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'Batman: Arkham Knight' for PCs pulled because of glitches
If you've been holding off from buying Batman: Arkham Knight for Windows due to reports of numerous performance issues, low quality textures and glitches, its publisher Warner Brother Games agrees. That's why it's pulling the game from sale "while we work to address these issues to satisfy our quality standards." If you've already purchased it you can still play, but in a forum post the team mentioned people can go to Steam or retail locations where they purchased the game for a refund. A couple of days ago, Warner made some suggestions on how users could get the game to run better, but those don't seem to help much. Right now, the game is showing a "Mostly Negative" review status on Steam with 8,700 reviews logged -- while it's certainly not the first bad PC port, hopefully this embarrassing episode will make it one of the last. (We can hope, right?)
'Batman: Arkham Knight' is a fun distraction, but it's not Batman
Neon green and red lights flash as Batman maneuvers the Batmobile through loop de loops in a gaudy underground racetrack. On the streets of Gotham, giant, bulbous tanks strafe around each other shooting at the speeding Bat-vehicle as it tries to escape. Onscreen, a computer-animated Alfred appears and gets snippy with master Bruce. This is a description of the things I did in a demo of Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham Knight, due out this June on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. And if any of the above sounds a whole hell of a lot like the camp film Batman & Robin, well, that's because it's eerily similar. If you were a fan of that Joel Schumacher-directed 1997 nipple fest or the open-world distractions of the 2011 video game Arkham City, then that gameplay might sound pretty awesome. But for a fan of Batman: Arkham Asylum like myself, however, this sample of Arkham Knight was disconcerting.
Future 'Lego Dimensions' packs will work with the originals
Lego has something up its sleeve to lure you away from Skylanders and Disney Infinity: future-proofing its toys-to-life-game, Lego Dimensions. Along with the announcement that a handful of new figures will be sold in "Team" and "Fun" packs, the press release wasn't afraid to get passive aggressive about what separates it from the competition: "Future expansion pack purchases will continue to work with the LEGO Dimensions Starter Pack, even in the fall of next year. No compatibility chart necessary." That last portion refers to the aforementioned games' need to point out what does and doesn't work between different expansions and figurines in each game. Cheeky, yeah? That means the Joker and Harley Quinn minifig/vehicle Team Pack, and Superman and Bane minifig/vehicle Fun Packs won't have any trouble getting along with anything released in the future, it sounds like. Nor will a certain Timelord when he meets the likes of Doc Brown of Back to the Future fame and some more Ninjago characters.
See the 'Batman: Arkham Knight' Dual Play mode in action
And we do mean action. Dual Play in Batman: Arkham Knight allows one player to swap between Batman and a trusty sidekick during fights. For example, if you're battling a room full of nasty baddies as Batman, the AI will be in control of Nightwing -- until you switch characters, at which point the AI takes over Batman and you become Nightwing. There's also a special called the "super-combo takedown" that builds up as you fight and instantly KOs enemies in a Batman-sidekick one-two punch. "If you're building your combo with Batman and you see that there's an enemy over by Nightwing you want to take out, you can switch to Nightwing, you keep your combo, and if you've got your special charged up you can instantly use your super-combo takedown on that foe," Lead AI Programmer Tim Hanagan says in the Dual Play demo video embedded below.
Limited edition 'Batman' PlayStation 4 scratches that superhero itch
If you missed out on that coveted 20th Anniversary PlayStation 4, don't fret: there's another special-run model coming soon. Sony has unveiled a limited edition Batman: Arkham Knight PS4 bundle that gives you a "steel grey" console emblazoned with the Caped Crusader's silhouette alongside the matching controller and, of course, the game. You'll want to pre-order the $450 pack quickly if you want to stand a chance of getting it on its June 23rd launch day, but there is a standard $400 bundle if you're either late to the party or are more interested in saving Gotham than showing off.
Arkham Knight trailer teases PS-exclusive Scarecrow Pack
The final act of Batman: Arkham Knight's recent trailer trilogy debuted during the PlayStation Experience keynote, and while watching brutal melee combos and Batmobile vs. a missle-touting chopper is fun enough, PlayStation fans should enjoy the clip's second act. A glimpse at the PlayStation-exclusive Scarecrow Nightmare Pack is offered at around 2:34 in the above trailer, reminding us all of Scarecrow's aptitude for twisted hallucinogenics. If you missed the previous installments in this trailer series, part one and two are ready to take a few minutes off of your hands. You've got time, after all – Arkham Knight won't answer the call until June 2. [Image: Warner Bros.]
