Being the un-official Batman Guru on Golgotron.com, as well as someone who loves him some games based on his favourite source material, I thought I’d take time to discuss Batman: Arkham Asylum 2. The sequel to the smash hit title that many reviewers called “2009’s Bioshock” has an inevitable sequel which should be hitting shelves this year. While, I personally feel that this is incredibly too soon for a sequel to this title, we can’t stop the train from rolling on this one. It’s not like it’s a sequel to Lego Batman or something. I mean, It was good to see a really great game based on Batman (only took them a few decades). But, a follow up with a redundant game would squander the greatness of the original.

No matter the success of the first title, it is of paramount importance that they make sure to get this title right, as well. With the recent announcement of Robin playing a pivotal roll in the game, some would feel that getting the game right has already been squandered. But, I feel that this game has a pedigree that will not only make it great, but can actually make the sequel triumph over the first. Granted, the game’s release date means that development should be largely complete or at least most of the way done, but, I can dream. With that, here is a wish-list from one die-hard Batman geek, of things that I’d really like to see done (and done well) in Batman: Arkham Asylum 2.

Take It Outside: One of the main reasons Arkham Asylum worked as well as it did was because of the atmosphere that Rocksteady established. It would be ignorant to argue how pivotal the setting for the original game was. Almost as ignorant as it would be to think that fans would accept this game to be set in the exact same location with the same environments and some new texturing or new “areas of the island.” Gotham City is as important a character as Batman himself, or The Joker and we need to see that character make an appearance. Now, for obvious reasons (the title) we have to believe that some of this game is going to be set in Arkham. But, the trailer has already indicated that players will be exploring at least some of the Gotham. It’s up to the developers to find the right mix of how much time players will spend in the limiting (but very engrossing) confines of Arkham. Maybe some parts on the rooftops or even a trip to Crime Alley would really provide for an engrossing location, but also a psychological one as well.

New Villains: This one is another option that should be fairly obvious to any team looking to make a decent sequel. However, with so many choices for who could be cast, I think it’s a good one to look at. The trailer shows that The Joker will return in some form, if not as the primary villain again. But, what of some of the other villains left out of the first game? Villains such as Two Face, and Catwoman were hinted at while others like Black Mask had very little mention at all. The Riddler acted as a tormentor/guide of sorts in the first game, but it would be cool to see him have a larger hand in all of this in the second go round. We can probably expect to see Harley Quinn back, and maybe even a return of Poison Ivy, but with such a great rogues’ gallery in the waiting, it would be a shame to leave all the hard work to The Joker. TL;DR Version: I BETTER SEE TWO FACE IN THIS GAME. (Editors Note: IMDB’s page for this game has all but confirmed Two Face’s voice will be in the game, whether he will be a pivotal villain remains to be seen.)

Batmobile: ‘Nuff said. In all seriousness, if they can do a vehicle segment in this game without making it total crap, it would be impossible to exclude the Batmobile. They were able to successfully apply a lot of really cool Batman gadgets in the first game. But, the ultimate gadget remains to be seen as more than just set piece. I’m not begging for a vehicle segment to this game, please don’t interpret it that way. But, if there’s going to be one and it’s going to be done right, do it with the Batmobile. And use the one that’s like a tank from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight returns. Alright, that’s probably asking for too much, but I tried.

Alternate Duds: The one thing I wasn’t really impressed with in the first game was the appearance of The Dark Knight. I felt that the costume was stuck somewhere between comic-book and IRL and it didn’t really do anything for me. There is an alternate “armor” version that you can use during the mini-games and some modders have made some pretty legit alternate Bat-suites for the PC version. But, I’d like to see some alternate choices from the all-black to the blue-grey variant to maybe even Christian Bale’s TDK Bat-suit. They could make this element DLC if they wanted just to appease the hardcore fans. It would be completely and totally aesthetic, but it would add a cool element to the game and a pinch of customization. This one is definitely for the fan-boys.

More Extras: Speaking of fan-boys… The extras in the first game were classic! The interviews with villains like The Riddler and Harley Quinn really added to the entire “psychological” aspect of the game and brought you deeper into the setting of Arkham. In most cases, it did nothing to expand the story of the game, but was more of a really deep nod to the fans while expanding on the mythos of the Batman Universe. Expanding on this would be awesome. Interviews with villains we haven’t heard, as well as more insight from the Doctors on the patients and where their villainy stems from. We also saw many of the villain’s cells from when they were patients on Arkham. It would even be cool to see more of these “extras” play a roll of the story, or even provide clues to secret areas hidden in the game. All I can say is MORE.

Keep It Dark: The original was outstanding because of its dark, brooding, and creepy atmosphere. It wasn’t ‘scary’ per se, but we know that the environment gave life to the game. Had it not been done right, it could have been the difference between the game we saw and one more forgettable Batman game. The second incarnation needs to keep that element, even if it’s taken out of Arkham for a bit and may even be worth looking at to turn it up a notch. It doesn’t need to be TDK gritty, but a little extra would definitely help to establish the mood of chaos in Arkham or Gotham.

So, there you have it. A wish list for Batman: Arkham Asylum 2. What I’d like to see from a game that would all for it to forge ahead and make a game that can stand on it’s own without losing the muster of the previous title. Who knows how much I’ll actually get, but we’ll see. Now, REACT TO ME. What do you guys want? Whether it’s from a standpoint of a Batman fan or a gaming fan, or both, what would you like to see from the sequel? Post your opinions in the comments section.