Batman: Arkham Asylum

Take on The Joker in the first Batman: Arkham adventure.

Batman: Arkham Asylum allows players to control the Caped Crusader, as he becomes trapped in Arkham Asylum; a high security prison, which falls under the control of The Joker. A third-person action adventure, the game combines detective, stealth, combat and puzzle elements, and features a range of iconic characters.

Originally released back in 2009, Arkham Asylum received numerous awards, earned rave reviews and was even recognised by Guinness World Records as the most critically acclaimed superhero video game of all-time. So does it really live up to its glowing reputation?

The World's Greatest Detective

During the game, players take control of Batman from a third-person perspective and guide him through Arkham Asylum, a facility for the criminally insane. The beginning of the game is fairly linear, but players are given more freedom to explore the facility as they advance.

Players are able to battle enemies through a 'free flow combat' system, or through more stealthy means, such as sneaking up on enemies and performing silent take-downs. There are numerous gadgets in the game, allowing Batman to grapple onto raised areas, trigger devices with his 'Batarang' or destroy weak areas using explosive gel.

In addition, the player can make use of a 'detective vision' mode, which helps to find forensic evidence, solve puzzles or find clues. Players are provided with several missions and sub-quests along the way, which help to keep them on the right track to continue the story.

'Welcome to the Madhouse'

Batman: Arkham Asylum's storyline was written by veteran Batman writer Paul Dini, and takes inspiration from graphic novels like 'Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth'. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill voice the characters of Batman and The Joker, respectively, reprising their roles from Batman: The Animated Series.

As you would expect, the voice acting is superb and the plot itself is arguably one of the best Batman stories told in any medium. Though it centres around Batman, The Joker and his sidekick Harley Quinn, it goes on to include numerous characters that will be familiar to Batman fans, such as Bane, Scarecrow and Killer Croc.

The atmosphere within Arkham Asylum is one of the game's main plus points and that particular aspect reaches its pinnacle during sections which involve Scarecrow and his fear toxins. Character models all look superb, with extreme attention to detail on things like Batman's cape, which has over 700 different animations.

In terms of criticisms, the combat system is extremely impressive to look at, but becomes repetitive after you become familiar with it. Moreover, while the game's cut scenes are excellent, at times it can seem as though you are just moving Batman from one place to another, waiting for the next cut scene to start. That said, neither problem severely detracts from the player's enjoyment of what is one of the best superhero games ever made.

Pros

• Storyline and voice acting are excellent
• Character models and environment look superb
• The atmosphere inside the Asylum is fantastic
• Plenty of gadgets and abilities to use

Cons

• Combat system can feel a little bit repetitive after a while