Batman glides into Arkham Knight gameplay trailer
Warner Bros. offered the first in a series of three gameplay trailers for Batman: Arkham Knight today, showing the caped superhero rescuing workers from a chemical plant. Found after the break, the video features a healthy dose of gliding and Batmobile action, as well as some good old-fashioned ass-kicking by the dark knight. Batman: Arkham Knight will launch on June 2, 2015 for PS4, Xbox One and PC. The final installment in Rocksteady's Arkham trilogy was delayed this past June. The game is "five times larger," and is set one year after the events of Batman: Arkham City, the developer's 2011 entry in the series. With a little help from the developer, diligent players recently unearthed an Easter egg in Arkham City with a special message from Calendar Man. [Image: WBIE]
Three years later, Calendar Man reveals Arkham City easter egg
Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham City has an easter egg that even "The World's Greatest Detective" (AKA: Batman) might have struggled to find, players have discovered. A recent YouTube video from the channel "Batman Arkham Videos" (embedded above) has revealed a secret message in Arkham City that not only went undiscovered for three years, but required developer intervention to discover. Turns out, if you set your Xbox 360, PS3 or PC's clock to December 13, 2004 - the day Sefton Hill and Jamie Walker founded Rocksteady - you'll trigger a unique monologue from Calendar Man. After talking about how he's been there "from the beginning," the date-obsessed villain warns that "the end of days is coming." If you think this story sounds familiar, that's because it also took a nudge from Rocksteady to reveal an easter egg hidden in Batman: Arkham Asylum. In that case, the secret was a room stuffed full of references and teases to Arkham City. The uploader of this new video likewise theorizes that Calendar Man's cryptic message is a reference to the upcoming Batman: Arkham Knight. You know, if a development team can slip these hidden bits of information past the Dark Knight and his followers so routinely, we have to wonder if Rocksteady might secretly be run by supervillains. [Image: Warner Bros. Interactive]
Barely Related: Twin Peaks returns, so does Ghostbusters
Hello, weekend! It's so lovely to see you again. Welcome to Barely Related, a conversational Friday column that presents the non-gaming news stories that we, the Joystiq staff, have been talking about over the past week. And no, we're not stopping our focus on industry and gaming news. Think of this as your casual weekly recap of interesting (and mostly geeky) news, presented just in time to fill your brain with things to discuss at all of those weekend shindigs. Grab a fresh drink, lean back in your armchair, and get ready to talk nerdy with us.
Warner Bros is building a holographic Batcave for the Oculus Rift
Like comic books? Then you're probably familiar with the style of Bruce Timm, the father of the DC animated universe -- a specific era (and style) of DC Comics animation projects that started with the 1992 Batman: The Animated Series. If you missed it, it was a fantastic series: Batman had an incredible voice, Robin didn't deal in cheesy catch phrases and Mark Hamill was the Joker. Seriously. Now, Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment is bringing Timm's vision of Batman back as an interactive holographic video designed for virtual reality displays: they're building an animated Batcave for the Oculus Rift.
Barely Related: Science's Bob Dylan, Twin Peaks tease
May your weekends be filled with liveliness and joy. Welcome to Barely Related, a conversational Friday column that presents the non-gaming news stories that we, the Joystiq staff, have been talking about over the past week. And no, we're not stopping our focus on industry and gaming news. Think of this as your casual weekly recap of interesting (and mostly geeky) news, presented just in time to fill your brain with things to discuss at all of those weekend shindigs. Grab a fresh drink, lean back in your armchair, and get ready to talk nerdy with us.
Playdate: We're livestreaming 'Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor' on PS4! (update: game over!)
Welcome, ladygeeks and gentlenerds, to the new era of gaming. The one where you get to watch, and comment, as other people livestream gameplay from next-gen consoles. Because games! They're fun!
Barely Related: The Millennium Falcon's Batmobile baby
A happy weekend tip from us, your pals: Take a walk. Enjoy the sun, the shade and the way your new iPhone screen looks in both of those lighting situations. Welcome to Barely Related, a conversational Friday column that presents the non-gaming news stories that we, the Joystiq staff, have been talking about over the past week. And no, we're not stopping our focus on industry and gaming news. Think of this as your casual weekly recap of interesting (and mostly geeky) news, presented just in time to fill your brain with things to discuss at all of those weekend shindigs. Grab a fresh drink, lean back in your armchair, and get ready to talk nerdy with us.
