Batman: Arkham Origins (PC)

Developer:

WB Games Montréal

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Release Date:

2013

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Systems:

Win, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U

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This week on Super Adventures, a game about punching people at Christmas!

It's been ages since I've played a Batman game, in fact I think the last one on the site was probably Return of the Joker for the NES, back in April 2015. Though it still seems too soon to play Batman: Arkham Origins, because of how similar it is to the other two. In my Batman: Arkham City article I joked that I'd be able to copy/paste parts of my Arkham Asylum post and save myself some work, and here that's doubly true! But it's a Christmas game and I feel like playing it again, so I am.

I love these beautiful tableaux of frozen Batviolence behind the menu by the way. Batman's so gritty in this one with his tactical Bat-armour and his permanent bad mood, that I keep expecting the camera to pan across blood and displaced teeth flying through the air.

This used to be the black sheep of the franchise, due to it not being developed by Rocksteady, and the bugs, and the fact that they prioritised releasing paid DLC instead of fixing them all, but I think Arkham Knight's claimed that position now (at least on PC). There's still a bit of an issue with the multiplayer, seeing as it was switched off forever earlier this month, but I didn't even know it had multiplayer, so that shows how much I care about that.

(Click on the images to view my original full size screenshots. DX11 mode, all settings on full... resolution at 1280x720).

Die Hard 2: Die Harder (Atari ST)

I've played Die Hard on the PC Engine and PC, now it's time to Die Harder on the Atari ST.

Nice of them to spoil the ending of the movie on the title screen by the way.

Santa Claus Jr. Advance (GBA)

Super Adventures at Christmas - Game 5:

Oh damn... is it too late to choose a different game?

They've forgotten to put the name on the title screen, but this is definitely Santa Claus Jr. Advance (sequel to Santa Claus Jr. on the Game Boy Color), apparently released only in Europe, and presumably starring Santa's actual son. And it's the last Christmas game on my list.

Terraria (PC)

Super Adventures at Christmas - Game 4:

I have played this one before, and I know it isn't exactly technically a Christmas game. But I've heard that the new v1.1.1 update adds something Christmassy, and I'm determined to find it.

Christmas Carnage (MS-DOS) - Guest Post

There's not a lot of choice when it comes to Christmas themed first person shooters or first person shooters set at Christmas. I've already played Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza (in April). And that's all I can think of.

There's that Duke Nukem expansion pack, and I recall the main guy from Rise of the Triad has a Christmas hat on if you play it on Christmas Day.

What I need is something completely unique and unheard of. Something wholesome and wonderful that'll entertain the audience and fill the room with festive cheer.

An obscure German FPS called Christmas Carnage!

(Also known as Xmas Carnage by folks who go by the CD sleeve and ignore the title screen, documentation, etc.)

Cannon Soccer (Amiga)

Super Adventures at Christmas - Game 3:

It's Cannon Soccer, aka Cannon Fodder Amiga Format Christmas Special (1993)! Okay maybe it's technically more of a two level demo given away on a magazine coverdisk (issue 54 if you're wondering) than a proper game, but it's Christmas related so I'm playing it anyway.

Die Hard (MS-DOS)

Super Adventures at Christmas - Game 2:

Long before Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza there was another attempt to bring the action of the original Die Hard movie to home computers. And it seems they couldn't get the right to use Bruce Willis's likeness for this one either.

Santa's Xmas Caper (Amiga)

It's a Super Adventures in Christmas Gaming special!

For the rest of the week I'll be playing Christmas related games, one a day until Christmas Day. Assuming I can actually find enough games to play.

Hmm, there's Daze Before Christmas, but I've played that. Plus there's Robocod, but I've played that too. Home Alone, The Firemen, and Parasite Eve all take place at Christmas but I've played them. Damn, I've already used up a ton of Christmas games.

Well, there's always this:

That's better art than I was expecting. It's already started playing annoying Christmassy music, but I kind of knew what I was getting into just from the title.

Die Hard (TurboGrafx-16)

That's a good title screen I reckon. Nice colours, it's got the right logo, and they even put the Nakatomi Plaza building on it. Which is nice seeing as the entire movie takes place there.

Parasite Eve (PSX)

Square's slightly Resident Evil inspired horror rpg, a sequel to the 1996 novel of the same name.

James Pond II - Codename RoboCod (Amiga)

GOOD RETRO GAME WEEK, day 3.

Today I'm taking a look at another game I remember being pretty good, James Pond 2: RoboCod aka. Super James Pond aka. Super James Pond II. Yep apparently on the SNES the game is its own sequel. Unlike the slightly obscure James Pond 1, this was released on practically everything from Commodore 64 to Nintendo DS, though I'm playing the original Amiga version.

Wow, the theme tune is blatantly a happier version of RoboCop theme. Well not exactly, but it's close enough. Now I'm curious about whether the first game has a James Bond style theme tune.

(It does, plus it has a more... interesting looking title screen.)

Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza (PC) - Guest Post

Another fantastic new feature for the blog: mecha-neko's FPS Friday! A new first person shooter every single week until he runs out of them or loses interest. Whatever happens first.

Welcome to the party, pal!

Home Alone 2 - Lost in New York (SNES)

Ah, this looks a little more professional than Home Alone 1.

Home Alone (SNES)

Will it be better than Dennis the Menace? Will it at least have fewer cats?

The Firemen (SNES)

I'm not optimistic to be honest. I've played firefighting games before and I don't have fond memories of them. Or any memories at all in fact.

Daze Before Christmas (Genesis/Mega Drive)

A Christmas game! I haven't seen many of these around.