Game Selection
I chose to play and analyze this game as part as the main objectives for a computer games class. The reason why I chose this game is primarily because I had already played Batman: Arkham Asylum, and I absolutely loved it. Since I had started school, I had not really found the time to continue playing the games that pertained to its sequel, but because of this class I now have the opportunity to play through the next corresponding game. Another thing that encouraged me to select this game was that my brother has all of the Batman sequel titles, so it was easier for me to access them and play instead of going out and purchasing the game. Additionally, I have always been a huge fan of the Batman DC comics and animated cartoons, so being able to play a game in which I control one of my favorite characters was surely something I looked forward to doing throughout the quarter.
Genre
While playing the game Batman: Arkham City, I was able to conclude that the genre for it was both action and adventure. Not only does the game provide the player with the similar physical skills that are found solely in action games, but it also provides a narrative and extra features that make the game so ambiguous and interesting to the player. You can see that throughout the game, you are made to use both reflexes to continue further into the story. You must fight as you encounter villains using the various combinations of fighting strategies that Batman holds, and at the same time gather clues and investigate in order to solves missions and challenges.While playing Batman: Arkham City, there were many things that stood out to me, and that made it clear of what genre it fell under. For example, when you first begin the game, it is not straightforward as to where you should go, or what to do first. Instead, you are forced to explore and look for clues to determine what your first and next task will be within the game. The player is allowed to familiarize oneself with the surroundings, and interacting with other characters (the inmates, policemen, Alfred, villains) to uncover the plot of the story.
Batman: Arkham City is unique in the sense that it comes with various side missions. While the main goal is to figure out what ‘Protocol 10’ is, or who is behind the plan, you can also solves other missions in which different villains are carrying out their own separate schemes within the enclosed Arkham City. The player is given the freedom to stray away from the storyline, and explore the city more by completing the many side missions, or even just visiting the Batcave and practicing using the moves that Batman has available during combat mode.
History
The game Batman: AC is a one of the many games in the sequel of the Batman Games. It came after the game Batman: Arkham Asylum, in which its developers discussed many things, such as the size of the city itself, after analyzing the previous game and trying to expand the plot (Cowen, 2011). Now, the games after it includes Batman: Arkham Origins, and Batman: Arkham Knight. The reference planning began as early as 2009, durin the release of Batman: Arkham Asylum. Dax Ginn, marketing game manager at Rocksteady Games, discusses how they were able to elaborate and begin to plan the details and plot of the next game by analyzing their current video game, and determining what attributes they had missed out on (Cowen, 2011).
Batman: Arkham City relates to the history of games because of its development and its importance in the game industry. The game shows it potential for action with its unique combat moves that are portrayed by Batman, and its adventurous attributes, allowing the world’s best detective to roam freely, and complete other side missions all while also continuing the plot and/or narrative of the story. Action and adventure games didn’t even come to be known until the 1980’s, in which games such as Battlezone, Atari, and Defendor came to be known. The world was introduced to games that allowed to players to begin processing the idea of exploration, and combat within games. As Egenfeldt-Nielson explains in the book Understanding Video Games, the 1980’s was an era in which many games under this era became successful because of this new introduction. The games during that time came nothing close to the complexity of the games we play today, but it was because of that break through that creators could further create and expand on ideas for game. Hence now, the year 2018, we have games that vary in genres and cross different topics, due to their complexity. They share many features and attributes, and can at most times be hard to be categorized under just one genre, such as the game Batman: Arkham City.
Aesthetic
There are three things that are important to the composition of a game: its looks, feel, and sound, in accordance to how the player interprets it. In Batman: Arkham City, the game looks very dark, and sort of apocalyptic. Since the city is run down and completely taken over by the inmates of Arkham Asylum, all the regular civilians have been cleared from the part of the city, and as you play Batman, you start to see the gloomy streets and dark alleys that the inmates roam. It feels hopeless, and gives the player the impression that it will be very difficult for the city to ever recover, given all the criminals that have infiltrated into it. As you walk around and explore the city, you can also listen to conversations happening around you, mostly by inmates. These conversations include some clues as to what is going on in the city with Protocol 10, which implies that the inmates are aware of what is happening in the city, while the player as Batman, feels lost and confused. You can also hear helicopters flying around, as if it were a crime scene everywhere you go, and the chaos that surrounds Batman. The game is able to give the player all these impressions by the suspenseful music that also plays in the background, and even when you are hiding from villains or inmates before you attack them. The music even pressures you at times, because it makes you feel as if you must take immediate action.
