1:18:02 I'd like to point out to you that WB Montreal were not the originators of this idea. Rocksteady inspired them with the B.A.T mode in Arkham city armored edition, the Wii-u version of Arkham City. I highly recommend it. I know based on the previous comment I made on your SSKTJL vid it may look like I'm making comments just to be negative, but I only point this stuff out to you because I love your videos.
Honestly my favorite superhero since a child. A hero who with money is still human and doesn’t technically build a shit like iron man but builds gadgets to enhance his human strength and doesn’t do it for publicity.
Croc looks less monstrous and threatening because over time he’s been becoming more animal like. You can track it over the course of the games. By the end he has a whole tail and is even bigger.
I hope DC retcons him, or makes it so he can be the size he was when he debuted. He was a crime boss at the time and I thought he was more interesting that way.
Also, you forgot something cool about Batmans growth. After the fight with Cutioner, Bruce leaves him there like he's some regular criminal and at some point, Tracey announces that Cutioner is awake and after Batman. Batman realizes he made a mistake by not restraining Cutioner and calling the police after the fight. The first thing Bruce does after beating Deathstroke at the end of the same level is immediately tie up DS and contacts Alfred to inform the police. That was a cool detail to me
I bet he was planning to tie Cutioner up for the police but after all the thugs rush him he got so caught up in kicking ass he forgot about that guy entirely.
@Sage1Million nah. Bruce straight up says after the Tracey announcement that he just regarded him as another criminal in his way to get to Penguin and that he should have considered restraining him. He didn't forget. He just didn't bother to and realized his mistake after the fact (In which makes him inadvertently responsible for Cutioners death, because if he would of restrained cutioner off rip, cutioner would of never made it to the penthouse where Joker kills him haha)
@Sage1Million another bit of evidence of that is that cutioner is still on the ground after you finish the goon rush and Bruce comments on him being knocked out
I agree even if it's clearly Breaking Bad's "I AM THE ONE WHO KNOCKS!" dialogue between Walt and Skyler. Funnily enough both Bryan Cranston and Jonathan Banks from Breaking Bad have voiced Jim Gordon in Batman media. Bryan Crantson voiced Jim Gordon in _Batman: Year One_ and Jonathan Banks voiced him in _Batman: Arkham Knight._
One small detail I loved in Cold Cold Heart, was when Mr. Freeze grabbed Ferris Boyle, after Batman interrupted his argument with the Penguin, and told Boyle "NOW YOU BELONG TO ME!" which was a reference to Mr. Freeze's interview tapes from Arkham City when he told Hugo Strange that before his accident as the guards were taking Nora out of the lab, Boyle told him that "she belonged him". I guess those words really stayed with Victor.
My personal favorite one, I love young Batman stories, I love seeing him fail and learn, he’s younger and angrier and it makes for a great story, and I love seeing the villains before they become what we know, the whole Enigma thing, Dr. Quinzel, and the early stages of everyone else
This is my 2nd watch, and I'm sorry if u never see this, but your commentary is expert. Beyond that, the way you structure a video in a non-linear format inspires me as a general creator, and GOD DAMN you should be proud of this. To get personal with the medium of RUclips I know how hard it is to appreciate your own work in its quality when you've made something in the past that you, and the public, are comparing to something new you've made. But every Arkham video you've done holds up unequivocally, and I stand by them as an inspiration to my current and future long form content process that I have legit not said I was planning to do publicly other than this comment LMAO. I recommend the videos you've made that I've given 2nd and 3rd watches/listens over the last years to folk as seminal. Even as a series of videos to watch, I would share them to anybody who shared my Batman interest with me, andto folk who just like solid commentary and game design and storytelling. I would share it with folks who I knew from the very Commentary genre my career was birthed from 8 years ago, because I think they can appreciate and have the capacity to learn from your content the way I did. Please continue as long as it brings you joy and are comfortable doing so. And if it you get no joy beyond a certain point, get a bag. Ngl that's unfortunately the most important point. Get a bag even if u do love this shit. You are a g. Its gay to sign a youtube comment but i like men, Kwite
You know, a character that has always stood out to me these games in particular is The Riddler. Honestly in my opinion these games have the best depiction of The Riddler outside the comics. Wally Wingert who voiced the character in all 4 games always delivered such an incredible performance that always managed to perfectly capture Riddler's obsessive personality, massive ego and superiority complex.
I do wish they went more into the avenue of Batman being bad for his antagonists mental health. Like if he really tried to he could’ve turned many of them into allies against the real worst of the worst. Imagine a Batman with allies in Killer Croc, Ivy, Clayface, Nigma, and Harvey from the very beginning. Bane is able to be written as a good guy, Harley needs to be changed in the series to be redeemable imo and Azrael is basically a confused good guy. As for the rest most of them left are just hireable assassins who can be bought off or used for alternative things, see Deadshot. Or mob bosses that should I just be imprisoned for life, see Sionis and Cobblepot. After that Gotham could become a better crime reduced city
I really appreciate that WB Montreal didn’t try to fix what wasn’t broken, they knew Rocksteady had already made a phenomenal system and worked off of that instead of starting from scratch. The fact that they constantly wanted to be sure it felt true to the rest of the Arkham games is a testament to the respect they had for the franchise.
Heck I commend them for using Deathstroke, Firefly and even the recapping the detective vision crime stuff. Stuff and villains used in knight and honestly Deathstroke and Firefly were done better in Origins if I'm being honest
@@nobleskywalker4639And while Firefly was a spectacle, it was an enjoyable spectacle plus Batman and Gordon finally teamed up, so it has it’s place in the story.
I actually like the depiction of Croc in this game a lot. It's supposed to do both things he said, make us sympathize but also see the monster he is, because it makes later appearances more tragic. We see that he wasn't a complete monster before, had Batman helped him a little maybe his mental state wouldn't have declined with his physical one, which is also consistent. He's young and small in Origins, older and bigger in Asylum, and finally he's a massive monster in Knight, the end of his transition into beast. He kept getting bigger so of course he was way smaller before that.
I like how killer croc is younger and less imposing as it links to how over the series he becomes more and more animal like shown by his look in Arkham knight due his age and the experiments on him
I'm astonished each time I play Origins by the character writing: it's not only the best in the series, but some of my favourite of the Batman mythos - surprisingly including Joker and Bane (a dynamic I never knew I'd love).
You know this game was definitely underrated when it first came out. More recently however people have gone back to this game and have praised it for its great story and amazing performances and it has in my opinion the second best story in the series with the first being Arkham City. It also has the best and most accurate depiction of Bane ever outside the comics.
Can't wait to see Monty blow up like he deserves there is already so much effort and quality in every essay he does. Legit one of my fav creators on this site.
I always thought the whole "I am vengeance...etc" mean: He is Vengeance = He will kick yo stank ass, He is the Night = You won't see it coming because he hides in the shadows, He is Batman = Bruce Wayne is the mask. Batman is his true identity.
The comparison between Origin and Year 2 is brilliant. two sort of spinoffs from two of the biggest and most acclaimed Batman stories in popular culture that aren't perfect by any mean yet still have artistic value on their own thats well worth discussing. never thought of that comparison before now and it's just brilliant.
Arkham origins is my favorite of the Arkham games. God it's just so fun. Troy bakers joker sold me on this game instantly. His introduction and gameplay sequence are perfect.
Another awesome entry in this series of videos! I do like that this game starts with Batman directly failing and that he does so on a more regular basis through the story. It indicates that while Batman can deal with issues directly and with his fists as he does through most of the game, it isn't the most effective way for Batman to deal with his villains. It's not just a story of him learning what he represents but also learning his best methods, both through more stealth and such as shown in later games, but also through his coordination with allies which makes him much more effective in the future.
I love how Batman takes down Electrocutioner hilariously, one-shotting him after good build-up, whereas Joker does it in a pretty dull and standard manner, shooting him and knocking him off a high building.
