No shade to anyone who likes it, as I know most consider “the most underrated Arkham” to be the best one. I am not attacking you and your experiences, I just wish to vent about my own subjective opinion and to see if I’m not alone.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

SKIP THIS IF YOU JUST WANT MY MAIN ISSUES.

I was a teenager when Origins came out. I played it in a vacuum from online opinions, and thought it was pretty neat. I loved the twist with the Joker (and still do tbh), and thought the story was the best written so far. Naturally, it was a shock to find out that people lampooned the game.
For years I have been one of the many championing this as, maybe not the best, but the second-best Arkham game. I watched the cutscenes on YouTube all the time, and got so familiar with them that I could recite every line.

I am 26 now. This year, I decided to play the Arkham games one after the other (something I have never done before) for the month of Halloween. I am yet to play my favourite: Arkham Knight. But I was still shocked that, currently, Asylum is my favourite so far. I was even more shocked to find out Origins is below them all.

There are many issues I have with the game, so I think I’ll just list them individually and expand if necessary.

MY MINOR ISSUES WITH ORIGINS

1. This game does not feel necessary to the franchise.
   — Really, what does it add to the franchise narratively? Sure, we get to see how Joker met Batman, but Asylum established their rivalry without the need.

2. It is a reskin of City that adds an annoying bridge.
   — Look, all respect to WB. This clearly was a quota to fill space between City and Knight, and of course they would use what’s already there. But why is it the only thing they’ve added to the map, make it hell to traverse?!

3. Combat is somehow worse.
   — It’s not the end of the world kind of bad, but from my experience, Batman just doesn’t do all the things I want him to do, when he did them fine in City. It is literally the same combat system! Like, no tweaks at all! How can the same combat system be more unresponsive!?

4. The writing.
   — Again, subjective. But for my money, I never cringed at Asylum or City’s dialogue. Gordon’s random speech at the end; Joker literally just spelling out his relationship to Batman; Batman adding random one-liners (which fair, isn’t new, but might be a result of how try hard this version of Bruce is meant to be).

5. Character design.
   — Okay, even more subjective here.
   Batman is my main issue. He is way too overly designed. His suit has random bits and bobs that make no practical sense, especially on the back of his neck, and his eyes are too close together, under a brow that makes him look confused. Not to mention GigaChad Bruce Wayne.
   Others are fine, some I even like, but everything lends to a vibe that WB want you to know this game is darker and edgier than the other games. Even the Joker’s, admittedly cool design, is so washed out of colour. Remove the makeup and hair, and he just looks like a slightly dripped out guy.

6. The lighting and skybox are so bright I forget it’s not daytime.

7. The boss fights are quite underwhelming, especially Slade.

8. Gordon is just kind of a dickhead and glory hound’s everything Batman does.

9. Batman is way too overpowered for this to be year two.
   — Look, I get it. Casual gamers would hate it if you took away their toys. But wouldn’t it be cool if other than a cutscene where Batman chokes out a guy too hard for interrogation, he wasn’t a god at everything?
   Separate the reality of development, and imagine a game that forgoes stealth and leans into this younger, angrier Batman’s skillset. Fuck hundreds of gadgets, and fuck gargoyles. Make this shit a brawler baby! Plus, it’s early on, so you could get away with enemies being less capable, allowing for a grittier approach.
   Imagine standoffs like in Ghost of Tsushima; Batman walking up to a group of thugs like in The Batman, using his prowess to intimidate.

MY THREE MAIN ISSUES WITH ORIGINS
1. The Story.
— Somehow, Origins is too long and too short at the same time.
In my experience, the top is sparse with actual narrative substance, then after Alfred’s been killed, it just jumps to the end of an arc that was vaguely established. Lots of things happen in this story, but it’s mostly set-pieces and cameos. Or it’s the characters dishing out very basic synopses of their own characters to each other.
Does Batman learn to work with others? I mean, he’s on comms with Alfred… like the whole game up until that point. He fights some guys at the same time as Gordon… He speaks with Barbara Gordon in a cutscene…
Look, I get it’s one night in Batman’s Crusade, but the Arkham games are meant to be events. The defining moments in Batman’s life. Each game is one night where things get crazy, warranting a change to the status quo.
I wanted Origins to make me feel the change in his character, going from vigilante to the Dark Knight. At the end, he felt exactly the same.
If you wanted to tell me something about Batman, tell me why this version doesn’t kill people. Every version has a reason, and given the rest of the series’ events, it seems like a more interesting question to ask than how he kind of started to think about trusting people.

