Written by: Ian

 

 

 

Movie/ Media games are normally a bit of a joke in critical terms, but does this new Batman game (Batman: Arkham Asylum) do the business even though it only has the comic, rather than movie license?

 

Eidos has certainly been shouting about it for a very long time, with a media campaign that has seen unparalleled amounts of video and shots release over the last six months or so. Has it all been worth the effort?

 

 

Batman AA is one of the most story driven games in recent years, and it’s delivered through an overwhelming array of sources. You get full-screen CGI cut-scenes, in-engine scenes, GoW style briefings through an ear-piece, and also other bits of information through your own detective work and the clues scattered around Arkham island.

 

It’s all brilliantly delivered, filling you up with trivia as well as unravelling the story and the Joker’s objectives as you go.

 

The basic story is simple- and I’ll try and tell you about it without giving away any spoilers! You capture Joker- but it seems too easy to be true, and send him on his way to the Arkham Asylum penitentiary, an island off the coast of Gotham City. He makes his escape, and then lets the prisoners, which include some of Batman’s other deadly foes loose on the island, captures Officer Gordon, and leaves you to save the night.

 

 

It’s deeply engrossing and manages to cram loads of Batman’s foes in, including Scarecrow and Poison Ivy in, without ever feeling clichéd or ridiculous. Also, the way you unravel new elements by discovering new pieces of evidence really adds to the story and makes you want to carry on playing and playing, engrossing you in the beautifully realised world of Gotham City.

 

 

In terms of gameplay, there’s no one genre that Batman comfortably falls into. However, unlike Damnation, all of the attempted mash-ups just work brilliantly. There’s platforming. But it’s never too tough thanks to the gadgets you have, the ability to glide, and the fact that if you do miss a jump, you can press your grapple, which will only put you one or two ledges back, with no other penalty other than a few seconds lost.

 

Also, quite a lot of it just involves using your head to find a ledge or a grate, and then using one of your gadgets to pull you up. It certainly helps to mix things up. Also, the pseudo 2D platforming parts with Scarecrow are really enjoyable, as there is some timing element to these sections. However, I won’t spoil these any more for you!

 

 

There’s adventure gaming. But again, it’s rarely frustrating, and due to the crucial story information you pick up, it becomes really fun as you start to roleplay as Bruce Wayne’s alter ego, finding the clues around the island to back up your investigation.