by Jim Lee Studio. Jim Lee is a person who managed to draw legendary comics for both Marvel and DC, to be in the first wave next to Tod McFarlene during the years of founding Image Comics, and, starting in 2010, he is a co -co -comics co -founder.

His Batman, according to the description of Rocksteady, is a man of sports addition that would look appropriate in extreme combat situations. For the game series, he was also added to the elements of military equipment for the military working in the urban environment … But at the same time, according to the same Rocksteady, they wanted without bending, and so that Batman remained a man, not a superhero … But damn it, just look at him. If its alternative skins are decomposed nearby, then this will resemble the troupe of circus sodes. No, I’m not saying that Batman is small, or that this is a bad version of Batman … Just since the time of Arkham Origins, Batman’s design has shifted towards greater realism. His costume became, so to speak, richer. More of some inserts, fixations, moving elements of armor and so on. And in the first two games, this is Spandex! This is a tight -fitting suit with a patch press and panties over them, and Batman looks a little strange. Understand correctly, I have claims to the design of his costume.

In addition to this crisis of identity, probably my only claim is that sometimes I have topographic cretinism, and with each passage, it is easy to get confused in some sections of the clinic, especially when the plot has already ended and you just need to brisk collecting items. But this is uncritical.

On this, probably, my claims end and, again, I remind you that these claims appeared retroactively, after the next games of the series.

I will add a few more words about the local Batman, he is here straight from the animated series. In combat situations, when you do not look at the elements of the costume and follow the gameplay more, a hundred-kilogram ball flying towards the enemy, after all, is impressive. This heavy gait along the corridors, it is directly felt that inside the clinic is quite comfortable for him.

I am also pleased that in this game there are all elements that allow Batman to directly feel. Imagine other games about superheroes, if we take a game about Spider-Man, then we need him to throw a web, joke cheerfully and lazal, jumping around the city. If 3 out of 3 coincide, then in general, the completed program can already be considered a minimum. But Batman will not work with Batman, if you do the bit by the AP, then the detective part disappears, these are the notes of some kind of dark parable and, in principle, the very spirit of the character will not convey this. And for me only the Arkham series, starting already from the first game, perfectly shows Batman. Here all these elements joke well with each other.

And what I did not mention the main part of the video – Batman, Joker, Harley and some other characters are voiced by the actors who gave them voices in the animated series. And the local Batman and Bruce Wayne have authentic and cool voices. He does not have to somehow puff like Christian Baile or turn on his voice synthesizers like Batman Affleck … Here Batman’s voice is straight in place, it feels like his real voice.

Well, finally, about the atmosphere of the first game. It is straight unique. Here it is not as gloomy as in the subsequent parts, but from the very first game I like the atmosphere of the riddle in the Arkham series. Constantly stumble upon some references to different characters and events, and this makes the world alive. And the secrets hidden everywhere work well that you constantly look at the environment and find traces of the events that have already occurred. When the Batman Arkham Asylum only came out, I was 11 years old, and I played it during the autumn holidays. This first game, in which I collected all Achivka, is still living Games for Windows Live. And, probably, I’ll still say that the ARKHAM series is one of my favorite episodes in principle. And what a game in this series is beloved … The answer will be in the next issue, which will be released a little with a large gap between releases, because the farther, the larger the game.

Finally! Separate thanks to my friends Mukha Kenzhebaeva and Irina Glushkova. Without them, this video would have been made longer. And also thanks to the inhabitants of the blogs on the Stopgame website.ru.

Subscribe to the channel if you liked the video, leave the comments … and thanks for devoting the time to this video.