Batman: Arkham Asylum

In order for any true Superhero game to succeed, one has to feel as though they are given the capability to really be that hero. Video games are the ultimate form of escapism, and what better way to escape than to an alternate digital universe where you take on the role of a superhuman badass who extends beyond the physical and mental capabilities that any average person could ever hope to achieve? If we look back at previous superhero titles that have been deemed a success, such as _Spiderman 2: The Game_ and more recently, _X-Men Origins: Wolverine_; what made them great was the ability to make us feel like we had total control over a truly powerful, and perhaps more importantly, familiar character.

Batman, as famous as he is popular nowadays thanks to the recent film adaptations, seems like the perfect candidate for this videogame conversion. He is not all powerful (a trait of heroes like Superman, which often make their games feel lacking, as it is difficult to realistically find them a foe to which they will feel matched), and his combination of stealth, combat and detective skills all lend themselves favourably to established videogame genres. So how then does _Batman: Arkham Asylum_ measure up? Do we finally have the definitive Batman experience in which we can, in some degree, step inside the iconic cowl and cape?

The short answer is a resounding ‘yes’. As you walk the halls of Gotham’s surprisingly decrepit lunatic asylum, and crouch behind a corner, ready to loose a baterang at an unsuspecting thug, you would be forgiven for accidentally reaching down to your own jeans to ready the gadget, rather than pressing the required button! This is a game where you are not playing Batman, you are Batman. As you see and hear the Joker yelping and bouncing in his chair via the many video screens presented to you in this game, you’ll start to come up with dark, brooding responses of your own, you’ll begin to steel yourself with a determination to stop the brightly coloured super villain that is far from fabricated. Suddenly the game stops being about reaching the next section, or obtaining the next gadget – it becomes very much about achieving Batman’s goals, not for a sense of completion, but to save the citizens of Gotham. It is immersion in its purest sense.

The atmosphere around every corner, present in every nook and cranny is exceptional. The fact that so much clear effort has been poured into every possible aspect of the game is highly applaudable and it pays off in spades. There is so much icing on the cake that it is hard to know which bit of sweet frosting to dip your finger in and lick off first. Arkham is a living, breathing world, with a history extending far beyond the opening of the game itself. Interview tapes with inmates are left scattered across the environment, opening fascinating back stories to the characters encountered throughout the story; and The Riddler has left innumerable riddles to be solved in practically every room Batman enters. These riddles are wonderfully diverting, breaking up play and proving hugely rewarding when solved; not just through providing character bios and experience points, but also through simple personal satisfaction. This atmosphere is supplemented by an engaging story, brought to life by the accomplished characters of Batman lore. In part this is to do with a sublime script, penned by Paul Dini of ‘Batman: The Animated Series’, but more to do with some incredible voice talent – headed by the two leads, Kevin Conroy as the titular character and a delightfully schizophrenic performance by Mark Hammil as The Joker. It is telling that one can praise the plot and cinematic presentation of _Batman: Arkham Asylum_ as much as any recently released film.

However, a game can have all the atmosphere in the world and still seem lacking if the core game play is not up to scratch. Fortunately for _Batman: Arkham Asylum_, this is not the case, and the mechanics presented to players are as addictive as the developing plot. For the most part, _Arkham Asylum_ boils down to three major types of gameplay. When dealing with the Joker’s regular thugs the game uses an innovative free-flow combat system which utilises only two buttons (punch and counter) to dispatch of crowds of unarmed goons. While seemingly simplistic, the game ramps up the difficulty flawlessly, throwing combos into the mix later on in the game, and introducing new enemies such as knifes wielding inmates, animalistic lunatics and thugs with irritating stun batons. The wonderful animation also never makes fighting enemies a chore, as Batman seamlessly moves from punch to kick, to crushing counter with the flick of an analogue stick and the push of a button.

When our hero comes across henchmen with guns, the game takes an entirely different approach. Batman, while powerful, is not invulnerable, and can easily be taken out by a couple of shotgun/machinegun rounds. Therefore, the player must embrace the shadows, and take out minions one by one using stealth and Batman’s vast array of gadgets. In many ways, it is these sections that are most rewarding, really allowing the player to turn the tide on their assailants – preying on the predators. Silently dispatching a room full of heavily armed, clown-faced thugs is among one of the most satisfying things one can achieve in this game.

Finally, there is the more methodical ‘puzzle solving’ aspect of the game, where Batman must take on the role of detective in order to figure out where to head next or get past a seemingly impassable obstacle. Borrowing heavily from games such as _The Legend of Zelda_, _Arkahm Asylum_ presents the player with a constant stream of new gadgets with various implementations to keep puzzle solving fresh throughout, and the detective vision mode is unbelievably helpful in locating structurally unsound walls to blast through or safe areas to grapple to. While some of Batman’s ‘detective work’ can occasionally descend into nothing more than scanning the room for a certain clue and the following a trail (essentially a big arrow telling you were to go next), the aforementioned atmosphere and environmental puzzle solving more than make up for it.

_Arkham Asylum_, like any game, is not without its faults. Some of the boss encounters are slightly disappointing, especially considering many of the villains in the game are given such a huge build up prior to your actual encounter with them. The clash with Batman’s reptilian enemy, ‘Killer Croc’ is particularly guilty of this, ending up feeling overstretched and repetitive. However, gripes such as this are easily forgotten and replaced instead by the fantastic moments, such as Batman’s various encounters with the fascinating psychological villain ‘The Scarecrow’.

The graphics and character models, while mostly impressive, can be occasionally called into question. The rag doll effects of defeated thugs are often unrealistic and jarring – they seem to universally reach for their head in spite of a crippling blow to the mid-riff! Also, during verbal exchanges the animation on some of the characters can often look a little flat and lifeless, especially disappointing when the voice acting behind them is so fantastic.
However, these are minor problems and the overall package more than makes up for them. Rocksteady has here crafted a game that is a joy to play, and perhaps more importantly, it is a joy to experience. The company clearly understand ‘Batman’ as a character, and have channelled him flawlessly into a modern video game protagonist. What’s more, they’ve tugged his world along with him – presenting _Arkham Asylum_ in a way that would satisfy a fan of any Batman media, comic book, film or otherwise. With three difficulties to play through, challenge modes, and hundreds of secrets hidden in the main game itself, _Arkham Asylum_ is a polished package by anyone’s measure. While the game isn’t perfect, it is the closest you’ll ever get to being the Dark Knight himself.