The cutscenes and the story are the absolute highlight of this game. Theres a reason why theres a video on youtube called arkahm origins the movie where there are just all of the cutscenes cut together. This game is so cinematic it feels like the most epic batman movie ever throughout
New Monty video let's goooo! I really like this game and think it's unfairly overlooked in the Arkham lineup. It has such a comicbook or animated film plot and I love it. Also people often credit Arkham Knight with the crime scene investigation/recreation gameplay but it was Origins that started it.
I would argue that the Black Mask reveal in the Gotham Merchants Bank is one of the best and creepiest Batman moments ever created. It’s so excellently done. You’ve got Black Masks voice changing, carol of the bells playing, joker doing his monologue and all the while the woman he just dosed with gas starts losing it and her laugh gets more and more out of control. It’s so well done, complain about the twist if you want. Years later I have less and less problems with it. These games are about the story of Joker and Batman. I’m replaying them again and the story flows great
‘Less’ problems? You mean fewer. Cmon americano, this is the only language you know, at least speak it properly. But at the end of the day, this game series is only about joker and Batman because the publishers got scared. It wasn’t supposed to be. No reason it should have been. But the publishers don’t want to risk not having joker in a game.
I just want you to know you got me to replay every single one of these games monty, it takes me back to a time when games were just good, and not filled with bloat or half finished with a bunch of microtransactions
I may be misremembering, but I think Nigma was not getting ready to release the data he had collected, he was using it to blackmail them. So while his targets were the same as Batman, their goals conflicted. And lore wise, I didn't mind the network relays or data pads: Batman had only accessed the gcpd computer, so he's building up the bat tech presence. And the data pads made sense- Nigma needed to store things.... But I think they would have been good opportunities for detective mode or other puzzles. Not only would Nigma just leave them on a random curb, there a ton that Nigma could never have got to. So they'd be locked up in extravagant ways And without someone engineering them, puzzles requiring gadgets that nobody knew he had yet wouldn't make said. But, as always: Yes. Too damned many.
He was going to release it as part of his plan. Cold Cold Heart even ends with him releasing the blackmail data he had on Mayor Hill's corruption, forcing him to be removed from office.
you know what is awful, I got all of the data packs and whatever, because I was going for 100% on the save. And I got all of the data packs and it didn't unlock the specific concept art which it was supposed to unlock when you collect all of the data packs. Which basically means my ambitions of 100% were dead since you need the concept art for 100%. Luckily I looked it up to see if others had this problem and people did. They found if you do 'I Am The Knight' mode to completion, it pushes you over the edge to be able to get to 100% despite missing said concept art. I was very lucky but I was stuck at 99% for a long time, almost made me never play the game again until I found the fix
The detail that you go into, while also bringing up the source material, the nods to the underlying themes explored in other media and perhaps your own thoughts, the oft-thoughtful narration -- delightful. Your work is very easy to experience. You're dedicated to your craft. Wonderful. Here's hoping Arkham Knight is up next, and hopefully soon -- probably the most interesting release in the series. Looking forward to it.
Hey Monty, I just want to let you know that what I really appreciate about your videos and what I believe makes you stand out from other creators is your heavy focus on the themes and philosophy of the games you play; and how well they incorporate every other aspect into the themes. I love it!
0:46 And of course, as we know from Batman Beyond, apparently that never goes away. He thinks of himself AS Batman, and that's always going through his head.
Arkham Origins isn't Perfect I know But I love this game and specifically its representation of the Joker and Batman's Relationship, its the perfect showcase of how they Can't kill each other and Joker's Pure Obsession with Batman, it also shows Batman's Transformation From a rage filled machine to the Dark Knight, its just so well made imo
A "What-If" story or game (or even mutliple) set in this game and going from there where Bruce recruited Edward Nigma to his side and (maybe) semi-allied with Anarchy and his followers would be quite the thing. An alternate Arkhamverse. Edward Nigma knows the importance of secret identities as he learned of what happened to Alfred as Bane uncovered the identity of Batman. So he took the name of the Riddler, mainly because he refused to go with a bat or bird theme. He wanted to be his own thing. As the years progresses, Nigma's mental issues became more severe. Maybe in part due to exposition to various toxins used by certain criminals. Thankfully, he is not alone and he has other to help him keep himself grounded. In-game/in-story, we could have Riddler starts to go on about his genius intellect, only for Oracle/Batgirl to drag him back to earth. And the Riddler calms down after a few shallow then deep breaths and thanks her for it. Nigma would be terrified of his mental issues because of what it means. He does not want to leave his allies, his friends, his family behind to go elsewhere and get help. Because what if they need him? But if his issues becomes too severe and he is Gotham, it means Arkham Asylum. Near Batman's greatest villains and most importantly, the Joker. And Nigma is (rightfully) terrified of that possibility. What if he talks and reveals the secrets he holds? And so, he starts shaping his egomania, his showmanship, toward an individual who will not reveal a thing about the secrets he knows to those he deems lesser... and that means everyone except a few that he keeps sharpening the mind of. Anarchy meanwhile would be a difficult ally to make. He would need guarantees, something to help him trust the Dark Knight. Anarchy says that he (and others) lack Batman's strength, skills and gadgets and thus cannot serve the cause of justice as Batman could. In a parallel of Jason Todd (hell, in such a continuity, Jason could have come to Batman's attention through Anarchy), Anarchy and his group shows that even criminal can change if given the chance. It would be a difficult and shaky alliance. One that is more established during a version of Cold, Cold Heart. Where Anarchy could collaborate with Batman to take the fight to Gothcorp. Yet at the same time, Batman could challenge Anarchy's view of thing because the reason Fries accepted Boyle's deal was that he needed ressources and money he did not have on his own. And without enterprises, governments, institutions and corporations, how do you finance and work on the various advances in various fields? Batman provides training and equipment (not to the same quality as his own) to the Sons of Anarchy and in exchange, the latter must not kill and serve justice. They serve as extra manpower that is not directly under Batman's control in times of crisis. At the same time, Anarchy is eventually confronted with the truth of Batman's identity. Anarchy, who saw Corporations, establishments and the rich as the enemy to be torn down, learns about how Bruce Wayne chose to become Batman. And Anarchy has a chance to help Bruse Wayne better funnel his money in helping the less fortune. And yet, Anarchy has been helped by a corporation for all this time he worked with Batman. A crisis of faith, maybe.
I'm so glad you covered origins! It's probably my second favorite cause I just love a batman early in his career just like in year one or the 2022 film.
I actually really appreciate the fact that Enigma gives us some really straightforward things to do in the open world. Having just recently played all four games for the first time, back to back, I'm simply not that interested in solving Riddler's puzzles. If they're on the way, and I see the solution pretty easily, sure. And that meant I did a lot more of them in Asylum than City, because City's Riddler puzzles and trophies in City's open world nearly all required me to stop whatever else I was doing, and turn all of my attention on that. Asylum's were mostly only a couple of seconds and a few feet away from the main path. It not only felt tired and tedious in City (especially if I needed a gadget or an upgrade I didn't have yet), but it pushed up against my immersion, because Batman is on a pretty strict time limit throughout the game. I don't feel like he should be stopping during the main story to play games with Riddler, when Edward's not even really dangerous to anyone in any of the games until Knight, where he captures Catwoman. And since you get basically no progress in Riddler's storyline in City and Asylum from 0% completion of his tasks, to 99% completion of his tasks (other than his quips getting more distressed as you close in on 100%), it felt like the games were asking me to spend a RIDICULOUS amount of time and effort on side content, just to get any actual value out of his side plot. In Origins though, I felt compelled to do the simpler stuff (and obviously the compulsory stuff), because the game quickly made it clear that it still rewarded me with more of Enigma's plot thread ALONG THE WAY. I got more legitimate conversations with him. And even though it's not the legitimate ending of his arc in the game, you DO get some sort of ending by just doing all of the simple Enigma content along the way. It allows people to engage with him pretty substantially, even if they aren't interested in random puzzles and collectibles. And you have clearly marked, obvious goals that take you just a few minutes to do from time to time... rather than seeing a list of 200+ random doodads... being expected to sus the location of them out of enemies if you don't wanna search blindly... and THEN solving a puzzle just to obtain each. Arkham Knight continues Origins' interest in giving non-completionists more of the richest Riddler content, by tying Catwoman and MOST of Riddler's storyline into following his structured storyline, instead of the collectibles. Yes, the game fails to give you real catharsis unless you reach 100%. But it gives you legitimate motivation to play his games, gives you actually substantial puzzles and challenges as narrative quests along the way, and rewards you with the ability to help free Catwoman BEFORE the game says "Now clean up all the rest of his chores.". A player like myself doesn't feel left out. I totally understand why a bunch of random boxes on the sides of buildings, and towers to unlock aren't rewarding for someone who really digs Enigma/Riddler's actual puzzles. But I think it was a fair compromise that benefits the people who are interested in the character and his interactions with Batman, but just don't have the patience for open world collectible shenanigans. They understood that it was important to limit the amount of time you have to spend on the boxes and towers, so that non-completionists aren't wasting tons of time, and for completionists, you can get all of the boxes and towers finished in 30 minutes of game time, to then focus your attention on the real puzzles.
