In the recently released Batman: Arkham Origins, you’re able to once again knock around thug heads with the Caped Crusader, using his suave fighting style to take down several at a time. There’s an added bonus this time around, though – if you picked up one of the launch copies of the game, you can also download an additional pack that lets you play as Deathstroke, one of the assassins featured in the game.
Deathstroke is a man not to be trifled with. He’s a top-tier fighter that uses swords and other weaponry, fighting in a similar, graceful fighting style as the Bat. That makes him a remarkable addition to the series – and one that’s fun to play as, to boot.
His fighting style is easily adaptable. You’ll use him in the same way that you do Batman, using combos where you can hit multiple enemies at once, while countering foes that try to hit you from behind or from a distance. Press a button and he can take these guys down with ease when moving on to the next one.
Two maps are featured with Deathstroke’s downloadable pack. The first is “No Money Down,” which is a traditional challenge map where you have to wipe out a group of enemies without being noticed, since they’re heavily armed.
With these guys, you’ll want to focus on one at a time, instead of trying to take them in a group fight. That’s because they won’t hesitate to draw their guns and shoot you on sight. It’s best to stick and move with these guys, taking out one at a time then whisking yourself to a distance. They’ll notice the body, so don’t be surprised if they group together and make your job just a little bit difficult.
Individual takedowns are key here. It’s best to go after snipers first, as they can be a real threat if they hit you with bullets. Get to higher ground and quietly take them down, then work on any ground troops that are in the area. Remember, the last place you want to be is in the middle of a heavily armed group, so pick out those that are straying on their own patrols, take them out, and eventually you’ll clear the room.
The second map, “100-To-1,” gives you no place to hide. This isn’t your typical challenge map, but rather a room filled with, you guessed it, 100 guys. The goal is to take down as many as possible in the fastest time possible, since your best times will be compared with others on a leaderboard.
That’s easier said than done. While most of the thugs can be easily beaten with a combo, there are a few “wild cards” in the bunch, mainly the higher-level thugs that have a yellow indicator signal rather than blue. These are armored and/or shielded guys, and won’t be so easily taken down. Mixed in with other thugs, these guys can be your worst nightmare.
Our best recommendation is to try and deal with these guys separately. That may prove difficult at first, but it’ll give you the chance to stun them and then beat them senselessly until they’re knocked out. The counter or evasion technique enables you to find their weak spot and then strike, so don’t be afraid to move around. This is also useful for those thugs that throw stuff at you from a distance. If you’re good enough, you can jump out of the way and let the object hit someone else, temporarily throwing them off.
Quick combat is key in the “100-To-1” map. You’ll occasionally pull out your projectile weapon in order to distract a few of the guys – a useful tactic if you’re surrounded, and you will be surrounded – but it’s really about utilizing combat skills to quickly take them down. Don’t be too distracted with your moves, concentrate. Blend together your strikes and counters so you don’t give them a window of opportunity to chip away at your health.
Also, don’t forget to move around. You’ve got a big room and don’t necessarily have to sit in the middle of it. If you think you’re too vulnerable in a spot, evade a couple of guys and re-stance yourself. It can make all the difference when it comes to launching into a new offensive. Who knows? You just might survive long enough to take out all 100 guys. Maybe.
The Deathstroke add-on maps are good fun, but we do wish there were more of them that allowed us to perfect the assassin’s techniques even further, as well as the three skins that are provided for him. Thankfully, we should be seeing more down the road as additional DLC.
Batman: Arkham Origins is available now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, and Wii U.
