Second Look - Batman: Arkham Asylum

When I originally reviewed Rocksteady Studios’ Batman: Arkham Asylum ten years ago, I admittedly didn’t put much substance into it, partly due to my lack of experience with reviewing video games. After I did some research on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time for a review, however, I felt motivated to replay Arkham Asylum with the context that it originated this game’s famous Freeflow combat system. However, it also felt appropriate to replay the game in honor of Batman Month and give it the coverage it really deserved. It helps, of course, that Arkham Asylum has aged surprisingly well and even felt refreshing.

Batman: Arkham VR

One of the earliest titles available for the PlayStation VR was Batman: Arkham VR, developed by Rocksteady as part of the Batman: Arkham universe. The idea behind the game is to use the relatively new VR technology to make you feel like the Dark Knight himself. For the most part, it works really well, but it still falls a little short as an experimental title.

Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy) is informed by his butler, Alfred Pennyworth (Hugh Fraser), that Robin (Tom Austen) and Nightwing haven’t reported in for an unusual length of time. As this is cause for concern, Batman must go out and investigate their whereabouts, finding that both of them are in unusual locations. When he sees that Nightwing is dead, the investigation turns into finding out the identity of the killer as well the location of Robin.

The story is fairly easy to follow and, in true Arkhamverse fashion, grows darker and creepier as the game continues. This all leads to a very tense and frightening finale, which takes full advantage of the VR environment and shows a lot of potential for the technology. Unfortunately, while the story is well-written and engaging, and ties in well with Batman: Arkham Knight, it only lasts about thirty minutes to an hour and that’s if you’re not looking for secrets. At that point, it doesn’t completely feel worth the MSRP of $20.

What also doesn’t help is the general lack of replay value. After completing the main story, you gain the option to search most of the levels again for the obligatory Riddler trophies. Finding these trophies unlocks additional character models and bios you can view in the Batcave, as well as additional vehicles, the latter of which has no real effect on gameplay. These vehicles are drawn from Batman’s television and film history, including as recent as the Batmobile from 2016’s Batman v Superman and as old as the Batmobile from the 1966 Adam West series. Apart from Riddler trophies, there are also a number of destructible objects and optional easter eggs related to Batman lore, as well as some foreshadowing to Arkham VR’s ending and Batman’s mental state in Batman: Arkham Knight. Unfortunately, even if you did take the time to check every nook and cranny to find or destroy every single object, the entire game is still only about three to four hours long at the most.

One of the puzzles is recreating the crime scene for Nightwing's death.

That said, the gameplay is rather impressive for an experimental VR title. Arkham VR does an excellent job of making you feel like Batman, especially since you go through a phase at the beginning where you have to put on the Batsuit. Over the course of the game, you have access to three gadgets on Batman’s utility belt: the throwable Batarang, the Grapnel Gun and the Forensic Scanner. Using these gadgets at the right moments will allow you to solve puzzles during each of the game’s nine chapters and get Batman one step closer to finding Nightwing’s killer. It feels really cool to be able to throw a Batarang with your own motions and to control each object in the game with 1:1 movement.

However, there are some limitations to the gameplay, likely due to its experimental nature and the relative infancy of the VR market. You are not allowed to move around freely throughout each environment, as movement is restricted to teleporting to predetermined locations in your line of sight. Despite this, you are still able to use your own physical movements to move a couple steps around you, as well as look around objects or lean in for a closer look (Tip: looking around digital objects with physical movement is required to access a couple of Riddler trophies). Additionally, there isn’t much to speak of in the way of action. Instead, you spend much of your time using Batman’s gadgets to solve puzzles in a 360° space. While this does emphasize Batman’s role as a detective, it may leave fans of his action side wanting more. Also, while the game does generally do a good job of telling you what you can and can’t do, it doesn’t explain that you can zoom in on the environment by holding the Move controller to your head and pressing the Trigger button.

On a technical note, the graphics are very impressive, fully capturing the look and feel of the Batman: Arkham universe down to the color palette and level of detail. The environmental sounds also help to sell that you’re within the world of Gotham and the voice acting is top notch, seeing as you get to hear more Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill among others.

While by no means perfect, Batman: Arkham VR is a very solid experimental title. The game does an excellent job of pulling the player into the world of Gotham and making them feel like the Caped Crusader. In exchange, the player has to contend with restricted movement, a lack of combat and a heightened emphasis on detective work and puzzle solving. Even with the game’s shortcomings, it’s worth playing for the ability to feel like Batman and become a true part of Gotham’s dark atmosphere. However, its short length, about three to four hours at the most, and lack of long-term replay value barely justifies the $20 price point. If you can get it at a good price, it’s one VR title worth picking up.

