Batman: Arkham Asylum

Moby ID: 42258
Windows Specs
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Description official descriptions

Once again, Batman has captured and returned the Joker to Arkham Asylum. Unfortunately, the inmates have taken over and the Joker is now running the show. Play as the Caped Crusader, navigating in a 3rd person style through the grounds and collective wings of Arkham Asylum; a super-prison and rehabilitation center for Gotham's most hardened criminals.

Using a combination of stealth, detective work, and exciting combat elements, proceed toward your ultimate goal of apprehending the maniacal Joker. On the way, you'll encounter some of Batman's deadliest foes. Fortunately, you're not entirely alone, as Batman will receive assistance from the surviving guards, and information from the computer genius Oracle.

Make use of the grappling hook, Batarangs, explosive gel, zipline, electronically-assisted vision, and more. During your search, you will gain experience points from defeating opponents, finding hidden items, or accomplishing special tasks. Once you "level up" you can purchase/upgrade an ability or feature of Batman's arsenal. The game features a controllable camera viewpoint and an optional first-person view for viewing things up close.

Strewn about the grounds of the Asylum are 240 "riddles" for you to solve, courtesy of the Riddler, and a variety of achievements/trophies to unlock, depending on your gaming platform.

Spellings

  • 蝙蝠俠:小丑大逃亡 - Chinese spelling (traditional)

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Credits (Windows version)

412 People (383 developers, 29 thanks) · View all

Batman Created by
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[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 92% (based on 98 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.2 out of 5 (based on 175 ratings with 7 reviews)

Fear the dark knight

The Good
Batman is been paid somehow as he deserves. After some good films directed by Tim Burton (films that have little to do with comics, but good films anyway), Joel Schumacher buried and destroyed the bat. Since that moment, nothing remarkable, but then, without a great fanfare, Christopher Nolan directed Batman Begins, an incredible film about the superhero that was a new beginning., and the film that Batman deserved. Nolan did what he should with Batman, and the confirmation arrived with The Dark Knight.

This evolution of the superhero in the movies has a similar path with the evolution in the games. We have some good games for the 16-bit (maybe the best one Adventures of Batman & Robin for Genesis), but they're only funny games and nothing more. It all changed when Batman Arkham Asylum arrived.

The most important thing is the fact that Batman Arkham Asylum is not just the best superhero game released, we're talking about one of the best games made in some years. When people started to talk about this game, some people started to think that it was not going to be as good as it was looking at the moment, but when they played the game themselves they realized that an incredible game was released, a game made with respect, an homage to Batman as never made before. Talking about the homage, we have a lot of information during the game with biographies of many characters, as well as many different antagonists selected for the game.

The game is the perfect combination between beat 'em up and Stealth games, that made the game more dynamic. Without a doubt, the Stealth parts are the most remarkable, you'll feel like a true superhero with many different weapons (none of them are useless) and different ways to defeat your foes. Your foes will react at every action that you do in this game, they'll fear you once you start defeating their partners, which is something really funny (for you, not for them of course...) The beat 'em up parts are good too, with a perfect battle system with many different and suitable movements. In spite of this, when you begin the game you don't have the special movements and it may look a bit limited, what's more, in the first battle you may think that his game is just a beat 'em up game where you're only going to push a button many times to fight your foes, but nothing further from the truth.

At the beginning, the storyline looks a bit typical, but when you progress the storyline turns better. The depth of the story is enormous, specially when you face the scarecrow, which is one of the best parts of the game. Facing the scarecrow means facing yourself, your fears and all the things that made Bruce Wayne to become Batman. Every confrontation with the scarecrow is placed in an strategic point of the story, it's good because it made the game varied. The number of confrontations with him are just the confrontations that the game needed.

Music has an important part of the product. It's more gothic than orchestral in some parts, and it's the perfect ambient for the perfect game. The music is the perfect accompaniment to carry out your plans to defeat a handful of thugs without being noticed. Voices and FX are great too, like the other aspects of the game.

Graphics has no defects, making a compact game without nothing to threw it up. Animations are amazing, special facial animation, and textures are magnificent. You can admire that work with the models in the main menu, by unlocking some concrete secrets. Stages are big with many details and different elements.

Gameplay is precise, not just the incredible battle system. Moving all around the island is a pleasure using all your "powers", soon you'll feel comfortable with the controls and you'll be exploring the whole island without any problem. A good point for the game is the fact that you don't have to open the menu to select a weapon, you only have a map screen (and the secrets and biographies) and nothing more, so, the game is very flowed. You have also different difficulty levels.

