Holla me amigos and welcome to another week of back-fence news as brought to you by Epicbattleaxe.com’s The Rumor KILL. Now I know all you Axeheads are full of gaming news and knowledge courtesy of GDC and to be honest I was a little nervous this week. Gaming conventions such as GDC tend to solve rumors instead of creating them and even if some rumors are started most gaming journalists don’t report them because they have their hands full with the festivities. For such an occasion I have a great rant planned out about the subliminal messages in Disney films and video games!!! Just kidding……fortunately my fears did not become reality and we still have many rumors to dissect and discuss so take out the pruning shears it’s time to get whacking!
THE RUMOR: Robin will be in Batman: Arkham Asylum 2
THE SOURCE: Kotaku
MY TAKE: This is news that will have Batman fans pretty much divided equally. After seeing Batman Begins and The Dark Knight it pretty much solidified in most people’s minds that a solo Batman is a better Batman. Even before that the four Robins (Stephanie Brown does NOT count) have mixed reactions. For the most part Robin’s reputation was forever tainted when the absolute atrocity known as Batman & Robin hit the big screen. Anyway back on topic……including Robin in the next Batman game will be a gamble. First off it has to be explained why Robin was absent from the entire game with no bio, no audio tape and only a couple mentions by Joker and Clayface to even hint at The Boy Wonder’s existence. Still if they can pull it off and perhaps throw in some co-op into the sequel it would make for an interesting addition to the game.
THE VERDICT: SPARE IT!!!
Warner Bros. has already shutdown the IMDB listing which had Vincent Martella as the voice of Robin but they didn’t directly acknowledge the rumor of a Robin appearance. Therefore it’s hard to say is we will see Robin in Batman: Arkham Asylum 2. It would make sense though because if the “Asylum” is actually a huge piece of Gotham City then it would be quite a bit of ground for the Caped Crusader to cover. Therefore it’s possible a little help could be needed to clean out the Asylum. Or maybe he’s included in a co-op mode like in Spinter Cell: Conviction that is completely separate from the main story. If Robin does find his way into the sequel in a way that doesn’t interfere with what the first Arkham Asylum accomplished. My only condition is that Robin’s suit CANNOT have anything that looks like nipples on it. If it does I’m calling a boycott!
THE RUMOR: The PS3 will be compatible with 3D TVs in June
THE SOURCE: IGN
MY TAKE: Here’s a quick question: does anyone really care if the PS3 gets magical firmware to make all the games look like cheap Avatar knockoffs? Odds are you don’t and you shouldn’t because this probably won’t affect the average gamer for a few years. It’s not like the PS3 is only going to be playable in 3D it’s only for people with 3D TVs which won’t be many for a while. However, since the first 3D TV will be released in Japan in June the timing of the firmware with the release of the TV makes a strong case. Though this won’t do anything graphically for non 3D users it’s interesting to imagine Kratos ripping of Helios’s head in 3D. Actually sounds kind of cool, though I don’t know if I would buy a $4000 TV for the new experience. Still, there’s no harm in releasing it for those who really want to jump onto the 3D bandwagon I suppose.
THE VERDICT: BELIEVE IT!!!
To be honest I wasn’t expecting this to happen so soon but the evidence is compelling. Releasing the Firmware right when the 3D TV is released means that the Playstation 3 will be compatible immediately, which will probably be a good selling point for the TVs themselves. Also the marketing campaigns can immediately be pushing a feature that no other console has, 3D compatibility. Now that may not seem like a big deal right now since the 3D TVs are not widespread but remember when the PS3 was the only system to support 1080p output before 1080p TVs were in wide circulation? Now almost four years later that’s definitely paid off hasn’t it? You can also say the same thing with most of the cutting edge technology inside the PS3 from wireless compatibility to using Blu Ray technology. Getting their hands into the 3D technology could be just another edge that the PS3 has on its competition.
THE RUMOR: Dragon Age sequel coming “02.01.2011″?
