As a small child, I loved Batman more than anything else in the entire world. As soon as my little mind could comprehend the alphabet, I was reading Batman comics. Concurrently, I was watching the 90’s animated series religiously. I also wore a cheap Batman mask/cape combo every single day. This was before videogames, before Marvel comics were introduced, and before I could write a coherent sentence. Batman was my life.

Admittedly, I really haven’t followed Batman for the last decade or so. Other than his recent escapades onto the big screen with Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, I don’t have the slightest clue what the character is up to these days. But after playing through the first segments of Eidos’ Batman: Arkham Asylum for the PS3, I can feel old emotions re-surfacing.

First and foremost, this is the most authentic feeling comic book game since Activision’s 2006 title, Ultimate Spider-Man. And while I haven’t played much, it’s clear that Arkham Asylum outclasses that, and all super-hero games, in every conceivable way. There are no traces of a cheap cash-in to be found here; from the moment the game begins, you feel like you’ve stepped into the shoes of the Dark Knight himself.

The premise should be familiar to most. Batman brings the apprehended Joker to Arkham Island, where the grand Arkham Asylum is located. The opening scene really is fantastic; you follow along as the Joker is wheeled back to his cell, listening to his insane rantings while the opening credits roll on the right side of the screen. Anyone who watched the aforementioned animated series will feel right at home, with Mark Hamill reprising his role as the Clown Prince of Crime. He has gotten a little more vicious, however; unlike the animated series, Arkham Asylum isn’t toned down for the kiddies.

Needless to say, all hell manages to break loose, and you find yourself fighting for your life against hordes of pissed off inmates. Combat is fast, easily controlled, and feels an awful lot like Assassin’s Creed thus far. Like Assassin’s Creed, it’s crucial to utilize the counter-attack feature, which is extremely easy to do. It’s fairly simplistic from what I’ve played so far, but it’s a lot of fun, and more advanced abilities can be purchased as the game progresses.

Aside from combat, the detective aspects of the game are interesting as well, if a little far-fetched. How Batman manages to trace a man halfway across the asylum by picking up his alcohol trail is beyond me, but it’s cool nonetheless. There are some light platforming elements present as well, which are enjoyable if only because you get to glide and use Batman’s infamous grapple gun.

After spending a mere hour and a half with Arkham Asylum, I can’t wait to jump back in. The setting and atmosphere are gripping, and feel just like a Batman game should. The gameplay is fast, fun, and appropriately varied. It’s weird to say this, but it honestly makes me feel like that Batman-worshiping kid again.

Tags: Batman: Arkham Asylum, Resurfacing Memories

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 at 1:42 pm and is filed under Xenosaga Week. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.