Good comic book games, for whatever reason, are extremely hard to make. There’s really only a handful of decent super hero/comic book games despite the fact that one would think that comic books should provide a rich resource for making stellar games and they should be a natural fit for translating to video games. However, bitter experience has shown that super heroes and video games don’t make a good combination, so when a super hero game comes along that’s even halfway decent, people take notice. When one comes along that’s actually really, really good, the Guinness Book of World Records takes notice.
Batman: Arkham Asylum now holds the record for best rated video game in the world, finally beating out Marvel VS. Capcom 2, and it’s an accolade that’s well deserved. The last super hero game that was considered any good even if it had a few broken parts was Spider Man 2 (or maybe Marvel Ultimate Alliance), the last Batman game that was at all decent was Batman: Vengence, but that’s only because that game didn’t completely suck; which made it seem better than it really was. Batman: Arkham Asylum side steps all of the issues usually associated with comic book games by following the same formula as the recent Batman films; namely craft a solid story and then wrap that story in the mythology of Batman.
Arkham Asylum is really a Metroid game wrapped in a Batman skin. Many of the elements from the Metroid Prime series are here from only being able to access certain areas after you upgrade equipment to the backtracking to scanning the environment to very mild platforming elements. Then AA adds in some light stealth, Splinter Cell like elements and simple yet robust combat system, some of the creepiness of Bioshock and stirs all of that together with excellent production values and a stellar to story which produces a great game. For me as a Batman fan, this is the game I always knew the Dark Knight could star in. For video game fans in general, this is a rare game that gets almost everything right and tells a fun story to boot. It’s no wonder this game has been so highly rated.
It often surprises people that as a Christian I’m also such a huge fan of Batman; after all, he’s a pretty dark character and Superman really lends himself more to Biblical parallels. However, I don’t think that’s entirely the case, and Batman: Arkham Asylum does a good job of demonstrating why Batman is such a great inspiration for me as a Christian. In AA, the Joker once again slowly unveils his master plan to rain havoc and destruction upon Gotham City, all just for the fun of it. Batman, of course, is the only one who stands in his way, and he uses all of his training, skills, and his arsenal of weapons to keep the chaos and destruction the Joker wants to unleash at bay. Although the plot may sound fairly simple, the way it unfolds will keep you pushing forward to see what develops next. Now, it doesn’t take much to see the Biblical parallels in such a story. After all, the Bible tells us that Satan’s sole purpose on this planet is to steal, kill and destroy. Like Alfred says in The Dark Knight, some just want to see the world burn and that’s pretty much Satan’s goal for you, me and the world in general. Well standing between the devil and his goal of chaos and destruction is the dedicated Christian. The dedicated Christian, like Batman, is someone who’s entire life is devoted to fighting against evil. All their training, all of their focus, everything about who they are is dedicated to following Jesus Christ in his war against evil. Like Batman, the Christian is dedicated to saving people from evil. Like Batman, the Christian is equipped with an arsenal to help them wage their battles. And like Batman, the Christian needs to constantly train in order to always be ready for whatever sort of test they may face. The difference of course is that Batman faces his enemies alone, while the Christian has the strength and power of the Holy Spirit to help in every situation. Death transformed Bruce Wayne into Batman when his parents were brutally murdered. The brutal death and resurrection of Jesus Christ can transform you into a might person with a singular purpose and focus to do what comic book heroes really can’t do; help save people from evil once and for all for all of eternity. See? Told you there was some Biblical parallels in the world of Batman.
Getting back to the game, what exactly makes it so special? Well it’s the combination of a lot of factors. First off it looks great. Arkham Island is wonderfully realized and looks amazing. Some of it has a very Bioshock-esque creepiness in its run down state and hints of hidden evil. Better yet, all of it feels functional for a facility of this type rather than some contrived setup to give the gamer some sort of varied levels to go through. Filling this pretty landscape are some good looking characters. Batman looks huge, armored and tough. Joker looks thin, crazy and dangerous. Inmates look brutal. Every character looks perfectly suited to their role. In fact, the only complaint I have when it comes to the character models is they all have this sheen that makes them look a bit plastic. Complimenting the good looks is some stellar sound. The sound tracks sets the mood and sounds appropriately Batman. The Asylum has plenty of creepy sounds itself and makes effective use of your surround sound setup. Voices from the original animated series return to voice their characters, including Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as Joker. All of it is top notch, perfectly characterized and helps you immerse yourself in this realm.
