Gotham Knights/Court of Owls (WB Montreal)

Mr Crispy · 20-08-2020 10:59PM #1

So while the actual name has yet to be confirmed (I'll edit the thread title as needed :pac: - EDIT: actually, I can't do that it seems!), the long-rumoured/teased Court of Owls game from Warner Bros Montreal is set to be revealed over the next couple of days.

This week, a teaser website (r3dakt3d.com) appeared, and WB Montreal's Twitter account started putting out video clips showing brief glimpses of various iconography from the comics (including the Court of Owls logo), as well as giving clues to codes to enter on the teaser site. Now, while I couldn't be arsed myself, the people of reddit thankfully could! Dataminers (or whatever they're called) obtained all four codes in advance (761, 941, 364, 995), which when entered on the r3dakt3d site, reward you with pieces of what looks like an in-game map, as well as other tidbits and teases.

iK9MUE9.jpg?1

More importantly, the miners found that there'll be a trailer video on the site too, maybe after the fourth code can be entered tomorrow. The four codes combined also make up the UPC for the DC comic where Batgirl makes her debut, the cover of which was later revamped for a cover of the Gotham Knights series

https://twitter.com/ArkhamVideos/status/1295785417866960896?s=20

So Court of Owls it is then. More importantly, what will the game be like? As much as I enjoyed the Arkham games, I don't know if I have the appetite for more of the same. There are some interesting rumours regarding a nemesis system incorporating various factions in the game, including GCPD. After that, who knows? Hopefully it won't be just another bloated open-world game. The fact that rumours point towards different members of the Bat family being playable make me wonder if this will have co-op (although I'm wondering the same about the Suicide Squad game)? And will it be next-gen only, or will current consoles be able to get in on the action?

Anyway, DC Fandome is on over the weekend, with WB Montreal giving a "first look" at their new game on Saturday at 18:25. So if the trailer hasn't dropped by then, that's when we'll see it. There'll also be a developer Q&A, so we should know more Saturday evening.

J. Marston · 20-08-2020 11:36PM

Mentioned it in the other thread but a reworking of Death in the Family would be cool. Batman is killed and you play as either Batgirl and/or Robin trying to unravel the mystery of who did it. It would be a fresh direction to take. If you wanted to talk styles, maybe Batgirl could be the more methodical detective and Robin is out for blood as revenge.

We've had 4 or 5 games as Batman now, stay in the universe but switch it up.

Mr Crispy · 21-08-2020 12:51AM

J. Marston wrote: »

Mentioned it in the other thread but a reworking of Death in the Family would be cool. Batman is killed and you play as either Batgirl and/or Robin trying to unravel the mystery of who did it. It would be a fresh direction to take. If you wanted to talk styles, maybe Batgirl could be the more methodical detective and Robin is out for blood as revenge.

We've had 4 or 5 games as Batman now, stay in the universe but switch it up.

I'd be very happy with that. The whole ARG-lite thing they have going on this week lends itself to the theory that this will be more detective focused, but that's probably just wishful thinking. The Court of Owls being a secret society could also work well as the mystery to be solved, and being a different type of game would work in its favour if it's going to be released any time near Suicide Squad.

Zero-Cool · 21-08-2020 07:25AM

Aw give it to me now!! I'm hoping Suicide Squad game is a big next gen game while this one is cross gen in the hopes of getting it sooner. Might even have to reinstall one of the Arkham's again.

steve_r · 21-08-2020 12:03PM

J. Marston wrote: »

Mentioned it in the other thread but a reworking of Death in the Family would be cool. Batman is killed and you play as either Batgirl and/or Robin trying to unravel the mystery of who did it. It would be a fresh direction to take. If you wanted to talk styles, maybe Batgirl could be the more methodical detective and Robin is out for blood as revenge.

We've had 4 or 5 games as Batman now, stay in the universe but switch it up.

Yeah, really like that idea. Playing as Catwoman in AC was a good change of pace, but I found playing as Nightwing/Robin/Batgirl etc in some of the DLCs for AK felt just like playing the same game under a different skin, and with less powers.

I'd love a real focus on the detective aspects of it - even the simple addition of dialogue trees would add a different angle to the current approach, which can get very formulaic.

