Story
Our fantasy Rockstar Batman takes place throughout the first two years of Bruce Waynes Bat-career. Three primary graphic novels from throughout the various Batman continuities form the bulk of the main story; the first is Frank Millers Year One, the second is Jim Lees All Star Batman and Robin, Vol 1 and the third is Ed Brubakers The Man Who Laughs, a modern re-telling of the Batman/Joker origin. The prologue is set in a foreign land, on the last day of Bruce Waynes training, where were introduced to the varying gameplay mechanics through a mild tutorial. Soon after though, we fly back to Gotham thus experiencing the first echoes of Frank Millers Year One. The story takes place in arcs, which are symbolised by a icons on the map. Main story arc missions are represented by your classic yellow Bat-symbol, while plot arc missions (side quests, basically) are represented by a solid black one. At first youll collect missions from civilians in need, but as you upgrade your tech with the help of Lucius Fox and gain the trust of the city, youll start to pick up missions from Alfred on The Batcomputer, Jim Gordon (represented by a Bat symbol that lights up in the sky for you to follow in your Batmobile), Harvey Dent or even other members of the Bat-family such as Barbara Gordon or other characters in Gotham Central.
Side Missions
Should you choose to hit the Side Missions, youll be following Batman in his journey through the minor stories in the comic book main canon, of which there are plenty. Although these missions are largely action based, youll also be utilizing Batmans deductive prowess and revisiting familiar locations and scenarios from throughout Batman lore. Expect to foil the Riddlers latest scheme, Chase Zsasz down as he flees a murder scene or maybe even tangle with some of the series gaudier, lesser known Villains from yesteryear like Gentleman Ghost. Of course its Gotham City; you might put these guys away but its only a matter of time before theyre back on the streets.
Main Story Missions
Following the
Main Story Arc will progress Batman towards his primary objective; to become a symbol of justice for Gotham City. But as in proper Batman lore, you have to work towards this ultimate goal. You can of course attempt various other side missions and activities upon arriving back home but it might be better to follow the main story chain, for a little while at least, as you wont be Batman until you progress to that point. Once youve unlocked the illustrious mantle in the main story, your open-world experience can really begin. More quests become available as Batman and while you can still follow the main quest through to completion, you might want to spend some time exploring the city. There are countless characters to meet, ally with or fight, dotted around the map in familiar locations from Bat-history, and you can also run across random street crime or discover evidence to launch entirely new investigations. The plot follows the three aforementioned story arcs through to their completion, but borrows heavily from the wider Batman continuity along the way. For example, although the games first chapter uses Frank Millers Year One as a framing device, expect the plot to veer off at times into other stories. This not only extends the game itself, it allows for a more unpredictable sandbox experience in which any of Batmans rogues can show up and anything can happen at any time. As you play through the Year One arc, youll encounter Gothams finest, the GCPD. Batman wasnt always seen by those in authority as Gothams protector and a large part of your early experiences in-game will comprise of non-lethally combating the police. As this storyline bleeds into Jim Lees All Star Batman and Robin Vol. 1, the Bat-family will extend and the primary story focus will be integrating Robin into The Mission. This effectively gives you a second party member slot, which you can then fill with other characters you might have met and unlocked through the side-missions; Catwoman, Batgirl, etc. Any character you do meet can be levelled separately to Batman, and can be sent out individually to complete solo missions for additional Xp. The final chapter of the game which parallels Ed Brubakers The Man Who Laughs follows your first major encounter with Batmans ultimate nemesis and in saving Gotham from The Joker's poisoned reservoir scheme youll be awarded recognition as The Batman: Symbol of Gotham. Of course the mission is never over; youre free to explore Gotham as a fully-established Batman and have the denizens of the city react to you as such. You can also get further side-missions (in order to fully upgrade all of your bat-tech and abilities ready to import your character into the sequel) from many sources; Alfred, The Batcomputer, Gordon or simply by continuing to pursue street level thugs. Click "next" below for Part 3, "Gameplay Dynamics"