Welcome to The GamerPops Roundtable. This will be a semi-regular event where the GamerPops discuss some of the big stories and pressing issues in the gaming industry. Got any questions you want us to discuss in future roundtables? Leave them in the Comments, or e-mail any one of us with the links at the top of the page. Let’s get on to this week’s Roundtable.

Greg: So, who’s NOT loving Batman? That is our first topic.

Jeff: Sadly, I haven’t been able to play it yet, but the demo was sweet.

Robert: Definitely a game of the year candidate. I can’t imagine that there is a person alive not loving it.

Greg: Communists maybe

Robert: Commies ruin things for everyone

Jeff: So, for you guys that have played it more, does it kinda feel like a Metal Gear game?

Greg: Haven’t played Metal gear since PS1, but i found it a lot like Bioshock, with stealth. Same vibe, same importance placed on atmosphere.

Robert: There are aspects of batman that remind me of MGS, like the importance of stealth, especially later on. But it also reminds me of Castlevania or Metroid.

Jeff: Castlevania? How so?

Greg: Exploration and back and forth.

Jeff: Ah, ok. And cool weapons too, I suppose.

Robert: Areas that you cant access until you find certain gadgets

Greg: “Metroidvania” is the term I heard thrown around for Shadow Complex

Robert: Did you reach the scarecrow level yet?

Greg: I just got to the Batmobile.

Robert: I think the scarecrow level comes right after that. I like the use of detective work and examining crime scenes.

Jeff: I like that kind of game mechanic. So much more fun than going in guns a blazing all the time and killing anything that moves.

Robert: There are times when you have no choice to be all gung ho. But many times, the stealthy, take one out at a time approach is the best. But the combat is terrific, it really allows you to pinball form one bad guy to another.

Greg: It’s really just a well done game. Something you expect from a veteran studio, not guys with one PS2 game to their credit.

Jeff: I think that’s the biggest surprise for me as well. So, as comic book guys, you guys felt they really nailed what Batman is about with this game?

Robert: Yes. And they make excellent use of the bat gadgets.

Greg: I was trying to get some big combos, but not successfully. Have to learn. But I love the whole package. Just enough of everything.

Robert: The highest combo I’ve reached is 12.

Greg: There’s a book called Arkham Asylum by my favorite writer. It’s outstanding and very psychological. I think the made the video game version of that book, which is considerable.

Robert: Arkham is dripping in creepy atmosphere, just like you’d expect. They just really nailed it. Even the movements seem like Batman.

Greg: And it’s violent and “gritty”, but batman doesn’t have to kill people. One thing I found funny. Batman doesn’t jump unless he needs to.

Robert: Yeah, it was odd getting used to that. Like I said, it’s a game of the year candidate. Not just a great Batman game, but a great game.

Greg: Outstanding. I guess Modern Warfare 2 is the other top contender.

Robert: Yeah

Greg: I was saying to Jeff though, I think Batman wins out because people expect Call of Duty to be good. They don’t expect Batman/superhero games to be good.

Robert: And I think Scribblenauts is going to get in there.

Greg: Its DS right?

Robert: Yeah.

Jeff: LOTS of hype for Scribblenauts.

Greg: The concept is fantastic.

Robert: I picked up their previous game, drawn to life, to get an idea. Haven’t played it yet.

Greg: Can’t wait to play the Natal version. :eyeroll:

Jeff: Why’d you have bring Natal into this?

Greg: Cuz I like to make fun of Natal

Jeff: My nightmare news update: Tim Schafer says Brutal Legend will support Natal.

Greg: Headline: Tim Schafer is playable with Natal.

Robert: Haha

Greg: I just don’t think anything not by Tim Schafer can be game of the year.

Jeff: Yeah, sadly, everybody else is fighting for second.

Robert: So what games are you guys looking forward to for the rest of the year.

Jeff: There’s not much left with everything slipping to 2010. I’m thinking Scribblenauts and New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Greg: I had a preorder for Batman, but ended up paying cash for it, so I have that still there. At this point, it’s either going to be Marvel UA2, or probably Dragon Age.

Robert: For me, it’s Scribblenauts, New Super Mario Brothers, NHL 10, and Left 4 Dead 2. Not in that order. NHL 09 was one of the most revolutionary sports games in a while, and I expect 10 to continue in that vein.

Jeff: I wish I’d played NHL 09 more, just couldn’t get into it.

Robert: The EASHL was one of the best ideas for multiplayer in sports.

Greg: Madden has the same idea this year (online playable fantasy leagues? OK!), but did it start with NHL?

Robert: Yes, but in a more fleshed out form. Users get to form their own clubs, compete against other clubs with their own created player.

Greg: I haven’t signed up for a Madden league, but I wonder if it will let you use your homebrew teams?

Robert: No, the online franchise is something different. This is more of running your own club, as opposed to running the Patriots.

Greg: Cool.

Robert: But I am looking forward to getting into online franchise. Seems like with the right amount of people, it could be a lot of fun.

