Article: Arkham Asylum vs Arkham City

Arkham Asylmum "wipes the floor" against Arkham City? Hardly. Argue all you want for the linear structure of Asylum leading to a better overall experience, Arkham City is the game that really lets you be the Batman. I'm a sucker for open worlds, and Arkham City is - in my not so humble opinion - the better game because of it.

I absolutely love both Arkham games, but I disagree with the final verdict here. I'm a gameplay focused gamer and quite simply, there is nothing Arkham Asylum does even remotely as well as Arkham City. Rocksteady upped their game so much with their sequel that their new Batman game probably has nowhere to go but down. I also found Asylum's story to be a little lacklustre. It felt like a simple saturday morning cartoon plot whereas Arkham City hit upon all of the interesting psychology of Batman (the thing that attracts me to the character more than anything else). The type of psychology that would lead a man to risk his life to stop the mass murder of a bunch of low-life thugs even if his one true love is in mortal danger.

Their both fantastic games, but only Arkham City swims near masterpiece territory.

Arkham Asylmum "wipes the floor" against Arkham City? Hardly. Argue all you want for the linear structure of Asylum leading to a better overall experience, Arkham City is the game that really lets you be the Batman. I'm a sucker for open worlds, and Arkham City is - in my not so humble opinion - the better game because of it.

Vari3ty

[QUOTE="Vari3ty"]

Arkham Asylmum "wipes the floor" against Arkham City? Hardly. Argue all you want for the linear structure of Asylum leading to a better overall experience, Arkham City is the game that really lets you be the Batman. I'm a sucker for open worlds, and Arkham City is - in my not so humble opinion - the better game because of it.

TheFallenDemon

Wow I never thought of this. You sir are a genius.

I disagree completely, everything in Arkham City was better. The combat was far more fluid and engaging, the story in Arkham City actually took risks with the Batman story while Arkham Asylum ended like a dumb cartoon, and Arkham City itself just felt more...Batmany. Everything about the presentation felt spot on in AC.

Both games are fantastic and while I sorely missed Scarecrow in AC I have to go with AC being the better game overall.Archangel3371

Objectively Arkham City is simply a better game. Some people might prefer metroidvania-like structure of Arkham Asylum over open world take of Arkham City, but this doesn't change how significant improvement Arkham City was over Asylum.

I disagree completely, everything in Arkham City was better. The combat was far more fluid and engaging, the story in Arkham City actually took risks with the Batman story while Arkham Asylum ended like a dumb cartoon, and Arkham City itself just felt more...Batmany. Everything about the presentation felt spot on in AC.

JangoWuzHere

I agree 100%!!! I really felt that AA felt confining, yes I liked the story line and it gave us a first glipse of what it feels like to be Batman, but AC ramps that up considerably. I love the free flowing go anywhere feel of AC. I also love the combat and the storyline, grittier and much more intense. Batman's world is a dark place, and AC really created the mistique of a true DARK KNIGHT! Well done!

Just my two cents, but AC is the better game than AA.

Sure, AA is polished and linear. It had a great story and it definitely showed that there is a game out there that can truly give gamers the true feeling of what it is like to be Batman. But it did have its problems, such as Batman being slow, a couple of the enemies were frustrating (I'm looking at you, dual-wielding knifeman!), to name a few. So, in other words, AA was great, but it had some flaws that needed to be corrected.

With AC, everything has been improved and I don't know why people are looking the other way on it. AC included free-roaming, there were more villains and heroes to contend with, Batman is a lot more faster than his previous incarnation, there is a variety of enemies (none of them frustrating, it only is if you make it frustrating), the story was excellent, and so on. AC is the better, more complete package than AA is.

[QUOTE="Archangel3371"]Both games are fantastic and while I sorely missed Scarecrow in AC I have to go with AC being the better game overall.fend_oblivion

The best easter egg would be when you use the cryptographic sequencer on one of the Falcone boats to open a secret passage. Inside is Scarecrow's freaky hideout.

[QUOTE="TheFallenDemon"]

[QUOTE="Vari3ty"]

Arkham Asylmum "wipes the floor" against Arkham City? Hardly. Argue all you want for the linear structure of Asylum leading to a better overall experience, Arkham City is the game that really lets you be the Batman. I'm a sucker for open worlds, and Arkham City is - in my not so humble opinion - the better game because of it.

