E3 2002: Batman: Dark Tomorrow preshow report

The Kemco-published and Kemco-developed Batman: Dark Tomorrow will be playable at the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo, which will mark the first time that the game will be exposed to the public. The game is based on an original story starring the Dark Knight, which has been cowritten by Batman writer Scott Peterson, as well as Kenji Terada, who is known for his work on the early Final Fantasy games.

Players will be thrust into the role of Batman as he attempts to rescue Police Commissioner James Gordon, who has been kidnapped and is being held at the dreadful Arkham Asylum. Several of Batman's high-powered nemeses are behind all the madness taking place in Gotham City. Players should expect to see the likes of The Joker, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Scarface, The Ventriloquist, Killer Croc, and Black Mask, among others, playing some fairly prominent roles. Batman will have various tools and abilities at his disposal to deal with them all, though, including the versatile arsenal contained within his utility belt. Batarangs, batcables, batgrapples, and batcuffs will all be at players' disposals, as well as some more mundane items, such as smoke bombs, finger lights, multitools, and night-vision lenses. Batman's cape, furthermore, will supposedly play the defensive role that it is often seen playing in many of the comics and cartoons starring the nocturnal hero. Players will be able to deflect shots with it, and, according to Kemco, a complex pulse-feedback system will provide the relevant tactile information.

We'll have more information about Batman: Dark Tomorrow for you once the show starts. To see what's already out there, check out our previous coverage of the game.