Batman: Arkham City. Interview with Jamie Walker, Rocksteady

Catwoman in Batman: Arkham City is little bit of a vigilante, but she does that mainly for herself. Catwoman is a lot more selfish than Batman, but can be good as well. Also we have Robin, who will be a playable character. Robin is a great hero and a very welcome addition for us. I believe, players will find a lot of versatility and variety in who they play in the game

- Has Batman’s personality evolved in Batman: Arkham City from the previous game?

- Batman is such a formidable character. He has so many psychological issues and motivations inside. Being a central figure of justice has to take a toll on him. That was what we enjoyed exploring in Arkham City. What would that mean for Batman? What would it feel like for him to be in such a place?

- What can you tell us about special abilities the heroes possess?

- Sure! When we were building a City, we were thinking about the ways for Batman to navigate through it. We have come up with a coolest way we could think of! His gliding ability in Batman: Arkham City allows him to dive in and put up from these dives. You can actually fly around Arkham City. It is a very unique ability that Batman has.

In contrast, Catwoman has a much more intimate connection with the City. She has her own way to travel through it. In a more Parkour style she connects to the buildings, climbing up and moving around the space.

Robin has his own gadgets. Again, he needs a different way of playing. Robin carries a shield, and he approaches dangerous or stealthy situations in his own unique way in comparison with two other characters. This mix of various heroes and their abilities will give the players more contrast, when they play Batman: Arkham City.

- And what about the gadgets pack in Batman: Arkham City?

- We have introduced a lot of new gadgets with whole new upgrade chains. You can use your gadgets in combat now. One of the new gadgets we have designed is the REC device, which is a kind of an electrical tazer and a weapon. In combat you can employ it and electrify your enemies. Also it serves another purpose. You can also use it to open doors and even solve certain puzzles, including physics-based ones. There are many new useful gadgets in the game.

- Gliding sounds very intriguing. How does it work?

- The gliding is a massive new feature in the game, because you can mix it with pulling up to get some extra altitude. We have also added a Grapple Boost in Batman: Arkham City. So now you will not just fly up to a Gargoyle, but it is also possible to fly past the Gargoyle to see the City from above.

Read on further about the combat, enemies and AI in 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».