LETS GO NEW MONTY CRITIQUE! I've done a full series replay of this series because of your videos so I'm excited to "compare notes" especially with this game. Though I love the concept and story for Origins, the game play really let me down in my last replay.
Hey Monty, first time commenter. Just wanted to let you know that every time I get a note that another long form critique has gone up, I get a huge smile. I really like your approach to these videos and find your insight informative and your humor entertaining. I found your vids when I went through a Bioshock retrospective binge and went back and watched your entire catalogue over a few days. Keep doing what you're doing mate, and know that we love you.
Dude, I found your channel after obsessing over “Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice”, and it’s incredible how you’ve refined your craft. I’ve also learned about and been recommended some incredible essayists directly from you or because of the YT algo. It’s great you’re truly giving Origins a fair shake, because of its reputation! Like holy hell there are so many games that should deserve a Monty treatment, but I genuinely believe your style would be INCREDIBLE for the Mafia trilogy!
If you count the number of times Joker fires his revolver during the hotel sequence, it's actually likely it was empty by the time he pointed it at himself.
Been looking forward to this!! For last week or so I've been constantly checking for an update, calculating when possibly you could publish new video. You'r critiques are absolutely fantastic! It's just pure pleasure to listen to you. Thank you for the work you are doing!
To answer the joke call in this video, my favorite Batman story is Mask of the Phantasm. It does a great job at giving us a look at how that Bruce became Batman and how his tragic romance was the final straw to that happening, it feels genuinely additive to the character and that part of his journey. The story itself also ties back to Monty’s video as it explores what embodying vengeance means compared to being fueled by it.
Fun fact, it's not shown here but implied that the way Bane figures out Bruce is Batman is what he says to him. "You just ran out of time" it's exactly what he says to Vicki Vale at the start of the game when the interview is on screen. That's why the interview is on Bane's monitor.
Crocs designed is based on real life crocodiles. When theyre smaller, their teeth and scales are smooth and sfiter in their features. As they mature, their teeth and scales get more jagged and tougher and menacing. Rocksteady made Croc more and more animal like as the story progressed, so WB Montreal purposely designing Croc to resemble a young crocodile makes sense on the canon
My personal favourite of the Arkham games. Has some jank and peters out towards the final third but the story does itself well by focusing on characters rather than plot. A shame Gotham Knights flopped after this team did a great job understanding how to make a good Batman story.
I remember getting Arkham asylum randomly from my dad for a birthday. Little did I know how engrossed I’d be in it. These critiques always hit home for me. I was already a massive Batman fan at the time due to the animated series, the comics I’d had, and the movies. But this game series made me double down on it and I’ve since become an avid Batman comic collector (to answer your question about best Batman story I have a soft spot for Scott Snyder’s and Greg capullos run on Batman. Best modern joker, one of the best riddler stories in zero year, great new villains with Mr bloom and court of owls. Really felt like they expanded the mythos of the bat especially given the incredible task of a soft reboot that was the new 52). You hit the nail on the head with this critique as to why I remember it though. The combat and gameplay didn’t exactly break the mold for me but was just “more of what I wanted”, to be Batman. What really sticks out to me is the story. I think origins really nailed its characters and the story they wanted to tell and everyone involved gave great performances. It has sections of its games and cutscenes that always stand out to me. Batman on the ground at jokers feet, waking up next to a smiling corpse of a bank manager. All of the build up to deathstrokes fight. Just to name a few. I love this series and every critique you do for the series reminds me of what made them so great not just as a Batman fan but as a video game fan. There’s a reason a colloquial term in gaming is now “Arkham-esque”. And the way you incorporate source comics to these critiques to draw parallels always makes me happy to see. You never fail to do your research and your passion always comes through Monty, great work as always. Also Arkham-verse on lore dump? I’m so beyond hype that I might as well be Terry McGinnis.
@@MontyZander oh I’m aware, I’ve been engrossed in the remedy verse videos so far, even started playing control in preparation for it, especially after watching your critique for control. And I’ve heard good things about quantum break as well from my friend whose played all of them. Needless to say I’m excited and can’t wait to see this and the lore dump channel grow to new heights this year for you and the guys.
38:26 They do use mines. Have you been playing on lower difficulties or something that they didn't show up? I've been playing on new game plus and I am the night and plenty of them show up in stealth rooms.
I always felt like an Origins appologist. It really is not a bad game, just not as good as the others. Its kind of a Dark Souls 2 deal. It really brought some cool things with it that the others didn't have, namely the detectived mode upgrade. *chefs kiss* One thing I'd like to add to your combat argument is that origins is a poster perfect example of how important sound design is. I think one of the contributing facotrs to why combat in origins feels off is that the punches just don't sound as crunchy and satisfying as they do in the other three. Take a listen and they sound noticeably more mute and cushiony.
The thing with memory loss is something Bane himself was investigating and was foreshadowed when Batman finds his hideout. So it didn't come out completely out of nowhere. He's revived, angry and doesn't think twice fully knowing the consequences. He doesn't care who Batman is, he wants an excuse for a good fight. That's why he doesn't tell anyone. And the fact that Bane find out Batman's identity using the first line that was shown of him as Bruce Wayne in the game is just excellent. I truly love Arkham Origins' Bane, his best iteration in the series in my opinion.
Can't believe I have never seen this channel before. Here I was thinking I didn't need YT premium anymore, and then 8+ hours of Arkham critiques appear on my feed. Roped me back in - very well done videos, can't wait to watch the others!
0:14 pretty sure he could kill the joker in the comics for perfectly valid non-revenge reasons, in the comics at least he has proven that he is incapable of being reformed and since writers like using him way too much, he consistently breaks out and murders people
Something I never noticed in all my playthroughs of this game was in the church the mosaic window in the center behind Joker is a depiction of the Archangel Michael (General of God's army in Christianity and is often prayed to specifically for protection particularly in times of war) flying over Lucifer, the Devil. This would be a depiction of the final days of Judgement in the Book of Revelations in the bible. Religion doesn't always get depicted in Batman stories but it's always interesting when they do, the Arkham series as a whole has a biblical theme to it like Cain carrying Abel in the painting at the start of A-City if you had the Catwoman DLC and the allusion to it by the end of the game as Batman carries Joker's corpse out of the theatre infront of crime alley where Bruce's parents were killed. I see this window as foreshadowing to the days ahead, despite A-Origins releasing a couple years before A-Knight and the developers not likely knowing what would happen in the next game, Knight was always set up to be a grand finale, days of judgement as Azrael told Batman in A-City and though Joker wasn't there in person he was still the main villain imo, the comparison between Joker and Lucifer is quite thematic as the devil is seen as the temptation of evil that one must battle within, much like by the end of the game Batman isn't fighting a human but an idea(an opposite to the idea that he's made to strike fear into criminals), he's fighting inner demons(the name of the track that plays when Joker first haunts him as he defuses the fear toxin bombs it so happens). Michael and Lucifer were brothers(drawing to the comparison between cain and abel, and batman and Joker again), quite often seen as two sides of the same coin, batman may not be the joker's brother but they are certainly two sides of the same coin and have almost always been depicted as such. Would be great to hear your thoughts on this in the Arkham knight video. Also great video just gained a sub :)
I seriously hope the Origins directors and producers and designers are seeing the love this game is getting as the years go on. When I played it on PC, I switched and must say it’s the best of the series. the writing and the boss fights and the vibe. Breaking into GCPD. The deathstroke fight. The firefly fight. It’s just really good and good to replay. In Arkham City the Mr Freeze fight kind of creates a central highlight n gameplay, but in Origins there are multiple points of challenge and novelty. The firefly flight in particular ages well and is something I look forward to. I never planned to, or thought I would, play this game through every couple years or so. I keep coming back to it. It’s like a classic movie. This is on PC though, with all the DX11 features, max settings. Origins was seriously hampered by the PS3. It’s almost not even worth playing on that platform, as the setting and visuals are nowhere near where they should be.
