0 to Z of Playstation 1 Games - Batman Beyond Return of the Joker
Batman Beyond Return of the Joker also know as Batman
of the Future: Return of the Joker in Europe is a scrolling beat 'em up
developed by Kemco and published by Ubi Soft Entertainment Software (Ubisoft).
The game would be released on the Playstation, Game Boy Color and Nintendo 64
The game released on October 30th
2000 in North America, with a 15th of December release the same year
in Europe, the Game Boy Color version would also release in Europe in December
of 2000. Japan would have to wait until the 1st of May 2001 until it
was released.
The Nintendo 64 version of the game would also
release around the same time as the Playstation version with the European
release pushed back into the new year of 2001, the game was for the most part
poorly received on all three platforms.
The previously covered Batman & Robin was
based on the feature film, this game however while released to coincide with
the 2000 direct to video animated movie, the game is more based on the original
Batman Beyond animated tv series which ran from 1999 to 2001 (Conflicting sources on this some say it is based on the animated film, others say on the animated tv series).
The game has two modes to choose from, the
first is a time attack mode where the player can take on three bad guys of your
choice at the same time, before beginning the time attack mode you are able to
select the Batsuit of your choice, a total of 5 in the game. Once chosen it is
a fight against the clock with the fastest times displayed below the select the
enemies screen.
The main mode of the game is the Story Mode
which is made up of 16 levels in the form of a scrolling beat ‘em up in a similar
vein to Final Fight. As you progress through the levels you will have to fight
your way through the Jokers thugs with five different thugs to face off
against, in addition to human thugs you have robots, mutants, security robots
and Bonk and Crane.
Progressing through the levels the player users
the D-Pad or the left analogue stick to move the player character, players can
kick enemies by using the X button while punching is done with the square
button, jumping can be done by pressing the circle button, while blocking enemy
attacks I done with the R1 shoulder button.
The game allows the player to switch between
four different Batsuits at any time during the level, each of these Batsuits
have different gadgets to use in combat. The standard Batsuit has the choice of
Magnetic Nunchaku, Dark Knight Discus, and the Dark Knight Staff. Pressing the
L2 shoulder button switches between the available gadgets.
The defensive Batsuit as you have probably
guessed by the name does not have any offensive gadgets, instead it has two Dark
Knight shields, that you wear at all time, resulting in a Batman that can take
plenty of hits in exchange for a weaker attack strength.
The offensive suit has a weaker defensive power
but has much greater offensive capabilities, with more complicated attacks as
well as being able to do combos for even greater damage. The final suit is the
Nimble suit this allows Batman to glide in the air, double jump, roll forward
and backward for attacks, and perform a double kick, the defensive strength of
this suit is the lowest of all four suits.
During the course of a level you will find
gadgets and power ups with the following available Radio, Neuromuscular
Amplification, Shotgun, Armament, Jet Boots, 1-Ups, HP Recovery, Discus Supply,
keys and boxes that hold special items.
The game is set in the late 21st century,
Bruce Wayne who has suffered as a result of his years of crime fighting must
retire. 20 years have past since Batman was last seen, with evil once again
infesting the streets of Gotham Ciy.
The Joker and his gang of menacing street thugs
are terrorising the innocent civilians of Gotham, these are not simple street
gang, which soon becomes apparent when they begin to target computer systems around
Gotham and stealing the high tech components.
Bruce sends his young apprentice Terry McGinnis
to investigate the madness that the gang have been inflicting on the city,
while McGinnis is out investigation Bruce Wayne is attacked by the Joker at
Wayne Enterprises, another mystery presents itself how has the joker survived
all this time and still be as strong as he once was. Terry mush now team up
with Bruce and attempt to unravel the mystery of the Jokers sudden appearance,
what does the computer tech thefts mean
Critically the game struggled pretty badly with
the game only breaking the average score of 50 on two occasions, the remainder
of the reviews falling below average down to very poor, as usual though we will
start with the best which comes from Spanish publication Meristation.
