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Rating:  -
This is the best superhero game i have ever played and i have played quite a few. The depth of Arkham Asylum is astouding, I played the whole campaign and didn't even scratch the surface. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoy action and exploration.
Rating: -
Hands down best Batman game or any superhero game I have ever played. It is a must play for any gamer!
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Batman Arkham Asylum is one of the best video games out there and is perhaps the best batman experience. What makes BAA such an amazing game is how simple it is to pick up and play. The controls are simple and the fighting system is engaging. I used to play a lot of video games when I was a young kid, but as I'm older, i dont want to play a game that takes forever to figure out where to go or figure out the control scheme. The best games out there are the ones that are simple to play and navigate. What makes BAA stand out is the high level of production values that contribute immensely to the Batman experience. The graphics and music take BAA to a whole new level of gaming excitement. The music is incredibly orchestrated and makes the gameplay experience that much more engaging. Plus, the iconic voices of MARK HAMMIL and KEVIN CONROY from the Animated Series make their entrance into Arkham. What also makes BAA such an amazing Batman experience is the level of detail put into the Batman characters as well as the gadgets and locales. The Batmobile, the batcave, Arkham, etc. is beautifully detailed. The reason why I like BAA better than other Batman expereiences because it is a TRUER Batman experience. Instead of the gravelly, pretentious voice of Christian Bale, you get the smooth natural sound of Kevin Conroy. Plus in BAA, you get to experience Batman as a martial artist. The experience of taking out 15 criminals and 2 juiced up monsters in one room is just an awesome bad ass experience that you don't get any where else. In the Dark Knight, you get limited and awkward fight scenes. Not only are the production values and control schemes excellent, but the level design is amazing as well. BAA incorporates a great mixture of fighting and stealth that does not feel contrived. The Stealth aspects of the BAA also surpass those of the Metal Gear Solid Franchise which is amazing in its own right. BAA makes the stealth aspect suspenseful, rewarding, and most importantly fun, whereas in other games it can be frustrating and cumbersome. Another great aspect of BAA is that the story is great, especially for a video game. ALthough the video game industry has provided for some great experiences, not many video games are able to convey a story that rivals that of movies and tv shows. Luckily, Paul DIni from Batman the Animated Series penns the script which is cool, and full of twists. Overall, BAA is one of the best video games and defintely the best comic book video game.
Rating: -
I'm late to the party, but it didn't take me long to get as buzzed as everyone else for this dark horse of a Dark Knight game. Having just completed story mode and all it has to offer and now working on the 12 different challenge maps, I can say with confidence this is the best Batman game ever made. The reviews do not lie and are not exaggerating.
Prior to this game, the best Batman outings I can recall were the original Batman game based off the first Tim Burton movie on the NES, the awesome Beat 'em Up "Batman Returns" based off the second Tim Burton movie on the SNES and both the Genesis and SNES versions of Batman: The Animated Series. It has been a long time since we saw even a decent Batman game, most have reeked of mediocrity. Even the good games I mentioned failed to capture what it truly meant to be Batman by either focusing on platform or combative elements. Other games have attempted to showcase his Detective and stealth abilities but fell short. Arkham Asylum changes all of this.
In Batman: AA you get to experience, through an interactive format, all that makes Batman such a compelling Superhero. The game captured the brutality of his combat in a most satisfying fashion, gives you plenty of opportunity and even a requirement to stick to the shadows and take down your enemies silently with stealth, stalk your enemies like the nocturnal predator Batman is, make use of cool bat gadgets from the batarang to the batclaw and even behave like a true Detective. All of the Batman's talents and tricks are on full display here in a beautiful gothic setting which rivals the best Batman graphic novels.
