Arkham Asylum is a surprisingly excellent experience that rivals the best that superhero video games have to offer.
The Bad: Some spotty textures; grunts' audio clips get old fast; some voice acting is a little awkward
The Ugly: Walking around detective mode all the time detracts from the atmosphere
First of all, where on earth did Batman: Arkham Asylum come from? This game is great! Let's face the facts: most superhero games (there are exceptions) are either terrible movie spinoffs or just terrible. So why is this game so much fun? Well, Arkham Asylum has a fun combat system, a unique puzzle system, and a classic Batman tale that comes equipped with all the gadgets you'd expect. On top of that, there are more hours of fun after you've completed the game. What's not to love?
Arkham Asylum is a haunting place to say the least, but the game does a great job of the throwing you straight into the action right from the get go. At first, you'll be pretty creeped out by all the stuff that's happening in front of you that you don't comprehend at the time, but you'll slowly be eased into the setting. You're given an dark, moody island where crime is sure to run rampant, and you're the only one to stop it! Cheesy, I know. But mood is key to this game, as much of it is driven by fear and uncertainty. Character pretty look spot on, but I need notice some blurry textures, even if I was being a little picky. Generally, the graphics are great, and there will be plenty of variety in the environment you'll traverse, even on an island so small as your innocent little asylum. Cutscenes are also sharp, although honestly, I found that the transition from gameplay to cutscene (and vice versa) was noticeable and that it was somewhat detracting from the immersion.
Minor complaints aside, the gameplay in Arkham Asylum introduces some new concepts in a few areas, but doesn't stray far from old ones is other areas. Combat is largely what you've seen before -- a semi-fluid hybrid of a button masher like God of War with the grace of something like Assassin's Creed 2. You can attack, counter, evade, and even stun your enemies, but it's not quite as simple as it sounds. The power of your attacks is largely based on how high of a combo of moves you can string together. These must be continuous moves, and as there will generally always be someone attacking you (at least on the hardest difficulty), you must learn to second guess who is attacking you next and either attack them first, counter, or evade to keep your combo alive. The combat is very interesting and can take a couple hours to really master, but after it is mastered, it can become slightly repetitive.
Gameplay continued:
A brand new concept introduced is the detective mode, which allows Batman to see the world around him from a different eye. With this vision, objects of interest are highlighted in the world. In general, this will be something like a panel that can be removed or a weakened wall that can be destroyed, but it can also be something directly involved with the story. For example, you might be required to track the scent of alcohol in a man's breath, or track fingerprints along the wall. This is a great concept, but it should have been implemented in a more cohesive way; because it's so useful to walk around in detective mode, chances are you'll want to stay in it for the entire game. This will obviously detract from the graphical experience, but oftentimes it is vital that you use this mode.
Gameplay continued:
There are also tons of unlockables with which you can entertain yourself after the game is completed. Easily the most enjoyable aspect is the Riddler's puzzle system. You are tasked with finding all 240 of his riddles scattered across the map, and let me tell you some of them aren't easy. However, you can find maps for each level that reveal the general location of each puzzle, so they are definitely doable. It is a blast to traverse the levels finding the Riddler's little secrets. An included, unlockable feature that takes place outside of the story is the challenge mode. I personally had a lot less fun with this mode than with the in-game detective mode, but some would disagree. This mode pits you against a horde of enemies, and in some levels you are tasked with a stealthy approach and in others a combative approach. The stealth levels resort to tasking you with fulfilling three innovative actions per map, many of which require you to get creative. These can be somewhat enjoyable, unlike their testosterone-driven counterparts, the combative levels. The eight combat maps pit you against four rounds of waves of enemies. Every time. Sure, your fighting style will be altered most of the time because shifts in enemy types, but you're still doing the basic stuff over and over again. I found out strongly reminiscent to filler.
The story is another solid aspect of Arkham Asylum. There aren't too many unpredictable twists and turns, but the plotline, even if it is a simple good vs. evil one, is filled with tons of sick humor from the Joker, puzzling riddles from the Riddler, eerie uncertainty from Croc, and mind games from Scarecrow. You'll find that most of Batman's classic villains populate this island, although the ones that are missed really do feel missed. Thankfully, the ones that are included are superbly done, and the battles with said bosses can be enjoyable as well, although oftentimes you will be forced to perform menial grunt-dispatching tasks during these battles. All in all though, the story fully meets expectations.
The sound is a little above average, but I didn't find that it completely me tmy expectations. Combat effects are spot on, no complaints there. But some voice acting makes things a little awkward, even if it is supposed to be comic book cheesy. Yes, this especially means that you've heard all the grunts' lines before; and yes, this means that they're going to get old really quickly. If you stealthily like I did, you're going to do a good bit of waiting and hiding, and during this time you're going to hear them recite their lines over and over again. This annoyance also detracts noticeably from the experience. But aside from this, the music itself can be quite good at times, although silence can oftentimes be a more appropriate background tune.
Graphics: 8.5/10
Gameplay: 8.5/10
Story: 8/10
Sound: 8/10
Presentation: 9/10
Value: 9/10
Tilt: 9/10
Overall Impression: 8.5/10
In conclusion, Arkham Asylum is not without its flaws, but it is certainly an excellent superhero title that weaves the tale of the Dark Knight as he once again takes down foe after twisted foe. With great graphics and some unique gameplay experiences, Batman: Arkham Asylum will leave you with some great memories, but it's the bigger picture that counts.