Batman: Arkham Asylum Game of the Year Edition Reviews

The most spectacular ode to Batman in gaming history, Arkham Asylum will appeal to all fans in at least some aspect. The rather large database of villains and friends, equally equipped with biographies and detailed information on each, expands the experience of the game astronomically. Gamers will find themselves immersed in the chilling atmosphere as they explore Arkham Island and the buildings that inhabit it, each with their own creepy atmosphere and brilliant subtle accompanying soundtrack.

Exploration and replayability incentives lay within solving the Riddler's riddles and finding his collectibles, which are scattered among the various buildings and sections of Arkham Island. The fact that Batman, the Joker and Harley Quinn are all voiced by their original Batman: The Animated Series voice actors gives an entirely deeper respect and nostalgia that was never achieved in any prior Batman game.

The story is compelling, full of twists and turns and impacting moments of suspense that will leave any player unable to put the controller down. The only fault that lies within the game itself are the combat controls, and the frustrating perfection that is required to hold a long combo. Other than that, this game is an absolutely must play if there ever was one.

I’m not big on super heroes, but Spider-Man is awesome. I know this is a Batman game, but hear me out. I got back into achievement hunting after earning a platinum trophy on my PS4 in Spider-Man. Shortly before finishing that game, we took on a roommate who is a Batman guy. I came in from work one day while he was playing one of the Arkham games (I don’t recall which) and we chatted about what he was doing as he was doing it. I said, “so this is basically Batman’s version of Spider-Man’s game?” He said they weren’t quite the same, but they’re similar enough I might enjoy it. Now again, I’m not really into super heroes, but Batman is the coolest of the DC bunch. The Arkham series wasn’t on my radar before this moment, but it was afterward.

The controls make sense, but they aren’t intuitive for someone whose favorite games include Spider-Man and the Yakuza series. I really struggled with combat for the first several hours. Something finally clicked, and I can string together 30-hit combos fairly consistently, but I absolutely lucked into the combo where I managed to string together a 57-move combo using all of Batman’s moves. I’m mad that I’ll probably never repeat that feat again. The key here is patience—Batman doesn’t like to be rushed. What billionaire does? I used a DualShock 4 to play this one, like always. I also have a PS4 copy of the game, and I got my feet wet with that. If I had to guess, it took me around 35 hours between the two versions for that click with combat. (7/10)

Graphics are good. I’ll admit the remaster on PS4 is much better, but the original version is solid. I think this game is much nicer to look at than several others of the era, such as Assassin’s Creed or Dishonored. The Steam port retains the original graphics. Some areas were incredibly dark, but not impossible to complete. I tend to spend a lot of time in detective mode, so switching back and forth can be disorienting sometimes. It’s not so bad that I couldn’t handle it, and I don’t consider it detrimental to the experience. (7/10)

Usually, music is one of my favorite parts of a game. With this game, it’s good, but it doesn’t always have the oomph I need. The little melodies interlaced throughout Arkham Island are interesting and very Batman-esque, but I feel like more could be done. The sound effects on the other hand, are robust. The wind whipping off Batman’s cape as he glides is easily one of my favorite instances in the game of immersion. (7/10)

I once wondered in my review of Lego Batman: The Videogame why all these villains were running amok in Gotham City. Arkham Asylum shows you the why right off the Bat (hehe). Joker is painted to be the absolutely diabolical mastermind he deserves to be, and it’s incredibly compelling. I loved seeing enemies I’m not familiar with, such as Killer Croc, and a few fan favorites make a return, like Poison Ivy. The little character biographies were a cool touch, and finding the interview tapes scattered across the island gave more insight into the plot. Rounding all this out, I still wish to know more about Amadeus Arkham, and I hope more mystery surrounding him is available to unravel in the later installments of the series. (10/10)

Finally, the extra content in the form of challenges was interesting to explore and sharpen skills with. I did well with the stealth challenges initially, but I’m not sure finishing hard mode would’ve been doable for me without that extra practice. Also, screw Shock and Awe. I never want to play that one again. (8/10)

Overall, this game helped me better appreciate the character that is Batman, and I can connect more with the love for the character my husband and sons have. I will definitely play the later games in the series, and I may rewatch the animated series with my older son to get a better feel for certain characters. Walking into the game with only a passing interest in Batman and walking away with an increased appreciation is enough for me to absolutely recommend the game. (8/10)