Batman: Arkham City - The Best Superhero Anything Ever

Cropped PC box art, because the internet rejected the NTSC PS3 box art for some strange reason.

After playing the masterpiece known as Batman: Arkham Asylum, I wasn't really sure what to expect from Arkham City. I mean, I had a vague idea of what would happen based on tidbits provided of the story and characters to appear, but I didn't know what direction the game would go in or how it would play out. Until last week, that was all a mystery that I spent a long time solving. The finished product has turned out to be so good by its own merits and as a sequel that I really don't know where to begin.

Perhaps I should begin with the combat. While the overall system retains familiarity from Arkham Asylum, it feels much more like a rhythmic dance where you learn more steps as you go. The general flow is fantastic, and combined with the ability to quick-fire more of the Dark Knight's gadgets made it feel more natural as well. Bruce Wayne gets to show off his full strength, but you also get the opportunity to fight strategically. Not only are there more enemy types to contend with that have a specific weakness, such as stunning a shield-bearing enemy with the cape and then dropping on them from behind, but there are instances where you have to keep an enemy conscious in order to interrogate them for the locations of Riddler secrets.

Not only is combat brilliantly done, but the enemies are also a bit smarter this time around. Not only will they now check around an unconscious body for Batman's hiding spot, they will even adapt to a certain extent, eliminating gargoyles gradually should you let them. It's also fun to listen to their dialogue, as with Arkham Asylum, since they not only have their own stories to tell but they can also fill you in on minor events in the story and give a unique insight on what goes down within the walls of the city-turned-asylum. In the times where Batman is a predator in the night, the dev team really made it satisfying to outsmart a room full of armored thugs.

And on the subject of the gadgets, much of them are carried over from the last game along with some new additions. These are mapped well onto the d-pad, allowing one to switch between them as they see fit. Weapons such as a freeze bomb or a remote disarming tool find practical use in not only combat, but also completing Riddler challenges and finding his trophies around the entirety of the city.

Since I've mentioned Riddler challenges a couple of times already, it's about time I clarified by stating that there is a lot you can do in this game, and I mean a lot. Not only are there a staggering 440 Riddler challenges to complete in the more open world of Arkham City, but plenty of side missions where the player gets to interact with more of Batman's lengthy rogues gallery, including the lesser known Mad Hatter, Deadshot, and Calendar Man (I am not intimately familiar with Batman's history or his fanbase, so I don't know how obscure some of these enemies are to them). Those who play a game to get 100% completion may like the fact that they'll be inside the city for a long time; I must have played the game for tens of hours and I've only completed about 43% of the game so far. This was what I liked about the game, since I really felt like I was getting my money's worth, but I was a little disappointed that the stat screen didn't tell me how long I was playing (otherwise I'd be able to give a more exact time estimate).

I realize that I've gone this far without talking about the story, penned by none other than Paul Dini. I can't exactly say too much about it, as it's very twist-laden, but I can tell you this much: The game hits, or maybe even punches you, right off the bat with a killer twist. Hugo Strange already knows that Batman is Bruce Wayne. He will stop at nothing to be able to tell the world about it, to the point of capturing him in an attempt to break him psychologically. However, Bruce manages to fight his way out into the open and suit up, beginning a string of events that all build tension towards the big mystery of the game, with layers of intrigue, alliances, and rivalries, as Batman also tries to find out just what Protocol 10 is. Sadly, I can only go this far without spoiling the plot, at least on his side of the story.

It may not be a surprise to some of you, but Catwoman is now a playable character as well. Rather than give her her own story mode, the brilliant decision was made to have her part in the events be interwoven near flawlessly into the story. While it's great to see how her sections help explain minor events in the overall plot, it's even more fun to control her. Compared to Batman's powerful approach to fighting, Catwoman makes him seem slow by comparison. This is probably helped by putting less emphasis on gadgetry, since she has all the tools a cat burglar would need or be able to fit into her tight suit, and instead diverting focus to her speed in combat that more than makes up for her lack of strength. In another stark contrast to the Dark Knight's style, Catwoman's preferred method of clearing a room seems to have more of a stealth approach in mind, which made pretty good sense considering she can climb across ceilings with specific surfaces.

While I do praise the Catwoman segments, I must bring up that accessing her can only be done through an online pass. As I acknowledge that this is rather unfortunate for those who wish to purchase the game used, I would recommend those people to either try and pick up a new copy to avoid paying for her separately, or purchase a used copy at GameStop where everyone will get a Catwoman code regardless of condition. In any case, you should definitely download her to have the complete experience.

