Last week, Eidos and Rocksteady Studios dropped a bombshell in the form of Batman: Arkham Asylum. Not only was it thoroughly enjoyable, but it could potentially end up being one of 2009’s Game of the Year contenders. Even with its near-perfection total game package, there were still a few flaws found in Batman: Arkham Asylum that should be addressed the next time around, when a sequel hits store shelves. So what’s our objective today? We are ready to serve up gamers with propositions that need to be closely analyzed by Eidos and Rocksteady when they are preparing to announce a sequel to Arkham Asylum. So without further ado, let’s begin with the villains that should show their ugly mugs the next time around.
Batman’s Rogues Gallery of Enemies:
1. The Riddler
Purpose: Manipulator / Main Villain - If gamers have played through Batman: AA, they’ll know that the pesky Riddler was in Batman’s earpiece throughout the campaign mocking him as they tried to solve his riddles. Well, Rocksteady should follow up the sequel immediately after the crusades of the first with Batman entering Gotham City to stop Two-Face’s bank robbery. Soon after Two-Face’s arrest, The Riddler could show his face and let Batman in on the cruel game he has set up for Batman – the manipulation of creating a war between the mobsters in Gotham that Batman has to stop.
2. Two-Face
Purpose: Crime Lord, introduction of game - Immediately after Batman: AA ends, Commissioner Gordon heard over the police radio that Two-Face has robbed a bank; thus, Batman is sent off ready to arrest the perpetrator. This is where the sequel should pick up and allow for returning gamers to feel the attachment from the first to the second game. Two-Face may be a much larger villain needing to being fleshed out, but taking him down at the start of the next game would allow for gamers to understand how grand the sequel really is.
3. Black Mask
Purpose: Crime Lord - As one of the two proposed mobs running the underground scene in Gotham City, he is manipulated into a war with The Penguin by The Riddler that Batman has to stop. In the comics, he has worked with The Penguin in the past and also has ticked off The Catwoman for drug trafficking. Well, Rocksteady could do something similar but have him aligned on opposite sides of The Penguin. As a martial artist, he has been able to hold his ground against Batman and Catwoman, so his addition would allow for hand-to-hand combat to occur within a boss battle. For his boss battle, he’d probably utilize weaponry in firearms that Batman would have to overcome to overthrow this crime lord.
4. The Penguin
Purpose: Rival Crime Lord - Oswald Cobblepot is one of the most notorious villains from Batman’s Rogues Gallery and needs to be included the next time around for popularity’s sake. In a dead heat with Black Mask and Two-Face as the leader of the crime syndicate in Gotham City, The Penguin is drawn into the war with Black Mask after Two-Face was taken down early in the game by Batman. While not Batman’s equal in hand-to-hand combat, The Penguin should show his strengths with using umbrellas that double as machine guns, flamethrowers, missile launchers, and a mini-helicopter when in combat.
5. Catwoman
Purpose: Her role in the sequel should revolve a cat-and-mouse game with Black Mask that Batman enters in the middle of unknowingly. Perhaps after a battle or two with the woman who dresses as a cat, Batman could join forces with her to take down the nefarious Black Mask once and for all.
6. Mr. Freeze
Purpose: Distraction - Dr. Victor Fries’ participation in the sequel needs to involve his breakout of Arkham Asylum with the help of The Riddler to complicate Batman’s movement to end the war between the mobsters. A boss battle against Mr. Freeze would permit many new gadgets for our caped crusader to take advantage of and give players a break from the war with the mob. His role would ultimately be akin to Poison Ivy’s in Batman: Arkham Asylum
7. Any of the following: Red Hood, Bane, Killer Croc, and/or The Mad Hatter
Purpose: Lackey to one of the mobsters, preferably The Penguin - Adding in a seventh villain would trump the original’s cast of six Batman baddies. Of the sort that I’d want to see, Bane or Killer Croc could easily return as a hired gun to stop Batman from advancing on one of the mobster’s stronghold. If they decide to go with Red Hood then Rocksteady Studios could easily provide a brilliant hand-to-hand battle with our beloved ex-Robin. Lastly, if they opted to use The Mad Hatter, they could ultimately replace Scarecrow’s segments with their The Mad Hatter’s own mazes and puzzles to solve. Either way, one of these four villains should be used to keep the action never-ending.
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