Batman: Arkham Asylum Review
Let me just start by saying one thing, Batman: Arkham Asylum is the best comic book game that I have ever played. Just to add to that, I am a HUGE Marvel fan and read their books, so it pains me deeply to say such things for a DC game. Now, on to the review.
Everyone and their mothers have heard of Batman. Even those who have never picked up comic book have heard of the Dark Knight. The one thing that people may not know about the new game is the story line of Arkham Asylum. The most diabolical psychiatric hospital is where the most craziest of all of Gotham City’s villain spend most of their time when Batman puts them in there (then they magically escape, ALL THE TIME!)
The new game puts Batman in the middle of Arkham’s craziest night of all time. Batman is there to make sure the infamous Joker (voiced by the legendary Mark Hamil) is finally put behind bars and in a straight jacket for good. But if that were the case, then there would be no game right? Exactly. The Joker has a plan. All hell breaks loose and the Joker escapes. He gets a hold of Commissioner Gordon (your best buddy!) and you have to save him. The Joker releases most of the prisoners and you have to fight your way through to say Commissioner Gordon.
The Game Play
During this game, you face main comic book villains like Joker, Killer Croc, Bane, Poison Ivy, Harvey Quinn, and a whole bunch of Bane wannabes.
The fighting style of the game is pretty much a free for all. You can fight about ten guys at once and not take any damage. The counter moves are a nice touch for spinning around and stopping the thugs from knocking you in the back of the head. They also make for really cool takedowns and throw a different kind of mix into the fighting as opposed to button smashing like most games.
After most of the thugs take a beating, the game camera slows down for the final blow to the last enemy. If and when Batman gets injured, it causes his vision (your screen) to get blurry and become black and white. The combos throughout the game become more effective and you are able to take down more thugs at a time.
While crouching during the game, Batman changes his whole demeanor. If you are trying to be stealthy because enemies are around, Batman won’t kick open doors or grates as he normally would. He slowly pries open the grates and slowly and silently moves aside the grates.
Detective mode lets Batman see things that he normally would have not seen. What it really does is keep you not to get lost in the game. It helps, because if you didn’t have this mode, you would definitely get lost. (I know I would) One of the many problem I had when I was lost was I neglected to look up. That would have solved 75% of my problems during this game.
SPOILER ALERT!!
In your second Scarecrow encounter, Batman’s back story as Bruce Wayne is greatly portrayed as you reach a certain point in the game. As you walk down a undisclosed corridor, you relive the moment of the death of both your parents. Batman actually becomes his former self as a child as you walk. The reason this happens is because you are gassed up from the Scarecrow’s secret mixture.
While running away from the huge 300 foot Scarecrow (remember, your all drugged up), the game becomes kind of a 2D game and you have to hide behind certain objects. This happens several times throughout the game, each time it gets longer and harder.
There is a sequence that I would like to call “Did you catch the game last night?.” The reason I call it that is because that is the last thing you hear before your Xbox makes you think its broken. Everything becomes all staticy and shaky, and then everything goes black. While everything is restored, you are actually playing as the Joker, and the whole beginning scene is reenacted with a little twist. Batman is strapped up and being wheeled away. (This happens to the Joker in the beginning)
The ending I could have done without. The Joker injects himself with what Bane normally takes and becomes a huge Joker like THING. I swear it looked like The Joker mixed with a Spawn villain. Or The Joker and Bane had babies, you choose.
Bottom Line
This game is a mix of comic book meets Metal Gear Solid. This is a great game that everyone should play regardless if you read comic books or not. Great graphics and great game changing game play. This is a MUST PLAY!
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