With Batman: Arkham Origins just around the corner, it was kind of a shock to hear about a season pass for the title. Traditionally, the format of the Arkham games didn’t lend themselves to enough DLC to warrant a season pass. When you finally read what you get for this $20 price tag and is also claimed to be a $30 value, it really doesn’t feel worth investing another 50% of the game’s original price for this extra content.

As we previewed early yesterday morning, the team behind Batman: Arkham Origins at Warner Bros. Games Montreal revealed an almost five minute long CGI trailer for the game yesterday afternoon. With it came the reveal of pre-order information, two new major characters and some interesting news on the voice actors.

From the initial teaser, it was already confirmed that Deathstroke would find his way into the game. It was announced today that those who preorder Batman: Arkham Origins would be able to play as Deathstroke. It will be in similar fashion to the Joker or Catwoman challenge maps of Arkham games past as well as contain two additional costumes for Deathstroke.

Additionally, the trailer reveals two characters. Black Mask makes his return to the series after a brief cameo in Arkham City. It should be noted that it is revealed in Arkham City that Black Mask was the only man to ever escape. In addition, Deadshot will be making a return to the series as well.

This past weekend at Dallas Comic Con, the voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, confirmed he would be returning to the Batman: Arkham series in the upcoming prequel, Batman: Arkham Origins. After a rumor surfaced in April that Conroy was done with the series, there was a lot of hesitance from series’ fans that someone else may be voicing the Dark Knight (because they have heard what happens when Christian Bale does it).

Early in the video below, Kevin discusses his involvement in the project and how he has been working on it for more than nine months. There is tons of hype right now around Batman: Arkham Origins as teaser trailer featuring Deathstroke going toe to toe with Batman from last week revealed a longer version would be premiering later today. So far, we’ve seen a healthy number of Batman villains represented in the two previous Arkham titles but there is a lot of excitement as to who will make their Arkham debut this time.

If you loved Batman: Arkham Asylum and the sequel, Arkham City (and we’re pretty sure you did), get ready for some more awesome Batman action. That’s right, there’s another installment of the game franchise on the way.

Recently, Warner Bros. Interactive announced the game and it’s called Batman: Arkham Origins. And now, there’s a new teaser trailer highlighting just how great it’s gonna be.

Check out all the action after the break. Look for Batman: Arkham Origins to arrive in stores on October 23.

Want to see the teaser? Sure you do.

If you’ve been waiting for a brand new, awesome, online combat game featuring a cast of your favorite DC superheroes and villains, you’re wait is at an end. That’s right, Warner Bros. announced today the debut of their new game franchise: Injustice: Gods Among Us.

For all the scoop, check out the official press release below:

BURBANK, Calif. – April 16, 2013 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment today announced the North American launch of Injustice: Gods Among Us for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the Wii U™ system.

Developed by award-winning NetherRealm Studios, Injustice: Gods Among Us introduces a new franchise in the fighting game genre and a brand new story created in collaboration between NetherRealm Studios, DC Entertainment and comic book writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti. As the story unfolds, players will experience the power, gadgetry and unparalleled strength of some the most popular DC Comics heroes and villains, such as Batman, Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Aquaman, The Joker and others, as they engage in epic battles in a world where the line between good and evil is blurred.

Thanks for coming back for Part 2 of The Flickcast Presents The Bitcast Best of Gaming 2012. Click here to see yesterday’s part 1 and keep coming back the rest of the week for more awards including the Game of the Year being awarded on Friday.

Most Awkward Romance – Halo 4

So thankfully we got a year off from the awkward bromance of Gears of War between Dom and Marcus as well as a lack of fistbumping from Salem and Rios in Army of Two. What we did have was a love story between a stoic soldier and the lunatic AI woman living in his head. (I know, when I put it that way it makes it sound like I have no soul.)

In Halo 4, players were able to see a true evolution in the character of Master Chief, John 117, as he began showing actual human emotions due to his connection to the AI chip that had been living in his suit with him for the better part of a decade. Like most women that a guy has lived with for that long (while he spent most of his time asleep), Cortana has started to go a little crazy.

Epic franchises have been doing crossovers for years. It was only a matter of time before the team behind The Lord of the Rings movie franchise took notice of the success of other film blockbusters like Star Wars, Harry Potter and Indiana Jones and how well they all did when they met the LEGO world. Not only did the toys sell, but their video games were all certified hits. LEGO The Lord of the Rings promised to again do something never before done in a LEGO crossover.

