Batman Arkham Asylum review.
Intro and Influential Information
Platform: 360
Money Paid for Game: £18
When I got it: 3 months after release
Finally, a Batman game that does the character justice. Now it’s very important to note right here that I am not some comic book snob nor am I a Batman fanatic. I enjoyed the reboots of the character via Christopher Nolan’s work on the two most recent Batman films. So let’s be clear, that is the iteration of Batman I am a fan of, I have never even read a Batman comic so I cannot comment on that aspect at all. Anyway, that’s me saying the type of Batman fan I am I guess, every well established character in this day and age that is old has several different types of fans so there you have it. My enjoyment and review for the game is affected by that so let’s get to it...
Story / Characters
Well, I suppose it would make sense to start with Batman. He seems very familiar with a fan like me, some things are different from what I know (or not know) but ultimately this is the Batman I was hoping to play as.
There are several other characters (obviously) that you’ll come across throughout the game. They seem more reminiscent of the older films in their appearance but definitely share the manic and “crazy” personalities of the Joker in the second of Nolan’s films. I can’t think of a single character that seemed out of place or wasn’t done appropriately.
The plot is pretty run-of-the-mill though, Batman is escorting the Joke back to Arkham and as it turns out this is all part of the Joker’s master plan to trap Batman in Arkham Asylum. Giving you and Batman the perfect excuse to run around an asylum beating up all its inmates using stealth tactics and hand to hand combat.
Would have been nice to have a more of fleshed out plot, but it works for what it is.
Presentation
I really love it when a game gets this bit right, it means I don’t have to waste time talking about it :D
Ok, straight up, this is one damn good looking and sounding game. High detail, great modelling and awesome soundtrack and effects add to the enjoyment. The music can get pretty repetitive though and for the stealth bits it would have been nice to if there was more music that really built some tension.
The sounds for your gadgets were definitely the highlight for me though. Every one sounded so perfect it seems the developers got their hands on the real thing and used it for source material.
Gameplay
Right, what a risky proposition we have here, not only do we have a game that attempts to blend stealth and action seamlessly but the game in question is based around a popular icon...
Success is to be found however, the two do blend together almost seamlessly. You can use action related commands while performing the stealth sections but due to design of the levels, it is impossible to do it the other way around. However, the action is so enjoyable I doubt you’ll want to.
Simplicity is the key here, the fighting in the game follows very basic archetypes in the forms of attacking, blocking (or countering in this case), dodging and special moves. Likewise with the stealth, upon entering a stealth section you are undetected, if you’re discovered you must move erratically to become hidden again and have a variety of moves in order to silently eliminate enemies.
It is not enough however to objectively describe these actions though, the action and stealth are fun as hell in this game. Throughout the game you can uncover riddles which will open up challenge maps and you get 8 for both action and stealth. For me these were definitely the best parts of the game as going for perfection is so addictive.
The fighting has a great sense of danger to it, while still making you feel like you’re controlling the superior specimen in conflicts. The stealth is done simply so that you can have fun planning your takedowns without having to worry about other stupid factors.
This game strikes the perfect balance between simplicity and depth in both aspects, you are given the tools and basic information to take down any obstacle that may come your way. Some are more challenging than others, but ultimately it is up to you to decide how best to use these simple tools in order to prevail.
For me, the combat definitely stole the show, while undeniably easy once you think a bit, it never stops being fun and going for that perfect run will keep you coming back and back again.
Replay Value
Did I mention the challenge maps?
They are where the hours of fun are in this game, story mode has the riddles on harder difficulty which warrants at least a second playthrough but beyond that you won’t spend much time there.
The challenge maps demonstrate the quality of design present in the stealth and combat mechanics. No matter how many enemies are present you are always equipped with the necessary abilities to overcome them. Because of this, going for perfection is encouraged as doing so isn’t a case of trial and error and it is down to your skill level and how you go about things.