Vari3ty

Wow I never thought of this. You sir are a genius.

[QUOTE="Archangel3371"]Both games are fantastic and while I sorely missed Scarecrow in AC I have to go with AC being the better game overall.fend_oblivion

I love the open environment in AC and boost/gliding around is so damn fun. Also I enjoy playing as Catwoman a lot more, and I can watch her walk all day long.

Arkham City is by far the better game IMO. Better graphics, better gameplay, more content, better combat, better story etc.fend_oblivion

You cant go wrong with either one, both are amazing.

Arkham City had too much random Riddler puzzles..... It was way OOT....

[QUOTE="fend_oblivion"]Arkham City is by far the better game IMO. Better graphics, better gameplay, more content, better combat, better story etc.johny300

I enjoy the debate, but one thing both had in common, Mark Hamill as the voice actor for the Joker. His ability to bring this character to life is top notch! Incredible voice acting in both games that truly set the Joker persona to the top of all villians ever in gaming history. I just hope he'll come back for a third run. Rumor has it no, but we can all hope.

Personally I prefer Asylum. The story was just better to me, with better pacing. Both games are great though.

I enjoy the debate, but one thing both had in common, Mark Hamill as the voice actor for the Joker. His ability to bring this character to life is top notch! Incredible voice acting in both games that truly set the Joker persona to the top of all villians ever in gaming history. I just hope he'll come back for a third run. Rumor has it no, but we can all hope.

Gamr2723

Considering the games ending and somethings he said before the game was released ill doubt he will be back. Maybe its time for The Joker to move on, if their is one good thing with the Batman universe is that they can change so many times but remain good through changes.

Just my two cents, but AC is the better game than AA.

Sure, AA is polished and linear. It had a great story and it definitely showed that there is a game out there that can truly give gamers the true feeling of what it is like to be Batman. But it did have its problems, such as Batman being slow, a couple of the enemies were frustrating (I'm looking at you, dual-wielding knifeman!), to name a few. So, in other words, AA was great, but it had some flaws that needed to be corrected.

With AC, everything has been improved and I don't know why people are looking the other way on it. AC included free-roaming, there were more villains and heroes to contend with, Batman is a lot more faster than his previous incarnation, there is a variety of enemies (none of them frustrating, it only is if you make it frustrating), the story was excellent, and so on. AC is the better, more complete package than AA is.

Metamania

I love the open environment in AC and boost/gliding around is so damn fun. Also I enjoy playing as Catwoman a lot more, and I can watch her walk all day long.

Swift_Boss_A

Arkham City is a cartoon episode Arkham Asylum is a graphic novel76QQ3O9

Arkham Asylum was way more like a cartoon episode. Joker wants to make an army of monsters and attack gotham.

Arkham City was of a larger scope and dealt with something very important within Batman universe: Batman's belief that even the worst of man deserves to live. To Batman, being able to restrain oneself and not kill is what seperates the criminals from the heroes. Strange and Ra's Al Ghul on the other hand believe that one must do ANYTHING necessary to end evil even if it means comitting a bit of evil yourself (the genocide they attempt in the game). Batman's very existance and code of honour are put to the ultimate test in this game and the story is that much more interesting because of it. It also explores the relationship betweeen Batman and the Joker in a lot more depth even if the Joker didn't have as big a focus.

I like both games.

[QUOTE="TheFallenDemon"]

[QUOTE="Vari3ty"]

Arkham Asylmum "wipes the floor" against Arkham City? Hardly. Argue all you want for the linear structure of Asylum leading to a better overall experience, Arkham City is the game that really lets you be the Batman. I'm a sucker for open worlds, and Arkham City is - in my not so humble opinion - the better game because of it.

Vari3ty

Wow I never thought of this. You sir are a genius.

[QUOTE="Swift_Boss_A"]

I love the open environment in AC and boost/gliding around is so damn fun. Also I enjoy playing as Catwoman a lot more, and I can watch her walk all day long.

MirkoS77

Both masterpieces, but Arkham City made some very impressive improvements from the first game, therefore being a really great sequel, and slightly better game.

I found that changes to combat in AC made the game significantly worse, but everything else was an improvement. They both suffered from the problem of having too many villains, AC slightly more so. Very few villains got the focus they deserved. meetroid8

How so?