When I first heard of this game and read up on it, I figured it would turn out average or worse, like most recent Batman games. I assumed it would focus on sloppy combat mechanics with the occasional gadget thrown in for superficial use. I could not have been more wrong. The combat is fluid, intuitive and immensely satisfying. The moves are quick and brutal, particularly the unblockable takedowns done in slow motion where bones can be heard crackling. The combo system is relatively simplistic, relying mostly on a couple buttons and the directional stick for basic moves, but seeing as how this is far from being primarily a beat 'em up, the simplicity in no way holds the experience back. In fact, the combat feels more rewarding than most games which provide heavier doses of it and has an old school feel where you need to rely on timing, positioning and keeping track of what types of enemies are around you. Beside the basic armed and unarmed minions, you have some tougher guys mixed in who can really mess up your rhythm if you're not careful. The gadgets add to the depth of combat where you can throw 3 batarangs, drag up to 3 enemies towards you with the ultra batclaw and more. Things can get pretty crazy but you feel the power of Batman the whole time, without it all being too easy. There is nothing more satisfying than swooping in on 10 thugs and taking them out with the grace and finesse of a Russian figure skater.
Aside from the combat, there is the flipside which is Predator mode. This is where you flip on your "detective vision" which is essentialy X-ray vision so you can see your enemies through walls and plan out your attack. This vision also highlights ideal spots to hide to help you with taking our your enemies like the Stealth Ninja Batman is. This usually consists of grappling up to Gargoyles near the ceiling, crawling through vents, scurrying under the floor or blowing up breakable walls as enemies walk by. The gadgets allow you to take out enemies from afar, distract them, lure them, stun them, confuse them and just completely terrify them as you take them out one by one. Uusually while you surgicaly remove each threat from a room, the Joker, voiced by the immortal Mark Hamil, can be heard yelling at his thugs for being so incompetent through the Asylum P.A. system; this can be quite entertaining.
All of the voice acting in this game is exceptional, even when it comes to cameos and small bit characters. Along with the terrific art, graphics, sound and music, the voice actors bring this game to life and suck you right in. Many of the voices are from the animated series from the 90s, a wise choice if you ask me. Batman, Joker, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, Bane, Riddler, Harley Quinn - they all sound spot on and convincing. If you take the time to explore and look around (which you will), you can find "interview tapes" scattered about where you can listen to these guys speak during their psychological evaluations. Listening to these tapes adds much to the characters with lesser roles and there are all sorts of bios and backstories for a massive number of characters not even seen in the game.
The developers have a clear love and devotion to the source material. Everything in this game was meticulously crafted and then polished with such care. You have atmosphere, great voice acting, great music, great art, fun combat, stealth, gadgets, detective work, puzzle solving, platform elements and exploration elements. You have a good story with good storytelling as well and there even some horror elements for good measure. The only real gripes I have are that the pacing of the game slows down to a crawl for about an hour or two in the beginning of the game after a jaw dropping opening sequence (things pick up very quickly though and don't let up until it's all over) and there isn't quite as much combat as I would have liked. Those who need their combat fix, as well as more stralth takedowns, can play the separate challenge modes which are quite addictive. I just would have liked to have seen more of these incorporated into the game's main story. The boss fights are fantastic, but I would have liked to have seen at least one more featured in the game. Speaking of boss fights, the mind numbing run ins you have with Scarecrow are unlike anything you'll play in console games these days.
The hype is real, this game rocks and is one of the best games this generation. If I wasn't such an RPG junkie who loves Dragon Age, I would name Batman: Arkham Asylum as the best game of 2009. Easily an 'A' on the letter grade scale.
Rating: -
I was genuinely surprised at the events in the game. It successfully combines fast-paced, beat-down brawls, dark stealth missions, and problems solving, gadget using challenges. Through many parts I kept telling myself, "Man, I would've never expected to do this kind of thing in a Batman game!" It was also nice to see revamped versions of classic Batman villains. Another thing to address is the voice acting, which is superb! I give a tip-of-the-hat to Mark Hamill who delivers a very unique performance as The Joker. The boss battles are very innovative and the Challenge Mode helps you hone your skills to become the real Dark Knight. It's a nice breath of fresh air compared to pretty much the only thing Microsoft puts out for the Xbox 360 these days (Shooters).
9.0 outta 10. I await the sequel with enthusiasm. (Just make sure you get to drive the Bat-Pod through the streets of Gotham!)
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