Batman: Arkham Asylum Review

There are few superheroes to have such an impact as Batman. Having spawned several iterations of comic books, films and games, it is obvious that we're never going to be fully satiated on Batman themed products. But is Eidos' latest Batman game, Arkham Asylum, all Dark Knight, or should it be committed?

With the varied and deep world of Batman, Eidos' had a pick of ideas and storylines to pursue. In this case, they chose to focus on the story of Arkham Asylum, the place where many of Gotham City's super-criminals are taken. At the start of the game, Joker has been recaptured by Batman who hurries him back to the asylum. He soon realises that all is not right, and continues on to make sure his arch nemesis is safely locked up. Which, of course, he is not.

Thanks to Joker's antics, Batman is stuck on Arkham Island, and must fight his way through many of the bad guys. The storyline is an enjoyable one, albeit not as epic as it initially begins with. Joker's promise of many of the super-villains coming to Arkham Island never truly comes to fruition, with encounters with only four of them. It would be nice to have a few more of Batman's greatest enemies showing their face throughout the game.

The game is semi-open world - once you finish the starting area, you are allowed to travel anywhere you like. However, there are a variety of obstacles that prevent the Bat from continuing on - thus forcing you to take the intended route. Whilst this could be construed as a problem, it is countered by the variety of collectables that are in each area.

Early on in the game, The Riddler makes himself heard, providing you with a list of riddles that are to be solved in each area. These range from simple chattering teeth to be destroyed, to riddles that are to be solved by scanning the area for a particular, Riddler-described object. As with the main game, many of these are unattainable without the right gadget; but instead of proving to be an annoyance, this makes exploration of the areas enjoyable when you first arrive in a new area.

Arguably the most important aspect of any Batman product is the combat, and Arkham Asylum does its part to really make you feel like the fighting master that is the Dark Knight. On the surface, the combat could seem too simple for some, almost a button-basher. Scratch a little harder though, and you'll find it's actually all about timing. To succeed in combat, especially later on in the game, the only way to survive is methodical, thoughtful button presses - rather than constantly tapping the strike button.

As with most action/adventure games these days, there are unlockable abilities and upgrades. As you fight you earn XP which, at predetermined intervals, will allow you to purchase an upgrade; from health upgrades, to increased gadget damage, to new combo moves. It's always nice to be given a choice over how you form your character, even if the options here are basic.

As the game continues, at major points you'll be given access to some of Batman's many gadgets. Naturally you start with the famous batarangs and grapple, but by the end you'll be making use of explosive gel, a batclaw, a variety of enhanced batarangs and a line-shot for traversing large holes in the ground. Making good use of these adds to the Batman feel of this game, with many of them being used on-the-fly in combos during a fight.

The graphics of this game are glorious; from the heavy rain of the opening cut-scene to the cluttered environments of the asylum, there isn't a moment in this game where the graphics don't hold up. The dark and moody setting is a perfect place to play out this story of the Batman, add this to some excellent voice-acting - done mostly by the animated series' cast - and it's hard not to become absorbed into the game's world. It's never been this fun to play as the Dark Knight.

The game itself, however, is rather short. It's possible to see the game through to completion within ten to twelve hours. Now, for a game of this type, this is above average, but so perfectly crafted is the flow of the game it's hard not to want the game to last much longer; especially considering the vast number of possible bad guys that could add just as much entertainment to the game. As I say, though, the storyline of the game is well paced and it's unfair to judge the game simply because it ends.

However, while the storyline is well measured, the gameplay itself is far more stuttered. Each new room you enter provides a new challenge but, unfortunately, it is very specific in the way that it is solved. For example, you may enter one room filled with unarmed inmates which means the only solution is to take them out in combat. Enter a room with armed inmates, however, and it is obvious that the only way to survive is to stealthily take them out one by one. Again, the gameplay is never unlikeable and it is just as well paced as the story, but it'd be nice to be given a little more free reign over Batman's abilities, rather than being ushered into a predetermined tactic.

And herein lies the beauty of the game; being given control of one of the most deadly and popular superheroes of all. Every aspect of the Dark Knight, the gliding, the combat, the stealth, the gadgets - everything that makes Batman the popular character that he is - has been perfected into what can only be the best Batman game to date.

Even once the game has ended there are the challenge rooms to attempt. These take two modes, Predator or Freeflow (Stealth or Combat in other words). To succeed in Predator Challenges, you are required to take out the armed inmates as stealthily as you can. Each level has three different challenges, which require you to take out your enemies in certain ways. Manage all three in one challenge and you'll receive three medals.

Freeflow Challenges are much simpler; you earn a score for taking out your enemies, with the difficult ramping up over four rounds. This is where the combat of the game truly shines. To get anywhere near achieving three medals in these modes you will need to be able to string together all of Batman's abilities, as well as making sure you're not hit by anyone, to achieve the highest bonus points. With a leaderboard and the inevitable one-upmanship from your friend's list, these will provide a lot of extra replay value once the game is over.

All in all, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a fantastic feat. It's not without its minor flaws, but everything about the Big Bad Bat has been perfected, and it is definitely a must-play for anyone, Batman fan or not. Now all there is left to do, is to wait for Eidos to bring this perfected Dark Knight to a sprawling open-world Gotham City.