Y’all know I married an engineer and a gamer guy at that but this particular nerd loves the Batman so much he is willing to volunteer to take me to the airport during the middle of the work day just to get more TLC with his PS4. Sadly he has a horrendously variable schedule that has him working any shift at any time, on any day.
Imagine how happy I was (total sarcasm) when the excited and elated gamer announced that Arkham Knight had arrived! We cut short an MLB game to race back to GameStop for the 9:01pm release party. Can you believe we almost didn’t make it?
When he finally got home and loaded the Blu-ray, he was greeted by the announcement that his friends already had an hour head start with the loading process and were actually playing. I’ve never seen Mr Enginerd so happy for others and at the same time mad as hell. I decided to leave him to his own devices only to hear him scream in horror as this screen appeared mid game:
You read that bar right! 8 hrs!! I thought he was going to commit hara-kiri or at least call in sick to work the next day.
“It’s okay boss, in the end I could only scratch myself because I can’t die without playing at least once with the Batmobile.”
To my surprise he managed to get up at 6:00 am, go to work and be back in time to show his friends his PS4 and internet connection worked their downloading magic overnight but…
It didn’t happen! The download was interrupted…
Did that stop him? Nope! He kept redeeming codes and downloading until the miracle happened and the game loaded! It loaded!! Woohoo!! (Uncorks Champagne.)
Now we are talking…
It has been only 48 hrs since he got the game and so far he has managed to unlock every imaginable trophy and side quest. True, he knows his friends managed to earn some he hasn’t yet but who cares! It loaded!!
Full confession, I’m grateful it loaded too. Now all I need is to learn how to control this Batmobile and we will all be happy.
We play in shifts. He goes to work, I play. I go to sleep, he plays. We compare notes and anecdotes of other gamers and their reviews. So far, no one has spoiled the game for us. Hopefully we keep it that way.
Review wise, this game doesn’t disappoint. The game mechanics are very fluid and the physics react fast to the action. Sometimes I fumble through the controls, which in normal mode is never a good thing but I have survived a lot longer than in other third person shooter games. The RPG aspect is splendid; upgrading the Batmobile is the sickest and most satisfying portion of my experience so far.
The supporting cast is beautifully tailored and designed. You fall in love with Poison Ivy and her get up off the bat, and from then on the costumes and game play cinematics are not just breathtakingly beautiful, they are thrilling and chilling to the bone. Every uniform is intricately designed. You almost want to copy their personae and play in costume too.
This is the first time I haven’t had to beg my gamer spouse to save and walk away from the controller. I don’t get tired of watching the Caped Crusader finding hints with his detective vision or calling up the Batmobile to assist in a sequence of events. (Especially when I know that in a few hours I’ll be replaying the scene with the benefit of the knowledge of his mistakes. Saves me time and helps me see his version of the Bat. He is more stealthy and reserved. I’m the total opposite.) The beauty of the game is that it doesn’t force a playing style on you. I get to play my own game with my own highly customizable Batman.
Granted all my good guy friends are playing the game during the day as well but they have to go to work and/or spend time with their wives and children. I don’t have to share my TV with another being that doesn’t understand or share my love of DC’s Arkham universe. Totally worth the late nights and future torture.
If he only went to sleep now so I could play before my trip to California, I’d be in heaven…
Mrs. Enginerd - Nerd Whisperer 