My wishlist would be a Witcher 3 style scenario where what you do has real consequences for the story i.e. you focus on one threat, and a different threat becomes the main challenge, villains teaming up depending on what you do

Retr0gamer · 21-08-2020 12:11PM

It will probably be a standard Arkham Combat open world game but maybe it could be something more and do more with the open world as people as saying. I heard Origins is a pretty good game other than the awful bugs that never got fixed, some would say better than Arkham City. Hopefully it's in good hands.

The Raging Bile Duct · 21-08-2020 01:00PM

Retr0gamer wrote: »

It will probably be a standard Arkham Combat open world game but maybe it could be something more and do more with the open world as people as saying. I heard Origins is a pretty good game other than the awful bugs that never got fixed, some would say better than Arkham City. Hopefully it's in good hands.

I played Origins about a year after it came on PS3 and I didn't experience any of the game breaking bugs that were mentioned when the game came out first. I definitely enjoyed it more than City and Knight.

Penn · 21-08-2020 01:06PM

Aside from the bugs (and I encountered plenty), Origins' main problem was some of the upgrades you get are overpowered making a lot of the game trivial. The map also felt large for the sake of it.

It did have some incredible boss fights though, and I loved this trailer for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InUj9BT8KCc

Zero-Cool · 21-08-2020 01:06PM

Retr0gamer wrote: »

It will probably be a standard Arkham Combat open world game but maybe it could be something more and do more with the open world as people as saying. I heard Origins is a pretty good game other than the awful bugs that never got fixed, some would say better than Arkham City. Hopefully it's in good hands.

I just saw today, I have a PS Now shortcut on my XMB giving me another 7 day free trial, worth it to play Origins alone. That's the most tempting out the all the Arkham games at the moment.

Mr Crispy · 21-08-2020 03:13PM

Final code goes in, terrible teaser trailer comes out. Come back tomorrow, I guess!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MppOXAYy7U

Mr Crispy · 21-08-2020 08:31PM

So someone thought they figured out the name of the game, and went to look for its website...

https://www.batmangothamknights.com/

:pac:

Zero-Cool · 22-08-2020 01:43PM

Batman Arkham collection is on sale in Argos for 25 euro. Includes asylum, city and Knight with all dlc included. Great price for anyone wanting to play/replay the series.

Pity Origins multiplayer is shut down, would like to give that another go.

ERG89 · 22-08-2020 02:45PM

https://twitter.com/ArkhamVideos/status/1297156572699713536?s=19

If you are bored today these are the times.

Mr Crispy · 22-08-2020 03:24PM

You'd think both games would have to be quite different from each other, unless they're releasing a long time apart.

ERG89 · 22-08-2020 03:54PM

Mr Crispy wrote: »

You'd think both games would have to be quite different from each other, unless they're releasing a long time apart.

I think Suicide Squad will be a next gen only multiplayer GaaS and Gotham Knights might be single player only where you swap between the Bat-family (maybe in a similar manner to GTA V) as I can see it launching on the current gen consoles as well.

Mr Crispy · 22-08-2020 04:56PM

ERG89 wrote: »

I think Suicide Squad will be a next gen only multiplayer GaaS and Gotham Knights might be single player only where you swap between the Bat-family (maybe in a similar manner to GTA V) as I can see it launching on the current gen consoles as well.

Yeah, I had similar thoughts myself. Not long to find out, I guess.

EoinMcLovin · 22-08-2020 05:39PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDJWmSuDfXY

https://twitter.com/GothamKnights/status/1297225987633975296?s=19

J. Marston · 22-08-2020 06:02PM

EoinMcLovin wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDJWmSuDfXY

https://twitter.com/GothamKnights/status/1297225987633975296?s=19

J. Marston wrote: »

Mentioned it in the other thread but a reworking of Death in the Family would be cool. Batman is killed and you play as either Batgirl and/or Robin trying to unravel the mystery of who did it. It would be a fresh direction to take. If you wanted to talk styles, maybe Batgirl could be the more methodical detective and Robin is out for blood as revenge.

We've had 4 or 5 games as Batman now, stay in the universe but switch it up.

More or less what I wanted but the downside it's looks live service-y.

Arcadeheroes · 22-08-2020 06:11PM

That presentation build of the game looked pretty rough , I noticed alot of drop frames and clipping throughout the gameplay preview .

