Four Player Co-Op 08.26.09: Free Arkham Asylum, Home’s Batcave, Fable III, More

Posted by John De Large on 08.26.2009

Would you ,or your avatar, want to live in the Batcave? Would you get a new graphics card if it came with Arkham Asylum? Would you want a new motivation in the next Fable? And what made summer awesome for our staff?! Check out the full article for all the details!

John De Large has joined the game.
Sean Garmer has joined the game.
Jacob Lopez has joined the game.
Rod Oracheski has joined the game.

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1.Home will feature a Batcave theme, available to those who purchase
the game on PS3. That's kind of a clever extra, no?

John De Large

I don't use Home, but I can see how this might attract the latent homosexual Batman fan. You know the type, the ones that send you pics of Batman and Robin making out....ROD.

Sean Garmer

Yeah, that is a clever way to try and bank on all the people that will be buying the game. Well for those that even use HOME anyway, I've heard its not the most popular of features. I have a friend that is all about Batman and I'm sure there are many others like him that would wanna have a theme like that.

Jacob Lopez

It's ok. Not really a selling point like being able to play as the Joker, but still a nice little extra for PS3 owners. Of course it won't make much of a difference because everyone who buys Arkham Asylum will be too busy playing it to even bother with Home. The people on Home will be too busy dancing in the square all day to even notice Arkham Asylum.

Rod Oracheski

At least it's not something cut from the game, which is a positive. The downside is...well, does anyone honestly care about Home? I'd have to update the thing for 20 minutes, just so I can go to my Batcave and for what - just to look at the Batmobile? I don't think that's going to make someone pick it up on the PS3 over the 360, which has a slight technical edge in anti-aliasing, SSAO, and screen tearing, even if you don't have to wait in line to look at the Batmobile. The Joker challenge levels though, that's more of an incentive, even though I'm not a huge fan of the combat challenges after multiple electric baton and knife enemies proved more frustrating than fun.

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2. Speaking of Batman, Nvidia is going to give away Batman: Arkham Asylum FREE (via a voucher) when you buy one of three graphics cards. Nvidia is right to jump on the Batman bandwagon.

John De Large

I agree with Jacob, for a lot, lot less you could pick up JUST the game, or for almost the same amount, you can pick up the game AND the new system! Unless you NEED a new video card, this deal seems ridiculous.

Sean Garmer

Why not? This is one of the biggest games of the year that people will buy, so they have every right to get on the bandwagon. It's good business to try to get anyone that may want the game and needs a new graphics card a deal.

Jacob Lopez

Sounds alright to me. The game is getting a lot of press right now, and why not encourage people to pop in a new card so that they can enjoy one of the most highly anticipated games this season.

Disclaimer: I don't know a damn thing about PC gaming, and just saw that the things cost like 400+ bucks, I think I would rather just get a PS3 and the game...for less.

Rod Oracheski

It's a great looking new game from a popular franchise and it makes good use of their cards. Sounds smart all around to me. They should do this with more games, as having a new game to showcase their new card is one of those things that helps tip consumers over into 'buy' territory.

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3. The NPD predicts that the PS3 will improve in sales. With the PS3 Slim about to be sold for $300 and the 360 Elite about to be sold for $300 (at least at Wal-Mart it is), which price cut impacts you more?

John De Large

Neither, actually. These days, it's all about the PSP, Tactics, Power Stone and TF2 on the PC (well, for me at least). NEXT!

Sean Garmer

I agree with the NPD because I've been saying that a price cut has been deeply needed for the PS3. Now that means maybe I can ask for the PS3 for Christmas and my family might actually agree to buy it for me. I already have a 360, so the Elite going down in price does nothing for me, unless I ever need to buy another 360. Cause really all I have to do now is get the 120 GB hard drive for it and I'm set. It is a smart move by Microsoft to phase out the 20GB models and give gamers another good selling point along with XBOX Live, that you can get the biggest hard drive available with the system. This is a win for both Sony and Microsoft, but Sony should see sales increase now, plus that Slim model looks cooler and weighs less. I just wish they would make it backwards compatible so I could get rid of my PS2.

Jacob Lopez

PlayStation 3 for sure. The thing has needed a price cut for God knows how long. The 360 was already affordable if you chose to just go with the Pro or (some will argue useless) Arcade for 200 bucks. But the PS3 has been locked in at $400 for too long, and it was starting to take a toll on Sony. I really hope that the sales pick up, because believe it or not, I want all consoles to succeed - More games for me to play.

Rod Oracheski

The NPD seems to be predicting the obvious. A console will sell better after a price drop? Amazing!

