Robin's Arkham City Look Inspired By Cage Fighters

[unicron44]

I don't read a lot of comics, what I know from Batman is because of The Animated Series, but it makes it so Robin had an outlet to vent his frustrations after his parents died. I like new interpretations of things from time to time and this is pretty cool.

 

[LaBambaMan]

ERm... That's certainly.... Interesting... Sorry I cannot hold it. That sound like a goddamn awful idea, I understand the notion of not making him a kid that yells out "Holy Smokes Batman!" but there is such a thing as going too extreme in an opposite direction... That seems like just the case.

Exactly. It almost feels like the designers have no knowledge of Robin outside the 60's T.V. show. Seriously; someone get them some of the more recent Batman books.

Seriously; have we gotten so uncreative that our only course of action is to make everything grimdark bullshit? This is Robin we're talking about; he's never really been dark and edgy and brooding.

Then again, teaming up a stealthy, angry superhero with a brightly-coloured springy kid is just...yeah. But they're going a wee bit far here, I'll give you that.

I can totally get having the colors toned down and I'm find with that. It's the "brooding, dark and edgy cage fighting bad-ass" thing that doesn't sit right with me, or the bald head.

 

[PunkRex]

I know that its a western comic so continuity is out of the question AND I know Robins a big trade mark character but couldnt they have just used Night Wing. Introduce him to a new audience, he was quite cool in Teen Titans.

 

[antipunt]

Holy crap. They performed the impossible: They created a cool-looking Robin.

I only thing that puts me off is this gadget... a stick?

The staff actually makes sense when you take into account his upbringing as an acrobat. Good not only as a weapon, but for keeping balance during perilous walks across narrow surfaces.

Really ought to be longer, though, unless it's a modern collapsible type.

Ahem, Damian Wayne is a very bad-ass looking Robin

Also the Robin in the game isn't Dick, it's Tim Drake, so he's not an acrobat. Tim Drake was an ambitious young detective who discovered Batman's identity and the Batcave. He's my favourite Robin my miles and his story in Identity Crisis is one of the most heart-wrenching I've ever read (in any form of literature). Seriously amazing stuff

It'd be cool if you could explain to me how Tim Drake's 'canon' story intersects with all the other animated stuff I've seen him in (Like Batman Beyond, Return of the Joker). It's hard to follow, and I don't know what's deemed official, I don't even know if they are considered the same person. I know the first Robin was Nightwing, that seemed consistent at least. Second Robin was killed by Joker. Etc.

 

[CrashBang]

It'd be cool if you could explain to me how Tim Drake's 'canon' story intersects with all the other animated stuff I've seen him in (Like Batman Beyond, Return of the Joker). It's hard to follow, and I don't know what's deemed official, I don't even know if they are considered the same person. I know the first Robin was Nightwing, that seemed consistent at least. Second Robin was killed by Joker. Etc.

The animated shows, films and so on are not part of the comic book canon. The comic books all have a consistent canon and other independent series like The Long Halloween and Year One which aren't canon. The animated series' have free reign to write whatever stories they want which have nothing to do with the comic books, they never overlap but they do use the same characters. In fact, Harley Quinn was created for the Animated Series and then introduced to the comic books canon in, like, 1994. The Tim Drake in Return Of The Joker is different to the one from the books because they're different stories. I think I've waffled on a bit...

Uh, yeah, Dick Grayson was the original Robin. When he grew up he became Nightwing. Jason Todd was the second Robin, killed by The Joker. Tim Drake was number 3, his dad was killed by Captain Boomerang in the brilliant Identity Crisis story and he is currently Red Robin, a Nightwing-esque independent hero while Damian Wayne (Bruce and Talia Al'Ghul's son) is the fourth Robin and Dick is Batman (because Bruce got blasted back through time by Darkseid during the average Final Crisis story)

Uh... did this help?

 

[kidd25]

Ok, I can't be the only one seeing this?

[http://ploader.net/#4f48aa84c5bc2aaaf0fb5f6a4d3ff7e6.jpg]

oh snap! SUE!SUE!SUE!

 

[MarsProbe]

Looks fine to me. Of course, I have no real knowledge of Robins appearances in the comics, so can't really get upset about that. Reading that Robin is appearing as a pre-order bonus for certain retailers is a bit disappointing though, I think. Seeing that, I find it hard to see Robin being nothing other than a side character to appear in a few discrete missions as opposed to an integral part of the main game.

 

[DefinitelyPsychotic]

He looks totally badass! Finally he doesn't look like some whiny 12 year old about to hit puberty.

 

[similar.squirrel]

I generally dislike the overall look of the Arkham games [gimp suits on criminals and musclebound everything et al.], but they really nailed this character.

 

[Joshimodo]

'Grimdark gritty bullshit', you say, haven't you played the first game and seen the gameplay footage of Arkham City? What did you except, a game-version of the 60's Batman?

Thing is, the original Robin would stick out as a sore, festering, pulsating thumb in the dark, and pretty gothic style of these Batman games. Hell I hate that bright green and yellow look of his in any Batman related product except the 60's campy Batman show.

Like, you see the angry Batman brooding on a gargoyle in the rain...and suddenly some freakin' kid dressed as a clown comes along. It was especially bad in The Dark Knight Returns. This version though at least fits with the Batman himself. Though the cape needs some work there. And a cage fighter? Lolwut?

