Batman: Arkham Knight (2015)

The latest (and maybe last) game in Rocksteady's Arkhamverse is not their best one. The story is decent, Batman's combat system is fun and fluid, but the Batmobile missions are really annoying. For those who played the first two games (or three if counting Origins), Arkham Knight is a must. If it is your first Batman Arkham game, then do yourself a favour and start playing Arkham Asylum.

Rocksteady Studios revolutionized the combat system in third-person action/adventure games and also legitimized superhero genre in video games with Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009). They managed to maintain a certain level of quality throughout the years, and I passionately await their next big franchise - whatever that might be.

The story in Arkham Knight doesn't hit the highs of Asylum and City, but it does a decent fan service to some major storylines in Batman's history. The storyline that I loved the most was Batman's interaction with a particular character, whom for the sake of spoilers shall remain unnamed. Those particular conversations were on par with Paul Dini(*) or Scott Snyder's writing. But the main plot of the game, and the big twist that they had hyped so much, were easily predictable to anyone with limited familiarity with DC Animated Universe (let alone the comics).

(*) The story of the first two games (Asylum and City) was written by the legendary Paul Dini from Batman: The Animated Series fame (some might only know him as the co-creator of Harley Quinn). 

In video games, the gameplay is king! Rocksteady's combat system works as great as it has before. They also introduced Batmobile and tank combat as a new gameplay mechanic. I commend them for their intention to innovate, but I strongly disliked the Batmobile missions. Unfortunately tank missions were a significant portion of the main missions (~25%). The other reviews that I have read also agree that the tank missions tanked (pun intended!).

Besides the predictable story and some frustrating game mechanics, the Arkham Knight holds the ending of the game hostage; the ransom is completing all the Riddler challenges. In other words, if you don't want to waste your time collecting 245 Riddler trophies while listening to his irritating voice, then you have to look up the "Knightfall full ending" on YouTube!... Because of all these things, the game left a bitter aftertaste...

Those who haven't played Asylum and City: I envy you because you can experience them for the first time. Don't play this Arkham Knight first, because it will scar you and you may never attempt Asylum and City.
Score: 7/10

Oscar Results

I tried to predict the Oscar results in an earlier post. I included 12 categories on my list, and I managed to hit 8 out of 12 - the misses are marked in red.

Category	Nominees	Prediction	My Vote	Oscars
Best Picture	The Big Short
	Bridge of Spies
	Brooklyn
	Mad Max: Fury Road		✔
	The Martian
	The Revenant	✔
	Room
	Spotlight			✔
Best Director	Adam McKay – The Big Short
	George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road		✔
	Alejandro G. Iñárritu – The Revenant	✔		✔
	Lenny Abrahamson – Room
	Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
Best Actor	Bryan Cranston – Trumbo
	Matt Damon – The Martian
	Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant	✔	✔	✔
	Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
	Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl
Best Actress	Cate Blanchett – Carol
	Brie Larson – Room	✔	✔	✔
	Jennifer Lawrence – Joy
	Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years
	Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn
Best Supporting Actor	Christian Bale – The Big Short
	Tom Hardy – The Revenant
	Mark Ruffalo – Spotlight
	Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies			✔
	Sylvester Stallone – Creed	✔	✔
Best Supporting Actress	Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight		✔
	Rooney Mara – Carol
	Rachel McAdams – Spotlight
	Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl			✔
	Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs	✔
Best Original Screenplay	Bridge of Spies
	Ex Machina
	Inside Out		✔
	Spotlight	✔		✔
	Straight Outta Compton
Best Adapted Screenplay	The Big Short	✔		✔
	Brooklyn
	Carol
	The Martian		✔
	Room
Best Animated Feature Film	Anomalisa
	Boy & the World
	Inside Out	✔	✔	✔
	Shaun the Sheep Movie
	When Marnie Was There
Best Original Score	Bridge of Spies
	Carol
	The Hateful Eight	✔	✔	✔
	Sicario
	Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Best Original Song	Fifty Shades of Grey
	Racing Extinction
	Youth	✔
	The Hunting Ground
	Spectre		✔	✔
Best Cinematography	Carol
	The Hateful Eight
	Mad Max: Fury Road		✔
	The Revenant	✔		✔
	Sicario