As for which price drop will affect me more, it's neither one really, as I already have both. If I were looking for a second Blu Ray player, I'd probably still hold out to get a cheaper standalone instead of dropping $300 on a second PS3, and the Xbox 360 of choice for those picking up a second (or third, for Forza 3's completely awesome three-screen mode) is the Arcade - not the Elite.

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4. There's another Fable on the way. You're praying that something else will motivate the main character this time, instead of the same "Oh no, dead family members, must get revenge," tripe.

John De Large

I think that heartbreak would be a better motivator for an ambiguous hero. Think about it: break-ups/getting dumped have a huge impact on one's character. Haven't you ever seen a really bad break-up where one party gets dumped and says: "I'll show them!" and then they go off and do a bunch of stuff or undergo a radical personality/appearance change (even if it's temporary)? Conversely, haven't you ever run into someone out there who becomes empathetic when they get their heart broken? It's almost like because they get hurt, they tend to sympathize with other people who are hurt or in trouble (which if you asks me sounds more virtuous AND more relate-able than the average JRPG hero). So yeah, do away with stupid revenge motivation and pack on the heartache, since more people will sympathize with someone heartbroken (as it's more realistic) than someone who's entire life got wrecked and now they want to start killing people (which is complete fantasy).

Sean Garmer

I think I've said this before that I don't like RPG's like Fable that make you make the story and give you little to no direction. I like my linear storylines that may have at most a few branching points, but overall have one direction. Especially ones that all have a big climax and give you a great sense of accomplishment when its over like, reading a book. However, I would say that it is always good to have characters that are motivated by different things. Having a main character that is always angry or upset because of his family dying is lame. How bout just having a main character who wants to win just for the hell of it?

Jacob Lopez

Being that I have not played the series at all, because I don't have a 360 (blew all my money on the PS3 long before the price cut) I don't have much of an opinion on the game. But yes, games as a whole should try to get away from the same few scenarios. You know, whiny little pretty boys in my SquareEnix RPGs, heavily armed rugged soldiers on future battlefields and all that other stuff. Oh, and while we're at it, let's get rid of those damned QTEs.

Rod Oracheski

I don't think it really matters too much, as RPG fans obviously don't mind playing the same basic story again and again and again with some slight tweaks (see: Final Fantasy, Dragon Warrior, etc...) though something new is always welcome. From what I caught of the GamesCom conference it sounded more like an 'overthrowing tyranny - regaining power' type story, so we may be in for something new. I'd rather see a deeper combat system. Being able to combo together sword and spell was interesting, but I want more meat on the sword side of things.

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BONUS! There sure are a lot of PS1 games available via PSN. Name your favorite PS1 game.

John De Large

Sean Garmer

Final Fantasy IX for me, it's my favorite FF because it returned FF on the PS1 to its roots, its the best in the whole series for me. The FMV Scenes are the best in the PS1 series, the story was great because it went a little beyond the save the world, save the girl, love deal. It ventured into themes of "racism", telling people that its OK to be unique or different also in the case of Zidane and Vivi. Discovering that the main character and villain are related was quite cool too (though it wasn't too far off from the friend angle between Cloud and Sepiroth in FF VII.) The battle system is old school Final Fantasy but I love it, the characters were the usual mix but it all came together in a four disc epic adventure that I can still play to this day.

Jacob Lopez

I just bitched about a bunch of games, now I am going to talk about some of the ones I like. So I present to you, a short list of some PSX games I really like:
-Metal Gear Solid
-Tomba
-Psychic Force
-Poy Poy
-Silent Hill

Rod Oracheski

Probably Carnage Heart, a game that didn't prove very popular with the mass market. Robots fighting robots, and you used a tile-based interface to lay out your robot's AI routine. See enemy -> fire missile -> jump right -> target enemy style stuff. It was pretty hard to lay out an effective AI tile path for all situations, which made it very rewarding to get something that worked well.

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DOUBLE BONUS! The summer is ending, time to re-cap! Name one movie, one game, one food, one memory and add in one other random thing about this summer that ruled.

John De Large

Movie: Inglorious Basterds. Holy crap, that movie was the tits! It's a little dialogue heavy, but that makes the gore and violence even better after waiting patiently for the movie's violent and eerie climax. Also, Brad Pitt as Aldo Raine is f*ck-mothering hilarious.

Game: Team Fortress 2 (and the new upgrades!) Now I can spycamp, revolver gunsling as The Spy!

Food: KFC Original Recipe Strips. If you're hungrier than ever, get the $5 strips box with fries and tell them to pack on the ketchup.

