Batman Arkham Origins: Prequel Features Larger Gotham City And Dark Knight’s First Encounters With The Joker And Penguin

Batman Arkham Origins is a prequel depicting character origins and a younger, unrefined Batman. The historic  first encounters with timeless villains The Joker and Penguin are depicted here, along with a host of other villains. Also, the gameplay moves from the confines of Arkham Asylum to the entire city of Gotham.

The plotline of Arkham Origins takes place several years prior to the events in the previous games. In this edition, Bruce Wayne is younger and unrefined. He is considered a vigilante by the Police and Gotham was riddled with criminals and assassins.

A crime lord by the name of Black Mask has offered a hefty reward for the capture of Batman. This situation brings about an exciting rogue's gallery of villains including Deathstroke, The Penguin, Deadshot, The Joker, Bane, Anarky, Copperhead, Alberto Falcone, The Mad Hatter and Firefly all of them hot on the trail of the Caped Crusader.

Another addition that has received positive reception is the expansion of the game map to include the entire city of Gotham. All these assassins chasing Batman all around Gotham City sounds very enticing.

The risks of having a prequel instead of continuing the storyline involves prior knowledge and presumption towards the characters. Most players know which villains will carry on, and other veterans of the previous games might get confused when they assume continuity from where the last game left off.

Warner Bros. Montreal, the game's producer and distributor, believes the risk of a prequel is worth it. Presenting the characters' origins can provide a deeper understanding and connection with the players, taking it beyond the superficial level.

Official release for Batman: Arkham Origins is on Oct. 25 for PC, Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, PS Vita and Nintendo.