Worth a return to the Batcave?
When you think of the Batman: Arkham series, your mind probably jumps straight to Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, or the massive open-world epic Arkham Knight.
But then there’s Batman: Arkham Origins? It exists, yet it’s often ignored, like the middle child of a famous family. So we’ve teamed up with our friends at Eneba to discuss why it seems like nobody talks about it.
Not So Rocksteady
One of the biggest reasons Arkham Origins might be getting the cold shoulder is that it wasn’t developed by Rocksteady, the studio behind the other Arkham games.
Instead, Warner Bros. Games Montréal took the reins for this entry, and many die hard fans then arguably refused to acknowledge it as a “real” entry in the series – rightly or wrongly.
A Rough Launch?
The game had a pretty rocky start. When Batman Arkham Origins Steam key holders first booted up the game back in 2013, they encountered a mess of bugs, glitches, and performance issues.
The situation got so bad that Warner Bros. straight-up announced they wouldn’t be fixing certain bugs because they were too busy working on DLC. First impressions matter, and this one left a mark that never quite faded.
It Wasn’t Groundbreaking
Arkham Origins played it safe. It followed the same core gameplay formula as Arkham City – which, to be fair, is an excellent title – but it didn’t introduce anything mind-blowing.
No Batmobile like in Arkham Knight, no groundbreaking new mechanics, just more of what we already loved. While some might see that as a plus, others dismissed it as a copy-paste sequel.
The Best Story in the Series?
Here’s the thing: If you actually give Arkham Origins a chance, the story is arguably one of the best in the series. This is a younger, angrier Batman, still figuring things out, and his relationship with the Joker is fresh and unpredictable.
Troy Baker delivers a chilling take on the Clown Prince of Crime, and the way their rivalry unfolds is pure comic book gold. But since the game didn’t get the same level of hype as its Rocksteady-made siblings, many players never even experienced this epic storyline.
A Multiplayer Mode?!
You probably forgot that Arkham Origins had a multiplayer mode. And honestly, that’s for the best. It was a strange 3v3v2 setup where two teams of thugs fought each other while Batman and Robin tried to take them down.
It wasn’t necessarily bad, but nobody asked for it, and it took development time away from the single-player experience.
Despite its flaws, Batman: Arkham Origins is still a solid entry in the franchise. And if you’re looking for a great deal on it (or any other gaming gem), digital marketplaces like Eneba have your back. Check it out.
