Say hello to the greatest comic book game in the history of video gaming. I intended to buy this early on, but then PS3 announced that they had a bonus gameplay for PS3 players so I really kinda shunned away from this game for fear of comparisons. However, it got 9.3 stars upon 10 in IGN the week it came out , so thats when I really decided that I HAD to get this game.
And I have to say, it really does live up to its name. The game starts in the Batmobile with the Caped Crusader personally driving the Joker back the Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane. Basically, Arkham Asylum is where they send all the unstable Batman villians in DC comics. e.g. Joker , Scarecrow... In a (not so) surprising turn of events, the Joker escapes and releases all the inmates of Arkham Asylum free , leaving the Dark Knight to clean up his mess. From there, you're off on an adventure that ranks right below The Dark Knight movie in terms of awesome Batman experiences.
In terms of gameplay its just really enjoyable. Personally, my favourite aspect was the hand-to-hand beat them up combat. Really really slick moves. and the way the controller vibrates in your hands it just feels like you are really kicking the living shit out of these guys! You kinda feel "empowered" as you strike, reverse and takedown your enemies, unleashing Bruce Wayne's fury onto the world.
Another part of gameplay is the " Stealth " sections. This is where you get the drop on a roomful of bad guys who are patrolling. These sections are cool because they forced me to play like Batman and not some random action game character.
I'd shoot up to a gargoyle, kick on detective mode to see how many enemies I was up against, and then start picking them off one by one. If there was just one dude with a gun in the group, I'd glide in to take him out and then move to the other baddies. If there was more than one gunman, I'd stick to the shadows so as not to get my brains blown against the wall.
There's a lot of freedom on how you want to engage these bad guys, and it's one of the best parts of the game. You could wait for a guy to be alone and then glide kick in and perform a ground takedown, but you've got access to Batman's entire utility belt if you want. Once everything's unlocked, you can use explosive gel to blow out walls and knock guys out, you can through Sonic Batarangs that'll then explode, you can pull people over railings with the grappling hook, and you smash through windows to take guys out.
Voice acting is superb. Did you know that the guy that voices the Joker is Mark Hamill? YES , THE LUKE SKYWALKER! Saw him doing it on Youtube and its just really amazing. The laughter and all. Arleen Sorkin sounds terrific as the Harley Quinn. Everything is just spot-on and the soundtrack really reinforces the dark setting of Arkham Asylum.
Graphics look really great. This is what Batman's world feels like. It's dark and gritty. You'll feel Batman's frustration and the terror of hostages. The game also looks great in motion. Batman's damage detail by the end of the game is a nice touch.
Batman: Arkham Asylum is the greatest comic book videogame of all time. This is a Dark Knight story that is well-told, packs some truly fun gameplay elements, has topnotch voice talent, and feels like it's part of Batman canon. Aside from Deadpool, Batman has become my favorite comic book character. :)
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