Arkham Asylum is everything you've heard it is, which is definately a very good thing.
Our new adventure has Batman once again bringing in Joker to his home away from home, Arkham Asylum, the psycho ward in Batman's world where all of his famous criminals usually end up. However, it is apparent the Joker is up to something, and it soon comes to fruition when he escapes custody and takes control of Arkham. Soon, every criminal in the hospital is running loose, including some of Batman's most famous opponents.
Arkham Asylum is the perfect Batman game, not just because of it's wonderful gameplay and production values, but because this is the embodiment of the hero. The game gives you full control of Batman, letting you share his power and his weaknesses. Not only are you a powerful brawler capable of using Batman's many gadgets and weapons, but you also take on his detective abilities and his ability to become a terrifying menace to his enemies. Everything Batman has been in his long line of comic book history is captured: Batman as a detective, martial artist, technological genius, and fearful icon to villains.
And you will have use of many wonderful gameplay elements. Although the fighting system in the game seems simple, one button to attack, one to stun, and some combos here and there, there are many options to use in combat. You can jump over your enemies, use batarangs in combat, etc. The fighting actually does take strategy to defeat opponents, especially when they number more than three AND they start getting better and better weapons. But this aspect isn't even getting to the best parts of the game.
The best part is the stealth aspects, which allow you to hide in various areas of the levels. You can silently take down enemies, instilling fear in them and have a number of ways to do it. You can hang enemies upside down on one of the many gargoyles used to stay up in the shadows or distract enemies and take them down while they're oblivious to your presence. There are any number of ways and strategies to do this and it is fantastic fun.
For Batman fans, this is what we have waited for. Arkham looks amazing as it displays what it truly is: a twisted, disturbing madhouse that is not nearly as fun as it has been portrayed in the past. And the bevy of villains displayed here is a treat for anyone who enjoys Batman. And these villains range from all over the series, from ones as old as the beginning series to the Animated Series. My personal favorite is Scarecrow, who's battles delve into the psychological areas of the series, dealing with Bruce's weaknesses in the mind, which I find to be the most interesting aspects of the series.
This brings me to my biggest, and really only, complaint of the game. The game doesn't delve enough into that deeper aspect of psychosis it could have. Here was a perfect opportunity to dive even more into something that has always hung over the series, that being the differences and similarities to Batman and his villains. While it is touched upon, it would have been more fruitful I think to take advantage of the surroundings and really get into the heart of what Arkham stands for in Batman: that all of these characters, Batman included, are in some way crazy with plenty of weaknesses they hide. However, the story is quite good and there is plenty of craziness going on, so it's only a minor complaint.
In any universe, this game would be good. The gameplay, production values, art, and story are all very good. Everyone should enjoy it, whether you like Batman or not (though liking the Batman series helps), but if you're a fan, this is everything that you have been waiting for in a Batman game. You owe yourself to pick this up as soon as possible.