It’s incredibly easy to screw up a super hero game. Sure, there are good games in this genre, but they crop up so rarely. For every Spider-Man 2, we also have to contend with Spider-Man: Friend or Foe, Aquaman, or even Superman Returns. When Batman: Arkham Asylum was announced, I could have gone either way. I was skeptical from the onset, considering the trends with super hero games. However, there were some very interesting things going on with this game, and adding the fact that it’s Batman that we’re dealing with led me to be cautiously optimistic. Luckily, my optimism was rewarded. Not only is Batman: Arkham Asylum a great game, it’s also something that manages to do justice to the realm of super heroes.

 

As we meet up with the Dark Knight, we find ourselves at Arkham Asylum, where Batman is bringing the Joker for incarceration. However, things quickly turn south for our hero as the clown prince of crime quickly escapes custody, unleashes his goons, and holds the entire sanitarium hostage. Written by Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series, Detective Comics), what unfolds is an engaging story that keeps things progressing nicely and logically, showing us just why Batman is such an important character. Not only does Bats have Joker to contend with, but also a formidable collection from his rogues gallery to bring back into custody, making for a very busy day for the world’s finest detective.

 

 

 

As good as the story is, it’s just a small element in a combination of things that make the game so much fun. The mix of gameplay styles incorporated into the game are a huge component of the overall presentation, and really do a great job of driving home why Batman is so cool. In Arkham, Batman will have a wide array of enemies to fight, either head-on or while lurking in the shadows. The difference in these approaches really help to define Batman, as it offers a chance for audiences to see precisely what’s going on when the Dark Knight is setting up to take down an entire room of baddies.

 

Considering his reputation of being the world’s greatest detective, you’ll often make use of what’s called “detective mode,” which is a visual filter in Batman’s cowl that you can toggle on or off with the push of a button. Using this, you’ll be able to find clues throughout the environments, which will help lead Bats to his next objective. This filter will also allow you to survey entire rooms, weighing a situation to see how to best approach it without actually being within eyeshot of any potential perils. Everything from simple traces of alcohol to seeing how many enemies are in a room, and more importantly, what they may be armed with, make the detective mode a valuable tool in the fight against crime. And that’s only one of the gadgets you’ll have at your disposal. You’ll also have access to everything from batarangs to grappling hooks, and even some slick explosives, making sure you have the right tool for any situation. Once you’ve evaluated what’s ahead, it’s time to spring into action.

 

Players have the option to dive straight into a tussle, regardless of how many enemies there are. Should you decide to take this route of combat, you’ll be able to employ what’s been dubbed the “free flow combat system.” Here, you’ll be able to link kicks, punches and counter-attacks together seamlessly, allowing you to clear an entire room of goons without taking a single hit. Of course, there’s more to it than that, as you’ll have to time your button presses – whenever enemies are about to strike our champion, a little icon will appear over their head, allowing you to initiate a counter-attack, quickly putting the hurt on these ne’er-do-wells.

 

 

 

If you run into a room where your adversaries are armed to the teeth, you’ll have to employ a different strategy. Though Bats has his tricks and armor, he’s still human – he can only take so much punishment before he’s knocking on death’s door, making it wise to avoid a hail of gun fire. To do this, you’ll be able to take to the rafters, staying out of sight of the criminally insane. Once you’re up there, you’ll be able to silently move about an environment, slowly and methodically taking out the villains occupying a room. Whether you snare them in a rope and leave them dangling from on high, drop down and use a stealth attack to drop one of these fools, or even dispatch them from a hiding spot below, everything you need to get the job done is at your fingertips.

 

Batman’s one of the most popular super heroes around with very good reason. To see a game that does him justice is such a great treat, making us wonder “what took so long” while hoping other game makers take some cues from this game on how to give a proper super hero treatment. The variety of gameplay styles plays a great role in making Batman: Arkham Asylum so much fun, but perhaps the biggest element lies in the fact that the game’s architects put so much care into the game. Everything is so genuine, seamless, and, most importantly, fun; it’s tough not to have a newfound respect for the genre. If nothing else, it’s great to see the return of the Dark Knight.