Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate

Evil and vile supervillains have taken over Blackgate Penitentiary and it's up to Batman to stop them in this exciting sidescrolling action game! Playing as the caped crusader, you must overthrow an evil plot crafted by some of Gotham's most eccentric criminals, saving the city and preventing chaos. Inspired by the best modern Batman game franchise and adding more detail to its world, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate is a decent sequel in the series.

Main Game Features

• Sidescrolling 2.5D action
• Feel like Batman as you explore Blackgate Penitentiary
• Use classic Batman gadgets while you defeat foes

Story

Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate takes place a few months after Batman: Arkham Origins, but a new problem is present in Gotham City. When mayhem erupts at the Blackgate Penitentiary, the maximum security prison becomes a palace for criminals. Using the chaos to their advantage, the Joker, Penguin, and Black Mask team up to lead the inmates toward a disastrous plan. To prevent the madness in Blackgate from getting out of control and crossing into Gotham, Batman must infiltrate the prison and reclaim it.

The story of Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate is a decent story that adds more context to games like Batman: Arkham Asylum, with cameos from lots of good characters. Encounters with extra friends and enemies like Catwoman and Deadshot are cool to see and also shake up the story. There are different endings depending on which boss you finish last, but the main plot is only average in quality.

Gameplay

In many ways, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate contains action that's similar to games like Batman: Arkham City, just condensed into a sidescrolling experience. Playing as Batman, you investigate Blackgate Penitentiary, hunting down the three major bosses and fighting other crooks throughout your adventure. Gadgets like the Batarang and grappling hook return, proving useful in combat and exploration equally. This is all translated well from previous 3D games into the sidescrolling format, allowing the same great action to appear on a smaller screen.

A smooth and flow-like combat system is also present, letting you punch and dodge between enemies with ease. You can also activate “detective vision”, which helps you find hidden pathways and extra items. New suits can be unlocked as you explore, offering new benefits and upgrades. With an open-ended design, the three bosses can be tackled in any order, giving you freedom over how you want to proceed. However, it can be tricky to find these hidden paths, as levels are often dimly lit. Certain sections of the prison also feel very repetitive, making it easy to get lost.

Conclusion

Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate takes the action-packed experience of the mainline franchise and transfers it to a handheld experience fine, but some of the best bits are lost in translation. It's still fun to beat up bad guys as Batman and use his clever detective powers, but the levels and story aren't very interesting.

Pros

• Adds more details to the Arkham universe
• Multiple paths to take
• Cool boss fights

Cons

• Many levels feel the same
• Hard to navigate
• The story is just okay