Customer Reviews

Batman Arkham Asylum: Game of the Year Platinum Hits

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I played this to completion when it first came out, but didn't own the game. I picked up a copy of the GotY edition today because I wanted to play through on a harder difficulty, and also the challenge modes are the kind of thing it's fun to come back to every once in a while for 15 minutes of fun (which can easily turn into 2 hours).

This is an awesome game and I can't recommend it enough for people who haven't played it.

A couple gripes about the GotY edition:
* My saves and progress from the original version are not compatible. I'm guessing this means that the leaderboards for the challenge modes will also be separate. This is a big disappointment, as I won't be able to compete against my friends who have the original version.
* The 3D is a cool gimmick, but not quite cool enough for me to want to play the whole game that way. I turned it off after about 30 minutes.

Again, I highly recommend this game if you don't own the original, but can't say it's worth picking up if you already have Arkham Asylum.

I've been a gamer for a long time now, although not a die-hard core gamer that has to have everything. I just recently bought an XBox 360 after lots of research. And the reason I bought it was because of this game. I was at the store looking for some PS2 games and saw this advertised with trailers. I was blown away by the look of it. So now I have the GOTY edition, and it is incredible. I've only played it through once, on the easy level, but it was tremendously fun and brought Batman to a new light for me.

I've been a comic book and superhero fan for as long as I've been a gamer, but I've never been a big Batfan. This changes that however. You can fight it out, throw batarangs, use grapples, talk to Oracle, climb up on roofs, into ceilings and ventilation systems, and stalk the bad guys. You can even do the ultra cool crash through the ceiling onto the unsuspecting bad guys! Adding Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill to the voice casting was just the icing on the cake for me.

Hands down, the best video game I've ever played, on any system. You become Batman, and do all of the cool stuff he is known for. Oh, and no Robin!

So, I debated between buying this version and the collector's edition. This is the edition I chose because I read a line that said Joker is a playable character...it said this even for this 360 version of the game. I probably should have done more research, but no Joker is not. Joker is only for PS3, sadly. I was very disappointed to find I had kind of been duped by Amazon's general explanation of the game.

That being said, I did enjoy the game. It was, to be frank, fantastic. Wonderful graphics, smooth gameplay, and multiple levels, made this game very addicting. I look forward to the sequel and hope that Joker (or something of equal value) will be given to 360 owners.

Also, *DO NOT* just buy this game for the 3D. It uses green-red lenses and actually made me sick. The game looks okay, but not exactly the best with 3D. This game was still VERY fun. I highly recommend it. :)

In general, superhero video games are bad adaptations of the comics on which they are based. Usually, at best they are just an average game (the only exception to this being when a superhero game has a great co-player mode, such as JUSTICE LEAGUE HEROES from a few years ago). That changed with the release of BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM. I didn't have an opportunity to play the game until earlier this year. However, after having played, it is in my opinion the best superhero game ever made so far.

Taking a cue from the graphic novel of the same name, players get to play the game as Batman. The gameplay is great. Just like Batman, you have to use certain weapons to complete certain tasks and defeat different villains. There's a good mix between platform games, puzzle games, and action games. A key to making it through to the next level is using stealth; you can't just jump out of nowhere and beat up everyone in sight. To be successful, you have to stay in the shadows and sometimes wait for the right moment to strike. There's a lot of free range in the game and there are all sorts of collectibles that a person can get as you explore the asylum.

As far as the story goes, Batman is at Arkham dropping off a prisoner when the Joker sets forth his greatest plan to date: Batman is trapped in Arkham during a lockdown where all the inmates are set free. Batman battles one foe after another, including Bane, Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, and Poison Ivy. Along the way you save workers who are trapped, solve riddles, and unravel the Joker's master plan. The climactic battle finds Batman facing off against the Joker that is much a battle of brawns as it is brains.

BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM is a must-play game for gamers and anyone who is a Batman fan. It's also highly recommended for anyone who likes superhero games or just enjoys a great single player game.

I don't even know where to begin with this game. I'm a big superhero geek so I dig a good story involving a superhero. I don't like every piece of garbage that might pass as a "superhero" tale, but once in a while you get a really legitimate piece of gold that contains everything you want in a superhero/comic book game.

This game essentially can be broken into four parts: fighting, scarecrow sequences, riddler challenges, and exploration/plotline. The plotline really delivers on a few really awesome notes. One thing that everybody loves about a good comic book hero/superhero is the he always has a history. A superhero doesn't just pop into existence and start beating the crap out of people. They become this hero. Batman especially has this extremely rich backstory that has been built upon and delved into numerous times. Enough that it's almost common knowledge. This game truly is a love story for anyone that loves the Batman universe and mythology. The shoutouts to old villains and characters that have somewhat fallen by the wayside are amazing little tidbits that captivated me almost more than the main story or gameplay. Which leads me neatly into the next part.

The Riddler challenges are a glorious little gem that may be somewhat overlooked in most reviews. If you don't really like thinking too much and exploring the environments to find little nuances in the scenery than don't bother too much. However, if you want to take a break from the fighting and bataranging, just open up these riddles and get searching it's awesome to see these homages to old characters in the Batman mythology. Definitely a great addition. The Scarecrow sequences don't really make up a very integral part of the story, but it does help to flesh out Batman's backstory as you delve into why Bruce Wayne became Batman and what really haunts the Dark Knight.