I dunno about my favorite Batman story, zdarsky's current one has been great, but if I had to chose one I would have to go with Snyder's. Court of the owls and endgame are just fun storys about Batman being a cool badass with character.
Arkham is the only series i can say is perfect. There are no bad games, only games that are not as good. City may be my favorite but Origins version of Bruce, Alfred, Victor, Bane and many others will be my favorites.
i literally have not played the arkham games, or even cared for batman, but everytime a new monty video comes out about these games i’m 100% in. makes me care about the character and also the stories more than i ever did. edit: also i love how harley quinn is kind of a parallel to how joker feels for batman, but i do want harley quinn to go to ivy because i kin harley and need her to not be abused anymore
@@TheAzulmagia yea i didnt expect it tbh since the games seem more just a batman story and not any other character that doesn’t directly interact with batman. which is great i just like my clown turned vegetarian
I had never played this game before about a year ago and coming off the back of The Batman walking around a snow filled Gotham with this angry vengeful Batman almost makes me feel like I can see the other universe where the Dark Knight game became a reality, was a success and they did it again and again until The Batman
There are 3 moments that are burned into my brain from this franchise. That being the batmobile introduction in Arkham Knight, "You of all people should know, there's plenty wrong with me" (you know what game) and the Joker reveal in Origins. 2 were pivotal plot moments and the other, a pivotal gameplay moment. I love this series so much. RIP Rocksteady. You will be missed ) ;
Saving me from a very slow day at the office, with a critique of the one Arkham game I loved but put down and never picked up again. Let’s see if I missed much.
Monty every one of these is a banger - keep em coming! Can't wait for the Arkham Knight vid, it's my favorite in the series and the only one I've completed 100%. Also glad we agree TLH is the best Batman story 😀
Another great analysis video. I know the lore dumps are probably easier (and more fun for you) to make, but it's the long form analysis that brought me to this channel, and it's the reason I'm sticking around. Also, I know your critique queue is probably booked through 2026, but I would love to see your take on the Legacy of Kain series. It's one of my favorite, and although the gameplay has aged like fine milk, the performances, story, and lore are some of my fondest video game memories.
We’ve made Lore Dump a separate channel and Chase/Neil are sharing the load there, so while patrons will get all of it, it means I can focus on the main channel while Lore Dump releases alongside it!
Been looking forward to this ! Underrated and overhated game . Has some of the best story moments and boss fights . Shame wb didn’t take advantage of these games and make a Arkham origins two before aslyum . Excited to watch / listen ‼️🙌
You did not mention how origins intro directly mirrors asylums intro with the ballistic glass. In asylum batman focuses and his first punch cracks the glass, in origins his emotions interfere and his shoulder check to the glass fails to do anything with batman only getting through the glass after crock cracks it
@@MontyZander the entire intro is a mock of the aslym intro. Batman arrives in a cool vehicle, meets some important member of administration, prisoners are released from cells for batman to fight, if course there's the glass scene, and you can even compare the commissiners death in the chamber at the hands of calendar man to the similar scene of zasz holding that gard hostage n the electrical chair. Even the killer croc segment can be closely compared to the first titan henchmen in asylum.
Well since it will will help the algorithm promote these wonderful videos walking me back through these amazing games it is with much love I thought about my favorite batman story. This is hard, because I haven't got the pleasure of experiencing many. So leaving the subconscious do its work I am reminded of how batman is cool enough visually to make me question why doesn't every hero have a cape since kindergarten(finding the dynamic drawing of spiderman gymnastics the only excuse) but dark enough to even question how is this a comic sometimes. The contrast of a comic hero in a cool costume with the serious and palpable darkness of real world crime is a testament to both how one can choose to be his best self even the darkest of times and how no matter how well one is prepared or how innocent and happy he may wish to be the human sickness will always seep in the for of crime and madness. Like a ying yang thing. That feeling was best conveyed to me not by a story, which I don't seem to have a good recollection of, but a panel. Batman examining the corpse of a murdered sex worker wearing a big cross. Feels like batman is just humbly and respectfully there to pay tribute to real life victims who are the real heroes by doing the least he can by avenging them. Including the criminals themselves. It's like in their essence these even in a seemingly comic setting these works value, acknowledge and showcase human suffering along with the ability to fight through and thus humanity in general. Or maybe that's just my fever typing ,go easy on me.
Being a patron and not utilising ad free for the past couple months is certifiably one of my smallest brain moves in recent times 🥴 I'm not a big Batman guy, and even found the games mediocre, but Monty you certainly make it enjoyable! I might actually have to jump in and try playing them again. Brb tho gotta finish GoW Ragnarok first.
One nice thing I like about the dlc is the switch in how Batman refers to Victor and Ferris, until he sees what happened to Mr. Freeze he refers to them as Fries and Ferris. After the reveal he switches to calling him Victor and calls Boyle by his last name
One drunk idiot explains Alan Wake to two drunk idiots who haven't played the game:
ruclips.net/video/QVyO4qRH5NE/видео.html&ab_channel=LoreDump
I've watched it just this week🤣
Ok.
1:18:02 I'd like to point out to you that WB Montreal were not the originators of this idea. Rocksteady inspired them with the B.A.T mode in Arkham city armored edition, the Wii-u version of Arkham City. I highly recommend it. I know based on the previous comment I made on your SSKTJL vid it may look like I'm making comments just to be negative, but I only point this stuff out to you because I love your videos.
Honestly my favorite superhero since a child. A hero who with money is still human and doesn’t technically build a shit like iron man but builds gadgets to enhance his human strength and doesn’t do it for publicity.
Croc looks less monstrous and threatening because over time he’s been becoming more animal like. You can track it over the course of the games. By the end he has a whole tail and is even bigger.
Yeah, the stress of his condition makes him worse and worse ):
Exactly 💯
Exactly 💯
I hope DC retcons him, or makes it so he can be the size he was when he debuted. He was a crime boss at the time and I thought he was more interesting that way.
@@jrob4795 Naaaaaah
Also, you forgot something cool about Batmans growth. After the fight with Cutioner, Bruce leaves him there like he's some regular criminal and at some point, Tracey announces that Cutioner is awake and after Batman. Batman realizes he made a mistake by not restraining Cutioner and calling the police after the fight. The first thing Bruce does after beating Deathstroke at the end of the same level is immediately tie up DS and contacts Alfred to inform the police. That was a cool detail to me
wow that is very cool
I bet he was planning to tie Cutioner up for the police but after all the thugs rush him he got so caught up in kicking ass he forgot about that guy entirely.
@Sage1Million nah. Bruce straight up says after the Tracey announcement that he just regarded him as another criminal in his way to get to Penguin and that he should have considered restraining him. He didn't forget. He just didn't bother to and realized his mistake after the fact (In which makes him inadvertently responsible for Cutioners death, because if he would of restrained cutioner off rip, cutioner would of never made it to the penthouse where Joker kills him haha)
@Sage1Million another bit of evidence of that is that cutioner is still on the ground after you finish the goon rush and Bruce comments on him being knocked out
@afroshima492 then batman would need another way to get past generators😅 game design killed electrocutioner
Bruce's argument with Alfred in the batcave is one of the best written exchanges in the franchise
Ikr
I would say it’s in the top ten most memorable lines/ sentences.
*That Is Fear* just goes so hard
I agree even if it's clearly Breaking Bad's "I AM THE ONE WHO KNOCKS!" dialogue between Walt and Skyler.
