The last time I played a Batman game, I was a very young lad dragging around the clunky old gameboy that could have used to make a house and loved every minute of it. It wasn’t perfect however. Batman used a gun the entire time instead of his fists, there were no stealth elements but there was some truly epic music however. But eventually my gameboy died and I have moved on but my hands have not touched another batman game, until now.
Batman: Arkham Asylum finds Batman, as the name suggest, in Arkham Asylum. The very place where all the hardened and psychotic criminals of Gotham go to when their plans are foiled by the Dark Knight. This time around Batman is bringing Joker to Arkham only to discover that this is part of Joker’s plot to bring down the Dark Knight. And so begins Batman’s pursuit to capture Joker once again whilst being surrounded by many of the super criminals that he sent to Arkham.
The difficulty in creating a game such as this, was always going to be bringing the elements together that make Batman who he is. Batman is full off gadgets, he can stealthy move around in the darkness picking people off one by one and he is able to go one on one with nearly anyone in hand to hand combat. Such elements are very difficult to combine in a video game setting but Arkham Asylum has done it beautifully. Batman is able to move swiftly and silently through the darkness picking off enemies at will and yet be able to go into a group of criminals and knock them all out without taking a scratch. The combat is the weaker area of the two. The game does encourage the player to string together their combos in order to defeat a large group of foes but in the end is does boil down to button bashing.
The atmosphere Rocksteady Studios have created at Arkham is truly astonishing. From the second you enter the grounds, you feel as if you are in a place for criminals. The dark architecture, the ruined grounds, the medical rooms with blood and old fashioned medical equipment all combined with the musical accompaniment to create a dark atmosphere that suits Batman to a T. On a similar note, the voices playing the roles of Batman and Joker are superb, particularly the Joker who is voiced by none other than Mark Hamill.
Whilst the game is built on the “go here to deal with problem before moving back onto the major issue” style of gameplay, it is handled which exceptional elegance through the story that unfolds thanks to Doctor/Patient recordings, Riddler puzzles and the plans Joker has for the Batman. You’re not just trying to take down the Joker, you are finding about all the people Arkham Asylum has held prisoner. The game has also made the wise decision to not include all the villains of the Batman world in the game, but rather selected the ones that would best fit the scenarios established by the Joker. This is not to say that they are not made referenced to, but in a way hardcore Batman fans would better appreciate.
All in all, this game is probably one of the best licensed games I have ever played and is a strong contender for Game of the Year.