Did I say I wanted the original Robin? No. What I want is a less angsty, ridiculous looking design. Everything about that design screams "darker and edgier! Woooh!" Apart from the name, what links to Robin does that design have? It just looks like a generic musclebound thug with a coloured SWAT uniform.

As for colours, the Joker has contrasting colours, but the muted saturation works fine.

This is how Robin should look, with the Arkham Asylum/City aesthetic applied.

Even THIS looks better:

 

[Monsterfurby]

Looks like your typical DnD Rogue 5/Sorcerer 2...

 

[Droppa Deuce]

Double Post

 

[Droppa Deuce]

'Grimdark gritty bullshit', you say, haven't you played the first game and seen the gameplay footage of Arkham City? What did you except, a game-version of the 60's Batman?

Thing is, the original Robin would stick out as a sore, festering, pulsating thumb in the dark, and pretty gothic style of these Batman games. Hell I hate that bright green and yellow look of his in any Batman related product except the 60's campy Batman show.

Like, you see the angry Batman brooding on a gargoyle in the rain...and suddenly some freakin' kid dressed as a clown comes along. It was especially bad in The Dark Knight Returns. This version though at least fits with the Batman himself. Though the cape needs some work there. And a cage fighter? Lolwut?

Did I say I wanted the original Robin? No. What I want is a less angsty, ridiculous looking design. Everything about that design screams "darker and edgier! Woooh!" Apart from the name, what links to Robin does that design have? It just looks like a generic musclebound thug with a coloured SWAT uniform.

As for colours, the Joker has contrasting colours, but the muted saturation works fine.

This is how Robin should look, with the Arkham Asylum/City aesthetic applied.

Even THIS looks better:

AAAAAAhahahahahahahhaa!

THIS is the Robin which I find laughable. NO DISGUISE AND ZERO THREAT FACTOR.

If this bro jumped in front of a few bodybuilding bank robbers, they'd tear his ass up.

Anyway, like i said, Rocksteady have the right vision; which is why they've made the most successful Batman game(s) of the franchise.

For the first time in my 27 years I actually have some respect for the Robin character.

The guys at Rocksteady don't mess about, this is awesome. I agree that some messy black hair would be cool, but hair is free and can grow back at any time.

Whatever happens after Nolan is finished with the franchise the creative brahs at Rocksteady should be brought on track to carry it on.

Maybe a HBO TV series.

I'm getting pumped

 

[Joshimodo]

AAAAAAhahahahahahahhaa!

THIS is the Robin which I find laughable. NO DISGUISE AND ZERO THREAT FACTOR.

If this bro jumped in front of a few bodybuilding bank robbers, they'd tear his ass up.

Anyway, like i said, Rocksteady have the right vision; which is why they've made the most successful Batman game(s) of the franchise.

For the first time in my 27 years I actually have some respect for the Robin character.

The guys at Rocksteady don't mess about, this is awesome. I agree that some messy black hair would be cool, but hair is free and can grow back at any time.

Whatever happens after Nolan is finished with the franchise the creative brahs at Rocksteady should be brought on track to carry it on.

Maybe a HBO TV series.

I'm getting pumped

Bodybuilding bank robbers? When has that ever happened?

Besides, if we're talking physical strength, Batman couldn't win either in that case, realistically. Robin was never meant to be some musclebound meathead with the most generic and bland looking design going. He's meant to be a friggin' gymnast, for Chist's sake.

Same "threat factor" as Batman - Mobility and skills, coupled with minor armour and gadgets.

But hey - Maybe that's the point of the new design, to look as much like a typical MMA-loving hoodie chump as possible.

 

[uguito-93]

wait wait wait, so only people who preorder from Best Buy get Robin? Well that sucks, and here I thought he would have been an integral part of the game.

 

[manic_depressive13]

I think he looks awful. His staff is way too short for starters. It looks as though he pulled the handle off a broom. He's also way too large and bulky. It looks gross. I'm no Batman aficionado, but isn't robin meant to be a boy wonder. His ugly-ass jaw is too bulky, he looks to be in his late twenties in that drawing.

 

[duchaked]

dude badass, I love the design
the hood is very Assassin looking...altho that really just means extra coolness added

 

[airrazor7]

Since an actual cool looking robin will be in the upcoming game, I want to see the Red Hood Jason in the next game. He shouldn't be a one-time boss fight but a constant nemesis throughout.

Also, what's up with the store-exclusivity deal? Why have content and only limit it to a certain group of consumers based on where they buy? Sure, I know it's ploy for Best Buy to gain more sales but it just seems lame. Eventually this "exclusive" content will be available to everyone online for a fee or for free or it won't and some gamers will feel slighted.

Actually, if I was on the dev team I would feel slighted. I just made an awesome game and now some of the people who bought the game will be able to experience only part of my work.

 

[notimeforlulz]

Exclusive until it's released as DLC, that's... already on the disc, but you gotta buy it... Fuck this game now.

BTW, Force Unleashed called, and they want their broody teenager back.

No, I do not support meat stick robin, that is not a gymnast, if cat woman can be slender and agile, why can't robin?

EDIT: Every time I look at this I hate it more. I like the non-gritty robin because it's a hero in training. shit, more star-killer analogy... Exclusive content that puts your new franchise in an inescapable hole, since you've shown a character that did not get near enough design time or attention before debut, sacrificing that breathing room for a pre-order deal no less; such fail.

 

[Et3rnalLegend64]

Why a Best Buy preorder? I would gladly get it if it was DLC. Then I could wait for the price to drop first...

What the hell is up with my captcha?