The one thing the game manages to do very well overall, besides looking absolutely gorgeous, is building and keeping a suspenseful atmosphere, with a good score to compliment the tension. When there is a lot going on at once, it's easy to get the feeling that you never know who will need saving next or where a villain will strike. It helps that the ever-twisting plot thread successfully kept me on the edge of my seat. Aside from this, there are very smartly placed symbolic imagery. It's moments like when Catwoman manages to steal from Hugo Strange only to be torn between the loot and saving Batman, with her decision symbolized by the red and green directional arrows on the ground suddenly representing her karma or finding the exact location where Bruce's parents died so he can pay his respects that really help to establish the city itself as a character in its own right.

Now, after looking back on all that went on in the game, I can say that Batman: Arkham City is not only the absolute best licensed video game on the market, but perhaps even the best video game I have ever played in my entire life. With a near perfect arrangement of elements, excellent voice acting and characters, and an ending that hits you effectively with the emotional impact of a meteor, Arkham City is a game that elevates Batman to a new high that will be hard to top for quite a good while. It is, quite simply, a game that absolutely no one with the technology in their possession with the capability to play a video game should even think about missing out on.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

In the year 2009, Rocksteady Studios released their second game ever, Batman: Arkham Asylum, to much commercial and critical acclaim. While I was largely unfamiliar with the overall Batman universe, I did find the game intriguing at the time and thankfully it did not disappoint one bit. Naturally I became excited by the idea of a sequel, Batman: Arkham City, currently slated for an October 19, 2011 release. In order to build up to this, here is my review of Batman: Arkham Asylum.

To begin, Arkham Asylum is not your average licensed video game. While it does draw a lot from the Batman name, the game uses that more to its advantage, rather than its detriment. It infuses years of comic book history with Victorian architecture to create a dark, mysterious, and sometimes frightening atmosphere unlike BioShock's dystopian city of Rapture. It's not just a set piece, it's an environment filled with immense attention to detail and structure so nicely done that you'd think it was real. The asylum manages to almost stand as a character in its own right, as the interior walls ooze with personality and help to subtly guide Batman to his destination.

With Joker at the reins, the many inmates and transferred Blackgate prisoners roam free at his command. The interesting thing about the enemies, and even the guards, is that like the rest of the game they don't feel like the run-of-the-mill cookie cutters found in most others. They are capable of converstaion, interacting with the environment, and even hinting at their own self-contained stories. Each new encounter also helps to show the kind of person Batman is and help him to figure out how to approach a given situation.

In some scenarios, Batman can display his "demon of the night" persona to the fullest by striking from the shadows and instilling fear into the hearts of his foes to the point where they can be easily taken out. In others he can show off his detective prowess by utilizing his high tech gadgetry to follow a DNA trail, or his (and your) skills of perception to solve all of the Riddler's riddles. The combat system is also one of the most well-crafted in gaming and it nicely shows off Bruce Wayne's true capabilities. With graceful counterattacks and the ability to use batarangs in a pinch, plus a satisfying finishing blow, the game makes the player feel a lot like the Dark Knight himself effectively.

Equally amazing and fun are all of the different gadgets Batman gains throughout the campaign. Similarly to Metroid, some areas are inaccessible until a particular item is obtained. The things you can discover in return however are well worth it, from the many character bios and challenge maps to several audio interviews that really gives the player insight into the villains and the history of the titular place. There is definitely a great incentive to continue exploring Arkham no matter how long you've been crawling through its vents.

While the plot is indeed interesting, it doesn't really go past the idea of Joker taking over Arkham Asylum. Still, this isn't a bad thing, as the game makes up for this greatly by delivering some truly stunning and unforgettable moments. These moments are very well done and continue to show us more about the world of Batman, including some clever nods to the comic book it's based on. I liked these, as it helped me get to know and understand the Batman universe a lot better than before I played.

What helps this game out greatly is the superb voice acting, featuring the return of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill in their respective iconic roles as the dark knight and the clown prince of crime. Some voice actors also reprise their voices from the 1990's animated series, such as Arleen Sorkin's Harley Quinn, but overall the characters are very well cast and bring out the most of their characters. Standout examples include Steve Blum as Killer Croc and Dino Andrade as The Scarecrow, both of which manage to make the villains they voice genuinely threatening, making their presence all the more powerful.

Sadly not every moment is great. In fact, the final encounter that the game builds up to the entire time is a bit of a letdown. I would agree that there was a rather odd yet interesting concept introduced that was squashed by Batman's own morality, leading to the worst boss battle in the game.

Thankfully, that's the only real complaint I have with the entire game. There is almost absolutely nothing wrong with the overall product, as it provides an experience absolutely anyone should play. Now let's see if Arkham City can top this and provide something even better.