As for the game itself I liked the idea of playing as the bat-family with my friends but I can see this game getting alot of high 7s and low 8s when it releases in 2021.

Zero-Cool · 22-08-2020 06:14PM

You could def see our as pre alpha with the performance issues but looks like usual Arkham fun. The Rocksteady game definitely needs to be different to this.

Mr Crispy · 22-08-2020 06:17PM

WCCFTech are generally rubbish when used as a source, but they're saying this info is coming from the official fact sheet for the game (I can't verify on the official site as it's 403ing);

GAME OVERVIEW

Gotham Knights is a brand-new open world, third-person action RPG featuring the Batman Family as players step into the roles of Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood and Robin, a new guard of trained DC Super Heroes who must rise up as the protectors of Gotham City in the wake of Batman’s death. An expansive, criminal underworld has swept through the streets of Gotham, and it is now up to these new heroes to protect the city, bring hope to its citizens, discipline to its cops and fear to its criminals. Players must save Gotham from descent into chaos and reinvent themselves into their own version of the Dark Knight.

FEATURES

• Play as a New Guard of DC Super Heroes – Step into the roles of Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood and Robin and shape Gotham’s newest protector to create your own version of the Dark Knight.
• Action-Packed, Original Story Set in DC’s Batman Universe – With the Belfry as their base of operations, this new era of heroes will solve mysteries that connect the darkest chapters in Gotham’s history – from its soaring towers to its underground criminal network. Embark on rich storylines, including face-offs against some of the most infamous DC Super-Villains, such as Mr. Freeze, who is set on engulfing Gotham City in ice.
• Explore and Fight Crime in an Open-World Gotham City – Patrol the dark streets of five distinct boroughs in a dynamic, interactive Gotham using a variety of traversal abilities and heroic combat moves, as well as the iconic Batcycle. From street-level crimefighting to face-offs with iconic DC Super-Villains, save the city from descent into chaos.
• Unique Character Abilities and Customization – Each hero has unique abilities, gear, weapons and a customizable suit.
Batgirl wields her melee tonfa; Nightwing uses his signature dual Escrima Sticks; Red Hood has trained to reach peak human strength; and Robin is expertly skilled with his collapsible quarter staff.
• Team Up in Two-Player, Online Co-Op – Play Gotham Knights solo or team up with a friend and combine strengths to protect Gotham City in two-player, online co-op.

Retr0gamer · 22-08-2020 06:19PM

Mr Crispy wrote: »

You'd think both games would have to be quite different from each other, unless they're releasing a long time apart.

This is Warner brothers though that seems to have settled on the Arkham combat system as something to base every game around.

Zero-Cool · 22-08-2020 06:57PM

It actually looks like it's gonna compete more with the marvel Avengers game than a regular Arkham game. Not a big fan of the health bars and numbers popping out of enemies but looking at it as a game that has a story but also dynamic open world to team up and take down bad guys, sounds like a more live service game than solid single player. At least it looks more fun than what i played of the avengers but i think this is capped at 2 player. Interesting to see how it develops.

Edit: going from social media, people are NOT happy but then again when are they.

Mr Crispy · 22-08-2020 07:18PM

Zero-Cool wrote: »

It actually looks like it's gonna compete more with the marvel Avengers game than a regular Arkham game. Not a big fan of the health bars and numbers popping out of enemies but looking at it as a game that has a story but also dynamic open world to team up and take down bad guys, sounds like a more live service game than solid single player. At least it looks more fun than what i played of the avengers but i think this is capped at 2 player. Interesting to see how it develops.

Edit: going from social media, people are NOT happy but then again when are they.

Yeah. They're deliberately calling it an action RPG which would explain some of the visual cues you mention. The player bios on the official site are describing very different skill-sets too, so hopefully each character will play differently and not just be reskins of Bats himself.

Re: people not being happy, it seems a lot of folk on reddit wanted another Arkham sequel with Bats at the helm. But as Retro says, from what we've seen so far, it's very much cut from the same cloth. Plus, I'll eat a batarang sideways if Batman is really dead. I expect him to be playable at some point.

Oh, and the site confirms that this'll be on PS4, PS5, XB1, XBSX, and PC (as predicted by ERG89).

