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| Batman: Arkham Asylum | |
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| Topic Started: May 31 2010, 11:59 AM (126 Views) | |
| picollo no. | May 31 2010, 11:59 AM Post #1 |
Screw the rules I'm Yuri Lowell
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Title: Batman Arkham Asylum Platform: Xbox360/PS3/PC Developer: Rocksteady Before I start let me warn you this is a very long review, but that is because there were so many things I felt I needed to explain. That and because THIS GAME IS FRICKIN’ AWESOME!!! The fact that this game is based on a license would usually be a sign of developer laziness, a cash-in on a popular franchise which adds nothing to the world of gaming. Well this game is one of the few exceptions to this gaming rule and is essential to anyone who likes Batman, comics or just good games in general. It starts off simply with Batman capturing an escaped Joker and returning him to Arkham Asylum, and from the off this game builds up the atmosphere, with a section which only involves walking as you escort the Joker to his cell. What makes this section great is the dialogue between the Joker and the guards and Batman, which is very witty and well written and that is the norm for the script for the entire game. Things go wrong though when the Joker makes his escape and releases the Asylum inmates and Batman is left to fight of the bloodthirsty inmates and try to stop the Joker and his diabolical scheme. This is where we start of with our first battle. I could go on for ages about the story and how good it is, but that should be an experience you find/ or found out for yourself. The game is made up of a few different parts; fighting, predator sections, detective mode, Scarecrow sections and a small bit of platforming reminiscent of the Prince of Persia. First off the fighting system; to begin with it seems simple, you press the strike button to kick and punch enemies, building up combos. However things are made much more interesting with a counter command which you’ll need to time in order to avoid incoming attacks. If you go into fights with the sole intention of button bashing you’ll see the Joker taunting you on the game over screen more times than you’d wish to. The fighting system is incredibly well balanced and satisfying and when you die, you generally feel like it was your fault for going in head first. Further depth is added due to the RPG elements. You get experience for fighting enemies (notice you never kill enemies as that is not Batman’s way) and when you gain enough experience you can spend it on new skills, such as being able to throw multiple batarangs and health upgrades. It is definitely a well thought out system. The next main part of the game is the predator sections. In these sections Batman has to take out a room full of the Jokers henchman before being able to move on. The problem is they are usually armed and Batman doesn’t last long when under fire so you have to be clever. You have to use the environment to your advantage to single out enemies and take them out one by one, for example hiding under a grate to takedown an enemy who stands above you, or doing an inverted take down from atop a gargoyle to leave an enemy hanging. What makes this even better are the enemies reactions to this. The more of them Batman takes out the more terrified the enemies get, they start getting freaked out, firing randomly if they see something move, they may start sticking together so that your job is more difficult. Most of all you feel like the Dark Knight, hunting his prey. The other features play a lesser but still significant part. Detective mode can be activated anytime by the press of the trigger button which allows Batman to see where enemies are stationed and also allows him to follow clues or the trails of other characters. You’ll be in and out of using it throughout the game and is a very handy game mechanic and is implemented very well. The Scarecrow sections are a trippy platform section, induced by the Scarecrows fear gas and are a very interesting section of the game and goes along way to fleshing out Batman’s character. Finally the platforming is just a simple work out how to get from part A to part B using Batman’s gadgets and skills. The fact this game is made up of so much could of made it an unsatisfying, disjointed affair. However all the pieces fit together perfectly to make a great experience which makes you feel like the ‘Worlds Greatest Detective’. And to top it off the game has huge replayability thanks to the Riddler’s Challenges. Despite not making an on screen appearance Edward Nigma has set Batman 240 challenges to solve ranging from locating trophies all across the Island to using your investigating skills to solve a riddle, which awards you with challenge modes and character biographies, which is one of the main reasons why this game is so great. The game is a huge love letter to all of Batman’s fans, with his greatest allies e.g. Commissioner Gordon, Oracle and enemies e.g. the Joker, Harley Quinn, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy making an appearance and those who do not get screen time are paid homage to by little cameos in the games Riddler Challenges and character bios which feature fan favourites like Ras al Ghul and Two Face.. And the patient interview tapes provide plenty of characterisation and backstory to these characters as well as a lot of humour and are a testament to the great script of this game. The story (written by Paul Dini, the man behind the legendary animated series) actually feels like it could be a Batman comic if it were serialised and put into panel form and the presentation is just marvellous. Its great hearing Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprise their roles as the Batman and Joker respectively, proving they are their definitive voices, in fact Mark Hamill steals the show with his charismatic and ‘bat’-sh!t insane performance as the Dark Knights greatest opponent. The soundtrack also sounds like it came right out of one of the movies. To top it all of it also looks fantastic, particularly the animation on Batman’s cape :p Some character models look a bit off, but overall it has a slick slightly gothic feel to it which suites Batman perfectly. Put simply this is just an amazing game, easily a great of this generation and should be played by all even if they are not massive Batman fans. You can tell it was lovingly crafted by people who felt passionate about the license rather than cashing in on The Dark Knight (which can be seen in how that film was released over a year before BAA). It is a wonderful game that deserves to be played and here’s hoping for an even greater sequel with even more of the classical characters making a return. The game may be almost a year old, but each playthrouh still feels like a fresh experience. 95% Staytuned for my No More Heroes 2 review coming up soon :) |
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