Batman Arkham Asylum Review
Batman is a character that's rather familiar with the video game industry as he's been involved in a plethora of titles over the years. This time, Batman is being brought to gamers by Rocksteady Studios, a relatively new company based in London, England, and he is involved in a completely original adventure based around the infamous Arkham Asylum.
The basic premise of the story is that Batman has managed to capture The Joker, and is transferring him to Arkham Asylum, a prison that's home to Gotham City's most dangerous criminal minds. However, things don't go to plan, as it appears that The Joker had planned everything from the start. He manages to escape, and immediately takes control of Arkham Asylum, leaving Batman to try and thwart his plans yet again.
The story is actually really good. Being a new adventure, the writers had free licence to invoke many of Batman's famous adversaries. As well as The Joker, there is also Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Bane, Poison Ivy and more. Some who don't necessarily have a direct role also have small cameos and it adds a lot to the authenticity. Having that many super villains could have been overwhelming, but due to the setting the balance is perfect. All of their roles in the story feel necessary for it to develop, and they aren't just there for the sake of it. By the end of the game, the story will leave players more than satisfied and it's one that can certainly be experienced more than once without becoming monotonous.
Gameplay in Batman Arkham Asylum is essentially separated into two categories: stealth and action. Although they aren't specifically defined in the main game, certain sections demand a more refined approach to allow progression. If a room has 5-6 armed assailants, it will be very difficult to go in without much self preservation as they will have very little trouble mowing Batman down. Taking a stealthy approach is much better, and this is possible by using silent takedowns, and hiding up in the rafters.
However, the more melee-based fights are where the game really shines. Initially the Freeflow combat system might seem basic, as it essentially only uses one button for attack, but after progressing through the game it feels perfectly natural. Pressing the attack button and a direction performs an attack on the enemy there. There are usually quite a few enemies in a single encounter, and having a counter feature helps to level the playing field. It also helps to actually make the combat seem freeflowing, as attacks seamlessly link together. It's an extremely rewarding system, as special moves and weapons can also be integrated into combos to make it look much more stylish and effective. There is also a reasonable variety with the enemies that are encountered and they can't all be beaten by just mashing the attack button.
