@CCCombobreaker: Butthurt over not getting more than $10 when you last traded in a game?

SynKade

Also they need to get Kevin Conroy on this thing.

Tom Clancy's Samuraidino

@sarcasmOD:
Who explained it that way?

Demonbird

@Demonbird: bengeance...
VENGEANCE*

Demonbird

You know (or don't know) how they explained Superman's ability to not be recognized with glasses on by him sending out rays that made people not realize he was Clark Kent? If they were willing to come up with that drivel to explain away legitimate quirk in how the DC universe works, how come they can't explain why everyone keeps getting put in Arkham and back out and then in and back out again?

sarcasmOD

Batman bengeance, Dark Tomorrow, begins and rise of sun-tzu all tell me to not buy this... but I want a good batman game so badly.

Demonbird

@CCCombobreaker:

Well...psh I don't even know how to respond to this.

Itri

Game informer is a joke. I don't seriously trust anything from them. They're owned by gamestop.

CCCombobreaker

@lighten up, morrissey: Well Battlestations Midway should be good.

Hopefully a good Batman game will finally be ours.

Ra is on Its Always Sunny in Philly

this sounds really good.

you konw, id always had it in my head an open-ended sandbox game of gotham at night was ideal, but this - the environment, the detective work (a la condemned, im guessing?), the boss battles - all sounds very promising. totally keeping an eye on this now.

TheIrishNinja

Now this is something I can get behind. Another movie-to-game adaptation is one thing. This seems like it's in a totally different ball-park and has the potential to be truly unique, interesting and non-suck.

CheckersMcGavern

Batman + Bioshock = Phoenix Wright.

No, really. That's exactly what it's like. Go try it!

Godot

Not sure about the game yet, but those covers are f'ing gorgeous.

So badly want a good Batman game. Sooooo badly.

peAr nectAr

Interesting comparison to Bioshock. From my memory when I used to subscribe to them they were pretty credible most of the time. I'll take their word for it I suppose. Now I just want to see what the game looks like.

SG_Mahonay

Please don't suck...kthnxbye.

-EDGE-

From last month's SCi investors release:
"In the second half of the 2008/09 financial year, our launch schedule includes Just Cause 2, Battlestations Pacific and a Batman game."

Second half of their 2008/09 is January to June 2009, so the "sometime in 2009" is that period.

lighten up, morrissey

Awesome. I like the comic book style of the art too. The horror theme they're going for is also good. This may be the first Batman game that I get excited about.

digamma

That's... completely fascinating. Near brilliant use of the license, actually. There's a metric shit-ton of potential here, if they can capture the feeling of creeping claustrophobia.

Hell, I love the fact that there's a logical reason for the Bats to go toe-to-toe with all his entire rogue's gallery. Why the hell has no one thought of this before?

JustThisGuy

I've given up all hope for Batman games. Spiderman, still have a small amount of cautious optimism, but I just can't muster the same for any Batman game.

Although, to completely cancel out my previous paragraph, for a second I read Rocksteady as Rockstar, and almost had a heart attack.

Thorax

I was going to say meh, but Paul Dini teases my heart ever so much.

tralu

URBAN CHAOS!

My god I have hope for this game,buckets of it!

UCRR was quite possibly the most badass game Iv ever played.The hostage situations,the live action segments,a guy called adam Wolf and the most worried mayor Iv ever seen.

T-Zero is the most badass response team ever too.Hostage situations where the badguy falls off a roof onto a helicopter or an explosive barrel or a train..or into a bath.Ussually followed by a line like "Now thats what I call zero tolerance!"

Yes Im ranting a little,but that game was awesome and an underated gem.I cant wait to see what the developers do with this game.

Tom Clancy's Samuraidino

do bat-want!

Silenced

I hope this game "kicks some ICE!"

RodneyMcKay

I am excited about this. Batman makes for a good B-list videogame. All the last-gen offerings were decent, though never good. I enjoyed them as rentals-- and if Eidos could pull of something like Rise of Sin Tzu but include some LIVE co-op, I'd be pleased as punch. As it stands, though, this sounds like it will owe more to EA's middling Batman Begins tie-in, complete with "stealth" combat mechanics.

Early verdict: one rental thumb up.

wild homes knows where the barrio starts!

If they actually base it on Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum book, this will be indeed be something to look forward to. If not, meh.

ObZen

I cannot wait for a good batman game with Harley Quinn in it. That will be wonderful, hysterical, and creepy all at the same time. Because the Harley Quinn character by Bioshock is called Stockholm Syndrome.

