Batman: Arkham Origins (mobile)

Batman: Arkham Origins
Developer(s)	NetherRealm Studios
Publisher(s)	Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Director(s)	Ed Boon
Producer(s)	Erin Piepergerdes[4]
Series	Batman: Arkham
Engine	Unreal Engine 3
Platform(s)	iOS Android
Release	iOS WW: October 16, 2013[1] Android WW: July 25, 2014[2][3]
Genre(s)	Beat 'em up
Mode(s)	Single-player

Batman: Arkham Origins was a free-to-play fighting video game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for iOS and Android mobile operating systems. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is a spin-off to the 2013 video game Batman: Arkham Origins, and is part of the Batman: Arkham series. It was released for iOS on October 16, 2013^[1][3] and for Android on July 25, 2014.^[2] The game feature touch combat mechanics and offers in-app purchases, or micro transactions. The last game update was on April 21, 2014. The game has surpassed 5 million downloads on the Google Play store.^[5]

Screenshot of the Thrillkiller suit.

Gameplay[]

Arkham Origins relies heavily on an arcade-style combat system, and is not heavily story-driven. Using a series of quick, penetrated attacks by swiping and tapping the screen with their fingers, combined with blocking and altering Batman's stance, players can unleash a combo of strikes that can be used to defeat enemies one at a time. The default "Assault" stance allows more damage to be inflicted on enemies at the consequence of taking more damage, while the "Guarded" stance, which can be switched back and forth with the Assault stance during combat, allows the player to retain and strengthen their defense and offers them the ability to heal over time, but does not have the damage potential of Assault. After charging, the players also have the ability to use Special attacks, including Batswarm, Batarang, and Health Boost. Some specials give defensive/offensive buffs to the player, others heal the player, while some are offensive attacks. In addition to their normal basic attacks, enemies also have an uncounterable, more powerful "Enrage" attack activated after the player deals considerable damage, which can only be blocked.

The game uses stamina, with each mission requiring a certain amount of stamina, and when the player runs out of stamina, he has to wait for it to recharge, or buy more with money/premium currency. The types of currency used are "WayneTech/Wayne Enterprise" points, a premium currency used both to buy combat boosts, and Upgrade Points, the currency earned in-game. Upgrade Points are used in the Upgrades section, where the player can upgrade several things, including their stances, Special abilities, and their passive abilities (i.e. basic attack damage/critical rate), although WayneTech points can also serve the same purpose. In the Upgrades screen, the player can also acquire and upgrade Batsuits, using either WayneTech or Upgrade points. Each Batsuit costs a certain amount of currency, while certain Batsuits, like Darkest Night and Red Son, require unlocking through various purposes (i.e. logging on with a Warner Bros ID account). To upgrade Batsuits, the player has to acquire certain items, such as Tier 1 Armor or Arkham Origins Cowl, with each upgrade requiring a certain amount of the items, as well as different items (i.e. Red Son needs a Red Son Cowl, Arkham Origins needs an Arkham Origins Cowl). The items can all be earned by completing missions, which sometimes do or do not give items. Players can also use WayneTech points to "Detective Search" for items, which guarantees at least a single, random item. Each Batsuit upgrade/a better Batsuit acquisition will upgrade the player's stats, an example being that the Long Halloween suit has 5 more Speed than Arkham Origins, the starter suit, and that an upgrade of Arkham Origins can also let the player acquire 5 more Speed. Each suit also has a certain perk, such as more fire defense, poison defense, or basic attack defense, or (in the case of all the Arkham Origins suits) simply upgrading Batman's natural abilities.

In addition to the main missions, including boss battles against notorious villains, there are also Most Wanted missions, some of which also feature battling notorious villains (an example is Copperhead, who showed up in an Uptown Gotham Most Wanted mission), in addition to the usual thug enemies. There are also "Ambush" missions, which appear at random moments, are unskippable, and can only be replayed if completed successfully.

In game screenshot of Batman: Arkham Origins (mobile) showing the mission selection screen.

Synopsis[]

Characters[]

Arkham Origins follows the main plot of its console and PC counterpart, and features several returning characters. The story revolves around a younger and less-refined Batman, a vigilante fighting crime in Gotham City, who has yet to establish himself as the city's protector and is hunted by the police and criminals alike. He is aided in his quest for justice only by his loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth. On Christmas Eve, a bounty is placed on Batman by crime lord Black Mask, drawing eight of the world's greatest assassins to Gotham (though only five of them - Bane, Deathstroke, Deadshot, Copperhead, and Electrocutioner - are featured outside the opening cutscene). Each of these assassins serve as bosses, and are fought more than once; each boss, save for Electrocutioner, also has two different appearances (while Deathstroke and Bane's second appearance is only them without their mask and are taken from the console and PC version, Cooperhead's and Deadshot's are original and exclusive to this game).

The game features voice acting only in the opening cutscene, during the death scenes (which occur whenever the player is defeated), and sometimes during interactions in the middle of boss battles, though very briefly and most of the dialogue is recycled from the console and PC version. All actors reprise their role from said version: Roger Craig Smith as Batman, Martin Jarvis as Alfred, JB Blanc as Bane, Mark Rolston as Deathstroke, Chris Cox as Deadshot, Rosa Salazar as Copperhead, and Steven Blum as Electrocutioner.

Setting[]

Arkham Origins takes place in the fictional Gotham City. Like Batman: Arkham City Lockdown, the game does not offer players the ability to roam the environment freely. Instead, Gotham is separated into four districts: Downtown Gotham, Industrial District, Uptown Gotham, and The Docks.^[6] At the beginning of the game, players have access to only one district, with the others becoming unlocked as they complete main missions and defeat bosses in each district.

Development[]

In October 2013, at New York Comic Con, it was revealed that Batman: Arkham Origins would be coming to iOS and Android mobile platforms, developed by NetherRealm Studios, who created Arkham City Lockdown. Ed Boon serves as Arkham Origins' creative director.^[7] The mobile version can be connected to the console and PC version to unlock exclusive content, such as the Red Son Batman suit, for use in both versions.^[3] Exclusive Batman skins for the mobile version include designs from JSA: The Liberty Files, Batman Beyond, Blackest Night, and Injustice: Gods Among Us.^[8][9]

References[]

External links[]

• Official website for the original Batman: Arkham Origins game