Batman: Arkham Shadow’s Malone Possesses a Fun Nod to Origins’ DLC

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As a longtime fan of the Arkham series, I must say that the developers have truly outdone themselves with “Batman: Arkham Shadow”. The game takes us back to the roots of our beloved Caped Crusader, showcasing his ingenuity and resourcefulness even before he donned the cape and cowl.

In “Batman: Arkham Shadow” VR game, the cape stun is thrilling as players physically mimic swiping their arms and observe the cape expanding dramatically. However, in virtual reality, the cape can be tricky to fully appreciate since it’s usually draped behind Batman, becoming visible only when it would naturally be seen, such as during a glide or after falling from a great height and spreading out on either side. These instances are particularly captivating when experienced with the Meta Quest 3 headset and serve as subtle indicators that players are donning the Batsuit, much like looking down at your own body or noticing Batman’s shadow projected onto surfaces.

In the game Batman: Arkham Shadow, instead of always wearing the Batsuit, Bruce Wayne temporarily adopts a new persona – that of inmate Irving “Matches” Malone from Blackgate Prison. During this phase, he fights without the Batsuit and relies on his bare fists for conflicts. In this guise, he rescues Carmine Falcone from TYGER’s Lyle Bolton. To compensate for Batman’s cape stun, Bruce uses pocket sand instead. It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time he’s used an unusual tool to subdue foes; this tactic can be traced back to the Initiation DLC of Batman: Arkham Origins.

Batman: Arkham Origins’ Initiation DLC Reveals Bruce Wayne’s Prototypical Gadgetry

As a devoted fan, diving into the ‘Initiation’ DLC for Batman: Arkham Origins, I found it wasn’t just about combat and predator challenges – it was also an engaging peek into Bruce Wayne’s intense training under Master Kirigi. Interestingly, this character is someone even Bronze Tiger, from Batman: Arkham Knight, seems familiar with, as he mentioned him in his own storyline.

In this campaign, Bruce was subjected to rigorous trials such as battling hordes of adversaries ordered to eliminate him. After overcoming them all, he faced Shiva in combat, which led only to making tea for everyone and talking about additional training. It’s the struggle that undeniably shaped Bruce into the formidable warrior and assassin seen approximately two years later in Batman: Arkham Origins, where even a figure as respected and fearsome as Deathstroke was swiftly defeated by him.

Furthermore, it’s fascinating to reflect on Bruce Wayne’s initial training (Initiation) and identify the tools he utilized then, and how they evolved into the gadgets he carries on his utility belt as Batman. For instance, shurikens were his preferred projectile, which eventually transformed into batarangs.

There’s no denying that Batman: Arkham Origins shares many similarities with its predecessor, Batman: Arkham City, and the game introduces the Zip-Kick grapple gadget, which was first seen in City for Robin. It would be a nice touch if the original version of this grapple hook remained unchanged and was passed down to each new Robin, but considering that it might have been altered simply for practical reasons, this could just be wishful thinking on the part of fans.

The Cape Stun is a Paramount Element of Batman’s Gameplay in the Arkhamverse

What’s not a stretch is the idea that, before donning a cape and cowl, Bruce originally used pocket sand as a means of temporarily blinding and staggering enemies and then returned to that tactic as “Matches” Malone in Batman: Arkham Shadow. It’s a brilliant adaptation because being able to stun enemies is crucial to putting the “flow” in freeflow, instigating beatdowns, or dispatching a shield-wielding enemy before having to inevitably counter a henchman nearby.

In Batman: Arkham Shadow, the developers could have omitted the mechanic when players assume the role of Malone. However, since Malone lacks other gadgets for support, this limitation encourages a smooth and intense gameplay experience. This might not be problematic if Malone didn’t engage in many hand-to-hand fights, but there are indeed numerous combat situations involving Malone, especially during his imprisonment at Blackgate. These encounters even include a boss fight against Lyle Bolton, the latest warden of TYGER, within Blackgate.

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2024-11-30 15:24