Of course good looks aren’t enough for a good game, but fortunately Batman: Arkham Asylum delivers in the gameplay arena as well. It’s well paced, starting off slow and simply and letting things get crazier and more challenging as the game progresses. In fact there were times near the beginning where I thought things were almost too easy, but that quickly changed until near the end when I thought it was almost too hard. Combat is simple and satisfying, and if you can perfect the flow of combat with the few buttons you have to work with, you can pull of some truly brutal and amazing looking take downs. Finally, few things are as satisfying as striking quietly from the rooftops and picking off opponents one by one. This was my favorite part of the game and the moments when I felt the most like Batman. Of course there’s also plenty to explore, and you’ll need your detective skills and your thinking cap if you want to find everything, solve every puzzle, and make it successfully through the entire game. Rocksteady has done an excellent job of capturing the essence of what makes the Batman character so cool and capturing all of that in video game form.
The game isn’t all that long, about eight hours if you don’t bother trying to solve Riddler’s puzzles, but there’s more to do after the game is over. Not only can you go back and try to find every one of Riddler’s puzzles (which you’ll do in empty rooms, which is a bit boring, but not terribly so), there are also challenge maps to hone your skills on. You can see how well you rank against the best online by posting the highest score in either combat or silent predator challenges. Combat requires you only to make it through successive rounds of thugs by racking up the most points. The silent predator challenges have you trying to take out the bad guys in specific ways in the shortest amount of time. Your scores and times are posted on online leader boards, and these challenge maps add some extra fun to return after you finish the game.
I could go on and on about this game an all the little things that make it great from the way Batman’s costume slowly becomes torn and tattered as he goes through one of the most hellish nights of his career to the stellar combat animations, the varied gameplay, and some of the surprise guests. But instead of doing that, I’ll just tell you that this is one of the few games that live up to the hype that surrounds it. It’s a well crafted, fun, exciting game and even if you’re not a Batman fan, you should find plenty to like here. At the very least Gamefly it and give it a try, but if you’re any kind of Batman fan or comic book fan, you should really already own this one.
Score out of 7:
Graphics: 6 - Everything from the character models to Arkham Island looks amazing. Stellar combat animations add to the game’s visual flair. However, all of the characters have a slightly plastic sheen to them, and the lip synching and facial expressions aren’t all that great.
Sound: 6 - Spot on voice performances bring the characters to life, and a stellar sound track adds drama to the world of Batman. Also, few things are as fun as hearing the Joker’s goons start to freak out as you take them out one by one. Combat has a brutal, meaty sound to it, and all of the sound effects help bring this world to life.
Control: 5 - Combat is simple but challenging, changing gadgets is quickly handled with the d-pad. Batman’s controls are a bit imprecise when just walking or running, which can cause some minor problems in the few platforming levels, but it’s a minor issue.
Gameplay: 6- The game makes you feel like Batman. From the brutal combat to the stellar stealth elements to the awesome gadgets to the use of your detective skills; this game captures the essence of what it’s like to be Batman. However, there is a tendency to rely too much on detective mode (kind of like constantly using night vision in Splinter Cell), and the final battles rely a little too much typical video game conventions (find the pattern, repeat the pattern, defeat the boss). Still, it’s a great experience that’s well paced and has plenty of surprises.
Story: 6 - Paul Dini knows what makes Batman tick and he crafts a great story with this game. Nothing is ever what it seems with the Joker, and as you unravel the mysteries at Arkham Island, you learn first hand what that means. This is one of the great Batman stories; comic books, movies, and novels included.
Content: 4 - This is a dark game, I’m surprised it rated a T for Teen rating. This Joker is viscous and cruel. There’s plenty of violence, though very little gore (although there is blood streaked and splattered throughout the facility). Harley and Posion Ivy where less than modest outfits. Scarecrow unleashes some almost horror film like moments. And there are a few obscenities as well. This is not a kids game, this is a dark, serious, mature story.
Final: 6 - I’m a Batman fan, so obviously I’m not entirely objective about this. Nevertheless, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a stellar game that takes elements from other stellar games and puts them together to create one of the best comic book games of all time. Plus, there’s plenty of extra content to find and explore from interview tapes to character bios, and the game definitely garners more than one play through. This is one of the best games of the year, it’s just an added bonus for me that it happens to be a Batman game.
