[Test PS5] Gotham Knights: Arkham Lean
The batarang hits its target
Gotham Knights is the latest brainchild of the series Arkham directed a second attack on the dark knight universe and this area of the studio WB Games Montreal he is the author of the scolds anyway Batman Arkham Origins (in which case it was a bit unfair).
The app evolved from the original model and was changed by its creators to an RPG Like turn system (unfortunately useless in a story game) It takes place in an open world set in Gotham City (which we suspect). Following the storyline of the death of the dark knight, we use four playable characters in this free version: Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin and Red Hood. Each character has their own playstyle, as well as their own abilities that can evolve over time, and while the single-player mode is still available, the game now features online 2-player co-op multiplayer. The changes could have been interesting, but, as we’ll see, they unfortunately fall flat, especially since we wonder if the purpose of all this is not just to artificially quadruple the lifespan.
RIP Batman
The game more or less follows Arkham Knight, celebrating the death of Bruce Wayne aka Batman. This first surprise, the scenario described in a fairly epic introduction, however, has only a very weak connection with its predecessor, more or less giving. Gotham Knights it seems like a spin-off or parallel reality. Other details challenge us, such as the fact that Commissioner Gordon also appears to be dead (which was definitely not the case in the end).Arkham Knight) and no mention of the Joker (which is good news given his abuse in previous games).
The enemies of our four heroes, who can be played randomly but must each be developed individually, will mainly be the Court of Owls and the League of Assassins in this episode, with some notable figures like Mr. Freeze as a bonus. , Harley Quinn, Clayface or Penguin. It is regrettable to note that Despite Batman’s rich universe, the storyline falls far short of what the encounter between these two powerful criminal organizations (especially the Court of Owls, which seems destined to never have a good screen adaptation) would have us hope for. More interesting are the secondary missions that face other antagonists of the Arkham verse, which does not prevent a certain fatigue from repeating repetitive tasks to optimize their performance, if the deviation from the power level is too high, it risks ending up in endless battles.
Good night
The universe of this opus has also changed radically, from the rather dark and gothic colors of the previous parts to a more lavish and colorful atmosphere. It’s simple, it feels like games once did the same thing as movies, and we’ve been replaced by Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher, which isn’t really a compliment, especially since Gotham City lost by the way. Much of its charisma lies in the not-so-great graphics and, above all, the lack of characterization of the places it traverses. Moreover, the city seems completely empty, with fewer NPCs than it actually is Arkham KnightIt doesn’t really help with immersion.
In the game, which runs at a speed of only 30 FPS, we find ourselves in awkward moments, for example, where the sense of speed on a motorcycle is impossible to say, especially when it is difficult to catch up with a vulgar taxi or when eating invisible walls. with
What was so unfortunate about the previous part’s Batmobile and its arsenal of destruction, in addition, allowed us to change the action and move really fast in the city, which is not the case here. Gotham Knightshere everything seems so slow to you that you spend more time fighting (and accuracy should be considered) than your motorcycle.
Sure, you’ll be able to unlock the Cape Crusader option to hover over the city like before, but it’ll be optional after many hours of similar and boring challenges, but not much since then. t, you can finish the game without getting this game bonus (!).
On the positive side of the proper dubs, let’s say the same, the music is far from being as memorable as in the trilogy. Arkhambut for those who still stop the game and have the courage to go to the end, the traversals are full of texts and references to the comics, which is always a pleasure.
Go row Batou, row!
Technically, this is where the game really comes together and is more reminiscent of a game system Spider-Man more than before Batman.
From the start, we begin to regret the lack of Lock on enemies, which makes combat extremely confusing. It’s simple, it’s not uncommon for you to spend the entire struggle emptying half of your magazines into the walls.
Moreover, most of the enemies are HP bags and most of the fights are infinite, which is helped by fairly repetitive combos (which were also in effect in other works, but felt less because the fights were shorter and more dynamic) and the impossibility of fights. heavy felt responses and blockages
The characters are extremely clumsy and their movements aren’t very fluid, not to mention the disastrous camerawork, so much so that you’re constantly being observed by the enemy when you’re stuck in a window or lamppost like an idiot. .
In the end, misunderstanding prevails, because despite all the experience gained by its predecessors and a proven game system, Warner Bros. Montreal managed to make the spin-off often unplayable and as boring as possible. a story that, if not too transcendent, invites a rogues gallery that is always more than happy to rub shoulders.
If we want to be a little ironic, we can say that the answer may lie in the philosophy of its creators, who have more imagination in embedding many LGBTQ messages. Gotham Knights just to smartly enrich the game. Emails exchanged by characters include indiscriminately painted flags, NPCs who declare themselves LGBT (with no relation to the conversation), some Ukrainian flags as well to clear their consciences, and to top it off, a woman with a cake is presenting the news on TV. , we like to think that this brilliant team, no doubt proud of their product placement, probably accidentally forgot to get their game right.
A game that is neither one nor the other remains captivated by the rich and fascinating universe. A real school bag.
