There’s a special place in the hearts of gamers for Batman. Not only is he considered one of the best detectives alive or in fiction, but his methods of bringing justice to those who commit crimes is beloved by fans and non-fans alike. His rogue’s gallery is among the best in the comic book world with crazies such as: The Joker, Catwoman, The Penguin, The Riddler, Mr. Freeze and many more. While his sidekicks aren’t appreciated as his villains are, they are at least memorable with the likes of Batgirl, Robin, Ace the Bat-hound, and several others. So with all this love, one had to wonder when the video game industry should show their admiration of the Dark Knight. Batman: Arkham Asylum ends the suspicions that there would never be another brilliant Batman video game after the 16-bit era.

Batman: Arkham Asylum is a joyous action title that showcases the strengths of Batman and the grueling nature of Gotham City. Providing a combat system that allows for a string of combos past 50 maneuvers, gamers are in for a treat when they first begin their journey through the dangerous halls of Arkham Asylum. Saving spoilers from the storyline, Joker has unleashed havoc from within the prison by releasing inmates and super-criminals from Batman’s past. Encountering Poison Ivy, Bane, Scarecrow, Harley Quinn Killer Croc and countless others, Batman: AA has given gamers a glimmer of hope when it comes to the treatment of the Batman license. Rocksteady Studios and Eidos have delivered the quintessential superhero video game and, by industry standards, one of the best games of 2009.

From the third-person perspective that is akin to Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 (or RE5 if that’s your poison of choice), Batman: AA is thoroughly exciting till the bitter end. Having a handful of gadgets and dozens of tricks up Batman’s sleeve, the action is non-stop fun to the point that gamers will be stuck on their couch slaving away to complete the title; before gamers know it, they’ll have spent close to 4-5 hours without ever knowing it. The boss battles in Batman: AA are equally as joyful as the random battles with blackgate prisoners – from the first boss battle with Bane to the few encounters with The Scarecrow, gamers will never want the storyline to end once they start their adventure through Batman: AA.
This feature review continues on the next page, please click below to continue.