I Finally Feel Your Pain

I didn't play Batman: Arkham Asylum; despite this, I was really excited to get my hands on Arkham City.  Most of our readers are well aware of this games outrageous reviews.  The top names from print to online have given it perfect scores thanks in large part to the title's amazing graphics, super villain lineup, and intense action.  I usually do more research then just reading a handful of reviews, and I still regret that I never checked out Batman more.

Skipping back a few years, Linz has always had a propensity for motion sickness when it comes to videogames.  I have always felt sorry for her, especially when one of the games she couldn't play happened to be one of my all-time favorites, Oblivion.  But the tables have turned and I am the one reaching for a sick bag.  Lindsey's condition and my lack of research crashed together when I realized that Batman: Arkham City is played in the third person.

This doesn't look impossible, but it sure feels impossible.

Not all third-person games get my stomach moving.  While I primarily played Oblivion in the first person, switching to the third was not a big deal.  And other games like Fable never gave me a problem despite my dozens of hours of play time.  But that tight, over the should, third person perspective is definitely going to be the end of me.  I had problems with Gears of War; I couldn't handle watching them run in multiplayer without wanting to upchuck, and I never did get the aiming under control.  In Arkham City, it's the characters' walk, especially the overly-sensual sway of Catwoman's hips, that makes me queasy.  If a seductive little strut can make me want to barf, imagine what diving, flying, and swinging through buildings does.  For the first time ever, the graphics in a game are too good.

We'll just say she's a tough act to follow.

I'm not really complaining about this particular title, I'm more upset about my total inability to pick up this game type.  Almost any game that comes out today, I can get the hang of the controls and game play pretty quickly, usually within 15 minutes.  Racing used to be my kryptonite, but I have even managed to get a grasp on driving.  Still, I cannot play over the shoulder games for the life of me and it is beyond frustrating.  They have become my personal, final frontier.

So this is a call out to you, the reader.  If you have any tips or tricks for conquering the third person gaming experience, hook a sister up.  Shed some light on this for me, because without it, I might never be able to restore order to Arkham City and its prisoners.  And finally, to Linz, I'm right there with you.