Batman: Arkham Origins (iOS) Review

Last week, NetherRealm Studios, the studio behind Mortal Kombat and Injustice: Gods Among Us, released their latest mobile game. Based on the console game coming out in a couple days, Batman: Arkham Origins brings the action to iOS devices. Similar to the the mobile versions of Arkham City and Injustice, Arkham Origins continues the trend of swipe and and touch fighting games NetherRealm has put out for mobile. With multiple bosses and fun extras, this game is a great way to take your love of Batman on the go.

So when I first downloaded this game, I expected it to be similar to the Injustice game on a difficulty level. I was wrong. While you can easily get into a grove while playing Injustice, Arkham Origins keeps you on your toes. Players are Batman playing through a simpler version of the story of the console version. Instead of exploring the city, players play through missions in 4 districts, fighting thugs and lackeys until the boss shows up. The cool thing about this game is the random boss fights that show up. You’ll be playing through a simple mission, and then suddenly Copperhead wants to fight. While there is no difficulty to this game, the missions get harder as the game progresses, requiring players to level and upgrade Batman’s skills. I do like the increasing difficulty of the fights. It keeps the game less boring, like most mobile fighting games.

The other great thing about the the upgrade and Batsuits. Players earn points by completing missions that can be used to upgrade Batman’s skills and special moves. The system is very simple and visually easy to navigate. For special moves, it gives a small animation of the move in action. The Batsuits the game has are super fun. Each has a special quality, like poison and ballistic resistance, while improve stats like health and damage. You can earn points to purchase the Batsuits, or if you have a Warner Brothers ID, you can get the Red Son suit for free.

I give this game four and a half stars. While this game would be a total five stars, the fact that’s a “freemium” model game ruins it. It prevents some of the Batsuits from being purchased, which is a little bit of a bummer for me. However, the other aspects of the game make it a great pick up for the on the go gamer. You can get this game for free on the App Store, but there are in-app purchases.

Final Rating: