Games that works like "Batman Arkham"

[PowerGod]

I thought that the Batman Arkham saga was the only one with it's kind of gameplay/combat-system, but then I have seen a video of "Shadow of Mordor", and it seemed identical, everything was there, so I tried to find other games like this, but turned out to be a very difficult quest, because people starts suggesting "similar game types", but I want exactly the SAME gameplay, same keys, same combat-system.

These are the "parameters" that I use to define a "Batman Arkham" game:

Spoiler: Parameters

1. Combat system "easy to learn - hard to master", with mainly a key for "Attack" and a key for "Counter" that must be timed correctly. The character will automatically reach the target and perform the best "cinematic" move for every circumstances. The combat "cinematic" moves are complex choreographic animations where there's a strict interaction with the main characters and the targets, and possibly the use of the environment to deal damage (like pushing a face against a near wall).
   (To be clear, games like "Bayonetta" are absolutely NOT in this category.)
2. Stealth combat, with "cinematic" one-hit killing moves. In Batman Arkham these are treated as "mini-games" separated sessions, but as far you can use stealth killings this is not required.
3. Smart run, you just hold a direction and your character should automatically deal with every obstacle in front of him. He should automatically jump or climb.
4. Open World, even if it's unlocked during the game, there must be the possibility to backtrack, at least for most of the map.
5. Story driven. It must be like a movie... that you are "playing" !!
6. Must be "forgiving"... your character can't die during exploration because of falls from too high, or at least, there must be an autosave system to continue playing immediately after death from where you were.
7. Mission pointers on the map or at least a highlight system for clues about them.
8. 100% completeness always possible, even after the end of the main story, or at least a warning when reaching a point of not return, and visible statistics about what is still missing.

I'll make a list of games similar to the gameplay of Batman Arkham.

Games that most probably shares the same engine, and makes you feel "at home" after beating Batman Arkham:

• Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor
• Mad Max (No stealth, but there's a sniper rifle on the car. The jump has a dedicated button, but is almost useless.)
• Middle-Earth: Shadow of War

Games that have somehow the "feel" of that gameplay, but doesn't share the most important "parameters":

• Sleeping Dogs (similar for parameters 3,4,5,6,7,8?) (The combat system is similar but less automatic and requires more combinations, the target is not reached automatically and you have to grab the enemy before doing environmental KOs. This means also that you have more control over the used moves.)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider (similar for parameters 2,4,5,6,7,8)
• Darksiders 1 / 2 / 3 (similar for parameters 4,5,6,7,8)
• Styx: Master of Shadows (similar for parameters 2,5,7,8)
• Beyond Good and Evil (similar for parameters 4,5,7,8)

Do you know if there are others around ?

(I'm not sure if there was a Spiderman game like this, but everyone were speaking of it like rubbish)

 

[levi]

What is it about the gameplay/combat that you're looking for? I've only played Arkham Asylum, and to me that plays like a pretty standard third person adventure to me. They've been adding combat to those for years, in games like Enslaved or Bayonetta (although that latter one doesn't have the same stealth gameplay that batman has).

 

[hitbyambulance]

those three franchises are all published by WB Games (although different studios for each), but WB hasn't released any more. i would suggest you check out Just Cause 3 (Avalanche Studios, same as Mad Max) - it's not exactly what you're looking for, but you may well enjoy it.

also if you have a PS3/PS4, look at the Uncharted series (with the caveat that these games are quite linear).

 

[PowerGod]

I have no consoles, and actually I don't like very much how those games are not so optimized for PCs, but the things that I like the most are the combat system with attack/counter that require precise timing and seems like a dance, but still it gives you a lot of choices on how to beat your adversaries (also this was the first time I ever wanted to do a perfect fight in a game), and also the auto-climb/jump that happens when you run around just keeping the spacebar pressed.

I didn't noticed about the WB thing, I'll keep a look about their other released games.

 

[levi]

Yes, I suspect Bayonetta would fit those criteria fairly well, although it's aesthetic is rather different to that of batman's. You'd need a console to play that though, as it never seems to have received a PC port. I'd guess the WiiU versions should be emulatable sometime soon though.

 

[tigerroast]

Bayonetta 2 is perfection. Top 5 action game, easy.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengence is amazing.
I suppose those 2 would be similar enough to those Batman games.

Frankly, I could never get on with wanting the gameplay of a game to meet/match the specifications of a whole different game. It's like, why would you want to emulate that experience in different games when you already have that experience available, unadulterated by the expectations of a predecessor?

 

[PowerGod]

I'll stick with PC games, anyway I have seen a Bayonetta gameplay (just some minutes here and there), and seems to me very different from what I search, it seems like just a beat'em up with a lot o cinematics... I have not seen an open world (or something near) to explore, and no stealth sessions, also you need to manually jump, so I see it like a very different game from Batman Arkham.

Metal Gear Rising seems more like it.

Just to explain better, how I see Batman Arkham is the combination of 3 main games with an added story:

1) The free roaming game, where you can go where you want, and you must use your abilities to enter in particular places, or find secrets. (A world where you can actually finish the things to do, even after the end of the game)

2) A precise timed beat'em up, with a counter attack. (This is the best combat system I ever used... easy to learn, hard to master, and very cinematic while not becoming boring to see)

3) A stealth assault game, where you can be easy one-hit killed

I can see an infinite number of stories/characters that can be in a game like this. It's the most similar thing to an interactive movie to me.

 

[levi]

Ah, I wondered if the open world element was part of what you like. Arkham asylum is a linear corridor brawler with boss arenas, while what I've seen of Arkham City introduced the open world gameplay.

Edit: I think Yakuza was the first game I played that introduced combat and free roaming.

 

[ElPoco]

There are many games with 1+2, less with the third part.
Beyond Good and Evil has a freeroaming world, combat was quite simple but did rely on timing for most enemies and it did have stealth but it was more in some sequences, not the main approach in all situations.
While not exactly free-roaming, some levels of Thief 2 were big enough to feel like it, and it does have stealth and timed combat (but not exactly a beat'them'up).

I haven't played Mad Max, but from what I've seen I doubt it has the stealth element you're looking for.

 

[levi]

BG&E has more of a hub world than a truly open world I'd say, with some trappings that make it looks a bit like a functioning society. No games have a truly functioning interconnected realistic society as far as I know, so the difference between that and something like Yakuza is hard to define a rule for, but I guess the difference is it's harder to see where you're meant to go next as you play through, and less linear in practice.

It's not a gameplay style I particular enjoy myself. I'm quite happy to play through a well crafted story with at most the semblance of free movement, and indeed I find the difficult curve usually better implemented and spend less time trying out things I'm clearly not capable for yet.

 

[PowerGod]

Arkham asylum is a linear corridor brawler with boss arenas

Yes, that game was the most "closed", but only because it unlocks with the story, and by the end of the game you are free to go almost anywhere

Beyond Good and Evil has a freeroaming world, combat was quite simple but did rely on timing for most enemies

Already played and maxed out, the free world is right, but the combat is just wrong, I mean nothing to do about what I'm searching. That combat system is "the same" used by every game starting from the 8 bits consoles... "punch punch punch punch punch" and eventually you win... except for bosses, but still it's not cinematic, you just do the same move over and over....

 

[tigerroast]

I'll stick with PC games, anyway I have seen a Bayonetta gameplay (just some minutes here and there), and seems to me very different from what I search, it seems like just a beat'em up with a lot o cinematics... I have not seen an open world (or something near) to explore, and no stealth sessions, also you need to manually jump, so I see it like a very different game from Batman Arkham.

Trust, Bayonetta is anything but "just a beat'em up." On harder difficulties, you better have combos made and timing down pact. It plays like a beat-'em-up, feels like a fighting game. It doesn't have an open world; the game world is more akin to God of War. Bayonetta is on a completely different level though, and I love God of War.

I kinda knew the Bayonetta games wouldn't fit your specs much, if at all. It's similar enough for me to spread the Good Word.

Metal Gear Rising seems more like it.

If Raiden was actually frail in the harder difficulties, then MGR could check 2 of your 3 items. Even as it is, you really should play that game. It's brilliant!

Just to explain better, how I see Batman Arkham is the combination of 3 main games with an added story:

1) The free roaming game, where you can go where you want, and you must use your abilities to enter in particular places, or find secrets. (A world where you can actually finish the things to do, even after the end of the game)

2) A precise timed beat'em up, with a counter attack. (This is the best combat system I ever used... easy to learn, hard to master, and very cinematic while not becoming boring to see)

3) A stealth assault game, where you can be easy one-hit killed

Bayonetta complies to item #2 very well, if not 100%. Witch Time+heavy combos work together as the counter-attack, and precise timings are needed for better combos (or, on harder difficulties, all the time).

I can see an infinite number of stories/characters that can be in a game like this.

Of course! How else would we have 13 Call of Duty games?

You could try Thief and Dishonored. They're not quite as "beat-'em-up-ish" as the Batman Arkham games though. Honestly, I don't think there are many games that fit into the aforementioned mold. Assassin's Creed seems to be going into that direction. The 2 examples you gave are relatively recent games.

 

[PowerGod]

The 2 examples you gave are relatively recent games.

That's because I've never seen a game like this before playing the Arkham serie... and I played a lot of games in the past... the fun thing is that the most similar game to that combat system that I found so far (except for the ones I told) is "One Finger Death Punch" XD

 

[tigerroast]

That's because I've never seen a game like this before playing the Arkham serie..

Me neither. The earliest game I can think of that even comes close is Assassin's Creed, and its combat system is essentially brain-dead. Much more fun and challenging to avoid combat.

Thinking about it, that should be considered a sign of a great game; the difficulty one faces when trying to identify games of same or similar style.

and I played a lot of games in the past... the fun thing is that the most similar game to that combat system that I found so far (except for the ones I told) is "One Finger Death Punch" XD

Bayonetta Bayonetta Bayonetta Bayonetta Bayonetta Bayonetta Bayonetta Bayonetta. I apologize, but I gotta fanboy when action games enter the equation.

Aside from that, I just looked up One Finger Death Punch and it brought back a wave of memories. Watching those old flash animations of stick figures destroy each other and playing stick figure-based flash games in elementary school. Wow.

This forum is showing me some new technology.

 

[levi]

Like I said, I think Yakuza was the first game that successfully married an open world and playable combat, although that does suffer slightly from the Japanese obsession with punch, punch, heavy punch unblockable triplets that can make fights a bit repetitive, but that fight system really comes alive through the use of props, I think.

I dunno, I never played that game very far, because I didn't find the open world elements that agreeable.

 

[Cloudef]

Bayonetta Bayonetta Bayonetta Bayonetta Bayonetta Bayonetta Bayonetta Bayonetta. I apologize, but I gotta fanboy when action games enter the equation.

You could replace Bayonetta with any Platinum game pretty much, and these are originally inspired from Devil May Cry 3. And yeah, they are not simple beat em up's, if you don't learn the mechanics you will die.

 

[PowerGod]

Looking at the trailers, seems to me that "Quantum Break" could be a possible candidate, but I'm not so sure

 

[jeeks]

quantum break is like a TV series (a really really really good one) with (very nice) gameplay elements

 

[kuru]

You got all that play the same.
Hand of Fate 2 will feature the combat style. Prequel also does it, but it's less refined.
And there's Kickass 2 The Game. It's pretty bad though.

 

[PowerGod]

With Hand of Fate 2 I'll have to see more combat, because by now seems more like a card game.
Kick-Ass 2 reviews are literally destroying every bit of that game maybe I'll get it if REALLY REALLY discounted