THE SOURCE: Neoseeker
MY TAKE: You’ve got to love a good mystery. A mystifying pamphlet arrives in your new copy of Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening points to a seemingly unimportant date which will be a “big day” for the Dragon Age franchise. Could this be the date for the release of the sequel to Dragon Age: Origins? The timing seems to suggest a sequel which BioWare has already confirmed is coming at some point so the possibility is there. They also mentioned that they want new technology in the sequel so this could mean the technology is ready and the sequel is well on its way. The question becomes is it possible for the date to already be set in stone enough to tell everyone almost a year beforehand? I mean you don’t have to look hard to see clear example of release dates gone wrong (Alpha Protocol, Red Dead Redemption, so on and so on).
THE VERDICT: KILL IT!!!
I want to say believe I really do but when it comes to release dates, especially release dates called a year in advance I get REALLY sceptical. Too much can happen in this industry over the course of a year; anything from delays to layoffs to issues as big as the Infinity Ward debacle can happen and cause a game to be pushed back. So then what is the magical date on the pamphlet referring to? It is probably the day BioWare will officially announce the sequel, showing off whatever they have and at that point giving a release date, whether it is an exact day or a ballpark date. BioWare promised that February 1, 2011 will be a big day, what would be bigger than the debut of the sequel to Dragon Age: Origins along with showing off that tech. I know I’ll be bringing out my elf ears on that day.
THE RUMOR: The latest Bioshock 2 DLC is already on the disk
THE SOURCE: Destructoid
MY TAKE: Do you know what gamers hate more than DLC that cost money? DLC that costs money when it’s already on the disk and all you’re downloading is a key to unlock it. Now to state my position I’m all for DLC. I think it’s great when developers continue to create new content for their game after the review copies have been finalized and the disks are being made. However when the “DLC” is on the disk already then it’s not really DLC. It’s paying to get access to content you technically already own and that is a load of bullcrap! I paid $60 for the damn disk I shouldn’t need to put down an extra $5 to access content that is already on the DAMN DISK! It’s the equivalent of buying a house and finding out after that you need to pay the owner an extra $100 to access the master bedroom. It’s damn criminal and there’s no way it should be allowed!
THE VERDICT: BELEIVE IT!!!
Just look at the size of the DLC for Christ sake! It’s 108 KB on the Xbox 360 and the PC download is only 24 KB. There is no way that 2 new characters, 20 new trials, a third attachment for every gun, 5 new masks and increasing the level cap to 50 only takes 24-108 KB of data to put into a game. It’s freakin’ impossible! Even the Versus Mode for Resident Evil 5 was 2 MB and that was the same thing, locked content that was on the disk. Now 2k Marin can lay down any excuse they want but the bottom line is we are paying for data we already own and I will say it again, that’s not right.
THE FINAL SAY
So the Playstation Motion Controller has finally been named and after what I can only assume was countless hours of discussion, debate and brainstorming the creative minds at Sony finally decided on the one name that defined the ground breaking technology they had created and that name ladies and gentlemen is The Playstation……………..MOVE! Now I want to know how BAD the other ideas were for the Move to be the best idea they had????? Like seriously we had the “Arc” which I talked about before (good thing I SPARED it eh?) and even though I bashed that name it’s still better then the MOVE. I’m just waiting for Microsoft to name Project Natal the “Microsoft Flail”.
So here we are again another week has come and gone and another week of rumors has been dissected and analyzed so now the ball is in your court Axeheads. Give your input on these rumors and tell everyone if you think that the rumors I talked about should be BELEIVED, SPARED OR KILLED. Also bonus points as always goes to anyone who can confirm any of these stories. As always I am Lucas Archer and I will see all ye Axeheads next week for more of Epicbattleaxe.com’s The Rumor KILL!
That Bioshock news is really disappointing. If more companies start doing this…..sigh. Borderlands had a great DLC strategy (it wasn’t on the disk and it was released a few weeks AFTER the game) why can’t EVERYONE take that approach? Or even the Dragon Age method- 15 hours (so I’ve heard) of gameplay and its released months after the original!
You know Valve say whenever they release free DLC for any game, it has a spike in sales. That’s one of the reasons TF2 and L4D are still getting free DLC (errr…..for the PC, soz Xboxers)
This is the wrong way to do dlc. Just simply holding back pieces of the game to sell it later to your customers is not the way to do it.
Dlc should be extra stuff that is made after the game has already shipped!
