The Joker Returns in Arkham Asylum 2

[Tom Goldman]

The Joker Returns in Arkham Asylum 2

[gametrailers=59828]

Surprise, surprise, the best Batman videogame of all time has spawned a sequel.

The Spike TV 2009 VGAs hosted the reveal of Batman: Arkham Asylum 2, a sequel to what many call the greatest superhero game of all time. Arkham Asylum 2 looks to take Batman to an even greater videogame height.

From the language used in the game's press release, and due to a lack of any title at all in the trailer, it seems that Arkham Asylum 2's official name is still very much up in the air. What's not up in the air is the return of the Joker, shown cackling and almost coughing up a lung alongside the also returning Harley Quinn.

What many gamers undoubtedly desired after the release of Arkham Asylum was the ability to explore the area of Gotham City outside of the crazy house. An open world videogame in the style of Grand Theft Auto may be too much to expect here, but at the very least we know Arkham Asylum 2 is not taking us back to the same environment. The trailer shows the Joker lording over a dark and exploding Gotham City, which must need to be saved somehow. The last clue we have on the game is its official website, hinting that Arkham has moved [http://www.arkhamhasmoved.com/], whatever that may mean.

Batman: Arkham Asylum was both a critical and financial success, so it'd be silly to place the sequel in any company's hands other than original developer Rocksteady Studios. Most importantly, when videogames make money a developer often earns the leeway to develop an even better sequel, giving Arkham Asylum 2 a whole lot of potential.

UPDATE: Also, this picture [http://www.thelostgamer.com/2009/12/13/new-batman-title-teased-at-vgas/] from Arkham Asylum 2's website, I'd say that's just about confirmed.

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[benbenthegamerman]

Two face definitely will be making an appearance. Not only do the signs on the website hint at it but at the end of AA, batman gets the following transmission:

RADIO: Gotham PD, do you copy. We have reports that Harvey Dent a.k.a. Two Face has been causing trouble amongst Gotham. All forces are needed immediately.

(Batman drives off into the horizon of Gotham city)

 

[NotAPie]

ALRIGHT!
I loved the first one (Who didn't?)
Wish I read the comics when I had the chance though.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

More Mark Hamil goodness...

 

[Elesar]

Open world Gotham Game? Yes please.
Yes
Please.

 

[Distorted Stu]

Be great if it can manage to become an open worlded game!

 

[Random Argument Man]

Joker is getting old...

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Put Harley back in her original threads dammit!

 

[Wildrow12]

As long as Mark Hamil, Kevin Conroy, and Arleen Sorkin (Harley Quinn...MMMM!), reprise their roles, I'll buy this one without a second thought.

 

[hansari]

The last clue we have on the game is its official website, hinting that Arkham has moved [http://www.arkhamhasmoved.com/], whatever that may mean.

They moved the Arkham mental institution to another building.

Thats the only way to justify playing in a place with the same name but completely different geography from its predecessor. (unless you want to be Batman running through the same place again...)

 

[TheEnglishman]

Sounds good, perhaps this is a chance to really expand the Rogue Gallery

 

[dochmbi]

I hope it doesn't become open worlded. Linear is much better because then it will have proper pacing and storytelling and cinematography.

 

[Shru1kan]

Open - ended superhero games don't work well. Linear ones make you feel like you're making a difference. Look at Spiderman 2, how many criminals are loose in that city?

Linear gameplay is practically essential. Evil does not run on the protagonists clock, and the feeling of a fractured storyline is compounded in a situation where the action is supposed to be fast paced.

 

[Doc Theta Sigma]

The trailer also shows references to the Penguin and Black Mask. Just an fyi.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

well sign me up for this. i loved the first one, probly the best batman game i've ever played. probly one of the best comic book games i've played as well

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

More Mark Hamil goodness...

I still can't believe that of all people, Luke-freaking-Skywalker does one of the best Joker voices. I found it out years ago and it still blows me away.

 

[Jharry5]

Well it was inevitable. I'll have to pick the first one up at some stage. I enjoyed the demo...
This could be even better, as long as its an open world game...

 

[sirlink13]

If you watch it carefully you can see that it seems they moved Arkham to the same location that it is in the Nolan Batman Saga, in the middle of the Narrows. That would be my assumption as there really isn't another location for it that is located in the middle of Gotham from any of the other mediums (Batman: The Animated Series, Comics, other movies, etc.)

 

[TsunamiWombat]

A freind of mine and I have been discussing this, we're pretty sure this is probably moving to Gotham, maybe specifically the narrows. You can do the Metroidvania style game with a large area if you plan carefully (as in Metroid Prime).

Having a Plan Z is a very Joker thing, as the Joker himself is forgotten to be a friggin genius often. His condition in the trailer makes me wonder, perhaps it's a reimagining of The Last Laugh (The Joker thinks he's dying, so he goes to 11)

In a company-wide crossover, Last Laugh, the Joker believes himself to be dying and plans one last historic crime spree, infecting the inmates of The Slab, a prison for super criminals, with Joker venom to escape. With plans to infect the entire world, he manipulates the super-powered inmates to allow a jailbreak, and sets them loose to cause mass chaos in their "Jokerized" forms. The Joker is not cheered as, using the example of vandalized Easter Island statues, he does not believe that the altered inmates are being appropriately funny. The entire United States declares war on the Joker under the orders of President Lex Luthor; in response, Joker sends his minions to kill the President. Black Canary discovers that Joker's doctor modified his CAT scan to make it appear that he had a fatal tumor in an attempt to subdue him with the threat of death. Harley Quinn, angry at the Joker's attempt to make her pregnant without marrying her, helps the heroes create an antidote to the Joker poison and return the super villains to their normal state. Believing Robin had been eaten by Killer Croc in the ensuing madness, Nightwing eventually catches up with the Joker and beats him to death. To keep Nightwing from having blood on his hands, Batman resuscitates the Joker.[30]

Remember that as of the first game, Joker still knows the Super Venom formula. And he's a chemistry GENIUS. All he has to do is tweak it and BAM...Jokerized villains.