Become Gotham’s New Warden In Batman Arkham Asylum

The Joker has taken control of Arkham and it is up to you, the Batman, to take him down –again. DC and Rocksteady get together for what is lauded to be the best superhero video game of all time: Batman Arkham Asylum. Boasting of a completely new art direction made exclusively for the game, a gameplay system that gives players complete control of the Dark Knights’ massive repertoire of gadgets and fighting skills, and a storyline practically feels like it is leaping out of the comic.

Right after successfully capturing Joker, Batman brings the crazed madman into Gotham’s one-stop shop for all of it murderous lunatics: the infamous Arkham Asylum. As Wayne’s ever sharp detective skills tell him to keep watch over the incarceration procedures, he learns that his instincts are correct and his preparations were still inefficient as Jokers turns the tables within minutes and the guards of Arkham find themselves trapped inside the asylum with the inmates now running free.

The game is dark, well written, fast paced and will keep you on your toes as each area of the asylum is filled with its own blend of puzzles and combat sequences. The combines puzzle-solving, exploration, a bit of platforming and two very distinct types of combat in order to bring the character of the caped crusader to life. As depicted in the comics, Batman is both a well trained hand to hand fighter and is a master of stealth.

In combat, players get to take on enemies in large scale melee battles. Jumping from one enemy to another, applying instant takedowns, counter moves and applying various gadgets like the batarang and the grappling hook gives players a firsthand experience of how efficient a single bat can be. When taking on enemies armed with weapons, it is the use of stealth and fear that symbolizes Batman best. Players take to the shadows as they stealthily sneak around heavily armed goons in order to silently take each one down. As the thugs start realizing that they are getting picked off one after another, their level of fear and anxiety rises, allowing you to catch them easier as they panic.

Getting around Arkham means more than just taking down the goons around you, it also means exploring the various cells and buildings that make up the entire island. There are plenty of hidden areas (often found by using the grappling hook and a combination of Batman’s other gadgets) that will tell you more about the history of the asylum, its inmates and the people who run it. Various collectibles such as audio recordings, character data profiles and Arkham’s own memoirs are all in a checklist that will make hunting a lot easier. Egging you on to collect everything is the Riddler, who has somehow managed to sneak his stuff everywhere on the island and is happily teasing you as he sits comfortably in some hidden location in Gotham.

While you do not get to face E. Nygma in person, there are plenty of other major comic villains that fill in the gaps. Scarecrow, Bane, Killer Croc, Zsasz, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn appear in the game as bosses; other Batman villains are hinted at when you get to visit their empty cells (such as the Penguin, Two Face, Calendar Man). Clayface is still in Arkham, and you get to see him impersonating other characters while Mr. Freeze’s frozen isolation chamber can easily be identified by an unmistakable layer of thick frost.

More than a treat for fans of the comic, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a game that many hardcore gamers should not pass up. The combat is fast paced, solid and rewarding for those who can pull off the smoothest non-stop combos that make use of Batman’s various abilities. The exploration system is top notch for a game of its kind and the semi-open world approach gives players that distinctive feel of what it is like to wear the cowled cape. The game’s story delivery is significantly enhanced by the amazing voice acting, even for the minor characters. Being a Batman comic-based game, the visuals are dark, gritty and quite visceral at many points in the game. While there are a few moments that are certain to make fans smile and chuckle, the atmosphere remains constantly grim –which is what one would expect from a game starring the dark knight. Overall, Batman Arkham Asylum is an iconic standard bearer for all 3D action-adventure games that players cannot afford to pass up.