Okay here’s a quick review of Arkham Asylum. Why quick? One, I have a little free time and I want to enjoy it but more importantly (the game is incredible).
check the very bottom for a short synopsis
First off this is one of the best action games I’ve played in awhile. What makes the game even sweeter is its a game based off an IP and it doesn’t fall short of what it is based upon. Anybody out there play any other batman games? How many of them were fun? Most of them (an dalmost any game made after a movie or show) are pretty bad quality wise, but Arkham Asylum puts to rest that stigma.
The mechanic of the game (picking off thugs one by one) really works well. You actually feel like you’re batman and not playing some Splinter Cell or MGS clone. Watching the thugs begin to lose their confidence as I (Batman) take them out. Joker (voiced by Mark Hamill, just as brilliant as the cartoon show of the 90’s but a bit more sinister) calls through the PA system to remind the thugs that they should check to see if everyone is there, often berating them at the same time or flat out telling the thugs he hopes they lose.
The story of being stuck inside a mental health institution (which is nothing like the real thing but who minds?) with some of the craziest people is a blast. All the Batman characters you know and love are here (for the most part) except they have a darker tone to them. I remember succinctly the Riddler telling the famous riddle “What has four legs at birth, two legs in life, and three legs near death.” When the psychologist retorts with the usual answer (a human) he tells her she got it wrong. It’s a baby with its legs sawed off. When the psychiatrist tells him that’s horrible he replies “Well it’s not my baby.” The darker tone was welcome and not too over the top (as portrayed in the movies).
Unfortunately not a huge amount of Batman villains are met, most are heard through various tapings of their shrink sessions.
The Riddler is never seen but he sets up little collectible games in which you can to solve (if you want to). I never do extra collection quests but the puzzles were actually fun, made easier by a map that told you a general location the riddle’s answer was at. On top of all that, they opened challenges you could play, either fighting multiple inmates in several rounds or a round where you hunt them down like a predator.
So overall it is totally worth your time and money. Now I only have one big complaint, the rest are very small nitpicky stuff.
- The huge let down of the game were the boss fights. I don’t want to give any of the surprise boss fights away but be aware that in beating the first boss you have learned to beat every other boss in the game. Sure a few things will change between them but they are small. It also gets very annoying when you’re trying to fight the boss and half a dozen lackeys run in to fight you as well. It’s not so much fun as it is annoying.
With a game that got almost everything right (which is incredibly hard for any game) it was disappointing to see the boss fights (especially with such epic villains) fall flat on itself and take away from the game.
Okay now to mention a couple lifts and tummy tucks here and there:
- More varying bad guys please. There were in the entire game only two types of “henchman”. There are the inmates who often dress in clown makeup, and the full on crazies. Sure the inmates can pick up guns, pipes, and knives but it gets old pretty quick.
- the art style leaves something to be desired. It was too grimy and the textures were odd. Batman looked good but other characters (especially the Joker, his picture above this article) seemed out of place.
- the Scarecrow experience was amazing but instead of embracing the experience (an almost nod or passing of the torch from Psycho Mantis of MGS) you do these platform levels. They were boring, enough said.
- does every character need a six pack? I mean really? EVERYBODY has a six pack
- The enemies reacting to being hit felt strange and took away from the moment. People don’t cradle their head like that when hit, especially when hit somewhere other than the head. Those animations could have been a lot better.
Okay, so here’s the breakdown:\
Well done!
- voice acting, writing, game design, all around great game.
Meh
- boss fights, aesthetic choices
Consensus
- Go buy it!