Funnily enough both Bryan Cranston and Jonathan Banks from Breaking Bad have voiced Jim Gordon in Batman media. Bryan Crantson voiced Jim Gordon in _Batman: Year One_ and Jonathan Banks voiced him in _Batman: Arkham Knight._
Bot
Bruce’s response being caught off guard by Alfreds forward-ness made it better fr
One small detail I loved in Cold Cold Heart, was when Mr. Freeze grabbed Ferris Boyle, after Batman interrupted his argument with the Penguin, and told Boyle "NOW YOU BELONG TO ME!" which was a reference to Mr. Freeze's interview tapes from Arkham City when he told Hugo Strange that before his accident as the guards were taking Nora out of the lab, Boyle told him that "she belonged him". I guess those words really stayed with Victor.
My personal favorite one, I love young Batman stories, I love seeing him fail and learn, he’s younger and angrier and it makes for a great story, and I love seeing the villains before they become what we know, the whole Enigma thing, Dr. Quinzel, and the early stages of everyone else
I love Origins because they finally did Bane justice.
That elevator scene is my favorite scene from the game.
This is my 2nd watch, and I'm sorry if u never see this, but your commentary is expert. Beyond that, the way you structure a video in a non-linear format inspires me as a general creator, and GOD DAMN you should be proud of this.
To get personal with the medium of RUclips I know how hard it is to appreciate your own work in its quality when you've made something in the past that you, and the public, are comparing to something new you've made.
But every Arkham video you've done holds up unequivocally, and I stand by them as an inspiration to my current and future long form content process that I have legit not said I was planning to do publicly other than this comment LMAO.
I recommend the videos you've made that I've given 2nd and 3rd watches/listens over the last years to folk as seminal. Even as a series of videos to watch, I would share them to anybody who shared my Batman interest with me, andto folk who just like solid commentary and game design and storytelling.
I would share it with folks who I knew from the very Commentary genre my career was birthed from 8 years ago, because I think they can appreciate and have the capacity to learn from your content the way I did. Please continue as long as it brings you joy and are comfortable doing so.
And if it you get no joy beyond a certain point, get a bag. Ngl that's unfortunately the most important point. Get a bag even if u do love this shit.
You are a g.
Its gay to sign a youtube comment but i like men,
Kwite
You know, a character that has always stood out to me these games in particular is The Riddler. Honestly in my opinion these games have the best depiction of The Riddler outside the comics. Wally Wingert who voiced the character in all 4 games always delivered such an incredible performance that always managed to perfectly capture Riddler's obsessive personality, massive ego and superiority complex.
I do wish they went more into the avenue of Batman being bad for his antagonists mental health. Like if he really tried to he could’ve turned many of them into allies against the real worst of the worst.
Imagine a Batman with allies in Killer Croc, Ivy, Clayface, Nigma, and Harvey from the very beginning.
Bane is able to be written as a good guy, Harley needs to be changed in the series to be redeemable imo and Azrael is basically a confused good guy.
As for the rest most of them left are just hireable assassins who can be bought off or used for alternative things, see Deadshot. Or mob bosses that should I just be imprisoned for life, see Sionis and Cobblepot.
After that Gotham could become a better crime reduced city
Also Anarky could’ve been turned into a great oracle type, multi functioning Ally.
@@captainblighe7297 And that will never happen because that would lead to boring stories.
Boring
@@captainblighe7297
"Imagine growing up looking like he did. Children can be cruel alfred" as someone with golden harr & 1 eye, I concur
One eye?
Like a pirate?
James Bond villain?
@@despacitodaniel801Yes exactly mate 🏴☠️
@@gman2419 a james bond villian pirate, life is beautiful.
I really appreciate that WB Montreal didn’t try to fix what wasn’t broken, they knew Rocksteady had already made a phenomenal system and worked off of that instead of starting from scratch.
The fact that they constantly wanted to be sure it felt true to the rest of the Arkham games is a testament to the respect they had for the franchise.
Heck I commend them for using Deathstroke, Firefly and even the recapping the detective vision crime stuff. Stuff and villains used in knight and honestly Deathstroke and Firefly were done better in Origins if I'm being honest
@@nobleskywalker4639And while Firefly was a spectacle, it was an enjoyable spectacle plus Batman and Gordon finally teamed up, so it has it’s place in the story.
They had more respect than rocksteady themselves have now.
I actually like the depiction of Croc in this game a lot. It's supposed to do both things he said, make us sympathize but also see the monster he is, because it makes later appearances more tragic. We see that he wasn't a complete monster before, had Batman helped him a little maybe his mental state wouldn't have declined with his physical one, which is also consistent. He's young and small in Origins, older and bigger in Asylum, and finally he's a massive monster in Knight, the end of his transition into beast. He kept getting bigger so of course he was way smaller before that.
I like how killer croc is younger and less imposing as it links to how over the series he becomes more and more animal like shown by his look in Arkham knight due his age and the experiments on him
They had to do that because of how different he looked in this
I'm astonished each time I play Origins by the character writing: it's not only the best in the series, but some of my favourite of the Batman mythos - surprisingly including Joker and Bane (a dynamic I never knew I'd love).
You know this game was definitely underrated when it first came out. More recently however people have gone back to this game and have praised it for its great story and amazing performances and it has in my opinion the second best story in the series with the first being Arkham City. It also has the best and most accurate depiction of Bane ever outside the comics.
Can't wait to see Monty blow up like he deserves there is already so much effort and quality in every essay he does. Legit one of my fav creators on this site.
Oh, you mean in popularity. I thought you meant literally
Indeed😊
@@stellarlight1387ohno!
I always thought the whole "I am vengeance...etc" mean: He is Vengeance = He will kick yo stank ass, He is the Night = You won't see it coming because he hides in the shadows, He is Batman = Bruce Wayne is the mask. Batman is his true identity.
The comparison between Origin and Year 2 is brilliant. two sort of spinoffs from two of the biggest and most acclaimed Batman stories in popular culture that aren't perfect by any mean yet still have artistic value on their own thats well worth discussing. never thought of that comparison before now and it's just brilliant.
Arkham origins is my favorite of the Arkham games. God it's just so fun. Troy bakers joker sold me on this game instantly. His introduction and gameplay sequence are perfect.
Never had much interest in Batman but this series made me want to learn more.
Another awesome entry in this series of videos! I do like that this game starts with Batman directly failing and that he does so on a more regular basis through the story. It indicates that while Batman can deal with issues directly and with his fists as he does through most of the game, it isn't the most effective way for Batman to deal with his villains. It's not just a story of him learning what he represents but also learning his best methods, both through more stealth and such as shown in later games, but also through his coordination with allies which makes him much more effective in the future.
I love how Batman takes down Electrocutioner hilariously, one-shotting him after good build-up, whereas Joker does it in a pretty dull and standard manner, shooting him and knocking him off a high building.
He shoots the glass and kicks Elecocutioner through it.
The cutscenes and the story are the absolute highlight of this game. Theres a reason why theres a video on youtube called arkahm origins the movie where there are just all of the cutscenes cut together. This game is so cinematic it feels like the most epic batman movie ever throughout
New Monty video let's goooo! I really like this game and think it's unfairly overlooked in the Arkham lineup. It has such a comicbook or animated film plot and I love it. Also people often credit Arkham Knight with the crime scene investigation/recreation gameplay but it was Origins that started it.
I would argue that the Black Mask reveal in the Gotham Merchants Bank is one of the best and creepiest Batman moments ever created. It’s so excellently done. You’ve got Black Masks voice changing, carol of the bells playing, joker doing his monologue and all the while the woman he just dosed with gas starts losing it and her laugh gets more and more out of control. It’s so well done, complain about the twist if you want. Years later I have less and less problems with it. These games are about the story of Joker and Batman. I’m replaying them again and the story flows great
‘Less’ problems? You mean fewer. Cmon americano, this is the only language you know, at least speak it properly.
But at the end of the day, this game series is only about joker and Batman because the publishers got scared. It wasn’t supposed to be. No reason it should have been. But the publishers don’t want to risk not having joker in a game.