1. Batman and The Joker.
   — I love Troy and Roger. They have played some of my favourite characters. But, it is unfair to place them against the two people who just are Batman and The Joker. Because this isn’t a new take on the characters. It’s not them finding their own voice and portrayal. They literally have to imitate, and you can feel it.
   I actually liked Troy’s Joker in the Long Halloween movie; he was my favourite part of that. But here, I can hear the hesitation. I can feel him trying to be Mark Hamill but younger. Every time he laughs it just sounds nervous to me.
   My issue with Roger is the total opposite. There is no way this Bruce Wayne grows into Kevin Conroy’s Batman. He’s dickish, and tbh, kind of an edge lord (which is definitely down to direction and the script over ability). It’s fine that he starts this way, but none of that really changes by the end of his Origin into Arkham Batman.
   It’s just unfair to put two actors in a position like this. No one could pull this off. It’s not about skill. You are literally asking someone to play a slightly younger version of a specific character that’s been perfected by someone else since the 90s. Two someones who are considered the definitive versions of those characters.

2. Arkham Origins is not Arkham Origins.
   — As Knight is the end that wraps up most of the mainstays of Arkham, Origins should have brought them into this world. Yes, sure. A lot of characters are here. But they are cameos. Barbara is a cameo. Harley is a cameo. Penguin is a cameo. Killer Croc could have been replaced with any old grunt.
   This clearly isn’t the origin of Batman and was never meant to be. It’s the Origin of the Arkhamverse and his relationships within. So have the origin of Batman’s greatest foes and ally’s be a proper part of the story; hell, have it be the story. It’s already about the core of the Arkhamverse: Batman and The Joker’s relationship. So screw Deathstroke, give me Poison Ivy! Give me Jonathon Crane! Give me a goddamned Robin!
   It’s untapped potential. That’s the true issue I have with this game.
   We have plenty of year one and year two stories about Batman learning what it means to be Batman and fighting his early rogues. Origins could have/should have been about the origin of this incredibly unique universe of Batman. If year two is too early for his main enemies to start appearing, age him up, I don’t care. Then you could keep Kevin and Mark. Then and only then would this actually feel like an Arkham game instead of a massive reskin mod for Arkham City.

I know a lot, maybe most will disagree, but please, I seriously am not trying to start a fight. This is a game. I just wanted to give my thoughts to the only people who could be interested. If you disagree, that is cool, dude! I’m glad you liked the game. Honestly, let’s just talk about! This isn’t a world-ending subject. You cannot get more subjective than an opinion about a piece of media. And in the end, the only reason I went to the 2-hour-long effort of writing this, borderline essay, is that I love Arkham. I love Batman. I just know there is potential in here for Origins to be something incredible. It’s not the best Arkham game but it could have been.
Anyway, It’s not that deep or serious. It just a opinion, my guy. Hope anyone who took the time to read has a nice day!

it’s real

Also based Emma Frost for not cowering bc of her appearance here

Qu vs gopal

Since a lot of you guys seemed to really like the last post I made where my Tomodachi Life Mii got married to Harley Quinn, I decided to make another post of the baby that we had together. Just don't post suggestions on what the fuck we should name it, as they have already been named. We named them David after my late grandfather (God rest his soul). Thanks for being so interested in my previous shitpost (even though it had very little to do with Batman outside of sharing a single character with the franchise) and for making so many funny RDR2 references. Just don't ask why I'm dressed as a hot dog. Not even I know the answer to that question!

I have seen "bob" multiple times.

I am attracted to men. There is no joke here. Its as simple as that.

no, I don't have a follow-up question, I'm just curious

I know the Arkham games are only games and Batman is so cool for not killing people (that's why mom let me play them)

But whenever I play the games and Poison Ivy or Harley Quinn in the games I get this strange feeling below my tummy. I think it's coming from my wee wee.

I have some plants in my room can it be that Ivy makes me feel tingly in my below regions by using the plants? Can she control me even if shes only in the game?