Crackdown 2 Melee Combat Shoots for Arkham Asylum

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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Crackdown 2 Melee Combat Shoots for Arkham Asylum



When it comes to hand-to-hand combat in your superhero games, you could do a whole lot worse than taking cues from Crackdown 2 [http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Arkham-Asylum-Playstation-3/dp/B001E8VB6O/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1280781530&sr=1-1'>Batman: Arkham Asylum - which is exactly what the makers of <a href=] are trying to do.

I believe that it's on the record that I loved [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/events/favorites2009/6889-The-Escapist-Staffs-Five-Faves-of-2009-John] the combat in Batman: Arkham Asylum. It was fluid, it was well-choreographed, and it was fun. So when I hear that Ruffian Games is using Arkham Asylum as a benchmark for the combat in its upcoming Crackdown 2, this makes me a happy gamer.

Speaking with VG247 [http://www.vg247.com/2010/01/19/crackdown-2-melee-as-fluid-and-fun-as-arkham-asylum/] in a phone interview, lead designer Billy Thomson said that Arkham Asylum was "probably a fair comparison" to what his team was trying to shoot for with the next Crackdown.

"Arkham Asylum is something we aimed at as a benchmark, because that does look and play really well," said Thomson, though he noted that his game shot for a wider scope of combat and so would likely not have the depth of games that focused solely on melee fighting like God of War.

"Batman: Arkham Asylum, I thought, was really well done from a hand-to-hand combat point of view. That's probably about as close as I would say our combat system is ... I mean, it's not as intense as that, it's not as deep... but ours is certainly as fluid as definitely as much fun, but it's not got quite as much depth as it's a very, very small part of the entire game."

I don't know if I'd describe Arkham Asylum's combat as being particularly deep, essentially boiling down to "Press Y to counter, press X to kick ass," but it sure was fun. More games with systems like it can never be a bad thing, and Crackdown 2 will be out in the first part of this year.

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GamingAwesome1

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May 22, 2009
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Doesn't sound like a bad thing to take cues from a game that millions enjoyed and sold like crazy.

Can't speak for the combat myself, as I have not yet played it (despite having got it for Christmas)
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
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Thank god they admitted it'll be simplified. I mean, Batman: AA wasn't complicated. But this is Crackdown, you aren't going to be using it much.
 

Therumancer

Citation Needed
Nov 28, 2007
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Haven't played Batman: AA much myself, but from what I have played I'm not sure if that combat engine/style would work for a lot of games. I think the very idea of "Crackdown" wanting to emulate it kind of shows someone taking a good idea and using it totally in the wrong context.

See, in "Crackdown" if they really want to make it an extension of the first game, your this superman who can throw cars around. I don't expect the guy to be involved in doing all kinds of fancy Kung-Fu moves, and countering and such that much, simply because he flattens enemies with more or less one punch. Batman is a human fighting other humans, "The Agent" is thematically a force of destruction compartively, and it would kind of ruin things if he wound up having to put that much effort into taking out thugs and minions and such. The massive superhuman feeling of "Crackdown" being part of it, and even with the new enviroment I think it will detract from the game, and remove part of what made it special if you wind up feeling too human so to speak.
 

Jared

The British Paladin
Jul 14, 2009
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Seemed to follow a good formula...now to see how many games can rip it off! yay!
 

PedroSteckecilo

Mexican Fugitive
Feb 7, 2008
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Jaredin said:
Seemed to follow a good formula...now to see how many games can rip it off! yay!
I approve of the "ripoff" method, it leads to more overall improvements than if everyone tried to come up with something new. This way we get say... 5 Solid Titles and 1 Amazing Title instead of 2 Amazing Titles and 4 Crappy Titles. Cooperation can be a good thing.
 

Ben Legend

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Apr 16, 2009
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A simplified version is needed, I don't think it would work in Crackdown unless it was a simplified version.
 

Swaki

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Apr 15, 2009
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and suddenly i'm sorta looking forward to crackdown, but despite AA's combat being fantastic it was far from deep, left mouse button to kick ass, right mouse button to avoid getting your ass kicked.
 

wooty

Vi Britannia
Aug 1, 2009
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If theres still the strength orbs to make your meleee as powerful as hell, then that coupled with AA style style combat is just going to send men flying everywhere. Look forward to it
 

Rusty Bucket

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Dec 2, 2008
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Ooooh, this could be fun. Not sure I'll use it much, what with all the car throwing going on, but it's still nice to know what they're doing with it.
 

The Kangaroo

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Feb 24, 2009
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*ahem *

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!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fucking awesome
 

CloggedDonkey

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Nov 4, 2009
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I hoped they would improve the melee. the first game's was "press B to kick, hold something and press B to throw something." and that got boring, especially saying that it was the most powerful attack once level 5.
 

AceDiamond

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Onyx Oblivion said:
Thank god they admitted it'll be simplified. I mean, Batman: AA wasn't complicated. But this is Crackdown, you aren't going to be using it much.
Are you saying people will not be taking advantage of the ability to punt somebody like a football?

Clearly you underestimate the audience.

In any event anything that takes cues from Arkham's Asylum fighting style sounds like a good idea, and since I was already heavily interested in Crackdown 2 this only furthers it
 

Shapsters

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Dec 16, 2008
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Dammit! Somehow I am fucking awful at B:AA hand-to-hand combat! Oh well, I doubt I will be using it much anyways.
 

tmujir955

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Oct 12, 2009
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GamingAwesome1 said:
Doesn't sound like a bad thing to take cues from a game that millions enjoyed and sold like crazy.

Can't speak for the combat myself, as I have not yet played it (despite having got it for Christmas)
I think you need to get off the Internet and start playing the game. Now.