Batman: Arkham Asylum - 360 Review

Batman: Arkham Asylum kicks off the pre-winter releases with the weight of expectation bearing down on it like the Dark Knight himself. Promising since its announcement it’s pleasing to discover the game lives up to the hype surrounding it. Despite its minor niggles and loss of imagination in the final acts, the game is a resounding success and much more than the sum of its parts.

The premise is simple and inspiring at the same time. Having apprehended the Joker after an attack on City Hall, Batman returns him to Arkham only for the Clown Prince of Crime to escape and take over the facility. With Harley Quinn and many other villains in supporting roles it’s an ensemble that entertains throughout aided endlessly by stellar voice work. The actors from the animated series make a return with Kevin Conroy voicing Batman and the magnificent Mark Hamill as The Joker. The air of nostalgia that fills the game and the often wonderful design of the Asylum give the experience instant charm that carries through until the conclusion which is one of the few low points in an otherwise inventive and engrossing game. The final boss fights lack imagination and feel clichéd spoiling the uniqueness of most that came before them.

There are very few games out there with the sense of being a character that this has. Playing as Batman is one thing but feeling the same power, control and confidence over a situation that he would is something Rocksteady Studios has captured wonderfully. The combat is simple and often ventures into button-bashing territory but is saved by fluid animations which serve up elegance and brutality with a single kick to the face. B stuns, X attacks and Y counters with baterangs and grapple hooks adding variety and strategy to proceedings which come to fruition in the challenge rooms. These high score chasing scenarios are either combat or stealth based with the former judged by score and the latter by time.

Predator rooms and their counter-parts in the main game perfectly show off the excellent gameplay mechanics. There are various ways to despatch of enemy guards but to not be seen is the priority with inducing fear a fun second place. In Batman’s detective mode, a way of seeing where enemies are, whether they’re carrying weapons etc, you can also see their heart rate which rises as their buddies are picked off one by one. It perfectly captures what Batman is about but there s a feeling of routine eventually as the AI’s flaws become more apparent. If seen, only a few swings between positions will conceal you again making revealing your position a nuisance rather than a death stroke it should be.

Batman isn’t just a master of stealth and combat though, he is after all The World’s Greatest Detective™. This has been addressed with the detective mode. This mode is mainly to see where enemies are, find breakable walls and solve some of the riddles. The actual detective element is utilised three or four times in the game and is very simple. First find the clue and then follow the trial related to it. It’s very basic and the weakest part of the game, a better balance between this and the combat in the inevitable sequel would give the game a little extra variety. The aforementioned detective mode is a great help in some areas, particulary the predator rooms but outside that it can make things too easy.

Knowing where each enemy is all the time allows for strategy but removes most of the threat and element of surprise. Understandable given the games focus on Batman’s control of small situations when on a grander scale the Joker has most control. However from a gameplay perspective it removes some of the challenge. On lower difficulties being seen doesn’t mean much so it’s a matter of waiting for a chance to strike. This can take up a lot of time, especially on high difficulties, which for the impatient becomes old quickly.

Once the story is dusted off there’s more than enough to return to Arkham for. With nearly all enemies removed solving all the Riddler’s riddles becomes wonderfully addictive. There’s a good variety to them with few being a real hassle to figure out. There’s plenty of unlockables to be had by completion as well, be it character trophies, profiles or challenge rooms. As a way of increasing the games longevity this works just as well as Crackdown’s famous orbs and will have a vast majority of players coming back for more.

Arkham Asylum is rare thing. A game with inspiration from other mediums that never forgets the fact it’s trying to be different and has its own medium to adhere to. It has a story worthy of its place in the Batman legacy and gameplay that’ll see it remembered for a very long time. Not just as one of the best superhero games available but also as one of the best games of the year.

EDIT: If anyone reads this I'll post them a Wispa Gold

Born Skippy wrote:EDIT: If anyone reads this I'll post them a Wispa Gold

Address incoming.