If all that's not enough, there are secrets all over the island. You'll be addicted soon to find them all because it's not something really difficult, and it's really funny. To help, you can take the secrets map (which is also a secret) in the game to know where they are hidden. That's something good because most of the times you'll find that valuable item once you've reached most of the secrets of a concrete area, and with the map you will not spend a lot of time wondering where the hell are the rest of the secrets.

To finish with, besides the main story and the secrets on it, you have a challenge mode where you have to reach a score (in beat 'em up challenges) or achieve concrete goals (the stealth ones). Stealth mode is specially funny, with many different goals to gain the medals. Without any doubt, a extra mode for a perfect game.

The Bad
There are no things that I didn't like of this game. The worst thing of the game is that it's not long, but it's so funny that it looks that it lasts the half. When you're near the end you'll start to pray for more.

To find fault with the game, most of the big enemies need the use of the batarang to defeat them. Only the battle with Joker and the one with Poison Ivy are different about that.

The big problem of a game like this is the fact that the shadow of the game is going to be really long, and to repeat its success something really hard.

The Bottom Line
Arkham Aylum is one of the best games made in a long time, not just the best superhero game, I'm talking in general terms. You'll feel like you're the dark knight, knowing all the things that you're going to do in each moment making possible incredible strategies for a game that combines stealth with beat 'em up.

Fear the dark knight.

Windows · by NeoJ (398) · 2009

The Dark Knight at his very best.

The Good
When I saw the first pictures and gameplay videos from Arkham Asylum I wasn't very convinced. It looked decent, but not great. I was dead wrong.

From the very first second of the intro Arkham Asylum had me spellbound. It conjures up a great atmosphere that blends the comics, Batman 1989 and The Dark Knight into one lovely entity. It's dark and brooding, but also fun and spectacular.

Many characters from the comics make appearances and cameos. The Riddler, for example, has planted clues and trophies for Batman to solve and find, in order to unlock challenge modes and whatnot.

The main villain, though, is The Joker. Naturally. The unsettling psychopath is the natural nemesis of Batman, and he comes off as truly menacing and disturbing in Arkham Asylum. Brilliantly voiced by Mark Hamill, you really feel Batman's frustration with The Joker as he murders and destroys everything in his path in order to execute his diabolic plan.

The gameplay is complex and simple at the same time. As Batman you have to fight, sneak and use your detective skills. And jump around on platforms, of course. The controls are very intuitive and easy to learn, making the game a joy to play. The fights flow smoothly as Batman performs blocks and combos and breaks a few bones in the process. It's extremely satisfying.

There are lots of stuff to find and unlock in the game and as the story progresses you get more and more advanced equipment which to use in order to get to hard to reach places. This means that you can always backtrack in order to reach new areas when you have completed the story. So even when you have completed the game, there is still more to do. The challenge modes, for example, are quite entertaining. These consist of different arenas where you are supposed to beat up bad guys as flawlessly as possible to get high points, or to sneak and silently take out bad guys as quickly as possible. It's relaxing fun, although quite challenging.

What works best in the game is the atmosphere and that all the aspects of the game (fighting, stealth, platforming, detective) work so well together. You constantly have something to do. Always a threat that needs to be averted. And you get to kick plenty off ass along the way. And all along the way the game is extremely satisfying. It's just as fun to weave long combos together in a huge fight as it is to silently take out armed guards.

The Bad
There's not much to complain about, but there are some aspects that could have been better. The biggest flaw with the game is the boss fights. Most of them are a bit uninspired. The part where you meet Killer Croc in the sewers was disappointing, and I would have liked to get some closure in a big final fight with the always menacing Scarecrow, but sadly you never get the chance to.

Even the final fight with The Joker is more or less just a retread of a fight you have done all through the game. These fights are very entertaining so it isn't really such a huge problem. I would have liked some more spectacular fights with Batman's arch enemies, though.

In order to unlock all challenge modes you have to backtrack a lot and search through the whole asylum in order to reach all those places you couldn't reach when you passed through the first time. I really don't see the fun in running around in an empty asylum collecting trophies after the story is completed. I guess it is a good thing that there is more to do for those who love to collect all sorts of things in their games, but I don't have the patience for it. I just want my challenge modes unlocked so I can play them already.

These complaints are minor, though. All in all, this game delivers, big time.

