Phenomenal in every aspect of its design.
User Rating: 10 | Batman: Arkham Asylum PS3
When I first heard about this game, I quickly wrote it off as just another poor quality licensed game. After all, I grew up playing video games and anytime I tried a game based on a comic book character or a popular movie, I was extremely disappointed. Batman Arkham Asylum has finally changed all of that. From the moment I began the game and witnessed the incredibly awesome opening sequence, I was hooked. This was not like any other licensed game I have ever played. It had the quality of first rate titles like Metal Gear Solid and God of War. The atmosphere this game creates is perfect for the characters. The voice acting is outstanding (especially The Joker), the story mode is long and compelling, the graphics are fantastic, and the music score is top notch. When I finished the story mode and found the last Riddler trophy, I was ready to rate the game a 10. But next I decided to play around with the challenge mode...and this is where is discovered just how truly great this game really is. The one aspect that is now my single favorite thing about this game is quite simply the combat. Playing through the story mode, I found it pretty easy to dish out a decent number of moves and take out the gangs of bad guys. However, I never truly mastered the art of massive combos in which Batman takes out a huge group of thugs without taking a single hit. Challenge mode taught me how to do this, and I am absolutely addicted to it. It is hands down the coolest aspect of this game. Having 30 enemies on the screen at once, all coming at you at the same time, it is exhilarating to be able to take them all out with the grace and style that the awesome combat system offers. It feels almost like directing your own action fight scene in a film. I can't get enough of it, and now that I have really mastered the combat system, I cannot wait to play through the entire game again on hard mode. I have played many great action games, but the ingenious combat system in this game puts it above the rest. This is truly an exceptional piece of software and should not be missed, even for those people who don't know a thing about the Batman universe. 
