Game: Batman Arkham Asylum
Publisher/Developer: Eidos/Rocksteady
Genre: Action Adventure
Verdict: A fantastic single player experience. The definitive comic book hero game.
Pros: Offers enough variety so there’s no chance of getting bored.
Cons: Maybe not enough of a challenge for some.
Developing a good quality game based around a comic book hero is notoriously difficult to achieve. There have been plenty of attempts over the years, such as the recent Superman Returns game and various X-Men titles, but they either don’t quite hit the spot, or worst yet, show a callous disregard for the source material they are drawing inspiration from.
Most recently, Wolverine managed to nearly achieve comic book game greatness with an enjoyable and violent hack-n-slash affair. Unfortunately, it still didn’t really pay enough homage to its origins and everything just felt a little bit, dare I say, shallow. So despite being hugely excited by the promise that Batman: Arkham Asylum was showing in various previews, I was a little concerned that it wouldn’t keep to its solemn promises of becoming the definitive Batman title. Boy was I wrong! Instead I was fortunate enough to play the best game of the year so far.
From the opening credits and introduction, it is clearly obvious that this game oozes class. Batman: Arkham Asylum is not just your average Superhero title; it is a game where the story is just as important as the gameplay. You will come to quickly realize that Arkham Asylum is akin to Bioshock’s underwater city, Rapture. Without spoiling anything, the introduction sets the scene perfectly, depicting through interactive storytelling, Joker’s return to Arkham Asylum. As one would imagine, this quickly turns into his escape from captivity and his takeover of the Asylum. Yes, the lunatics truly have taken over the asylum and only you as Batman can stop their evil plans.
At first I had concerns that being restricted to the asylum throughout the game would get old fast because everything would be set indoors, however I was pleasantly surprised. As the game progresses, there are plenty of opportunities to explore the outside of the asylum’s island, which gives a nice feeling of freedom although things are somewhat linear at times. Joker and his cronies being in control of the asylum mean that some security barriers are only deactivated when Joker wants you to explore further, so particularly in the early periods of the game, things can feel a little constrictive. However, the huge bonus to this slightly linear formula is that it makes for a compelling single player experience and some astonishing set pieces.
Experience truly is the correct word for this game, as there are so many stunning moments. These range from beautiful visual scenery such as being able to view Gotham city from a distance, to great plot twists that truly take your breath away. In particular, there are some fantastic cameos that occur throughout the game by various villains. Some are difficult to explain for fear of spoiling the surprise and experience, but it is safe to say that cameos by Scarecrow and Killer Croc are notably brilliant. Both encounters manage to excite your sense and actually make you feel tense or unnerved by the experience: a true compliment to the game’s story telling ability.
It’s no real surprise that the story telling is well done, considering that it was penned by Paul Dini, the Emmy award winning writer of Batman: The Animated Series and more recently writer and story editor of Lost. The pedigree of voice acting is much the same with performances by the cast of the animated series, with a particularly brilliant turn by Mark Hamill as the Joker. If you have already heard his Joker in the animated series then you know what to expect. He is amazing as the Joker and makes the character just how you would expect: disturbing and scary, yet also funny and mocking.
Along with the story telling of this instance in Batman’s life, there are also many character biographies that can be collected by picking up the Riddler’s trophies and figuring out his riddles. These riddles and collectibles are a great way of extending the life of the game. There are a variety of puzzles to solve and they are actually fun to figure out! This is a rare thing for collectibles in my experience. You can also collect interview tapes for each character, unlocking a little bit of history about each villain which is a true must for any Batman fan. Despite enjoying the Batman films and animated series, I’ve never actually read a comic book and I found these tapes really encouraged me to track down some graphic novels, as they were both well done and intriguing.
I haven’t actually touched upon the control mechanics yet, and I’m pleased to say plenty of polish has been given to this area as well. Perhaps the most unique feature of the game is Detective Mode. With a simple tap of the trigger button, Batman is able to see his surroundings through his visor. The visor highlights points of interest for Batman, such as grates which can be opened and more importantly enemies, plus if they are armed or not. It’s a mode that you will be very familiar with by the end of the game, as it’s crucial in helping determine where you need to go next or what kind of enemies you are about to come up against.
