The dark, oppressive atmosphere exuding from the asylum's walls brings to mind 2K's BioShock.Īnd while the asylum isn't an open world for Batman to play about in, the developers have given the player ample opportunity to wander off the beaten track, throwing in a wealth of collectables to discover for those with a sense of adventure.Ĭhief among these shiny baubles are The Riddler's trophies. What Arkham Asylum does better than the majority of superhero games from the past is create an excellent - and slightly uncomfortable - ambiance. At times the combat feels more like a rhythm game, with the player stringing together well-timed flurries with ease. Of course the grinning goon manages to escape, Arkham is locked down, and the hunt is on to track the Clown Prince of Crime down before he unleashes chaos.Īrkham Asylum is an amalgamation of genres - with stealth-based sections, environmental puzzle solving, and bouts of good old-fashioned fisticuffs fused coherently together to produce a slick and well-rounded package.Ĭombat is excellent, with simple button combos unleashing meaty hits and well-placed kicks, while pulling off counter attacks is intuitive and hassle free.
Set in the confines of Gotham City's famous psychiatric hospital, the story opens with Batman escorting The Joker to his cell. With his fighting prowess and reliance on gadgets, he's the perfect subject for a videogame hero, and Arkham Asylum is a game which does Gotham's finest proud. However, if anyone was going to redress the balance, it was going to be Batman. As a result, titles such as Crackdown and InFamous have filled the void, allowing players to leap over buildings, throw cars into the air and unleash justice on the bad guys.
But neither of these minor quibbles are enough to scare anyone away from an overall excellent game.It's fair to say that previous games featuring superheroes haven't exactly set the pulse racing. And the boss fights, aside from the morbid meetings with the Scarecrow, are fairly basic. After completion of the main story, players have the ability to continue scouring Arkham for missed clues, but an additional play-through will not yield any new results. Replay value will vary, depending on the gamer. Sound effects and music are also great, with the latter sharing elements with earlier releases in the Batman franchise.
Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, respectively playing Batman and the Joker, were both stars of the ’90s cartoon.
Each of the villains, as well as the Dark Knight, have designs unique from their comic, cartoon, and/or movie counterparts, with personalities pooled from all of the media in which they have appeared. Aside from the Joker and Harley Quinn, players get some sweet face time with the Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Bane, and Mr. Of all the heroes in comic book lore, Batman claims arguably the greatest rogues, and they are most definitely on display in this game. The immersive quality of the island is immediately reminiscent of Rapture, the underwater city in Bioshock, as the varying level designs feel authentic to the game’s reality. Although an asylum doesn’t sound like the most beautiful setting, the variety of level types and designs are intricately laid out. The graphics, both in terms of the characters and the settings, are top notch. Substantial backtracking through past levels will be necessary, much in the style of the Metroid and Castlevania franchises. Collecting these items not only earns additional experience points, but also teaches the player about the history of the Batman universe.
Throughout the levels, the Riddler (who doesn’t appear in the game) has hidden clues, trophies, and interview tapes, as well as a map of the locations of these treasures. Efficient, error-free fighting earns Batman experience points, which can be used to purchase combat, gadget, and armor upgrades.Īs any Batman fan can report, the gadgets at the hero’s disposal are one of his main selling points, and these “wonderful toys” are necessary to unlock additional game features like character biographies and challenge maps. Instances of direct and indirect combat are well balanced and challenging. Stealth is also necessary in many areas, using grapple points and ventilation ducts. Early in the game, adequate hand-to-hand fighting can be achieved using basic button mashing, but, as the game progresses, frequent use of counter-moves and batarangs will be necessary in large groups of lunatics. The gameplay is a mixture of action-adventure and beat’em-up and is similar to the controls featured in Assassin’s Creed.