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Joystiq Weekly: Batman: Arkham Knight, our South Park review and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. Rocksteady revealed its return to the Batman series this week with Batman: Arkham Knight, and we've dug out capes and Batarangs from our Halloween stash to get properly excited. Last year's Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate were the first pieces of the series that weren't developed by Rocksteady. We enjoyed Arkham Origins well enough, but we're ready to move on from its bugs and glitches, especially since not all of them will be fixed with a patch. Arkham Knight is set to be the final game in the Arkham series, and we're eager to see what Rocksteady will do for the finale once it releases in October. There's plenty to read while we wait however, including news of Amy Hennig's departure from Naughty Dog, a preview of Watch Dogs and a review of South Park: The Stick of Truth. We've rounded up those stories and more for you in this week's edition of the Joystiq Weekly. [Image: Warner Bros.]
Batman Arkham Knight set one year later, 'five times larger' than Arkham City
The recently-revealed final game from Rocksteady in the Arkham series, Batman Arkham Knight, will feature "traffic-friendly streets" in a map that's said to be "roughly five times the size" of Batman Arkham City. Lead AI and combat programmer Tim Hanagan told Game Informer that "at any given time, there are between three and four times the number of thugs active in Gotham City than there were in Arkham City," and that larger riots in the game will have up to 50 characters wreaking havoc. Arkham Knight is set one year after Arkham City, in which Batman's foes have banded together to tear the Dark Knight's attention away from a crumbling Gotham City. The single player-only game will also include an arch-villain created from scratch by Rocksteady and DC Entertainment CCO Geoff Johns. Rocksteady's initial announcement focused on another big addition to the Arkham series: Players will get plenty of time in the driver's seat of the Batmobile, which can be fetched at the press of a button, can handle the jumps and boosts expected of the more reckless drivers among us and will eject Batman out of his seat at times. Kevin Conroy will return to voice Batman after Roger Craig Smith lent his voice to the character in Arkham Origins. Additionally, Nolan North will voice Penguin, Wally Wingert will voice Riddler, Tara Strong will continue as Harley Quinn and Troy Baker will voice Two-Face again. Speaking of Harley Quinn, Joker's popular sidekick will be playable via pre-order bonus content that includes four challenge maps. [Image: Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment]
Batman: Arkham Knight leaked on GAME listing [Update: 10/14 list date]
A listing for Batman: Arkham Knight appeared on the GAME retailer site. While no longer available to view, the game was listed for PS4, Xbox One and PC. A Google search limited to GAME's site shows the listing existed in some capacity before being pulled by the retailer. Update: Game Informer revealed that Batman: Arkham Knight will be the cover of its April magazine. The game will be the final one in the Arkham series from Rocksteady, and is set after the events of Batman: Arkham City. The game will feature the Batmobile and a new area of Gotham City reportedly "far larger" than that of Arkham City. Batman will spend his time in the game hunting down familiar foes: Scarecrow, Two-Face, Penguin and Harley Quinn in particular. Update 2: WBIE issued a trailer for the game and a press release, the latter found after the break. The publisher noted that the game will launch this year. Update 3: The game's website lists Harley Quinn as a playable character via a pre-order bonus. The add-on content will include four challenge maps and give players the opportunity to use Harley's "unique weapons, gadgets, and abilities first-hand." Update 4: An image on GameStop promoting Batman: Arkham Knight's Harley Quinn pre-order bonus lists an October 14 release date for the game. Given that GameStop is the only retailer with that listed date at the moment, we wouldn't mark our calendars just yet. We've added the image after the break and reached out to Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to confirm the date. Update 5: A Warner Bros. representative told Joystiq, "Batman: Arkham Knight is scheduled for release worldwide in 2014. " [Image: WBIE]
