Not even six months ago, I reviewed Blackgate for the Vita. I thought it was a very good game and well worth the price of admission, despite some flaws. At the time, the Vita version was superior to the 3DS version, and those were the only two choices available. But now, players can return to Blackgate, or check-in for the first time, on Xbox Live (for 360), PSN (for PS3), the Wii U (eShop), and PC (via Steam) in the digital-only Deluxe Edition version.
It’s actually been long enough since I have played Blackgate on Vita that I am not able to completely discern all of the differences the Deluxe Edition brings. On the PS3, which is the version I am reviewing, the game runs in 720p with 5.1 Surround, and it’s technically solid. In my review of the Vita version, I mentioned how the art direction was a little bit lackluster and that still remains mostly true, but there has to be some consideration for the environment and atmosphere being presented (i.e., a large prison facility on a dark, rainy night). Anyway, suffice it to say that while the Deluxe Edition kinda-sorta looks like an HD-ified port, and doesn’t quite look like a native PS3/X360 game, it still looks very good, had no technical issues that I experienced, and ran really smooth.
A variety of Batsuits that you can unlock are another visual treat in this Deluxe Edition. The different Batsuits actually have a perk embedded in them too, in addition to their unique appearance. I’m kicking myself for not making a note and also being unable to pull up the game right now to check, but one alternate Batsuit is available to you immediately. It alters Batman’s appearance to look much more like a cartoon or comicbook rendition than the battle-hardened, high-tech look we’ve come to know from the Arkham games. Additionally, this alternate costume provided 50% damage reduction to bullet attacks. Another Batsuit, the Zero Year version, can be unlocked by logging in via your WBID account, too. So the additional Batsuits not only look cool, and have function, but also improves the replay value of the game as well. Furthermore, as Blackgate is only a 6-8 hour game anyway (or more like 5 hours if you look at the completion times on the Leaderboards), playing through it again isn’t a massive time-killer and might actually be feasible for super busy folk.
Additional difficulty levels, which out the outset at least are offered as Normal and Hard, new enemy encounters, and a revamped map system further bolster the Deluxe Edition. I don’t recall any striking differences in the enemy encounters from what I played in early November to now, but I am enjoying the new map system. One of my original complaints about the game was the back-tracking and how, often in the process, I would get lost and spend a fair amount of time just trying to figure out where to go. I actually liked then, and still do, that previously defeated enemies do not respawn. Respawning enemies have a tendency to break the immersion and ‘realism’ of a game, especially one that is supposed to be somewhat believable like Batman. The tech and ideas behind the Batman universe as a whole, but more specifically the story in Blackgate, isn’t as unbelievable as something like a zombie game, for example. Anyway, whether it was because I had been through these areas before or because I just had a renewed appreciation for this game and its improved map system, the ‘sting’ of the backtracking/getting lost problem I had in the Vita version wasn’t nearly as potent.
Areas certainly looked familiar from when I played before, but not enough that I knew precisely where to go without checking the cool 3D map every so often. Deluxe Edition feature aside, Blackgate remains a solid Arkham experience. The 2.5D presentation transitions great to traditional platforms, and the story, set three months after the events of Arkham Origins, is plenty sufficient. I also like the gameplay design which is comfortably familiar in that it’s a relatively ‘tight’ open world where you have the freedom to explore different parts of Blackgate — Administration, the Industrial Area, and the Cells Blocks. Each of these areas is being run by a different and famous Gotham villain, and all three areas are woven in such a way that you need to perform tasks in each that effect your progress in the other. That’s where a lot of the backtracking comes in, which can wear thin if you’re playing on a tight timetable or if you’re playing and already sleepy.
So, overall, check out my original review of the Vita version, and let me finish up by saying if you already own this game on the Vita or even the 3DS, the Deluxe Edition probably doesn’t quite justify a full purchase (at $20). But if you haven’t played Blackgate or are just a big Arkham series fan who maybe doesn’t own a Vita or 3DS, the game with (or even without) these enhancements and features are absolutely worth the $20.
To the summary…