I just want you to know you got me to replay every single one of these games monty, it takes me back to a time when games were just good, and not filled with bloat or half finished with a bunch of microtransactions
Holy crap I was NOT expecting an Origins video. This is my favourite game in the franchise and I'm so excited to watch
I may be misremembering, but I think Nigma was not getting ready to release the data he had collected, he was using it to blackmail them.
So while his targets were the same as Batman, their goals conflicted.
And lore wise, I didn't mind the network relays or data pads: Batman had only accessed the gcpd computer, so he's building up the bat tech presence.
And the data pads made sense- Nigma needed to store things.... But I think they would have been good opportunities for detective mode or other puzzles. Not only would Nigma just leave them on a random curb, there a ton that Nigma could never have got to. So they'd be locked up in extravagant ways
And without someone engineering them, puzzles requiring gadgets that nobody knew he had yet wouldn't make said.
But, as always: Yes. Too damned many.
He was going to release it as part of his plan. Cold Cold Heart even ends with him releasing the blackmail data he had on Mayor Hill's corruption, forcing him to be removed from office.
you know what is awful, I got all of the data packs and whatever, because I was going for 100% on the save. And I got all of the data packs and it didn't unlock the specific concept art which it was supposed to unlock when you collect all of the data packs. Which basically means my ambitions of 100% were dead since you need the concept art for 100%.
Luckily I looked it up to see if others had this problem and people did.
They found if you do 'I Am The Knight' mode to completion, it pushes you over the edge to be able to get to 100% despite missing said concept art. I was very lucky but I was stuck at 99% for a long time, almost made me never play the game again until I found the fix
The detail that you go into, while also bringing up the source material, the nods to the underlying themes explored in other media and perhaps your own thoughts, the oft-thoughtful narration -- delightful. Your work is very easy to experience. You're dedicated to your craft. Wonderful.
Here's hoping Arkham Knight is up next, and hopefully soon -- probably the most interesting release in the series. Looking forward to it.
Hey Monty, I just want to let you know that what I really appreciate about your videos and what I believe makes you stand out from other creators is your heavy focus on the themes and philosophy of the games you play; and how well they incorporate every other aspect into the themes. I love it!
1:43:25 "I'm not sure what Firefly tests.." our patience, this fight tests our friggin patience, lol
Another 2 hour banger of an analysis, perfect to listen to while I study for finals. Thanks Monty
Sidenote: _LegalEagle in my Monty Zander?!_ *The Crossover we didn't know we needed.*
0:46
And of course, as we know from Batman Beyond, apparently that never goes away. He thinks of himself AS Batman, and that's always going through his head.
Arkham Origins isn't Perfect I know But I love this game and specifically its representation of the Joker and Batman's Relationship, its the perfect showcase of how they Can't kill each other and Joker's Pure Obsession with Batman, it also shows Batman's Transformation From a rage filled machine to the Dark Knight, its just so well made imo
A "What-If" story or game (or even mutliple) set in this game and going from there where Bruce recruited Edward Nigma to his side and (maybe) semi-allied with Anarchy and his followers would be quite the thing. An alternate Arkhamverse.
Edward Nigma knows the importance of secret identities as he learned of what happened to Alfred as Bane uncovered the identity of Batman. So he took the name of the Riddler, mainly because he refused to go with a bat or bird theme. He wanted to be his own thing.
As the years progresses, Nigma's mental issues became more severe. Maybe in part due to exposition to various toxins used by certain criminals. Thankfully, he is not alone and he has other to help him keep himself grounded. In-game/in-story, we could have Riddler starts to go on about his genius intellect, only for Oracle/Batgirl to drag him back to earth. And the Riddler calms down after a few shallow then deep breaths and thanks her for it.
Nigma would be terrified of his mental issues because of what it means. He does not want to leave his allies, his friends, his family behind to go elsewhere and get help. Because what if they need him? But if his issues becomes too severe and he is Gotham, it means Arkham Asylum. Near Batman's greatest villains and most importantly, the Joker.
And Nigma is (rightfully) terrified of that possibility. What if he talks and reveals the secrets he holds? And so, he starts shaping his egomania, his showmanship, toward an individual who will not reveal a thing about the secrets he knows to those he deems lesser... and that means everyone except a few that he keeps sharpening the mind of.
Anarchy meanwhile would be a difficult ally to make. He would need guarantees, something to help him trust the Dark Knight. Anarchy says that he (and others) lack Batman's strength, skills and gadgets and thus cannot serve the cause of justice as Batman could. In a parallel of Jason Todd (hell, in such a continuity, Jason could have come to Batman's attention through Anarchy), Anarchy and his group shows that even criminal can change if given the chance.
It would be a difficult and shaky alliance. One that is more established during a version of Cold, Cold Heart. Where Anarchy could collaborate with Batman to take the fight to Gothcorp. Yet at the same time, Batman could challenge Anarchy's view of thing because the reason Fries accepted Boyle's deal was that he needed ressources and money he did not have on his own. And without enterprises, governments, institutions and corporations, how do you finance and work on the various advances in various fields?
Batman provides training and equipment (not to the same quality as his own) to the Sons of Anarchy and in exchange, the latter must not kill and serve justice. They serve as extra manpower that is not directly under Batman's control in times of crisis.
At the same time, Anarchy is eventually confronted with the truth of Batman's identity. Anarchy, who saw Corporations, establishments and the rich as the enemy to be torn down, learns about how Bruce Wayne chose to become Batman. And Anarchy has a chance to help Bruse Wayne better funnel his money in helping the less fortune. And yet, Anarchy has been helped by a corporation for all this time he worked with Batman. A crisis of faith, maybe.
I'm so glad you covered origins! It's probably my second favorite cause I just love a batman early in his career just like in year one or the 2022 film.
I actually really appreciate the fact that Enigma gives us some really straightforward things to do in the open world. Having just recently played all four games for the first time, back to back, I'm simply not that interested in solving Riddler's puzzles. If they're on the way, and I see the solution pretty easily, sure. And that meant I did a lot more of them in Asylum than City, because City's Riddler puzzles and trophies in City's open world nearly all required me to stop whatever else I was doing, and turn all of my attention on that. Asylum's were mostly only a couple of seconds and a few feet away from the main path. It not only felt tired and tedious in City (especially if I needed a gadget or an upgrade I didn't have yet), but it pushed up against my immersion, because Batman is on a pretty strict time limit throughout the game. I don't feel like he should be stopping during the main story to play games with Riddler, when Edward's not even really dangerous to anyone in any of the games until Knight, where he captures Catwoman. And since you get basically no progress in Riddler's storyline in City and Asylum from 0% completion of his tasks, to 99% completion of his tasks (other than his quips getting more distressed as you close in on 100%), it felt like the games were asking me to spend a RIDICULOUS amount of time and effort on side content, just to get any actual value out of his side plot.
In Origins though, I felt compelled to do the simpler stuff (and obviously the compulsory stuff), because the game quickly made it clear that it still rewarded me with more of Enigma's plot thread ALONG THE WAY. I got more legitimate conversations with him. And even though it's not the legitimate ending of his arc in the game, you DO get some sort of ending by just doing all of the simple Enigma content along the way. It allows people to engage with him pretty substantially, even if they aren't interested in random puzzles and collectibles. And you have clearly marked, obvious goals that take you just a few minutes to do from time to time... rather than seeing a list of 200+ random doodads... being expected to sus the location of them out of enemies if you don't wanna search blindly... and THEN solving a puzzle just to obtain each.
Arkham Knight continues Origins' interest in giving non-completionists more of the richest Riddler content, by tying Catwoman and MOST of Riddler's storyline into following his structured storyline, instead of the collectibles. Yes, the game fails to give you real catharsis unless you reach 100%. But it gives you legitimate motivation to play his games, gives you actually substantial puzzles and challenges as narrative quests along the way, and rewards you with the ability to help free Catwoman BEFORE the game says "Now clean up all the rest of his chores.". A player like myself doesn't feel left out.