Mascott

nifty

Qalbert

Please PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLES PLEASE be good!

pikachumariachi

Man, if this sucks I am just giving up on DC's licensing deptartment. I love DC like nothin' else, but man get a quality team on your titles.*crossing fingers for this one*

fearing

Wow, this could be fantastic! The comic is a classic, if slightly flawed. The setting and setup is perfect for a BioShock-esque Batman game. Paul Dini and crew know Batman, too. Hope they give this the development time it will need, knock it out of the park.

SpiralJacobs

Sounds interesting.

TheGuilty1

omfg DO WANT.

not only does the game sound great but i'll be buying a second copy of the mag to have both covers, they are fucking great looking! :O

demonknightinuyasha

I read the headline as "Eidos Announce MOTHER", got my hopes up.

FauxVyse

I'm not really a comic fan, but I always liked the portrayal of Arkham Asylum for Batman: The Original Series. Being able to play inside the asylum with some of the Bat's most famous enemies sounds excellent.

Does Not Equal

Sweet can't wait.

Pistol-Packin-Poet

On the website for the developer, they have this weird countdown with the Batman symbol behind the numbers. According to my system clock, the countdown ends on March 17th, 2030, at 12:46:40PM. Strange.

[www.rocksteadyltd.com]

[i33.tinypic.com]

electrolemon

Eh, neato. I think.

Morithain

@Tom Clancy's Samuraidino: Seriously.

Ping5000

Let's just hope this doesn't turn out to be another Batman: Dark Tomorrow. I cringe just thinking about having purchased that game. My God was I retarded.

acez2087

Harley Quinn! Awesome. I have had a huge crush on her since the animated batman show back in the nineties. She is the only fictional character I would totally do.

etho

I like Eidos more than I like EA. thumbs up. come on boys make a good game please.

MisterMcThursday

well this just randomly caught my eye and dang am i glad i read this.

and like @Oomingmak: said that is an amazing cover, saved that in my pictures.

hopefully that 2030 time clock will be explained but this will be something that ill be keeping a closer eye on until EA release some well anything at all.

Go Team Venture

Oh man this sounds awesome.

PLLLEEEEAAAASSEEE don't suck!!!! PLEEEEAAASEEEE

string_theory

The joker cover is awesome.

Oomingmak

Arkham Asylum is one of the better Batman comics, with both a unique art style and story. I hope it can be translated well into the video game medium, because a well done AA game could be truly great.

Cheers

Filthy_O_Bedlam

@wild homes knows where the barrio starts!: What about the description of this game makes you think co-op would be a good idea? Are you thinking of two Batmans wandering Arkham and solving puzzles together? Do you want Robin? Honestly?

Bandicoot

I wouldn't be surprised if EA quietly canceled Pandemic's film based game in response to this new and intriguing game.

B33

I don't like batman, but I watched the movie just for Heath Ledger. his performance is awesome.

Grimmjow Jeagerjaques

I hope this game is good, Arkham Asylum was like my favorite batman comic. I REALLY REALLY don't want the game to be crappy.

futurehobo300

Simliar to BioShock? But without the plasmids, big daddies, guns, and underwater city. Oh...and no KILLING.

I'm guessing "like BioShock" is strictly buzz.

TRT-X

@wild homes knows where the barrio starts!: Alright, but I think you have amazing friends if any of them would be cool with playing as Robin, Batgirl, or Knightwing while you get to be Batman.

Bandicoot

Everyone keeps hoping for an actually good Batman game...

Uhh, hello? Did no one play the original Batman for the NES? Or Batman Returns?? or The Adventures of Batman and Robin?

These were all some very high quality games!

Chromeo

@Bandicoot: No, friend, I said if they could pull off something like Rise of Sin Tzu but with co-op, I'd be thrilled. This game as described sounds (to me, at least) like a much lesser version of Escape From Butcher Bay (at best) or the worst parts of Condemned (more likely)... I'm not at all thrilled with this concept, but Batman is, as I said before, usually worth a rental. I just wish they would explore some of the comics I liked better from the canon.

But, I'll still check it out.

wild homes knows where the barrio starts!

Will file this into the "interested" category of my gaming brain.

BassForever

@electrolemon: Counting a lot faster than 1 a second - may be done on hits or something nifty =)

syl1985

This actually doesn't sound half bad.

Quilt

I also have to chime in an say the dev's other game Urban Chaos: Riot Response was probably one of the best games no one played on the old Xbox. I was completely surprised and thrilled by that game and consider it a jewel in my collection. They are an amazing team with an amazing sense of game...so I'd be thrilled to look at anything they lay hands on.

Datacide

It's good that they're already comparing it to Chronicles of Riddick. Shows they have a clear direction with the game -- Arkham Asylum is too much of a legendary place to be just ONE level, so it's good that they're dedicating the whole game to it.

