Buy It!: Buy for PS3, Buy for Xbox 360, Buy for PC

Our Score:

I finally had some time to play some games this past week and the first one I was really looking forward to was Arkham Asylum by Eidos. I remember seeing the large paintings adorning walls at E3 and the one that really caught my interest was Harley Quinn. It was a headshot but it was so dark and maniacal that I was itching to see more. I also got a peek at what was supposed to be the limited edition Bbatarang and it looked amazing. I was sad to hear from some friends that it was actually cheap and nasty. I will reserve judgment as I have yet to see it for myself.

Anyway, I am not a Batman comic purist but I am a fan of all the movies back to Adam West's portrayal in the 60s. Hell, I dressed up as the Joker to see the premiere of Tim Burton's Batman in 1989. Of course, as the decades have passed, Batman has grown darker and into a more disturbed character. This is all too evident in this newest incarnation.

You begin by following the Joker, as he is lead down some hallways into Arkham Asylum. He is tied to a Hannibal Lechter-style box trolley and is laughing all the way. He is very disturbed and Batman is very quiet while just watching the situation. When you get to the end of the trail, he suddenly escapes and mayhem breaks loose.

Throughout your journey to find him again, you are taken through mazes of the asylum, many of which I found quite annoying as there weren't obvious ways of getting from A to B and because there was no compass and no HUD hints. I would often turn around without realizing it - especially when I got into an impromptu fight with escaped lunatics. There are many familiar faces that pop up during your journey, too. The most notable encounters are, Harley Quinn, Killer Croc and Scarecrow. The Riddler also plays a role, as you need to find hidden trophies and solve riddles that are strewn about the decaying landscape.

It's the usual sort of action affair where you run, kill some guys, see Joker so he can taunt you, run, kill some more guys and have a boss battle. There was nothing really special about the game play other than all of the cool toys that you get along the way. Batarangs and batclaws are only a small part of your arsenal and as you progress, you can upgrade as necessary.

The graphics are amazingly beautiful. I often wonder just how more realistic graphics can possibly get. Donkey Kong Country amazed me when it debuted, as did Metal Gear Solid. But now, it's the norm to look hyperreal and feel as though you actually are in these fantastic places.

One thing that has annoyed me about games like this and the Lego series is that there are certain items that you see and need to collect but you don't realize that you can't attain them until later on in the game when you have uncovered a certain tool. I'm not a fan of trying everything in my power for 30 minutes to try and get an elusive trophy only to find that it's impossible until a later stage.

The story is ok. Nothing really amazing or new comes to light. You're not given too much back story into the characters and if you know how Bruce Wayne turned into "The Bat", then there's nothing new to learn.

All in all, the game is decent. If you like Batman, I think you'll like this.

I've read a lot of negative comments about the renditions of Harley Quinn. Well, these are comic book characters - I don't really expect them to be wearing a lot and I don't see how a short skirt with thigh-high boots is that much worse than a skin-tight, camel toe exposing onesie, sorry.

I would recommend renting this one first or borrowing from a friend. It took me 2 days to get through on Normal and I picked up an easy 525 GPs on Xbox 360.