Cultural Analysis
The game Batman: Arkham City has a very broad demographic which was perceived. Primarily, the game is highly praised by DC fans, who will (and have) undoubtedly hyped up the releases of the Batman games. The hype is then followed by many reviews all of which include mostly satisfied and happy comments on the authenticity of the game and its awesome graphics. You might expect the game to be completely applauded by only adolescents, but in reality, there are also many grown and professional gamers that also enjoy the game, and criticize it according to their opinions on Batman.
Since the game includes so many easter eggs throughout the city to uncover, and many missions on the side to solve, the player is left to be anything but bored, given the so many tasks that can be completed throughout the game. The relationship between marketing and culture is that in marketing, they try to take the information obtained pertaining to the culture around the Batman Fandom, in order to create a game that will satisfy these needs. Therefore, not only do they succeed in targeting their wanted audience, but they also attract the attention of other players who are more interested in the mechanic, per say, or other aspects and features that the game has to offer.
Narrative
The narrative structure that this game employs is vector with side branches. According to Understanding Video Games, a narrative with that structure is basically a story that happens chronologically as you go through it, with permissible missions that you can complete on the side without affecting the main plot. Within this structure, you’re not really given the chance to change the course of the story, or have the freedom to make major decisions for the main character, in this case Batman. I believe that for this game to be successful, it was imperative for it to be structured like this, given the fact that the game is based on a superhero whose major character traits must remain the same in order to establish his famous title (the world’s greatest detective). I feel like in a sense, you are just assisting Batman in his missions and combats, because besides that, the player has no say in who Batman encounters, or what Batman chooses to do.
Impact/Risk Analysis
The possible risks associated with playing Batman: Arkham City can be discussed through the two research methods: active media and active user perspectives. Through active media, the research object is basically the video game entirely, and its effect on the player. In Batman: Arkham City, you can find many violent actions within it, and foul language being used between the characters’ interactions. It is possible for this to influence younger players as they progress through the game, especially since it's about a superhero that is widely known and popular among that younger audience, as opposed to the intended audience that is targeted through the game’s rating. Through active user perspective, however, the research object is the player instead of the game, as opposed to active media perspective. Its risks are associated with the interpretations of the the individuals’ game experiences. No two individuals are alike, and hence the need for the involvement of anthropology, pedagogy, cultural studies, etc. Players can let the game influence them or not, but it is entirely up to the individual. The player is in control of what he/she processes and how they use the knowledge obtained from playing the game.
In order to design a study for this game, I would use the active media perspective, because of the popularity of Batman within the media, and the broad span of age groups that are involved in its fan base. The method that I would probably use would be Bandura’s social learning theory, which states that “behavior is learned through imitation of attractive models with attached rewards” (Egenfeldt-Nielson’s, pg. 280, Understanding Video Games). In the game, it is through violence and dominance that you are able to level up and progress through the game, so the aggression portrayed in the game is inevitable to avoid. It would be helpful to analyze players by examining how their behavior may be effected after being exposed to the game. Particularly, I would separate them by age groups, to see if age is one of the factors for the amount of influence that the game may have on the players.which states that “behavior is learned through imitation of attractive models with attached rewards” (Egenfeldt-Nielson’s, pg. 280, Understanding Video Games). In the game, it is through violence and dominance that you are able to level up and progress through the game, so the aggression portrayed in the game is inevitable to avoid. It would be helpful to analyze players by examining how their behavior may be effected after being exposed to the game. Particularly, I would separate them by age groups, to see if age is one of the factors for the amount of influence that the game may have on the players.
Conclusion
Overall, I rated this game an 8, because although I really enjoyed playing through the story mode, it got boring after the plot was finished and all you’re left with is to complete the last few side missions that you may have skipped. Definitely recommend, but not a game that I would play twice.