ChiChi_BBQ

aww, no wii version with batterang throwing or 1:1 combat?

bigman88zz

Forget batman. Just make another damn Hitman why don't you!

NeoXY

Who's Paul Dini? "Joker takes over Arkham Asylum" is the premise for Grant Morrison's "Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth". I wonder why they felt the need to re-write it with a Saturday morning cartoon writer.

shimage

Not my ideal Batman game, but it sounds like it might be fun. I still want my GOOD sandbox Batman game though.

Forkball

@Demonbird: DC comics in...the 50's? These days they say it's because he took an acting class and learned some ninja acting technique.

sarcasmOD

I have to say, I hope I get the Joker variant cover.

It's kind of early for talking about voicework, but I hope for Mark Hamill.

urutapu

So will this be similar to the Comic Book

[en.wikipedia.org]

Because it kinda sounds like a similar concept. Joker taking over Arkham Asylum and all

kingme

Very very interesting. If this is anything like I remember that cradle level of thief being then it will be scary as all get out. Wy to think outside the box eidos!

JokesJokes

I'm going to be cautiously optimistic with this--

Oh, screw it! I hope this is friggin' amazing!

Guvnah

Eidos sucks, I'll wait for the EA game.

yargh

What scares me about the Joker cover is that his hands are straped. And yet the spray paint can is clearly used out.

Littlefields

@NeVeRMoRe666: I definitely said "definitely" waaay too many times in the last post, its been a long day...so...yea definitely sorry!

NeVeRMoRe666

@Bandicoot: Co-Op is always fun. Although in this case, the game may definitely be focused on the single player (based on the comic). No one really wants Robin, but we all want a friend beside us as we play, don't we? If you've tried Batman: Vengence or Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu, I think you might kinda know what Wild Homes means. We've definitely had a lack of good beat-em-up's as of late and Sin Tzu definitely made good use of the Batman License in that regard. It doesn't have to be Eido's (or does it?) or EA, but another game in that mold will definitely be welcomed.

NeVeRMoRe666

joker cover, FTW!!!!!

kaskeon

I really really hope its like the comic book: Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. I love the artwork in that to death...

Actually, I really really hope its just a good game period.

NeVeRMoRe666

@FreakyFavabean: The last Hitman, i mean.

FreakyFavabean

@NeoXY: The ending of the last one was awesome, they have to make a sequel!

FreakyFavabean

If the game is any good and the art style is remotely like the Arkham Asylum comic i'll be all over this. But i don't know how people would react if it follows the storyline, because is very, very dark and kind of defeating the moral highground of batman.

Still, i would love it!

Falsoman

Freaking nice! Can't wait to see some screens. :)

HaydenTenno

YAY BATMAN! AWESOME!
This could be a Batman Batman game, not a Batman as a dude who punches guys game.

ggodo

@DARTH_TIGRIS: With the history of movie-game releases, I just wanted to add:

eeeh hemm... "YOU THINK?!?!"

/End being an ass.

NeVeRMoRe666

Hmmm. So no Gotham. That's ... different. We'll see.

But everything else sounds pretty sweet. With this and Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, I'm liking this approach of basing stuff on comics more than movies.

DARTH_TIGRIS

screens?

otis123

@shimage: Paul Dini was one of the writers for Batman: The Animated series., in addition to some of the other DC Animated Universe stuff.

Lots of potential here, I'll totally be keeping an eye on it.

GundamAC197: Proud new Wii60 Owner!

@Tom Clancy's Samuraidino: Yep he needs to be the voice of Batman in the game.

@Chromeo: Well people are most probably clamoring for a good action/stealth Batman game. Don't get me wrong a beat 'em up is ok. But isn't it high time Batman got something more? :D

@TheIrishNinja: Agreed! The only concern I have with the boss battles are the buttons. How can you fight bosses effectively with just 3 buttons. Unless they mean it as 3 combat buttons and the rest are used for gadgets,modifiers,etc.

@SpiralJacobs: I dig Paul Dini as well. At least we can be guaranteed that the story will be good.

@JustThisGuy: Good call! I thinkit's because the Batman games most developers did before were on the "kiddie" side. Thus they don't really need to explain why they're fighting whom.

I'm with everyone here that's really really rooting for this game to be good. As a Batman fan it's time we actually had a good one.

Seems kinda strange for them to allude to Bioshock. I thought at first that maybe it was using a First Person perspective. Maybe they're comparing his arsenal of tricks to the Plasmids? Or better yet maybe they have the same atmosphere?! NOW that would be awesome!

excaliburps

Sounds good to me

Mokka

Paul Dini as writer can only be good, and Wildstorm, if I'm not mistaken, is the great Jim Lee's company.

