Batman Arkham Asylum Review

As far as comics are concerned, the storyline isn’t anything new, but for a video game, it certainly serves things well. It offers a closed area for Batman to work in, as well as numerous foes from the pages of the comic for you to go after. With that being said, don’t be expecting a “villain of the level” sort of setup, or for a lot of your favorites to be included. Two Face is only mentioned in a radio transmitter and several other characters are only mentioned in context. The villains that are included though-serve the game well and have good character fitting the source material perfectly. More villains just gives more of a reason for a fresh sequel later on.

The atmosphere is dark. Don’t be expecting campy Batman here. Arkham is full of laughing, maniacal inmates who have the stitches in their heads to prove their insanity. Each character whether minor or major has a slight touch that is not unlike a Silent Hill game. Arkham Asylum is just creepy. More times than one you’ll be looking at the little details that make this nuthouse so special and unique. Batman even has the bat-cave set up on the island, mostly for fan service and boy does it feel great to enter there looking up criminals.

Besides the bad-guys, Batman animates nicely and overall has a great character design to go with the dark atmosphere. Other graphical touches can be seen throughout the game as Batman’s suit takes damage being ripped open and having gaping holes in the bat-cape. The Dark Knight also animates nicely on both consoles as the graphics are nearly identical.

The levels themselves are fascinating to look at. While the game plays much similar to a style akin to Metroid, the level design is unique and stays fresh throughout. With that said, the game does have a significant amount of back-tracking. Luckily, when this happens, something in the storyline will have the environment change to having it a fresh exciting romp rather than a boring retread. For instance, you’ll first go to the mansion area of Arkham early in the game, but much later have to return. When that happens, getting around is a whole new puzzle thanks to one villain screwing up the whole architecture. This design is making sure you’re always getting a new experience, no matter how many times you revisit a level.

Exploration is easy thanks to the array of gadgets Batman has at his disposal. In true Metroid fashion, gizmos are only available after certain parts of the game are completed, which in turn allow you to reach previously inaccessible places. While normal Bat-weapons such as the batarang and the grappling hook make appearances and are invaluable in use, other items like the bat-claw and exploding gel round out the batch of toys. More often than not, you will feel like a walking bad-ass pulling out the right tool for the job.

Next page we look at combat…