The Long

Unlike LEGO Batman and its sequel which were original stories, LEGO The Lord of the Rings took the path of Star Wars and put the entire film trilogy and its most epic encounters into LEGO form. Unlike Star Wars though, LEGO The Lord of the Rings included actual voiceover taken directly from the film. That means the most iconic scenes, though given LEGO twists and humor in many cases, have the authentic audio from the movies. Hearing LEGO Gandalf utter, “You shall not pass” to the Balrog is unexpectedly still incredibly powerful even though, for all intensive purposes, it’s a toy saying it.

The LEGO games have earned themselves a place in the hearts of gamers with their unique takes on the Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Harry Potter franchises. Their signature humor is something that has kept players coming back along with strong loyalties to their respective franchises.

LEGO Battles: Ninjago tries to capture that same humor on a smaller scale with the Nintendo DS while introducing new gameplay elements different from those in the previously mentioned titles.

This time though, it uses one of LEGO’s latest series Ninjago and bringing it to the Nintendo DS.

Gameplay

Very surprisingly, LEGO Battles: Ninjago plays less like LEGO: Star Wars as a simple platforming action title and more like Warcraft 3. Players take the stylus and control groups of characters in various missions defeating the Skeleton minions, helping various villagers, collecting special items or defeating large LEGO bosses. These levels are quick little bursts of gameplay that fit well with the portable platform.

At the end of each chapter, players also encounter a level similar in style to most standard RTS games. Players collect resources, build various structures and amass a tiny army to attack their opponent’s base. Due to the limitations of the platform, the resource management is limited to only one item and the army size isn’t very high.

As much pressure as a movie game has on it, Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters is getting an extra added dose as it is the first video game based on the DC comic book property as well. While various Green Lanterns have been featured as supporting cast in other games such as Justice League Heroes, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Batman: The Brave and the Bold and DC Universe Online , this will be the first time Hal Jordan will be taking the starring role.

More important than the game’s graphics, story or even voice acting comes the question, will the game make a player feel like the Green Lantern? Some games recently have done a great job putting players in to the role of their headline hero and let players blissfully experience the super hero feel that they expect like Batman: Arkham Asylum or Wolverine: Origins.

Others haven’t been so successful, with the notable example being pretty much any Superman game ever created as the invincible Man of Steel seems to always constantly be in danger of dying.

When it comes to the Green Lantern, especially Hal Jordan, the use of the ring to create solid light constructs is paramount. While some Lanterns just shoot bolts of light, Hal has the creativity of someone from planet Earth backing him, resulting in everything from baseball bats to machine guns.

Take a peek below at how Warner Bros. Interactive has incorporated these concepts in to the in game combat of Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters. While we haven’t gotten our hands on the title yet, seeing these images gives us hope that they understand the excitement behind the prospect of playing as Hal Jordan.

With the upcoming Green Lantern eature film drawing ever closer to release, it is no surprise that there will be a licensed game title coming out around the same time. Enter Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters which will be coming out for the XBox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS.

Harness the power of the ultimate weapon! Inspired by the upcoming Warner Bros. Pictures’ superhero feature film Green Lantern, Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters soars onto game consoles this summer, extending the theatrical experience of one of DC Entertainment’s most popular superheroes. Playing as gifted pilot Hal Jordan, the first human Green Lantern, gamers will create an arsenal of ring constructs and take flight in outer space and beyond to restore intergalactic order. Players will use the Power Ring to build an array of weapons from green energy to defeat the Manhunters – an evil android race bent on destroying the Green Lantern Corps.

Set for June 2011 release, Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters will place players in the role of Hal Jordan, the first Green Lantern of Earth, defending Oa from a group of Manhunter androids bent on the destruction of the Corps. The XBox 360 and PlayStation versions will feature the likeness and voiceacting of the film’s star, Ryan Reynolds.

Also exclusive to the next-gen consoles will be optional 3D:

Xbox 360 and PS3™ gamers can play in anaglyphic 3D with technology that is compatible with all standard TV sets and visible while wearing the 3D glasses that come packaged with the videogame product. Fans can also enjoy the game in stereoscopic 3D when playing on any 3D HDTV while wearing active shutter glasses that are compatible with the television.

As you can already see from the screens and trailer below, the game looks to capture some of the more iconic moments of Green Lantern’s combat whether it is creating power beams to shoot enemies to extra large firsts or even complex devices like a Gatling gun for combat. Take a look for yourself and let us know what you think so far about Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters after the jump.