E3: Batman: Arkham Origins trailer takes flight

The prequel to the excellent Batman: Arkham series of games might have a different developer, but it still looks like the Dark knight we’ve come to know and love.

You can definitely tell this is a younger and ‘greener’ Bruce Wayne behind the cowl. Batman gets knocked around quite a bit and is seemingly more vicious than in the earlier Arkham titles. And I’m sure that longtime Bat-fans also noted that the voice of the Bat isn’t character mainstay Kevin Conroy.

Ever since taking up the vocal mantle back with the original ’90s cartoon Batman: The Animated Series, Conroy has become synonymous with the Batman and is recognized almost universally as his voice. He’s ‘appeared’ as Batman in numerous animated films as well as the Superman and Justice League (with Tim Daly, who’s pretty much become the voice of Superman in much the same way) series- and the first two Arkham games.

Fans probably shouldn’t be too upset with the non-inclusion of Conroy here though. Remember, this is a younger Bruce and Conroy’s heavy vocals are maybe a bit too rough and also a bit too confident for Arkham Origins.

Likewise Mark Hamill is clearly not the voice of Joker. That’s a little bit more of a mystery, though Hamill did say that he would not be back as the character ‘ever again’ after Arkham City, so who knows.

Voicework aside, because maybe you’re not as big a comic nerd as I am, Batman: Arkham Origins is looking like a can’t miss for Batman fans. The aesthetic of a wintery Christmas Eve is fantastic and plays beautifully off of the violent aspects of Batman’s dark rogues gallery.

I’m also pretty fond of the villains that Warner Bros has picked for this one, with a more organized crime tilt and an emphasis on the contract that Roman ‘Black Mask’ Sidonis has placed on the Dark Knight’s head. Very cool stuff that, as a comic fan, I’m absolutely eating up.

Fall can’t come soon enough as Batman: Arkham Origins arrives on the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, PC, 3DS and PS Vita on October 25th.