The Bottom Line
The perfect Batman experience. Whether kicking ass in bone-breaking fights or sneaking around on ledges, this game is thoroughly satisfying.

Windows · by Joakim Kihlman (231) · 2009

I'm Batman

The Good
I got sucked into the game, I almost forgot what time is it. The gameplay is really awesome, the combat mode is really addictive, makes you want to fight a lot of enemy and not getting hit the same time. The graphics too is astonishing, the story is good. All the thumbs I have is all up, yeah!

The Bad
The only down of the game is that I didn't get to fight the other enemies like Mr. Freeze, Catwoman, The Penguin, and other major villains. Also didn't get to ride the Batmobile and the Batjet. Other than that, no more.

The Bottom Line
A-must-play game, the experience is awesome especially when fighting enemies, the flow of animation during combat mode is seamless. Just be careful not to be addicted. =)

Windows · by Valroman Francisco (30) · 2009

[ View all 7 player reviews ]

Trivia

1001 Video Games

Batman: Arkham Asylum appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.

Batcave

The idea of a secondary Batcave in Arkham Asylum first appeared during the No Man's Land saga.

Batman: The Animated Series

Batman, Joker and Harley Quinn are voiced by Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill and Arline Sorkin respectively, who reprise their roles from the critically acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series.

The story is written by Paul Dini who, as well as having contributed to the comics, was a writer on the series.

PlayStation Home

Inserting the game into your PlayStation 3 console will unlock a PlayStation Home exclusive personal space called the Batcave Outpost Apartment. The space includes a replica of Bruce Wayne's underground lair, including famous items such as the Batsuit, Batmobile, and Batwing.

References

If Batman is killed by Bane, one of the death cut scenes shows Bane breaking his back. He also taunts Batman during battle, yelling "I will break you" and making a kneeing motion. This is a reference to the Knightfall storyline, where Bane actually broke Batman's spine.

References to Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth

The game references Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth several times: * Amadeus Arkham, the asylum's founder, is mentioned and has a bio. * The insect motif that appears on the "Spirit of Arkham" artifacts is inspired by the book. * In the garden, there is the statue of Saint Michell (an angel with a spear). * There is also a reference to the gory demise of Amadeus' wife and child. * And finally, the basic premise of the book is the same (the Joker takes over Arkham and its inmates, including several Bat-villains, run amok).

Awards

  • 4Players
    • 2009 – #6 Best Game of the Year (Readers' Vote)
    • 2009 – #3 Best Trailer Cut of the Year
  • AceGamez
    • 2009 - Game of the Year
    • 2009 - Xbox 360 Game of the Year
    • 2009 - Best Music & Sound
    • 2009 - Best Gameplay
  • Cheat Code Central
    • 2009 - Best Licensed Game
  • Game Developers Choice Awards
    • 2010 - Best Game Design
  • GamePro
    • 2009 - Best Licensed Game
  • GameShark
    • 2009 - Xbox 360 Game of the Year
    • 2009 - Best Line
    • 2009 - Best Boss
    • 2009 - Worst Boss
  • Gamespot
    • 2009 - Best Atmosphere (Editors' Choice)
    • 2009 - Best Atmosphere (Readers' Choice)
    • 2009 - Best Use of a Creative License (Editors' Choice)
    • 2009 - Best Use of a Creative License (Readers' Choice)
    • 2009 - Best Sound Design (Readers' Choice)
    • 2009 - Best UK-Developed Game (Readers' Choice)
  • GameSpy
    • 2009 - The Atmospheric Intensity Award
    • 2009 - The Bag of Tricks Award
    • 2011 – #1 Top Superhero PC Game (together with Batman: Arkham City)
  • GameTrailers
    • 2009 - Best Action/Adventure Game
    • 2009 - Biggest Surprise
  • IGN
    • Best PC Action Game (Editors' Choice)
    • Best PC Action Game (Readers' Choice)
    • Best Xbox 360 Story (Editors' Choice)
    • PC Award for Excellence in Sound (Readers' Choice)
  • Machinima
    • 2009 - Best Animation
    • 2009 - Best Art Direction
    • 2009 - Most Compelling Character (for the main antagonist The Joker)

Information also contributed by Big John WV and Caelestis.

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Doppelgamer.

Macintosh added by Sciere. Windows added by Sicarius.

Additional contributors: Mark Ennis, Paulus18950, Cantillon, Patrick Bregger, Starbuck the Third, FatherJack, Kennyannydenny.

Game added September 22, 2009. Last modified February 21, 2024.