The importance of Scope

I recently finished Batman: Arkham City and it got me thinking about the scope of game sequels. It’s a common expectation for sequels to try and outdo their predecessors, and comparing Rocksteady’s two Batman titles illustrate this point effectively. Arkham Asylum was contained to a single island dotted with key landmarks and lengthy interiors. Arkham City expanded to include… well… a city. There’s so much ground to cover that it seems utterly overwhelming at first. Throw in the addition of side missions (DAMN YOU, RIDDLER!) and you wind up with a game that requires some serious time investment.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with bigger games and wider scopes. The dirty little problem this tends to create is a lack of focus.

[Spoiler alert incoming! Do not read any further if you want to retain the surprises that await you in Batman: Arkham City.]

There is a moment when the Joker injects Batman with his Titan infused blood, which will kill Batman in due time. The unfolding narrative places a heavy emphasis on acquiring the antidote. The notion is reinforced by supporting characters that call in and pay visits to check up on Batman’s condition. Additional scenes show Batman stumbling around with blurry vision as Titan’s deadly affect takes hold. At one point I even wondered if Batman would die (and thus a game over) if I didn’t get to the glaring bat signal in time.

As I made my way through the story event markers, all kinds of distractions cropped up to take me off course. If it wasn’t ringing phones or question trophies, I was rushing to the call of terrorized political prisoners or investigating murder scenes. The game play literally tries to draw you away from the driving narrative of the plot, creating a sort of disconnect between the two elements that’s common with sandbox games such as Grand Theft Auto. This isn’t praise or disdain, just an observation.

The same kind of disjointed focus occurs in the Metal Gear Solid series. Sons of Liberty poured on the cut-scenes. When they weren’t hitting frequently, they would go on forever. Sometimes I would just lay down the controller and kick back in my chair. I still much like the grandiose craziness of the plot, but the game definitely lost focus on relaying a clear message and keeping me engaged as player instead of a viewer.

Sequels can be tricky projects. I applaud companies for trying to improve their product instead of releasing nominally updated sequels in the tradition of Capcom and EA. I just wanted to point out that scope needs to be clearly defined and maintained regardless of your efforts to outdo yourself. Realize what made your initial offering so palatable, take that aspect, and expand upon it in a smart way.