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However, the game continues far beyond this event (with side missions and exploration capability resuming) and after the main story ends, like the previous games, one may explore the city as freely as they want in the main story and New Game+ is unlocked. Like City, there is an event that renders exploration almost impossible (even more so in the case of Knight, as the Cloudburst covers the streets of Gotham, preventing you from entering buildings at all) acting as a Plot Tunnel.
Due to its non choice-based Multiple Endings, the game makes a variation. As always though, you stay in Gotham after the story is finished, allowing for side missions to be done and Enigma Data Packets to be collected. After this, Batman heads straight to Blackgate Prison for the final part of the story, where the Joker has begun a prison riot alongside Bane. Straight after you've defeated him, you automatically go to the Batcave as Bane has learned Batman's identity and attacked Wayne Manor. This bars off the bridge story-wise and leaves you unable to go there without initiating the climax, as going after Firefly locks you into the endgame. Once you do this, Firefly attacks the Pioneer's Bridge in an attempt to draw Batman out. Batman: Arkham Origins has an unmarked point where you go to investigate a corpse in the GCPD Morgue. There is New Game+ and the ability to do post-story side missions and collect Riddler trophies. But returning to the base of Wonder Tower locks you into the story for the rest of the game. This renders world-exploration highly difficult (but not impossible). In Batman: Arkham City, your second trip to the Steel Mill to reclaim the cure for Batman's TITAN poisoning leads to Protocol 10's initiation once you beat the Joker in his boss fight.
Warning! Expect unmarked spoilers ahead! Once you read through these spoilers, you won't be able to experience these moments blind! Often goes hand-in-hand with Door Jam, where there's an in-universe explanation for why the hero can't turn back and is forced to face a danger alone. It's also a term used to describe an "event horizon," a point in spacetime (usually a black hole) where once crossed, gravity becomes so strong that it's physically impossible for anything (even light itself) to escape.Ĭompare Point of No Continues, You Can Turn Back, Last Chance to Quit and Inescapable Ambush. This comes from the term used in air travel where after a certain point it becomes impossible to turn around and return to the point of origin (for example, not enough fuel) even if there is a sudden emergency, the plane must continue towards its destination. Often the point is marked by a Door of Doom and/or announced by an Ominous Save Prompt. See also Plot Tunnel, which occurs mid-game and cuts off all the plot-irrelevant levels temporarily, until the current story arc is cleared. Games that regularly prevent you from returning to earlier completed areas are another trope entirely, although freeform or ability-based level exploration may blur the line. Even if you can, it's cold comfort if you're trapped in The Very Definitely Final Dungeon with no way to go back or finish it. you don't appear to be heading toward the final battle at all), and/or the game only lets you save to one file, and perhaps even encourages you to save after you've passed the (hidden) point.Īnother dimension to this is whether there is a Playable Epilogue or Endgame+ that lets you go back to the rest of the world again after you finish the game.
Cruel: Same as Nasty except there is no hint at all, even for veteran players (e.g. If you left your good stuff at home, then you'll either have to fight a much harder endgame than you should, or start all over again. Nasty: Same as Tough, but there is no useful grinding opportunity and you have to win with whatever you brought with you. However, there is a shop and the enemies here drop gold, so you can grind what you need to finish the game. Then you decide to go back to check something out, only to find that you've unwittingly passed the point of no return, possibly leaving your best items and equipment behind. Tough: You're playing through the game, and save your file as normal. If you neglect this advice, you will put yourself in either a Tough or Nasty situation depending on the game. You are encouraged to save the game before heading out, and to keep that slot preserved in case you need to go back. Polite: The game warns you that the point of no return is ahead.