Top stuff!! Couldn't put it down!!
However, when I finally did get round to playing it I couldn't put it down. Everything about this game is polished to a near perfect shine. What few faults I would find in it are massively overshadowed by every other amazing aspect. Such as:
Story: At the beginning of the game you would be forgiven for thinking that it is going to be a simple cat a mouse story set in a fanboy favourite location. But it is so much more than this, without spoiling the story; all I will say is this. It's set in Arkham Asylum; therefore there are a hell of a lot more villains to encounter than just the Joker, most of which have their own intentions now they are free. Most characters seem to be out for themselves and an equal threat to the people of Gotham City, meaning that the story is constantly forking off in different directions, each of which would of been used as full blown stories if given to lesser developers. But in the hands of Rocksteady the story moves seamlessly along in such a way that you will find it hard to stop, as there is no down time and the story is always pushing you forward.
Graphics: On the surface the graphics in Arkham Asylum are brilliant. The environments look great, the character models are spot on, and the animation is superb. However, it's not without its faults. Facial animation isn't amazing, as a lot of characters look through Batman with their dead eyes, and they sometimes have silly looks on their faces. This aside though, Arkham Asylum is one of the best looking games on PS3, the skin textures of characters is almost human and the environments are so lovingly created that searching for hidden objects is not a chore but a joy.
Gameplay: Even with the great features already mentioned, nothing comes close to the gameplay. It is quite simply out of this world. The game is a brilliantly balanced mix of stealth, Beat em' up, puzzle and exploration. Each aspect is of high standard; the stealth is easy to do, as there are plenty of things in the environment for you to use and plenty of gadgets to help you out. The gadgets also play an important part in the puzzle and exploring parts of the game especially when exploring the free roaming environment that is the Asylum. You can explore as much as you want in the game, in fact it is encouraged, as each area has plenty of hidden objects for you to find and riddles to solve all set by the Riddler himself, who taunts you all through the game. A big part of the game however is the Beat em' up element, which is admittedly not my favourite sort of game. But in Arkham Asylum it really works, in my experience there has never been a more satisfying combat system. Button mashing wont work here, you need to keep everything you do steady, as attacking and countering are both very easy to do if you keep a cool head. This result is such a rewarding experience, especially when you have just dispatch 20+ enemies without taking a hit or breaking your combo. This is very easy to achieve as well, because when an enemy is about to attack they get a symbol over their head, which lets you know that if you press triangle you can counter their attack. Successful attacks and counters give you exp and multipliers. Exp which eventually give you points which can be spent on a variety of things, including better armor, more fighting moves, or improved gadgets.
This is great, but even with the epic story and exploration there is still more fun to be had here. As well as the story mode, there is also a challenge mode, in which you have various combat and stealth challenges, where you get a score, which can be submitted to an online score board.
Sound: Like all other aspects of this game, the sound is very polished, voice acting is great and the music creates atmosphere, action and suspense whenever necessary.
Over all this is a game that should not be missed by anyone. It is very accessible and easy enough to get through in a relatively short space of time. Simply because once you start it, you wont be able to stop, and with the challenge mode and varying difficulties it is a game which can be picked up and played again and again.
9/10