Batman Arkham Asylum

Batman Arkham Asylum has you living the longest night of Batman's life as he brings Joker back to Arkham Asylum only to realize that Joker has a party planned just for you.  Filled with many of the Bat's nemesis and a great voice cast it's easy to see how any Batman fan would be excited for this game.  However with how most comic book tie in games go can Batman break the stereotype and take Joker all in the same night?

 

You begin the game escorting Joker back into Arkham Asylum.  Already you know things just aren't right as Batman knows that the Joker gave himself up way too easily.  It isn't long until you realize Joker has others on the inside of the Asylum to help him out.  Harley Quinn jumps into the picture quickly revealing that Batman is the guest of honor to the Joker's big party.  Though what he has planned for Batman isn't exactly clear.

 

The game has you running around Arkham Island searching for clues and hunting down other escaped inmates.  At times you'll partake into hand to hand combat while at other times you'll have to use stealth as you take down inmates one by one.  The hand to hand combat works flawlessly as you can easily counter, dodge, take down and escape oncoming enemies.  Stringing combos together feels amazing as you lay waste to anyone who gets in your way. 

 

The stealth sections are even better as you're presented with a room filled with armed enemies that you must take down one by one without being spotted.  This is where your true abilities are tested.  In these moments you must lure each inmate away from the group one by one and take them down.  As this happens you'll notice that the others hearts begin to raise and they become nervous.  Sometimes grouping together to make things harder on you.  You'll have to use your gadgets to the best of their ability to make it through some sections alive, but once you do it's very easy to really feel like you are Batman.

 

As you explore Arkham Island you'll begin running into Riddler challenges.  Perhaps one of the best parts of the game you'll be tasked with optional challenges testing your wit.  You'll be given an obscure clue about a certain area and you must find and scan the answer.  Sometimes a painting or some kind of statue the answers to these riddles can be hard to find while others a bit too easy.  It is however a great addition to the game and something that'll keep you playing for a long time to come.

 

Something Arkham Asylum does really well is offering up tons of variety.  While the hand to hand combat could get old after a while it never really does.  You're constantly switching back and forth between hand to hand combat to stealth to exploring areas and the occassional conversation with the Joker talking to you through tv's.  You'll always be somewhere different and you never feel like you're doing the same thing over in over again even if you really are.  The game is paced perfectly in that you'll never want to stop until you've survived the night in Arkham. 

 

It goes without saying that Arkham Asylum, if you can look past the fact that everyone has huge muscles, is a great looking game.  Coupled with the amazing voice cast there is no doubt that you'll be engrossed in the game from beginning to end.

 

On top of the story mode there are loads of challenge rooms you can go through.  Consisting both of stealth and the hand to hand combat these rooms allow you to try to get the highest score which are posted to online leaderboards.  The PS3 version allows for you to also play as Joker in these challenges which from what I played of the Joker is tons of fun as well as a great option for fans of the Joker.  While the story mode isn't entirely too long the challenge rooms as well as the Riddler challenges add tons of value to the game as a whole. 

 

With the exception of the ending which takes some liberties that probably shouldn't have been done Arkham Asylum is probably one of the best comic book adaptations of a game and one of the better games released this year.  With some really great boss fights, not to mention the scarecrow sections that are simply outstanding, and lots of secrets to find.  Arkham Asylum will have you wanting to go back time and time again.  As far as games go, if you ever wanted to truly feel like the Batman then you owe it to yourself to pick up Arkham Asylum and take a ride on the longest night of Batman's life.