Last of all is the fighting. I love the way that this brawler is done. The animations are fluid and there are rarely times when the character models glitch and a henchman receives a phantom blow. 99% of the animations are flawless and look as though the bad guys are getting hit. The overall mechanic to the fighting is simple to use, but really hard to master. The mixture of strike, counter, stun, and the occasional gadget make it a three ish button system. As you strike, you bring henchmen to the ground. The occasional baddy does come up and try to throw a punch, but a quick counter fixes that. Nothing feels better than stringing torgether a 30+ combo in a huge fistfight. With the addition of 3 new challenge maps and 3D the game really is awe inspiring. (The 3D of course is not even noticeable unless you have an HD TV, btw)

Overall, Batman: Arkham Asylum is one of the best games I have ever laid my hands on. It deserves Game of the Year completely and delivers at every turn. A complete story, collectibles, challenges, fighting, exploration, and thinking make this game worth every cent you would pay. Definitely worth whatever you pay.

This game is all around fantastic. I get tired of combat in most games but the fluid and rhythmic flow of fights in this game is always a joy. The story packs in tons of Batman universe references.

This treats Batman as he should be. Physically honed and a brilliant detective. These would not seem to be things that would make for a cohesive game but they do in Arkham Asylum. The island is a largely open-world experience and one you will love to explore.

Also if you have played the normal version it is still worth a replay because GOTY tracks its own achievements.

We purchased this game for our 13-year-old son and he really likes it. The graphics are really good and in his words, "The fight scenes are awesome. The combos are realistic and look very painful." Painful = cool. I get it.

He really likes the fact that you can fight against classic characters such as The Joker and Harley Quinn. There is another character that he was also excited about and mentioned a lot - but then he asked me to take it out of the review because it will ruin a surprise. So, I guess you could say, this game has some fun surprises as well.

I asked him what were some drawbacks or areas that could be improved and he said, "Nothing!".

A nice gift for teen gamers.

I usually don't play superhero games, but the only reason i bought this was because it was on the best buy weekly ad for $20, the cover looked shiny and cool (especially the xbox version). i'm mostly a cod and gta gamer but i'm glad i played this game. definitely buying arkham city in october.

For those who haven't played Arkham Asylum yet, I'll tell you why this was the game of the year. You feel like you're playing Batman. Not Snake from "Metal Gear Solid", not 47 from "Hitman", not Sam Fisher from "Splinter Cell"... but Batman. Perfect example.
You, Batman, jump off an extremely high structure on Arkham Island, with Gotham City gleaming in your peripheral vision as you free-fall. You instantly "glide", meaning you become a base jumper, slowing your descent while also controlling your approach. You switch to "detective mode", meaning the crazy inmates below are now highlighted for you to plot your trajectory. Just before the unlucky inmate can look over his shoulder, you take off the detective mode and watch in awe as Batman lands his feet square between this guy's shoulder blades.

This is a violent game. Not bloody violent, although there is that, it isn't particularly gory. We're talking bones cracking, security guards killed and displayed as trophies and "art", and of course, the disgusting gut-wrenching transformation at the very end. Characters are given the Arkham Asylum dark revamp, which is to say that, reflecting the darkness of the degenerate "Jeremiah Arkham", they appear to be rotting. Some designs are fun and exciting, like the Joker, Harley, and Ivy to name a few, while others such as Bane and Killer Croc may be a bit over-the-top.

The gameplay is varied to keep you on your toes. You'll find yourself sneaking through vents to avoid being shot to pieces by escaped criminals who have gotten their hands on the armory quite often, but there will also be some incredible fights out in the open where a swarm of thugs try to bring you to your knees all at once. The latter feels like an open-ended QTE (Quick Time Event) where you have a short opportunity to beat your enemies to a pulp before having to block and/or counter the two guys behind you who are about to crack your skull with pipes. You have a lot of gadgets at your disposal, like the quintessential batarang, your trustworthy grapple hook, and some other inventive surprises. The usage of these feels a lot like the Metroid Prime games, where you can only enter certain areas after scanning the environment and upgrading your equipment. To me, it can get laborious, but doesn't really get in the way of the core experience.

Lastly, the icing on the cake, which is actually the first thing you're treated to.... the voice-cast. Mark Hamil returns to antagonize you at every turn as the Joker, who he voices to absolute perfection. Likewise, Arleen Sorkin returns as his ever-faithful gushy side-kick Harley Quinn, who will make you laugh all-throughout. Lastly, of course, Kevin Conroy reprises Batman, the very voice of the Animated Series who has become the most popular Bruce Wayne/Batman to date for a very good reason. He's both charming and menacing, gruff and articulate, which perfectly captures the duality of the Dark Knight.

Game of the Year Edition features 3D glasses not unlike those you would find in book stores 20 years ago. I don't think they add anything to the game, so I don't wear them. As I did not purchase or play the original, I cannot comment on the extra features, however, it does have some unlockable content outside of the storyline. If you already have the original game, then I wouldn't recommend buying this. If you don't, then this is a worthy investment, even if you don't like Batman.

I have the game for PS3 and I gave this XBOX version to my brother for Xmas. We both love the game. When we started playing this version we turned on the 3D, it was cool but we turned it off after about 5 minutes. Those who watch the game being played cant see and everything changes colors to a purplish hue. This is by no means a reason to not buy this game. I am just saying if you have the game...its not worth buying it again for the 3D.