Posted by Tim Fischer on September 28, 2009

Batman: Arkham Asylum

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I have been one of those gamers that have waited years for Batman to receive the game that he deserves. Countless hours spent reading comics of the Caped Crusader and playing many adventure games with Batman-like characters made me believe that each game that came out with his name would the one that would do Batman justice. And over those years I have slowly given up hope for the poor guy. In recent years however, with the Tomb Raider and Condemned franchises, I figured it would only be a matter of time before I got the game that I have always wanted. Patience is a virtue as they say. batman_arkham_asylum

With Batman: Arkham Asylum, I finally get to play as the hero I have loved for over 25 years. Rocksteady Studios have given us an action-fighter while incorporating the detective aspect of Batman that almost every other publisher that has created a Batman game has basically ignored. It was fun to enter a room and think not only about how I was going to take out the criminals, but how I was going to find the next Riddler Challenge or breakable wall.

Just to give you a general overview of the premise: Batman brings the Joker back to Arkham Asylum after taking the mayor hostage. Shortly after arriving the Joker escapes and taunts the Dark Knight into entering the criminal-controlled hospital/prison to end the mayhem. While searching of the Joker, Batman runs across many of his old foes like the Scarecrow, Poison Ivy and Killer Croc and uncovers a secret about the asylum itself. That’s all I’m going to give you.

As an action-fighter, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a very standard game. You have to earn experience points from defeating foes and finding the Riddler’s hidden clues. After earning enough experience points the game will reward you with a chance to upgrade fighting combos, armor or equipment. You do not have access to all potential upgrades at the start of the game however. New upgrades are unlocked during normal play as well as the equipment that you will need to progress. The only item that you have from the start is your trusty Batarang.

Upgrading your combos is a must. In the early stages of the game you can get along with button mashing the strike button and most enemies will fall. Later on you have to use certain takedowns and counters to eliminate foes like the knife and stun baton wielders. Mastering the combo moves will make your gameplay easier later in the game when you start to face mobs of six or more.

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You also get detective mode which is kind of like an x-ray machine. You’ll be able to see breakable walls and find the clues that will help you explore the island. But the best aspect is that detective mode allows you to see criminals through walls and floors. This is very useful in planning how to take out the enemy or just bypass them altogether.

But be careful with detective mode. It is easy to just keep it on throughout the entire game. While this is sometimes needed, if you do remain in detective mode you will miss out on how gorgeous ugly can be. The graphics are sharp and encompassing while showing how dirty and disgusting Arkham Asylum and its inhabitants can be. Character animation is top notch. Taking the time to admire the detail will ensure you get immersed in the game.

Stealth is a huge part of this game. While fighting, especially after upgrading the combos, you will feel invincible jumping around the room clobbering everyone, but all it takes is a few hits and the tide will change. Taking out the escaped criminals quietly is the preferred method of this game. Running head on into a large group of enemies can mean the end for your hero.

I found the story—or I guess I should say without giving away too much, both stories—to be a bit too predictable. But this is a game with a teen rating for the reason of enticing even the casual player. What does help with drawing in the fan in all of us is the fact that Batman and Joker are voiced by Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, respectively, of Batman: The Animated Series fame. Any fan of the series can attest that Conroy and Hamill’s voice acting made the cartoon great.

While the story was not too difficult to follow, some of the individual segments were down right disturbing. Without spoiling too much I can say that the morgue segment not only gave me chills, but I felt bad for Batman. The Scarecrow encounters have to be some of the weirdest segments. By the time I was done I personally wanted to see the Scarecrow crushed.

GDC-2009-First-Look-Batman-Arkham-Asylum

Besides the story mode there is a challenge mode that really does live up to the name. The premise is not to just finish the stages, but to achieve up to three “bats” for each of the 16 challenges. Basically the mode can be split into fighting or stealth. The fighting challenges have you racking up points, but the only way to get the amount to earn the “bats” are to use the combos as frequently as possible. No amount of button mashing will give you the big prize. The stealth challenges have you perform certain takedowns. Each challenge is different so use the back button to check the list.

Overall, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed playing Batman: Arkham Asylum. The visuals are stunning, the action is not boring since the foes get harder the further into the game, and detective mode tied into the Batman motif perfectly. I completed normal while collecting all 240 Riddler Challenges in 16 hours obtaining 33 of the 47 achievements for a gamerscore of 645. This is a title that I would recommend keeping in your library of games. Replay of the challenge rooms alone is enough to keep even the hardcore gamer interested.

-Tim Fischer

Managing Editor

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