Or something like in the old God of War games you had a few levels that was cut from the game. Now that would be a good opportunity for dlc.
My take on the Robin part would be, if they include him that it hopefully would be like he flies solo just like Batman does, but in the sense that they do have a call connection to each other but they both encounter there own enemies. Robin in one side of the territory and Bats on the other. and they keep in touch through calls etc. So that you play parts of the game as Robin and that you find a clue and call it in to Bats and he searches on. Something like that. Though in a free roaming setting just like Arkham Island was. And once you find a clue, it switches to the other, to make it feel like a big branching hunt to going after the badguys
Bethesda did DLC really well with TES, I’m only disappointed the next installment hasn’t been announced,but anyway the DLC for that game was EXTREMELY well done and it carried on into Fallout 3 wih regular DLC releases and great, affordable extra content.
I think you are going in the right direction with this
Another cool factor would be to make this iteration of robin the Night Wing Character “Dick Grayson”. It will be canon, but more dark, and it matches the persona of batman that’s portrayed in Batman AA.
I think the reason why the robin character failed so much in the movies and some games and cartoons is because hes CAN be so corny. The 90s cartoon version is my favorite robin because he is not so…”up batmans ass”…and hes pretty cool. It helps that he is the first robin as Dick Grayson and more mature (sometimes). Anyway, a night-wing or more mature robin whould work much better, screw Tim Drake and Jason Todd’s Robin.
Online co-op that allows you to split off and communicate via headset/radio would be sweet. I chould imagine really getting into it in-game and taking the role as either batman or robin. If it was local co-op (a friend over your house) maybe split screen because i don’t think a beat em up style same screen game-play would work.
I’m getting excited just thinking of all the prospects of this game. Lets all pray that rock-steady doesn’t screw this great opportunity at innovative game design.
I dont mind if it would be Dick. He was indeed a cool Robin. Well it would be kind of difficult to make this co-op in the sence that we are talking about it, without making it a beat em up. It might work in coöp if they do the same thing as with Lego Indiana Jones 2 that the camera splits up if you wonder off.
I’m not a fan of pushing mp/coop into all games. It’s all just for the marketing and sales.
The worst part about games having coop is the fact that over the last several years the developers have felt the need to add the coop partner to the single player game as AI. I absolutely hate that, like in Re5.
If you absolutely MUST have a AI partner, please let the player be able to order them around.
So if you don’t want them to do much they’d just lurk around in the back while you do all the gaming yourself.
Sheva in Re5 constantly ran in front of me, took my items and kept shooting my enemies. I want to play the game myself, not watch a AI do it.
Seriously, co-op doesn’t have to be of the double dragon variety…that’s so 1989. Ever Team up on an RTS online ? How about Halo 3 team ? Or even RE5 online ? LEFT4DEAD as well ? Co-op has evolved along way since then. I cant think of anything more wrong to say then “beat em ups the only way this will work” im sorry.
As a matter of fact, the more i think of it that isn’t even on the table. Im saying that a player can be matched or can bring a friend along for the ride. They could play spontaneously effecting each others game-play experience like so many games, becoming immersed in the environment and universe and really take advantage of modern technology,online-play and voice-chat.
The other player can split off and communicate via two way, much like we do on headsets today, and assist the other player kind of like shiva from RE5…but hopefully better. You can help find clues, fend hoards of baddies, and even assist the other player by being a look out or a scout.
Its called innovation, thinking outside the box ! It doesn’t come easy or cheap. But co-op with a stealth heavy game like this as a beat-em-up nahhhhh, would be a waste my friend.
As for the robin, i just went with the original because he is the best and favorite among fans. Well that’s a personal preference but ask yourself this…would a run of the mill robin in green and red tights really fit into this new dark BATMAN Franchise? He would ruin the whole cool, dark vibe they got going on for sure, just look at the crappy Batman&Robin movies.
Ill say it agian a dick grayson robin similar to the BATMAN the animated series circa 90s is a no brainier.
Anyway, Just some food for thought.I just hope they do this right. Peace !
That was the only Co-op i could think of at that point dude. relax, back to your zen point bro. I dont play co-öp games, except for an occasional shooter, but that doesnt comply in this typ of game, now does it?
I really have a hard time figuring out what else it could be….