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The last time a good Batman video game came out was in 1993. "Batman Returns" was based off of the movie of the same name. Since then, 12 more games based on the Dark Knight have been released and every single one (with the possible exception of Lego Batman) has been terrible.
However, it looks like the World's Greatest Detective's luck has changed with the release of "Batman: Arkham Asylum" for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Developed by Rocksteady and published by Eidos, "Arkham Asylum" is, quite simply, the best superhero game to date. And Batman doesn't even have super powers.
Instead, he relies on his wit and his fists to get him out of sticky situations. "Arkham Asylum" combines the best of both worlds. Gadget-wise, there are Batman mainstays such as the Batarang and grapple gun, but also new ones, like explosive gel and the Sonic Batarang. As for fists, the game uses Rocksteady's FreeFlow combat system.
FreeFlow sends Batman effortlessly from bad guy to bad guy, using the Dark Knight's fists, legs, knees and elbows to battle his foes. When the player can nail all the timings, it looks like an incredibly deadly ballet. The control scheme is easily one of the best this generation, let alone for a superhero game.
Speaking of superheroes, "Arkham Asylum" is a reunion for some real life heroes. The game's voice cast features Kevin Conroy (Batman), Mark Hamill (Joker) and Arleen Sorkin (Harley Quinn). Those names should be instantly recognizable to fans of the Batman cartoon from the 90s-it's the same cast. For a generation of Batman fans, Hamill's Joker laugh is unforgettable. The developers hit upon genius by having him reprise his role as the nefarious clown.
In "Arkham Asylum," the Joker is up to no good again. From within the Asylum, he orchestrates a night of mayhem and chaos, intending to destroy Gotham City once and for all. To assist him, he recruits the help of several iconic Batman villains such as Bane, Mr. Zsasz, Scarecrow and Killer Croc. The plot was penned by Emmy award-winner Paul Dini, so you know that Rocksteady means business.
Unfortunately, even with all this good, there is some bad. The game's camera is not quite what it could be-it sometimes moves a bit too slowly or doesn't reveal enough of the action. Losing a high score multiplier by getting hit from an unseen enemy is aggravating. As epic as some of the boss battles are, others are downright disappointing. The last battle in particular is not very impressive-the player can see it coming from a mile away. On top of that, the battle is too simplistic, and the finale doesn't stack up against some of the earlier boss fights.
These things are relatively minor, though. The overall quality and polish of the title outweigh the negatives.
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