Batman: Arkham City. Interview with Jamie Walker, Rocksteady

Batman: Arkham City (2011) is one of the most anticipated game titles coming out in 2011. The British development team at Rocksteady found a nearly perfect balance for a video game set in the Batman’s universe. The worldwide acclaim acquired by Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009) is another sign of this tremendous success.

In October at the IgroMir 2011 Russian Game Expo everyone could get an unique opportunity to try out this new title just a weeks before its release. Specatcular fights, brave Batman and endless numbers of various enemies present just a few of available features. Every single one of them is special in this way or another, what was one of the reasons for us to name it as the «Best Action» game of the show.

The sequel’s development, its heroes and villains as well as gameplay options and new additions of Batman: Arkham City were a key focus for our discussion with the Director of Rocksteady, which is already a famous video game development studio. Jamie Walker himself pleasantly surprised us with his creative inspirations, while often naming the Riddler in good Russian.

- Greetings! Please, introduce yourself.

- Hello! My name is Jamie Walker, and I’m the Studio Director of Rocksteady.

- How do you find Russia?

- It is my first time in Russia. I love it. I think, it is awesome! I haven’t really seen that much of Moscow yet, but I am really excited. The architecture is fantastic; the people here are very nice and friendly, and they are also very passionate about Batman, which is great!

- Give us some background about your career in the game industry.

- Well, I studied at a Film School. I started my career as an artist in the game industry. Basically, after that I was just making my way up with a lot of hard work. Eventually, that is how I have become the game director for Rocksteady.

- What do you think about IgroMir 2011 Russian Expo?

- I have been to the show floor! It is crazy busy. I am really impressed with it. Obviously, it seems to be a lot bigger than last year. It seems very well organized. Some great new games are presented there, and the visitors are happy to find out more and play them. Have you already seen our Batman: Arkham City?

- Partially, and we have enjoyed what we have already seen!

- Partially? You mean video without any sound or sound without any video? [Smiles].

- Just a part of the Demo to stay in line with our appointments’ schedule. We will surely play it much more soon. Could you compare IgroMir to Gamescom?

- I think, they are the same sort of thing with a lot of people attending the show to see and play various game titles. It was interesting for us to visit especially Russia to come here and see, what your players think about our games.

- How long has Batman: Arkham City been in the development?

- We have just finished our work, so the title has been in development for around 2,5 years from the start to the end.

- We really like your Batman franchise…

- Thank you!

Read on further about the game world and challenges of Batman: Arkham City.

Batman: Arkham City

Batman: Arkham City:

A Third-person Action-Adventure game that delivers an authentic Dark Knight experience rooted in an original and engrossing story as well as a combination of melee combat, stealth, investigative and also speed-based challenge gameplay. A direct sequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009), it features the full range of classic enemies seen in the previous game, in addition to Catwoman, who is a playable character and has her own storyline in the new release. Additional features include: a range of new gadgets, an increased number of possible melee opponents and a range of movement options for Batman that include leaping, sliding, gliding and the grapple hook.

Developed by Rocksteady Studios, it builds upon the intense, atmospheric foundation of its predecessor, sending players soaring into Arkham City, the new maximum security zone for all of Gotham City’s thugs, gangsters and even insane criminal masterminds. Batman: Arkham City features an unique combination of melee combat, stealth, investigative and speed-based challenge gameplay.

Set inside the heavily fortified walls of a sprawling district in the heart of Gotham City, this highly anticipated sequel introduces a brand-new story that draws together a new all-star cast of classic characters and murderous villains from the Batman universe, as well as a vast range of new and enhanced gameplay features to deliver the ultimate experience as the Dark Knight.

Key Game Features:

• Featured VO Talent. Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy reprise their roles as The Joker and Batman respectively;

• New Story. Five-time Emmy-Award-winner Paul Dini returns to pen a brand-new story for this title, taking gamers deep inside the diseased heart of Gotham;

• Additional Gadgets. Batman has access to new gadgets such as the Cryptographic Sequencer V2 and Smoke Pellets, as well as new functionality for existing gadgets that expand the range of Batman’s abilities without adding extra weight to his Utility Belt;

• Huge Cast of Characters. Players encounter numerous characters from the Batman universe, including Catwoman, Two-Face, Harley Quinn, Penguin, Hugo Strange, Victor Zsasz, Calendar Man, The Joker, The Riddler and other iconic characters of Batman: Arkham City yet to be revealed;

• Play as Catwoman. Catwoman is a fully playable character, who has her own storyline in the main game which is seamlessly interwoven with Batman’s story arc. Her navigation skills, combat moves and gadgetry have been specifically designed to deliver a fully featured and unique experience;

• Advanced FreeFlow Combat. Batman faces highly coordinated, simultaneous attacks from every direction as Arkham’s gangs bring heavy weapons and all-new AI to the fight, but Batman steps it up with twice the number of combat animations and double the range of attacks, counters and takedowns;

• Become the Dark Knight. Delivering a genuinely authentic Batman experience with advanced, compelling gameplay on every level: high-impact street brawls, nail-biting stealth, multifaceted forensic investigation, epic super-villain encounters and unexpected glimpses into Batman’s tortured psychology;

• Arkham Has Moved. Following the closure of Arkham Asylum and Blackgate prison, Gotham’s new mayor, Quincy Sharp ordered the relocation of all inmates to Arkham City – a sprawling new super-prison five times bigger than Arkham Island, enclosing a wide variety of industrial districts, iconic locations and Gotham landmarks.

Awards:

• GameScope: «Best Action at IgroMir 2011».