Four game experiences in one – PlayStation.Blog

“What would Gotham be without Batman?”

It’s a question that feels almost infringing, but one of Gotham Knights’ thrillingly detailed answers — WB Games developer Montréal is exploring what happens to a city stripped of its guardians. its iconic defense.

As shown in the first preview back when the game was first revealed, instead of clad in the mantle of the Caped Crusader, Gotham Knights puts you in the canvas shoes of Batman’s guardian character in single-player or online two-player co-op. Play as Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin, or Red Hood as they team up to mourn their mentor and keep the city safe. One will become the Gotham Guardian when the game ends, but you must choose which character will be as you go through their journey of grief, duty, and… weightlifting. There’s a lot of exercise going on in Belfry.

Nightwing is definitely a gym fanatic. Harley Quinn didn’t give him the nickname ‘Nightbutt’ for nothing.

After visiting the WB Games Montréal studio for two hours of actual gameplay, it’s fair to say the decision won’t be easy. The practice session introduces several areas of the game at various points in the story. First, look at the beginning of our crime warriors’ journey as they reel from the loss of Batman and pick up the mysterious work he left behind, and then jump into a hours to begin Harley Quinn’s villain arc (and then still her boss fight), providing a closer look at the powers these superheroes can wield.

You can switch between the four playable characters with a quick trip to the Bell Tower, aka the central hub of Gotham Knights, and while they all share a core control scheme When it comes to ranged and melee combat prompts, Gotham Knights does an admirable job in infusing each hero with their distinct personality and unique abilities.

Batgirl is a hacker who specializes in one-on-one combat, with a fluid approach to moving and disarming enemies unlike classic Batman. Armed with tech abilities like overcharging enemy weapons to deal bioelectric damage or using AR mode to infiltrate nearby devices, her battle feels powerful and exactly, a testament to Bruce Wayne’s training that she has forged her own style.

Nightwing can be your support character with his teammates buffs, but he also excels at acrobatics and pitching between enemies in battle. Playing as Nightwing is a more frenetic experience; he thrives on taking out large groups of enemies by moving lightning fast, getting in before they can fight back – as does the aforementioned Nest power, which offers defensive and healing bonuses. blood for friendly characters for stronger teamwork.

Then you have young Robin – a master of stealth, using stealth attacks and pounces from above, while completing the side quest is Red Hood, an aggressive shooter who won get justice in a rain of bullets.

Red Hood prevails with his two pistols, but isn’t afraid to deliver a devastating blow with his fists in close combat. Both his ranged and melee abilities are enhanced with spectral, otherworldly powers thanks to his back from the dead story.

These differences are made even more spectacular thanks to Gotham Knights’ approach to Momentum, a combat mechanic where you fill a bar with perfect dodges to unleash special moves that take advantage of the fish style. of each hero. You can also fill your Momentum bar with timed hits, a precise hit on the square button when you’re about to land an attack making it even more powerful. It’s a satisfying, rhythmic beat in battle that makes the fight feel like it’s dancing – it’s only when your character holds his minions in the face that the flow breaks. Understandable.

For example, Nightwing performs an acrobatic kick that knocks him out of his enemies’ heads, while Batgirl unleashes a storm of vicious Batarangs – each move feels natural to the character you’re impersonating. . Branching skill trees allow for level customization that makes each character feel like a unique fit to your style, with each character possessing three unique skill trees they can choose which powers to level up. granted through AP obtained by completing quests.

Each Knight can harness elemental powers for extra damage, such as Batgirl’s Bioelectric Elemental Effect that shocks enemies when their weapons are overcharged.

For Batgirl, it’s Justice, Grit, and Oracle, which reflect combat, stamina, and hacking abilities respectively, while Red Hood has Marksman, Brawler, and Vengeance for shooting, melee, and damage. Each Knight also has a personalized tree of knights to use AP to encourage their progress to take on the now empty Batman final spot, full of unique and powerful abilities – same as each Knight’s method of movement (think Flying Trapeze for Nightwing and Spectral Platforms for Red Hood) across Gotham. All of this works extremely well to maintain a personal feel, which is important in two-player co-op when both players can choose the same member of the Bat Family.

Not only in their skill tree but these characters are different. WB Games Montréal cinematography director Wilson Mui revealed the Gotham Knights cinematics were designed with each of the main characters in mind – meaning four completely different versions of the Knights’ reactions to with the world around them has been voiced, cut and scored. capture the true personality of each character in the moment.

Essentially, you have four different experiences in one, with the option to swap between characters each night you patrol the city, or stick to a favorite character to see their full backstory. Along with skin collections that create a continuously customizable superhero look – with various pieces of each full suit that can be changed as you see fit – as you progress through the story. story, you are free to choose when shaping the game however you like.

Playing as Robin while interacting with the game’s villains shows how new he is to the superhero business. This is reflected in his first not-so-pleasant encounter with Dr. Quinn – unlike his more experienced counterparts who have a personal relationship.

In the end, the four main characters all have one goal in common: protect Gotham by killing opportunistic criminals and string together clues to larger events, while uncovering hidden secrets buried deep. in the foundation of the city. Traverse the five districts of the Gotham open world at the end of the grappling hook or on the back of the Batcycle (it’s important to come with a dedicated wheel button) as you pursue the villains in the Villain Gallery. representative of Rogue.

Of course, perhaps the most famous of these villains is Harley Quinn, whose character has been adapted from the manic pixie dream girl we’ve become familiar with in the mass media. them into a more mature, even more chaotic psychiatrist, one who can thrive in a city currently devoid of Batman’s protection. Harley is allowed to spread her wings as an independent being, which could mean only one thing: Gotham is about to get a lot messier. Luckily for us, she took the Knights with her on the trip.

Mr. Freeze, Clay Face, and Harley Quinn all appear in Gotham Knights, grappling with how they exist and interact with Gotham sans’ Batman.

The search for super criminals is done through detective work as they patrol the city’s nighttime streets, killing petty criminals in search of clues and information leading to where they really are. Show your devious plans. Harley, however, we already know his whereabouts thanks to some of the earlier crime-ridden games: Blackgate Penitentiary. This is where we first meet her in her real state, surrounded by rioting prisoners, flaming walls, and too many partying bubbles for someone who really should sit quietly and think. about what they did.

As it turns out, Gotham without Batman may seem odd, but is in fact an interesting departure from the stories we’ve heard before. It’s an uncanny approach to DC lore that’s both new and familiar at the same time, but a new era of protagonists means a whole new world with plenty of opportunities to explore one after another. .