Could be a winner here.

devilsnap

@NeoXY: or, you know...finish collection Hitman in trade paperback, at least.
fucking DC.

TheIrishNinja

Paul Dini and Jim Lee doing a Bats game in Arkham!!! My fanboy brain cant take much more!!! If this game doesnt rock I will personally lead the march to burn the studio!! Only joking, i'll probably just sit in the corner and cry!!! =P Please Please don't screw up this awesome opportunity!!!

Dusk777

Looking forward to this one hope its not another batman game failure.

Maherr

This sounds promising...I hope they deliver.

VengefulRonin

They just better not make a mockery of Morrison's "Arkham Asylum". If they use that as basis, it better be damn good, damn it!

kasviel

Is it just me...or is Batman a robot? Look at his left knee and his shoulders. It looks like there are bolts there.

Killer_WaLrUs

@fearing: I feel ya man. Last good DC licensed game I played was Batman for the NES

hitokirimaru

The Joker takes over Arkham Asylum?

That's the exact plotline from Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth.

Sounds groovy.

TK423

Interesting idea and approach. I hope it turns out to be great. It sounds more like Condemned to me than Bioshock, but either comparison is exciting for me.

Also, what's the deal with Batman's suit being that yellowish color? Is that supposed to be shadow or are they going with a different overall look for the game than we typically see with Batman?

MSUSteve

@ObZen: the hope is that they keep the story intact and engaging. The only problem is will it translate well into a game. The EA Batman game is having alot of problems in development. What I am wondering is if this game will be anything like what The Dark Knight will be (dont know if thats the name). If so then I could care less. It says up top that it will be reminiscent of Bioshock, but in what way?

I also have little hope for the developer. Urban Chaos was just a bad game. Unless this game will change my mind, I am not gana give much to this game untill I see the game in action.

hogarth3

Here's to hoping this will be a good game. I can't wait to get my issue.

Paradyme

A Batman game written by Paul Dini? Sounds awesome to me!!

Jrinu

Sounds promising.

TwinkyC

@Mascott: I cannot wait for a good Batman game PERIOD. There was one for the NES that was like Ninja Gaiden that was good, but since then they have been garbage

JTmunny82

I´ve given hope in all comic based games, they suck and i don´t think they´ll stop sucking, so suck it, suckers with your sucky Batman game which probably sucks XD...

Daisuash

I just don't see batman translating well into. well. into a corridor shooter. or sorry.. a corridor first person beat'em up?

with puzzles?

i don't know.

i'm not excited.

relax_guy

@Doomstink: Nope, you were thinking of Crime Life: Gang Wars...

Doomstink

i love batman hopefully this will be the best batman game without legos

rob61920

But wasn't "Urban Chaos" a really really shitty game? I have no hope for this game.

Doomstink

@electrolemon: actually i calculated it to be counting down in seconds so it would be about 2days. but neither one of our calculations makes any sense. hmmm.

ManWaffles

@Doomstink: i thought urban chaos was actually pretty good. It got repetitive after a while, but definitely not a bad release for the ps2. worth trying.

ManWaffles

Cool.

PhantomBlack

Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill for voice please (heck, get everyone from Batman:TAS). And let's get Jim Lee's art for this too. I've seen that DC MMO and frankly it looks better based on Jim Lee's style as oppose to those done in, say, Midway's Mortal Kombat vs. DC or the last Justice League game.

questworld

I couldnt agree with you more. Urban Chaos was SO overlooked yet so F'ing fun. Rocksteady Studios debut game was a real underappreciated gem and I really hope they do great on Batman Arkham Asylum.

THANK YOU EIDOS!!! Thanks for having the balls to actually publish a comic book licensed game that IS NOT based on a f'ing movie. It's about damn time. We need more games like this, COMIC BOOK BASED GAMES. You hear me big time publishers? Screw E.A., or as I like to call them E.gotistical A.ssholes and their Dark Knight game. This has HUGE potential. Paul Dini writing the story. FANTASTIC. Artwork and character designs by Wildstorm. BADASS. Villains galore, The Joker, Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Mr. Freeze, etc. AWESOME. Runs on Unreal Engine 3. Sweet. Detective skills play a big part in the game. SOLID. Rookie developer Rocksteady Studios (who came out with the crazy underrated but insanely fun Urban Chaos Riot Response) has got quite the task ahead of them, but I'm prayin' to God that hey pull it off. Being that this isnt based on a movie it doesnt have to be rushed, so take your time Rocksteady, and deliver us a Batman game that does justice to the Dark Knight.

Just as a heads up the magazine also mentions the possibility of playing as the villains. Anyone up for some four way Batman beat downs? I get dibs on Scarecrow!

TidalSpiral