Batman: Arkham City character profiles: The Joker – Part 2
The second article, in what is set to be a long series, courtesy of Rocksteady continuing to announce a seemingly endless list of characters for their upcoming game, will take a look at the Joker.
Be warned there will be an increased emphasis on the video game versions of the two, so if anyone is expecting a lengthy praise of Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the joker will be disappointed.
After checking up on Batman and looking forward to the leather clad feline femme fatale, Catwoman (purr!) - the two protagonists in the game - it is now time for the fallen star of Batman: Arkham Asylum; the purple jacket wearing, hysterically laughing (at
things normal people would cringe at) Joker.
Yes, Batman: Arkham City has many, many more villains in the series, so why should anyone bother talking about the Joker one might ask, when one can look forward to the old, instead of reminiscing on the beaten and battered old.
For starters, Joker has and always will be the caped crusader's arch nemesis, both in the comic book world, as well as in the video games and even in the movies (well the most successful one at least).
The entire plot in Batman: Arkham City revolved around the Joker and his plans to finally get rid of the ‘bat’ and to take over Gotham City with his bio-come-chemical weapon, Titan. The Joker released a host of henchmen and enlisted some of Batman’s toughest
foes, and orchestrated the events at the Asylum with ease.
That is until Batman put all his goons in a coma, beat every last one of the antagonists and finally ruined the Joker’s party, in what had to be one of the best fight sequences in any game.
By the end of the game, the Joker is a beaten, worn down, even more deranged shell of his former shelf. Unable to cope with the fact that his ‘master plan’ failed, he is locked up in the same asylum where he was to begin his rule over Gotham City.
How big a role the Joker will play in the second game is still up for speculation, especially after seeing the, aforementioned, increasing line-up of villains. With the Penguin and Harvey ‘Two Face’ Dent set to figure prominently and with the Joker still
recovering, in a wheelchair, from the pounding he received from Batman in the previous game, it seems the Joker may just end up being a peripheral figure.
Though, knowing the clown that kills you with laughter (literally, as he is known for killing his victims with an injection that leaves them with smiles on their faces), one can expect him to play some role of significance in the story.
One rumour has him running for mayor of Arkham City, which would work, especially seeing how Harvey Dent (Two Face) is another political-ish figure and could form a nice sub-plot.
All in all, no Batman experience is complete without a bit of the Joker, and if Rocksteady can repeat what they did with the character in Arkham Asylum, then Batman: Arkham City is going to be one heck of an experience.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the editorial policy of Bettor.com
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