The problem with Batman Arkham Knight's multiple endings

In this Spoilercast, the Quit or Continue gang follow up their epic Arkham Knight podcast with a separate episode, tackling the various endings, the highs and lows of the games boss fights, and everything else that resides in spoiler land.

[Kipster]

Did anyone actually find ALL the Riddler's trophies for the 'real' ending, and did you think it was worth it?

Blocking off ending content with what was essentially busy work left a sour taste in my mouth.

[Aloy-Boyfriend]

I was burned out of the tank puzzles. Not only that but Rocksteady felt the need to add misable riddle trophies in areas that get blocked after you are pass that Story chapter. f*** that! I just watched it on Youtube.

[Adexus]

I did all the Riddler trophies after I finished the game and none of them were blocked off, would be stupid if they did that.

But yeah it wwouldn't be worth it if you just want to watch the final ending to be honest, I'd have just preferred to watch it on Youtube.

[Kipster]

I reckon a lot of people did the same. I know I did. It felt like a bit of a con to pay a premium for a game in the first week of release, and then have to go to YouTube to watch the 'real' ending, but I'd rather do that than spend countless hours collecting trophies that just aren't fun. If they had made the process a bit more enjoyable, I might have stuck with it - something like the agility orbs in Crackdown. Loads of them, but they were genuinely fun to collect.

[Aloy-Boyfriend]

I'm really confused about both endings. I've never seen or read anything like Nightfall Protocol in the B-man comics. Whether Batman and Alfred are dead is still unknown. I think RockSteady has ruined what it could have been a start to have more DC comics Superhero games settled in the same universe. I mean, there's Queen Industries, Central city, and Metropolis references in Gotham. That proves Green Arrow, Flash, and Superman exists in the same Arkham Universe.

But since the ending seems to kill off Batman as a solution to deal with Bman identity finally revealed, does that mean we will see a different Batman in a future Justice League game or another superhero game, and not this Batman we love and been roleplaying for quite a while? It sounds dissapointing to me. There's this rumored Superman game, and WB has enough game studios to make some more superhero games to prep for a Justice league game or having this shared-universe superhero game series. The Arkham series could have been the game that settled the Universe like the Iron Man movie started the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2008. Maybe Marvel could have done this if they had capable studios to make games for them, While WB and DC has them and seem not to be interested in such thing . Shame!

[Kipster]

I think whatever happens next, we're looking at a reboot for Bats. The Arkham series has given a very definitive ending here, for better of for worse. It's almost like Rocksteady don't want anyone else tackling their beloved series after Arkham Knight. Fair enough I guess, they made it what it was.

However, I can't see Warner Brothers just leaving it here. While I can't see how they could follow on this story, I could see them going down the Origins route again and creating another story that revolved around Bat's past. A bit lazy perhaps, but I wouldn't put it past them.

[smashman98]

I dont believe Bruce killed himself and Alfred. He would never kill Alfred and Alfred would never let Bruce kill himself

[Likketysplit]

I think if the Arkham Knight had been a better character the story would have had a lot more impact. The ending rather flattered the story. I still think Arkham City is - both narratively and in terms of design - a better game. Looking forward to seeing what Rocksteady does next, though. Top studio.

[HereThereBeGamers]

I was expecting Superman to sweep in and offer to help at some point. Sure, he'd have been rebuffed by Batman, but could have given an indication of where the series/Rocksteady goes next.

Instead we get a weird indecipherable ending that says nothing (even after completing all the damned Riddler trophies).

[WellyUK]

Is that i can't even be arsed to finish the game as it's boring, there you go that's the problem it has.

[WizzroSupreme]

The problem with Arkham Knight's multiple endings is that the first is just a cheap "collect everything else" cliffhanger and the second feels too inconclusive. Don't get me started on that crazy third one.

[spacedelete]

so glad i passed on this game. i've read the tank battles are literally half the game. some how this game makes the disappointing Arkhum City look good. just goes to show even a previously well respected studio can shit out a turd.

[OhMyGandhi]

It sucks for me to say this, because I love Rocksteady and the first two entries in the Arkham trilogy, but this game, as I've said before was a huge letdown for me, and most importantly, I am relieved to see others feeling the same way. I got burned out by the batmobile sections, and the primary story was incredibly uninspired. The side missions had fleeting moments of brilliance, like the ones involving Professor Pyg, and the Two-Face, but they all ended abruptly, and with a whimper. The city, while huge in size, and beautiful, felt damned lifeless, with no comic book "character" whatsoever.

I put nearly 50 hours into the game, so I can't say the game was unplayable, or mediocre, but Rocksteady has truly perfected the "carrot and the stick" approach to game design, and when they had to give me those "did you see that?" moments of storytelling,
it just wasn't there. I cannot fault the voice acting, traversal, or combat mechanics, those have been nearly perfected over the course of the series, but for me, and this is where it counts the most, and what leaves the biggest impact in a game like this, is narrative, and the residual memories left to dissipate by the lukewarm "conclusion to the Arkham trilogy."

[N8]

I'm more disappointed in the dlc the have offered so far. I didn't buy the season pass but I'm looking for a reason to play again and I have none.

[QorCJack]

This is one of those games that you really enjoy while you're playing it, and then as time goes on you start to reassess it and realise that it did a lot of things wrong. The tank battles, the boss fights, the endings...all misfires for me.

[Tzuno]

I don't care if a game has 100 endings, i got what i got in the end, the others i see them on You tube, peace.