Batman Arkham Asylum - Review

By
Reanna Quitzon
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Batman Arkham Asylum

As we approach the 10th anniversary of Batman Arkham Asylum, it’s certainly worth the time to go back and visit the world of Arkham. Rocksteady Studios did know what they were doing when they developed one of the most detailed Batman stories into a gorgeous game.

After all, it revolutionized the comic book videogame industry by earning Game of the Year award back in 2010, but to actually know what made this game so special that Rocksteady Studios decided to make 3 more installments in the same universe, continue reading this review on one of the best stealth games ever made.

Voice Actors

The voice acting may not be the top of your priorities when you decide whether you want to play a game or not, but in this case, Batman Arkham Asylum can win you over for its great cast. If you’re an old fan of the Batman: The Animated Series, then you’ll be happy to know that Mark Hamill, The Joker, Kevin Conroy, Batman, and Arleen Sorkin, good old Harley Quinn, all reprise their roles in the game.

So, if you don’t like the growling quality of Batman’s voice we’re used to hearing in movies, the clear, intimidating voice of Conroy will make your experience better. Mark Hamill, as usual, does a great job voicing the joker and you will enjoy their performance so much that you’ll immediately fall into the storyline of the game without any distractions.

If you have played that game already, then you already know that loudspeakers are a key element in receiving information in the game, so whether the joker is taunting you, or telling you of his whereabouts, this form of voice acting will add to the eerie quality of the gameplay, especially since you are roaming a dark asylum with a bunch of lunatics and supervillains on the loose. This system is intriguing, however, and will keep you up on your toes as you search the island for your objectives using the map.

Plot

The game starts with batman escorting the Joker into Arkham Asylum after attacking Gotham city hall and getting arrested. Batman suspects that there is a ploy behind the Joker’s actions, believing that he let himself get arrested so he could enter Arkham Asylum, where most of his cronies are imprisoned.

Batman’s suspicion turns out to be correct as the Joker breaks loose and soon enough, the whole asylum, if not the whole island, is under his control. Batman then struggles to fight off the lunatics that the joker set free, saving doctors and officers while tracking the joker at the same time. You’ll see other villains like Zsasz, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, and Scarecrow who all take part in Batman’s journey in the asylum.

Stealth and Combat Combination

You’re the dark knight, so you’re bound to use stealth to achieve your goals. Predator mode will come in handy when you try to avoid getting into a fight with a dozen of Joker’s men. Also, there is an array of methods to choose from to take down enemies silently.

For example, you can hang them from a gargoyle, which is a classic Batman takedown, glide behind your target and knock him out, or simply walk behind him and render him unconscious; however, sometimes, the game doesn’t leave you any other option but to go straight into combat with 10 men at the same time. Batman’s combat skills are more than enough to finish them off.

https://revyou.com/uploads/thumbnail-960/159212183303894283546.webp Batman Arkham Asylum - Review

https://revyou.com/uploads/thumbnail-960/1592121833040cc3e1e0860b45e29-600x338.webp Batman Arkham Asylum - Review

https://revyou.com/uploads/thumbnail-960/1592121833041maxresdefault.webp Batman Arkham Asylum - Review

Despite the simplicity of the four combat buttons, you will have to perform different combos to knock out the more evasive enemies. Batman is also equipped with gadgets that will help him take down his targets, like the batclaw, the explosive gel, batrangs, and sonic batrangs, that can be useful whether you’re going for stealth or combat mode.

Either way, there is no designated route that you can choose when taking down enemies. Instead, the game gives you the chance to get creative in the open environment.

Gameplay

Your gameplay is composed of three parts, the exploration of the labyrinthian asylum, combat and stealth modes, and the gliding you’ll perform to reach new locations or your objectives. As you explore the asylum, you will find it peppered with multiple Riddler challenges and patient interviews which are very interesting as you discover how certain patients, like Harley Quinn, became insane, and there is also the spirit of Arkham story that you can unlock and listen two with detective mode.

There are also some references to other characters and villains which do not make it to the game. For example, if you see the place that is surrounded by ice, then you can tell immediately that it’s where Mr. Freeze resides. However, you won’t get to see him in Asylum. Instead, he shows up in the next installment. You will also see Clayface, but you can opt not to release him from his cell.

Characters

Because you won’t see many heroes in this game apart from the protagonist, villains rule Arkham island with the joker on their forefront. Developers did a really good job in their characterization. Harley Quinn, for example, is present in patient interviews, so you’ll know her back story back in the day when she was an ordinary psychiatrist.

She is also present in the main storyline where you don’t engage with her in hand to hand combat, but fight men that she sends your way. The joker is done spectacularly well along with Killer Croc, who the game feeds you information on along the way.

Horror Tone

Some players would argue that this game is actually scary, as it has its moments of psychological horror experienced within the confines of the asylum. Some of these moments include Batman venturing into Scarecrow’s world, who forces Batman to face his fears in a dimension where he is a giant monster.

Since most players have played this game when they were young, they say that this was the most terrifying part, but looking back at it, it was also one of the most intriguing parts as well. You are stuck in a loony house, after all, and madmen are jumping you all the time and this, on its own, is scary.

If you loved the comic books more than the movie adaptations, then this game is certainly for you. The world is depicted as bleak and dark in Arkham with flashy neon colors that break the dullness of the world, which is accurate.

There are some issues with the game, like bad lip synchronization, and repetitive boss fight mechanics, but when you overlook these features, the truth remains that Batman Arkham Asylum is one of the best comic book games ever made.