I totally understand why a bunch of random boxes on the sides of buildings, and towers to unlock aren't rewarding for someone who really digs Enigma/Riddler's actual puzzles. But I think it was a fair compromise that benefits the people who are interested in the character and his interactions with Batman, but just don't have the patience for open world collectible shenanigans. They understood that it was important to limit the amount of time you have to spend on the boxes and towers, so that non-completionists aren't wasting tons of time, and for completionists, you can get all of the boxes and towers finished in 30 minutes of game time, to then focus your attention on the real puzzles.
LETS GO NEW MONTY CRITIQUE! I've done a full series replay of this series because of your videos so I'm excited to "compare notes" especially with this game. Though I love the concept and story for Origins, the game play really let me down in my last replay.
Hey Monty, first time commenter. Just wanted to let you know that every time I get a note that another long form critique has gone up, I get a huge smile. I really like your approach to these videos and find your insight informative and your humor entertaining. I found your vids when I went through a Bioshock retrospective binge and went back and watched your entire catalogue over a few days. Keep doing what you're doing mate, and know that we love you.
Dude, I found your channel after obsessing over “Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice”, and it’s incredible how you’ve refined your craft. I’ve also learned about and been recommended some incredible essayists directly from you or because of the YT algo. It’s great you’re truly giving Origins a fair shake, because of its reputation!
Like holy hell there are so many games that should deserve a Monty treatment, but I genuinely believe your style would be INCREDIBLE for the Mafia trilogy!
If this gane came out exactly as it did but with Rocksteady on the title screen, nobody would have bitched about it
So true tho I don’t care what others say I love Orgins.
SO excited
If you count the number of times Joker fires his revolver during the hotel sequence, it's actually likely it was empty by the time he pointed it at himself.
I also like the Cinematography in this game.
It's very handheld & fast paced and feels very unique from the other games.
Been looking forward to this!! For last week or so I've been constantly checking for an update, calculating when possibly you could publish new video. You'r critiques are absolutely fantastic! It's just pure pleasure to listen to you.
Thank you for the work you are doing!
To answer the joke call in this video, my favorite Batman story is Mask of the Phantasm.
It does a great job at giving us a look at how that Bruce became Batman and how his tragic romance was the final straw to that happening, it feels genuinely additive to the character and that part of his journey. The story itself also ties back to Monty’s video as it explores what embodying vengeance means compared to being fueled by it.
Fun fact, it's not shown here but implied that the way Bane figures out Bruce is Batman is what he says to him.
"You just ran out of time" it's exactly what he says to Vicki Vale at the start of the game when the interview is on screen. That's why the interview is on Bane's monitor.
Crocs designed is based on real life crocodiles. When theyre smaller, their teeth and scales are smooth and sfiter in their features. As they mature, their teeth and scales get more jagged and tougher and menacing. Rocksteady made Croc more and more animal like as the story progressed, so WB Montreal purposely designing Croc to resemble a young crocodile makes sense on the canon
“Babe come back to bed”
“No you don’t get it Monty Zander posted an Arkham Origins video”
My personal favourite of the Arkham games. Has some jank and peters out towards the final third but the story does itself well by focusing on characters rather than plot. A shame Gotham Knights flopped after this team did a great job understanding how to make a good Batman story.
Hi Mr Zander, just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate the time and amount of work you put into your videos.
I remember getting Arkham asylum randomly from my dad for a birthday. Little did I know how engrossed I’d be in it. These critiques always hit home for me. I was already a massive Batman fan at the time due to the animated series, the comics I’d had, and the movies. But this game series made me double down on it and I’ve since become an avid Batman comic collector (to answer your question about best Batman story I have a soft spot for Scott Snyder’s and Greg capullos run on Batman. Best modern joker, one of the best riddler stories in zero year, great new villains with Mr bloom and court of owls. Really felt like they expanded the mythos of the bat especially given the incredible task of a soft reboot that was the new 52). You hit the nail on the head with this critique as to why I remember it though. The combat and gameplay didn’t exactly break the mold for me but was just “more of what I wanted”, to be Batman. What really sticks out to me is the story. I think origins really nailed its characters and the story they wanted to tell and everyone involved gave great performances. It has sections of its games and cutscenes that always stand out to me. Batman on the ground at jokers feet, waking up next to a smiling corpse of a bank manager. All of the build up to deathstrokes fight. Just to name a few. I love this series and every critique you do for the series reminds me of what made them so great not just as a Batman fan but as a video game fan. There’s a reason a colloquial term in gaming is now “Arkham-esque”. And the way you incorporate source comics to these critiques to draw parallels always makes me happy to see. You never fail to do your research and your passion always comes through Monty, great work as always.
Also Arkham-verse on lore dump? I’m so beyond hype that I might as well be Terry McGinnis.
Not until 2024! We’ve got Remedy, Red Dead, and Bioshock to clear through first but it’s definitely going to be next year!
@@MontyZander oh I’m aware, I’ve been engrossed in the remedy verse videos so far, even started playing control in preparation for it, especially after watching your critique for control. And I’ve heard good things about quantum break as well from my friend whose played all of them. Needless to say I’m excited and can’t wait to see this and the lore dump channel grow to new heights this year for you and the guys.
38:26 They do use mines. Have you been playing on lower difficulties or something that they didn't show up?
I've been playing on new game plus and I am the night and plenty of them show up in stealth rooms.
I saw them on hard especially banes crew
I am like halfway through the game and I really like banes look and how he is smart too and isn’t just a big brute
Yeah I agree with what you said
I always felt like an Origins appologist. It really is not a bad game, just not as good as the others. Its kind of a Dark Souls 2 deal.
It really brought some cool things with it that the others didn't have, namely the detectived mode upgrade. *chefs kiss*
One thing I'd like to add to your combat argument is that origins is a poster perfect example of how important sound design is. I think one of the contributing facotrs to why combat in origins feels off is that the punches just don't sound as crunchy and satisfying as they do in the other three. Take a listen and they sound noticeably more mute and cushiony.
The thing with memory loss is something Bane himself was investigating and was foreshadowed when Batman finds his hideout. So it didn't come out completely out of nowhere. He's revived, angry and doesn't think twice fully knowing the consequences. He doesn't care who Batman is, he wants an excuse for a good fight. That's why he doesn't tell anyone.
And the fact that Bane find out Batman's identity using the first line that was shown of him as Bruce Wayne in the game is just excellent.
I truly love Arkham Origins' Bane, his best iteration in the series in my opinion.
Great, another Arkham retrospective series that I didn’t ask for (I did ask for it, I will be watching them all in the coming days).
Blows my mind at how many people and rocksteady ignore this game it’s definitely on par with the other games imo
Another GREAT review and analysis that digs deeper into things that I'm not even thinking about!
Your series of Arkham video essays really are special
Most of the retrospectives on the Arkham series are awesome.
Can't believe I have never seen this channel before. Here I was thinking I didn't need YT premium anymore, and then 8+ hours of Arkham critiques appear on my feed. Roped me back in - very well done videos, can't wait to watch the others!
Awesome! I always get extra hyped over lore dump announcements. Also, this video is good too
Call me crazy but gliding in Pioneer's bridge was relaxing to me, don't know why
I swear the voice actor for Jim Gordon also voices like 100 npcs in Skyrim
The Crime Reenactment was the best upgrade that this game brought to the table.
Great Video! Love your Work and I'm always excited to see a new one uploaded. Thanks for the hard work and Entertainment you provide.
0:14 pretty sure he could kill the joker in the comics for perfectly valid non-revenge reasons, in the comics at least he has proven that he is incapable of being reformed and since writers like using him way too much, he consistently breaks out and murders people
Another one for the history books. These videos continue to be some of if not the best deep dives into the art of video games. Excellent job
Cheers!
