Batman is my all time favorite superhero, which I’m sure I’m not alone in this. It has been a long time since I played a Batman video game that felt like it captured what I consider the Dark Knights defining aspects. I played Batman: Arkham Asylum with high hopes; does it deliver?

The Mechanics:
Arkham Asylum looks fantastic. Built on the Unreal Engine, water and lighting effects are beautiful. Batman’s cloak is animated incredibly; other developers take note, if you want a cloak, do it like this. The music is wonderful, and sounds are spot on. Voice work of Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, and Arleen Sorkin is superb. The controls are responsive, but you will find some maneuvers difficult with the camera, but this is very, very rare. Batman: Arkham Asylum has the feel of a well-built, solid game.

The Play:
The variety of play and implementation of Batman’s gadgets and detective work are excellent. There is very little redundancy that you will notice as the immersion grabs you and you want to experience so much. One boss fight felt a little canned, but it is brief and you will hardly bat an eye. So much of this game feels like Batman superhero work that you can’t help but come back again and again.

The Experience:
This is Batman. No other Batman video game has captured the feel of being the Dark Knight. The combat system is brilliance and allows you to feel awesome without frantic controller acrobatics. Detective mode gives you the edge that you’d expect from the World’s Greatest Detective, filling in for your own senses without spoiling the experience. The first time you clear a room without being seen, you will know what I’m talking about. Combined with the incredible detail writing, this game will be very memorable.

The Value:
Arkham Asylum has a lot to offer. The Riddler Challenge will unlock others in the Challenge mode, which will have you doing various tasks and one-of missions to earn medals. On the PS3, you can do these as the Joker, so keep that in mind. There is also a Hard difficulty, which alters not only how hard the bad guys are but some of your Batman senses, creating a different experience for the next play through. With the solid game-play and experience this offers, you will have a lot of fun doing the Challenges, and the first DLC is free.

So what do I recommend? Batman: Arkham Asylum is a superb game. This is an example of video games moving forward. I will play this game again and again, you I think you will too.

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