Memory: E3 trip and meeting the writers, the boss and getting free stuff/networking! Putting names with faces at E3 was fun, too. The two dudes that surprised me most were Sean and Ramon. I didn't expect Sean to look so clean-cut, after he told me he was once a wrestler. I totally expected a Long Island indy wrestler with bleach blonde hair, a spray on tan, an Italian accent, and for him to say "bro," a lot. Instead, Sean is mad smart and relaxed as hell. If his heart rate goes above 50, I'd be surprised. Another big surprise was meeting Ramon. I honestly didn't expect Ramon to look like Rey Mysterio without the steroids....or be straight. I saw a Facebook picture of him and I thought my boss was going to lisp like Jack Swagger and try to hook up with Jacob.

That ended up not being the case and Ramon not only is he one of the coolest and pimp-est dudes alive, he's irresistible to PR chicks. In fact, just by throwing his name around in front of the opposite sex at E3, you can get free stuff and admission to closed events where there'll be more free stuff and alcohol (NO, REALLY). Then, when Ramon announced an E3/Vegas doubleshot next year, I almost needed to change my pants. That trip sounds like it could be made of dreams, epic, God and win with a little bit of awesome on the side. Only a true pimp of the nation would dare to even dream it, let alone suggest it and plan it! Hopefully, my heart, liver, nethers and wallet can handle it!

Random: Graduation from Dowling College! I now have a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in creative writing. All this really means (as far as my family tells me) is that now I go for more psych classes or get a leg up on everyone else applying for entry level jobs. At least I got the piece of paper that says: "Holy crap, JDL got this far?! I'm shocked too. Oh well, good job!"

Sean Garmer

Movie: I watched a movie by myself in the theatre called Ponyo (because no one else wanted to see it with me.) It's the newest Studio Ghibli film and it wasn't just beautiful but told a sweet story about a fish that becomes a girl in anime style of course. Anyone that loves weird movies, anime, or just animated films in general I recommend it.

Food: Ice Cream made my summer a lot better and made the heat much more bearable.

Memory: Getting to go to E3 with some of the 411 guys is something I'll never forget and I hope I can go next year.

Game: Rock Band 2 and the anticipation for Beatles: Rock Band has made my summer. My sister's boyfriend came down to Texas for a week and got hooked on it so much that he bought the RB2 bundle when he got home. So then I go to Miami for three weeks and my stepbrother and his girlfriend play the game with me and then they go buy the RB2 bundle as well. The best part was seeing my mom rock out on the guitar, sure its plastic and shows you in no way how to play a real guitar, but my mom having fun with a video game is something I thought I'd never see.

Random: Being that I only get to see my mom twice a year getting to be with her for a little bit is always nice. I started to watch the Beatles Anthology while I was up there because I'd had never seen it. Since I've turned into a big Beatlemaniac since I've known about the TB:RB game I figured well this should be interesting. Since my mom is from Venezuela I didn't know that the Beatles had reached even over there (I actually found out they were supposed to have a concert there but had to cancel it.) So when I start watching it and my mom starts singing all the songs with me that was something I never expected, especially since she is one of those super Christians that other than watching very little TV and watching movies, everything else she does is all Christian. It was one of those memories that stick with you for a while cause it surprised me so much.

Jacob Lopez

Movie: Watchmen. Yeah, so what? I liked it.
Game: Sin & Punishment 2, for which I will have to wait a long time to play again (It was an E3 floor demo.)
Food: Pink's Hotdogs and In-N-Out Burgers! I had two in less than a three hour span! Those things are the shiznit! Animal Style! I want one right now. :(
Memory: I got to shake Miyamoto's hand. I was actually kinda giddy about that.
Random: Sony finally decided to lower the price on the PS3. Good, those things need to sell. Oh yeah, and we got to watch that awesome dancer dude who told mark to be kind to his mama.

Rod Oracheski

Movie - Watchmen. Didn't see it in theaters, holding out for the Blu Ray release, and I wasn't disappointed at all when I finally got to check it out. Great rendition of the comic series, even with the concessions that had to be made for the new format.

Game - Batman: Arkham Asylum. Absolutely amazing game, the best superhero game I've ever played and probably the best licensed game as well. Easy contender for Game of the Year at this point. I hope it sells extremely well, to show that comic book games don't need to be amovie tie-in anymore.

Food - In the summer there's nothing like grilling steaks outside.That's going to come to an end in a couple months though.

Memory - Taking off for a three-day bachelor party that included UFC 100 was probably the highlight of the year so far. Everyone had a great time and nobody got arrested or hurt - except Frank Mir.

Random - Cell phone customers starting to get pissed about North America's high prices and shitty service and pushing back against the companies that should be doing a lot better jobs, that's new this year and, to paraphrase The Miz....IT'S AWESOME. It's about time we got better service and lower prices over here. Japan has 4G and we're just starting to get 3G - AND we're paying more? How the hell does that work? Good job, consumers - stay pissed and get this fixed.

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UNTIL NEXT TIME....



Peace!