The Meristation reviewer giving the game a 58,
the review recommending the game to fans wanting to know the future that awaits
their favourite animated series character as well as hitting the streets of
Gotham City, however for those who are not fans of the Batman animated series
this may not be the game for you (translated from Spanish may not be 100%
accurate).
PSX Nation were the next highest review score
for the game with a 52, with the review highly critical of the game, the review
saying. Unless you have a sort of sadistic side, or like laughing at how bad
games, like movies can be, the Batman Beyond should be avoided.
The review continued by saying. No matter what
your heart tugs with, visions from the Cartoon or Paul Dini’s amazing work with
the comics, the sad fact is this game is crud, and nothing more than fodder for
the bargain bins. And aside from Batman being the lead, this could be any other
character starring in a 16 bit quick cash sellathon.
All Game Guide were next up with a below
average 40 review score, the review calling Batman Beyond Return of the Jokes a
frustrating game that crumbles under its own challenge. The review commenting
that if the game had not been so difficult and lacked a save function it wouldn’t
have been a bad game.
The review praised the range of enemies on
offer as well as the manual showing the enemies up to level three of the game
the reviewer concluded by saying, this is one beat ‘em up that will test your
patience and skill, so rent it at your own risk, it could drive someone insane.
Heading to the other end of the review scale
now we find two review outlets scoring the game at a 20, with both IGN and
Cheat Code Central awarding the game this dismal score. Starting with IGN who
got all poetic and rhymy, they had the following to rhyme about the game.
You should not buy this game because of its
gameplay, nor because of its graphics, or because of its sound, you should not
buy this game when it's bound, or buy it by the pound. You should not buy this
game for the Dark Knight, or because you can fight, or because it's tight. You
should not buy this game because you like the cartoon, or because it's out so
soon, or because it makes you swoon. You should not buy this game because it's
not a game, but it is inane, and it is a shame. You should not buy this game,
Batman I am.
Cheat Code Central were less rhymy, the review
opening with the statement we all love Batman, however the evil Kemco and Ubi
Soft have control over him now, the reviewer hoping that another hero can come
and save the caped crusader before we just don’t care anymore. They concluded
by saying anyone for another game of Spider Man? Ah…That’s so much better thanks
Neversoft.
Daily Radar scored the game slightly higher than
the previous two but with a still dismal 25 review score, the review asking
readers to listen to Batman creator Bob Kane rolling around in his grave. The
review commenting if the late Bob Kane was still around he would have gone to
pick out his own coffin to roll around in after seeing Kemco and Ubi Softs
butchery of the Batman name.
This is the part of 0
to Z where is visit four online retailers and see what the availability of the
title is, and what price you would be looking at if you wanted to pick this
title up, the sites that I will be using for this are Amazon.com,
eStarland.com, retrogames.co.uk and Gamedude.com I know the last one is very
location specific, but from a podcast I listen to, I’ve heard they have a huge
stock of older games, Ebay has now been dropped unless the game is unavailable
at other retailers.
Retrogames.co.uk are up next who sadly don’t
stock or even list this title, so we will quickly move on to eStarland.com.
Where we find one used copy of the game available, this copy is priced up at
$14.50, there is also a trade in offer for this game with eStarland.com paying
up to $7.50 for a complete copy of the game. This price will vary depending on
the completeness of your copy, with a disc only copy worth up to $2.25.
Finally we have Amazon.com where we find a fair
supply of the game available, unlike the previously covered Batman & Robin
there are a few more complete copies available. The first is a Black Label
version of the game in very good condition which can be picked up for $15.94
once shipping costs have been added in.
The second complete copy available is priced up
at just a few cents more at $15.97 while the third will cost you a couple of
dollars more at $18.76. Used complete prices continue to climb from here
reaching a peak of around $28, with the compulsory overprice copy available as
well for $154.98.
A few new copies of the game are also
available, the first of which comes with free shipping from Amazon and is price
up at $35. From here new prices for the game take a couple of significant jumps
in price, the first Is priced at $74.99 while the other new copy passes the
$100 mark.
Written by
P J Gibbon
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