Greg: I normally don’t do the sports games, but Madden looked great, and I did a trade 2 and pay $10 for it.

Robert: I don’t normally do Madden games, so it’s something we had in common.

Greg: Supposedly, EA is working on a Madden DL game like the NHL 3 on 3, which I know Jeff loved. If it’s like the old Blitz, count me in.

Robert: I heard something about that. Oh man, I wasted so much time in the arcades on Blitz. My first college had an arcade on campus, I skipped a lot of classes playing blitz and MvC.

Jeff: I had Blitz on my PS1. I loved that game.

Greg: I played quite of bit of Blitz too. NBA Jam was another good one. Jeff and I played a LOT of that.

Robert: Love Jam.

Jeff: RIP Midway.

Robert: A moment of silence.

Greg: Long live WBIE’s new assets!

Robert: Let’s hope they do live long.

Jeff: Wonder if we’ll see MKvDC 2

Greg: Well, MK will live on. Blitz is kinda screwed without the NFL license, but if they could do a $10 DL title, it could work. This would be funny: Blitz, with WB properties as ties. MK good guys. MK Bad guys.

Robert: Haha

Greg: The Batman Family

Robert: DC good guys. I would imagine The Flash would be quite good at running back.

Jeff: Man, Scorpion would be a beast. He could catch anything with his spear.

Greg: I call Deathstroke for linebacker. Seriously, that game would be awesome, and at 10, who WOULDN’T buy it?!?!

Robert: Solomon Grundy on the offensive line.

Greg: Mr. Immortal from the Great Lakes Avengers. For Jeff, his only power is that he comes back to life when he dies. However, he dies a lot because he has no other powers.

Robert: Haha. I forgot about him.

Jeff: Wow, that power sucks. Though I guess you live forever, but it’s a forever full of ‘meh.’

Greg: He gets killed a lot. Used for comedy.

Jeff: One more topic: What feature would you most want to see for the PS3?

Robert: Oh God that’s easy. Better online functionality. Parties, group voice chat.

Greg: Voice chat outside games would be great.

Jeff: Cross-game voice chat would be mine

Greg: PS2 backwards compatibility would be nice, because I know they CAN do it, they just won’t. I assume that’s because within a year, we’ll have PS2 downloads on PSN.

Robert: It’s so easy to set up games on XBox Live and move from game to game. Whereas it’s impossible to do the same on PSN. I have to type about 5 different messages to set up an NHL game.

Greg: XBox Live is fantastic, on a machine that’s about as reliable as a Sri Lankan ferry boat.

Jeff: I guess you get what you pay for.

Robert: Agreed, its worth the $50, though i never pay $50 for it. Seriously, its so easy to find it for $30, they should just make it $30.

Greg: They should make it free. But I guess they need to fund all those exclusives somehow.

Robert: Well, given how much they offer, i can understand the pay for play.

Greg: True. PSN, well, you get what you pay for. It’s amazing how much Sony has been playing from behind this generation.

Jeff: Well, MS had a year head start, and Sony really hasn’t done much to try and catch up.

Greg: MS has paid for that head start with the “questionable” design and build quality.

Robert: At least they don’t use friend codes.

Jeff: Oy oyoy. I’ll give the Big N this, they’ve stuck to their guns with their target market. And it’s worked out ok for them.

Greg: IT PRINTS MONEY!!!

Jeff: I’m of the opinion that Microsoft hasn’t made a quality product of any kind in years. They get by on their market position, marketing, and putting a low upfront cost on everything.

Greg: Vista? Windows Mobile? The Zune?

Jeff: Greg, stop, you’re splitting my sides.

Robert: Did you see the report on the failure rate on XBox?

Greg: 50% of surveyed users. Unreal.

Robert: Yeah, incredible. I would be embarrassed if i were M$.

Jeff: But they aren’t, that’s the great part.

Greg: SUPPOSEDLY, Windows 7 is the real deal. Even the geeks (who never liked Vista) LOVE it.

Jeff: It better be.

Robert: Vista is pretty good, it’s not the be all and end all.

Greg: But I love this story: Microsoft might keep WinMo 6.5 going as well as doing WinMo 7, so they can have a basic operating system for crappy WinMo phones and a good one for elite machines. Good idea Microsoft. Who needs one great operating system!

Robert: Greg, you are familiar with Microsoft’s previous body of work, are you not?

Greg: Have you seen the Windows 7 upgrade chart?

Robert: Nope.

Jeff: It’s such a thing of beauty. So easy to understand.

Greg: Its great. Basically, i think it says “Buy a new PC.” Or Mac.

Robert: Did they just place random green blobs everywhere? Cause that’s what it looks like.

Jeff: Pretty much.

Greg: No, it’s really simple. You just throw a dart.

Robert: Sweet

Greg: Anyway, I think it’s time to bang the gavel on this first session. All in all, I think we did good.

Jeff: Sweet. Till next time, guys.

Robert: Later.