Unarmed combat is Batman’s forte and Arkham Asylum is no exception. You won’t have any opportunities to pick up guns and shoot people, but nor should you. Batman is a good guy, he knocks people unconscious, he doesn’t kill. Combat in the early stages is arguably a little simplistic, especially if you start out button mashing, but if take your time, you’ll realize the finer details to this system. Much like titles such as Assassin’s Creed, the focus is more on maintaining rhythm in your combat than hammering the same buttons over and over again. It makes it infinitely more enjoyable once you realize that taking your time works out better and you’ll quickly manage to rack up a high combo multiplier, the more you counter attacks and juggle your enemies.
As the game progresses you will start to encounter armed goons. Now Batman might be a hardened hero, but he is still only human. A bit of intelligence in how you approach half a dozen armed guards goes a long way, making stealth the best way to attack. At first you are limited to sneaking up behind them and knocking them out silently, then quickly swooping up to a conveniently placed gargoyle. However, as time goes by more options become available to you. This is thanks to the upgrade system which gradually provides you with new abilities as you gain experience. New abilities range from improved combo attacks, improved batarang and my personal favorite: the inverted take-down.
The take-down is a fantastic way of quickly defeating an enemy and is pure Batman style through and through. It requires sitting on top of a gargoyle, then waiting for a goon to walk under it and tapping the Triangle button. The goon is then lifted up to Batman’s level, stripped and hung upside down from the gargoyle, instantly putting him out of action for the foreseeable future. Simple yet cool, and oh so satisfying. In fact, nothing quite beats the satisfaction of taking out an entire room of 6-8 armed guards, without ever being spotted by them until it is too late.
As you can guess from my gushing, I loved Batman: Arkham Asylum, but that’s not to say it is without its flaws. It’s not perfect but then again nothing is. Although the boss fights are enjoyable, they are often quickly over and lack real substance. When the game hypes up the appearance of a famous villain and then quickly dispatches them, mostly through the use of cut-scenes rather than true action, it is easy to feel a little bit cheated. This is unfortunately especially true with the game’s finale.
I also didn’t find the game hugely challenging. At times, fighting sequences were difficult, but I never found myself perplexed in regards to what to do next or how to traverse a certain section. This was mostly thanks to the detective mode being so competent that it was fairly simple to figure out where to go next. I did have some suspicions as the game went on that things would end far too quickly, but with a storyline lasting around 10-12 hours, my appetite felt suitably sated. At least until I go back for a second play through, which feels increasingly tempting.
Besides the main storyline and the many, many collectibles to acquire, there is also the Challenge Mode. This mode offers a series of arenas and fighting scenarios, unlocked as you acquire more of Riddler’s trophies. Some of the scenarios pit you against unarmed goons, while others require a more stealthy approach and reward you depending on if you match certain criteria given to you.
The Playstation 3 version currently offers the ability to play as The Joker in Challenge maps, as part of free DLC. This made things a bit different, thanks to The Joker’s different set of gadgets and attack animations, ensuring that a different approach needs to be taken as compared to when using Batman. The Challenge Mode is not something that you would purchase the game solely for, but it makes a nice distraction and does add some longevity to the title, especially with the availability of online leaderboards.
I really can’t praise Batman: Arkham Asylum enough as a single player experience. It just manages to be so perfectly pitched that it is easy to forgive its faults, because no sooner has a moment slightly disappointed, that another stunning moment appears. On rare occasions it looks like things could get a little repetitive and then it suddenly surprises you with events like a surreal change of pace, an extremely tense face off with a certain villain I won’t name, or a moment that honestly makes you think your console has just died (you’ll see…).
Batman: Arkham Asylum manages to borrow elements from so many other titles such as Tomb Raider, Bioshock, and Hitman, without feeling like it is copying excessively. It feels like a game that has been made by developers as a labor of love. It is apparent that these are people who not only appreciate what makes a good game, but also what makes a good comic book, ensuring that it pleases everyone. If you really enjoy single player experiences and love to become part of a tightly written storyline, then you really can’t afford to miss Batman: Arkham Asylum. Finally a game has come along that is just what Batman richly deserves. Game of the year so far without a doubt.
Popularity: unranked [?]
One comment