Batman: Arkham Asylum is one of the most impressive games I have played in a very long time. Right when I played through the demo, I could tell this was a game that was definitely needs to be played. After garnering such acclaim from every video game review source, it is not surprising that this game deserves so much praise.
One of the best things about this game is that it is a very original story written by Paul Dini, a veteran Batman writer whose work includes Batman: The Animated Series (a very good and mature cartoon series from the 1990′s). Voice actors from the animated series also reprise their respective roles in this game. Kevin Conroy, whose has been the longstanding voice of any animated Batman incarnation, instantly makes the iconic hero’s presence that much greater the moment you hear it. It stands out right from the start. Opposite Kevin Conroy is Mark Hamill as The Joker who also manages to really show you what kind of mania and destruction he is going to cause right as the game takes off. The moment these two characters go at it, you already know that you’re in for a ride. Arleen Sorkin lends her voice as Harley Quinn once again, and the interplay between her, Batman, and Joker really sets up the entire adventure.
Most free roaming games I’ve played haven’t been too thrilling (except for the Grand Theft Auto series and Mafia) mainly because they don’t really take advantage of this huge environment they have available to them. The entire game takes place on Arkham Island (which houses various buildings of Arkham Asylum) keeping Batman confined until the game is over. This makes the game’s entire storyline more coherent because it creates a sense that the madness on the island has to be stopped. Had the game taken place in Gotham City, the game would probably let the played walk around to do whatever until he was ready to take on a new mission; it’s a feeling of the typical crime-fighting night for Batman with a detached “epic storyline” to it. On Arkham Island, there are no random civilians to save or crimes to be stopped as you roam around. Arkham Asylum gives you purpose and meaning for every action you take. Every subplot is just part of the larger story at hand. Nothing ever feels out of place in the game from the trove of classic Batman foes to the hidden trophies scattered around the island with clues from The Riddler.
The real gem of the game is that it puts the player in full control of Batman. There is no walking around and fighting you way through each “level” (a term relative to 2-D side-scrollers but 3-D games tend to do as well) to get to an end boss and move on. You can sneak up on foes and silently take them out, utilize a variety of bat gadgets, glide through the air, and perform all sorts of combative moves. The game is more focused on what Batman needs to perform rather than being designed as a bunch of discrete events cobbled together by a crippled, half-baked gameplay that you see in other typical games. This is especially true of movie tie-ins which do a bad job of rehashing one work into an entirely different medium. The line, “It’s not who I am underneath, but it’s what I do that defines me,” (Batman Begins) is an appropriate quote for this game. Thankfully, Batman’s suit is also not invincible against gunfire. A quick barrage of bullets will take you out which emphasizes the stealthy role Batman needs to take when the inmates are running the asylum. As a classic “good guys win, bad guys lose” deal, the game is made to set you up for victory, but you have to put in the effort for it, and the experience never feels cheapened because of it.
Arkham Asylum is a complete Batman experience. Everything little detail of the game blends and flows together so well that it is hard to find almost any flaw. It does Batman a huge sense of justice because it perfectly captures the epitome of his character. It is one of those rare, well developed video games that can take a concept, transform it, and deliver a package of art.