ERG89 · 22-08-2020 08:06PM

I wasn't sure if the game running poorly at times was the DC Fandome stream which wasn't smooth.
I'm glad they are pushing on and acknowledging the end of Arkham Knight even if that didn't sound like Kevin Conroy. I know its just a trailer but I fear with a game of this type that Court of Owls have been added due to being new to these games rather than for the overall plot. My heart sank a bit when I seen the enemy levels and hit points appearing when you cause damage. I was a bit surprised when they said it was co-op as whoever was playing as Robin wasn't exactly testing the system.

Anything you think what the Suicide Squad game would look like made it sound very similar to what the Gotham Knights game was revealed to be. I'm kinda surprised about that.

EoinMcLovin · 22-08-2020 08:15PM

Looks like it's not set in the Arkhamverse

https://twitter.com/ComicBook/status/1297262640021020673?s=19

Mr Crispy · 22-08-2020 08:19PM

EoinMcLovin wrote: »

Looks like it's not set in the Arkhamverse

https://twitter.com/ComicBook/status/1297262640021020673?s=19

Good move, imo.

Varik · 22-08-2020 08:27PM

If all they're doing is bringing the stats of equipment, skills, enemies to the forefront then fine, but I don't want to be getting loot and picking up different versions of stuff. That might end up being alright in the avengers game but that's not coming from an existing franchise. Seemed that some resource was dropped from enemies in addition to XP.

Robin is definitely Tim, and they used a different Court of Owls rhyme.

EoinMcLovin · 22-08-2020 08:44PM

Varik wrote: »

Robin is definitely Tim, and they used a different Court of Owls rhyme.

Yep it's Tim.

Character descriptions from the main site

Red Hood
Jason Todd is an intense and volatile anti-hero. It all stems from dying a violent death and then being forcibly resurrected by one of Batman’s most dangerous foes. He has trouble keeping his temper in check, but he will not hesitate to step into the line of fire when a friend is threatened. Red Hood wants crime to pay because Gotham City is built on a foundation of corruption, and he’s been on the receiving end of it far too often.

Jason has trained to reach the peak of human strength, and he’s proficient in multiple combat techniques with all manner of weapons—both traditional and high-tech. After reconciling with the Batman Family, he has embraced Batman’s non-lethal combat methods.

Robin
Tim Drake may be the youngest of the Batman Family but he’s also the smartest and a master of deductive reasoning. Tim is a true believer in Batman’s mission and is motivated by the conviction that Gotham City needs a hero rather than by personal loss. Batman was a mentor of the highest caliber who personified the type of man Tim hopes to become.

An expert fighter armed with his collapsible quarterstaff and skilled in the art of stealth, Tim also possesses a background in combined psychological warfare and behavioral sciences, all of which sets the stage for him to accomplish any mission.

Batgirl
Few people can match Barbara Gordon in terms of raw willpower and determination. Barbara has always been a person of action. In her mind, backing down is never an option. Having one of Gotham City’s most well-known police commissioners as a father had a massive impact on her. Jim Gordon gave his life for Gotham, and now she wants to make sure it wasn’t in vain. After a face-off that put Barbara in a wheelchair, she became Oracle, a powerful information and communications expert. But her father’s death spurred her to train and recover from her wounds so that she could return to active duty as Batgirl.

Barbara is highly trained in a variety of fighting styles, such as kickboxing, capoeira, and jiu-jitsu. Her signature weapon is the tonfa. Barbara also displays great skill when it comes to hacking or coding in computers and technological systems to dig for information.

Nightwing
Dick Grayson is a natural leader, an optimist, and the most charismatic of the Batman Family. He grew up in an unorthodox but loving circus family, so he values close personal bonds. Dick believes that, for the fight to be worth it, there must be something real to fight for; and that something has always been other people. He was Batman’s first protégé before ecoming a hero in his own right.

Dick boasts mastery in acrobatics and is an expert at taking down enemies with his signature dual escrima sticks.

Zero-Cool · 22-08-2020 08:52PM

Batgirl all day for me. 4 great characters though and I'd happily use each of them.

Mr Crispy · 22-08-2020 08:57PM

In the gameplay trailer with the developer commentary, he mentions Robin teleporting using the Justice League satellite.... I wonder if this will be set in the same universe as Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League? Maybe that's how Batman's dead! :pac:

Gotham Knights/Court of Owls (WB Montreal)

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