You missed the opportunity to call him a Cobblepopsicle
Something I never noticed in all my playthroughs of this game was in the church the mosaic window in the center behind Joker is a depiction of the Archangel Michael (General of God's army in Christianity and is often prayed to specifically for protection particularly in times of war) flying over Lucifer, the Devil. This would be a depiction of the final days of Judgement in the Book of Revelations in the bible. Religion doesn't always get depicted in Batman stories but it's always interesting when they do, the Arkham series as a whole has a biblical theme to it like Cain carrying Abel in the painting at the start of A-City if you had the Catwoman DLC and the allusion to it by the end of the game as Batman carries Joker's corpse out of the theatre infront of crime alley where Bruce's parents were killed. I see this window as foreshadowing to the days ahead, despite A-Origins releasing a couple years before A-Knight and the developers not likely knowing what would happen in the next game, Knight was always set up to be a grand finale, days of judgement as Azrael told Batman in A-City and though Joker wasn't there in person he was still the main villain imo, the comparison between Joker and Lucifer is quite thematic as the devil is seen as the temptation of evil that one must battle within, much like by the end of the game Batman isn't fighting a human but an idea(an opposite to the idea that he's made to strike fear into criminals), he's fighting inner demons(the name of the track that plays when Joker first haunts him as he defuses the fear toxin bombs it so happens). Michael and Lucifer were brothers(drawing to the comparison between cain and abel, and batman and Joker again), quite often seen as two sides of the same coin, batman may not be the joker's brother but they are certainly two sides of the same coin and have almost always been depicted as such. Would be great to hear your thoughts on this in the Arkham knight video. Also great video just gained a sub :)
I seriously hope the Origins directors and producers and designers are seeing the love this game is getting as the years go on. When I played it on PC, I switched and must say it’s the best of the series. the writing and the boss fights and the vibe. Breaking into GCPD. The deathstroke fight. The firefly fight. It’s just really good and good to replay. In Arkham City the Mr Freeze fight kind of creates a central highlight n gameplay, but in Origins there are multiple points of challenge and novelty. The firefly flight in particular ages well and is something I look forward to. I never planned to, or thought I would, play this game through every couple years or so. I keep coming back to it. It’s like a classic movie. This is on PC though, with all the DX11 features, max settings. Origins was seriously hampered by the PS3. It’s almost not even worth playing on that platform, as the setting and visuals are nowhere near where they should be.
I dunno about my favorite Batman story, zdarsky's current one has been great, but if I had to chose one I would have to go with Snyder's. Court of the owls and endgame are just fun storys about Batman being a cool badass with character.
Morrison's run is godtier
Arkham is the only series i can say is perfect. There are no bad games, only games that are not as good. City may be my favorite but Origins version of Bruce, Alfred, Victor, Bane and many others will be my favorites.
Yessss! So happy this is up! Only long-ass reviews that are entertaining the whole way through.
I could listen to you talk about Batman all day. Good stuff
I love young Batman because he seems more human. His widened eyes when scared, his raised voice when angry, his clear show of emotion is so cool
i literally have not played the arkham games, or even cared for batman, but everytime a new monty video comes out about these games i’m 100% in. makes me care about the character and also the stories more than i ever did.
edit: also i love how harley quinn is kind of a parallel to how joker feels for batman, but i do want harley quinn to go to ivy because i kin harley and need her to not be abused anymore
Unfortunately, Harley and Ivy barely interact in the Arkham series.
@@TheAzulmagia yea i didnt expect it tbh since the games seem more just a batman story and not any other character that doesn’t directly interact with batman. which is great i just like my clown turned vegetarian
-100 for using RTA remasterers still the best Arkham retrospectives on the platform imo
Can't remember the name but my fav Batman story is the one where joker kidnaps Tim and takes him on a murderous Christmas joyride
I can honestly say this is a well put together critique and I love it. Hopefully I can see some more high quality work like this👍🏽
I had never played this game before about a year ago and coming off the back of The Batman walking around a snow filled Gotham with this angry vengeful Batman almost makes me feel like I can see the other universe where the Dark Knight game became a reality, was a success and they did it again and again until The Batman
There are 3 moments that are burned into my brain from this franchise. That being the batmobile introduction in Arkham Knight, "You of all people should know, there's plenty wrong with me" (you know what game) and the Joker reveal in Origins. 2 were pivotal plot moments and the other, a pivotal gameplay moment. I love this series so much. RIP Rocksteady. You will be missed ) ;
I saw the notification for this right as my shift started at 9. So glad I'm finally able to watch it.
Saving me from a very slow day at the office, with a critique of the one Arkham game I loved but put down and never picked up again. Let’s see if I missed much.
Monty every one of these is a banger - keep em coming! Can't wait for the Arkham Knight vid, it's my favorite in the series and the only one I've completed 100%.
Also glad we agree TLH is the best Batman story 😀
Another great analysis video. I know the lore dumps are probably easier (and more fun for you) to make, but it's the long form analysis that brought me to this channel, and it's the reason I'm sticking around. Also, I know your critique queue is probably booked through 2026, but I would love to see your take on the Legacy of Kain series. It's one of my favorite, and although the gameplay has aged like fine milk, the performances, story, and lore are some of my fondest video game memories.
We’ve made Lore Dump a separate channel and Chase/Neil are sharing the load there, so while patrons will get all of it, it means I can focus on the main channel while Lore Dump releases alongside it!
The long Halloween is my favourite Batman story too
Bruce's arc in Arkham origins is very similar to that of The Batman
49:05 because he’s a hacker threatening to steal information from everyone and use it as a wide world blackmail
I wonder what the odds were that I’d listen to this, get to the patreon part and hear someone with my name 🤣🤣
just binge watched all your batman videos, incredible work ! absolutely looking forward to the next part and what else you have coming up !!
Extremely well-done analysis, as always 👍 glad this game got some attention
Been looking forward to this ! Underrated and overhated game . Has some of the best story moments and boss fights . Shame wb didn’t take advantage of these games and make a Arkham origins two before aslyum . Excited to watch / listen ‼️🙌
You did not mention how origins intro directly mirrors asylums intro with the ballistic glass. In asylum batman focuses and his first punch cracks the glass, in origins his emotions interfere and his shoulder check to the glass fails to do anything with batman only getting through the glass after crock cracks it
I didn’t spot that - good catch!
@@MontyZander the entire intro is a mock of the aslym intro. Batman arrives in a cool vehicle, meets some important member of administration, prisoners are released from cells for batman to fight, if course there's the glass scene, and you can even compare the commissiners death in the chamber at the hands of calendar man to the similar scene of zasz holding that gard hostage n the electrical chair. Even the killer croc segment can be closely compared to the first titan henchmen in asylum.
This is such an incredible series, can't wait to see your next analysis!
Constantly refreshing my subscription feed to finally see this gem! Let’s go!!!
Well since it will will help the algorithm promote these wonderful videos walking me back through these amazing games it is with much love I thought about my favorite batman story. This is hard, because I haven't got the pleasure of experiencing many. So leaving the subconscious do its work I am reminded of how batman is cool enough visually to make me question why doesn't every hero have a cape since kindergarten(finding the dynamic drawing of spiderman gymnastics the only excuse) but dark enough to even question how is this a comic sometimes. The contrast of a comic hero in a cool costume with the serious and palpable darkness of real world crime is a testament to both how one can choose to be his best self even the darkest of times and how no matter how well one is prepared or how innocent and happy he may wish to be the human sickness will always seep in the for of crime and madness. Like a ying yang thing. That feeling was best conveyed to me not by a story, which I don't seem to have a good recollection of, but a panel. Batman examining the corpse of a murdered sex worker wearing a big cross. Feels like batman is just humbly and respectfully there to pay tribute to real life victims who are the real heroes by doing the least he can by avenging them. Including the criminals themselves. It's like in their essence these even in a seemingly comic setting these works value, acknowledge and showcase human suffering along with the ability to fight through and thus humanity in general. Or maybe that's just my fever typing ,go easy on me.
Being a patron and not utilising ad free for the past couple months is certifiably one of my smallest brain moves in recent times 🥴
I'm not a big Batman guy, and even found the games mediocre, but Monty you certainly make it enjoyable!
I might actually have to jump in and try playing them again. Brb tho gotta finish GoW Ragnarok first.
One nice thing I like about the dlc is the switch in how Batman refers to Victor and Ferris, until he sees what happened to Mr. Freeze he refers to them as Fries and Ferris. After the reveal he switches to calling him Victor and calls Boyle by his last name