Barely Related: Alan Moore's million, James Franco's Rant
Welcome to Barely Related, a conversational Friday column that presents the non-gaming news stories that we, the Joystiq staff, have been talking about over the past week. And no, we're not stopping our focus on industry and gaming news. Think of this as your casual weekly recap of interesting (and mostly geeky) news, presented just in time to fill your brain with things to discuss at all of those weekend shindigs. Grab a fresh drink, lean back in your armchair, and get ready to talk nerdy with us.
Lego Batman 3 goes beyond Gotham with DLC, season pass
When Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham launches in November, players will have three pieces of DLC to pick up, each part of a season pass for the game. The season pass costs $14.99 and promises access to six add-ons in total, three of which will be announced at a later time. It will be available to PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360 and PC owners, but not Wii U, 3DS and Vita. The DLC packs set to arrive alongside the game are The Dark Knight Pack, the Man of Steel Pack and the Batman 75th Pack, each with themed missions with story elements and free play modes. The latter has players following the exploits of the Joker and Harley Quinn as they set up "a variety of celebration set pieces," then play as the varying Batmans (Batmen?) through the hero's many years of existence. Future packs will include new playable characters, vehicles and levels. Each piece of DLC can be purchased individually for $2.99. Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham will launch November 11 for PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Vita, Wii U and 3DS. The game will also be featured in a PS3 bundle, slated to launch with the game. [Image: WBIE]
Brainiac has the whole world in his hands in LEGO Batman 3
Forget Gotham, it's the world at stake in LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. Brainiac is collecting planets, and it's up to Batman and other DC heroes (and even some villains) to stop him. While stealing planets isn't cool, at least Brainiac got those pants he wanted. [Image: Warner Bros. Interactive]
Barely Related: Terminator Genisomething, Star Wars world
We're leaving on a jet plane and we're definitely, 100 percent sure when we'll be back – right after Gamescom. Welcome to Barely Related, a conversational Friday column that presents the non-gaming news stories that we, the Joystiq staff, have been talking about over the past week. And no, we're not stopping our focus on industry and gaming news. Think of this as your casual weekly recap of interesting (and mostly geeky) news, presented just in time to fill your brain with things to discuss at all of those weekend shindigs. Grab a fresh drink, lean back in your armchair, and get ready to talk nerdy with us.
Kingdom Hearts dev's Batman comes from a canceled project
Whether you love it or loathe it, the Batman Play Arts statue dreamed up by Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts designer Tetsuya Nomura is a curious beast. After revealing the very dark knight yesterday, Nomura told Siliconera the design goes far back in time to a "game-related" project that was eventually canceled. It goes so far back, Nomura said, that it began before Kingdom Hearts was even conceived. So if you're seeing a bit of keyblade armor in there, that's because the canceled project went on to influence the Disney series and its armor design, and not the other way round.
Final Fantasy's Tetsuya Nomura envisions a new Batman
Square Enix unveiled a new Play Arts Kai statue that provides a glimpse of what a Batman game might look like in the hands of Tetsuya Nomura. The figure is one of a new Batman line dreamed up by the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts designer, and it's on display at the San Diego Comic Con, which kicks off today. The word that springs to mind for us is sharp, literally. The cape looks sharp, the horn-like ears look sharp, the additional claw things look sharp - generally the caped crusader looks dangerous to even touch. The most surprising aspect? We can only see the one belt. Check out a larger shot of the very dark knight below the break. If you prefer your Batmen more 8-bit and purpley-blue (who doesn't?), take a gander here.
Batman goes retro with NECA 8-bit colored figure
The latest addition to NECA's successful line of 8-bit video game tributes is Batman from the 1989 video game based on the Tim Burton movie. The 7-inch figurine has 25 points of articulation, removable cape and Batarang. The paint job is meant to evoke the Dark Knight's purple hue from the NES game. There will be only one production run of the figure and it will be available in October. More details on the figure are planned for this weekend's San Diego Comic-Con. Previous entries in the 8-bit series include Robocop, Predator and Jason Voorhees. [Image: NECA]
