Product Description

Batman: Arkham Asylum exposes players to a unique, dark and atmospheric adventure that takes them to the depths of Arkham Asylum - Gotham's psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane. Gamers will move in the shadows, instigate fear amongst their enemies and confront The Joker and Gotham City's most notorious villains who have taken over the asylum. Using a wide range of Batman's gadgets and abilities, players will become the invisible predator and attempt to foil The Joker's demented scheme.

Batman: Arkham Asylum features an original story penned exclusively for the game by famous Batman author and five-time Emmy award winner, Paul Dini, whose credits include Lost season one and Batman: The Animated Series. With amazing graphics and a moody, immersive setting, Batman: Arkham Asylum offers diverse gameplay options that push the envelope for all action, adventure and superhero games.

• Utilise the unique FreeFlow combat system to chain together unlimited combos seamlessly and battle with huge groups of The Joker's henchmen in brutal melee brawls
• Investigate as Batman, the world's greatest detective, by solving intricate puzzles with the help of cutting edge forensic tools including x-ray scanning, fingerprint scans, 'Amido Black' spray and a pheromone tracker.
• Face off against Gotham's greatest villains including The Joker, Harley Quinn, Victor Zsasz and Killer Croc.
• Become the Invisible Predator with Batman's fear takedowns and unique vantage point system to move without being seen and hunt enemies.
• Choose multiple takedown methods, including swooping from the sky and smashing through walls, and use the predator camera get a closer look at the action.
• Explore every inch of Arkham Asylum and roam freely on the infamous island, presented for the first time ever in its gritty and realistic entirety.
• Experience what i

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #68 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Eidos
• Released on: 2009-08-28
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• ESRB Rating: Rating Pending
• Number of discs: 1
• Platform: PLAYSTATION 3
• Format: Unknown format
• Original language: English, German
• Subtitled in: English, German
• Dimensions: .55" h x 5.32" w x 6.77" l, .26 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
The Dark Knight returns in the first game to do him justice in his more than 20 year history in video games. Not based on any specific comic book or movie it takes all the best ideas and visuals from all of Batman's many incarnations to create a unique spin on one of pop culture's greatest icons.

Arkham Asylum becomes the backdrop for Batman's most dangerous challenge

Killer Croc has never looked more imposing or been more dangerous

Batman must discover the deadly secrets behind The Joker's masterplan

Stalk the minor criminals like prey and strike from the dark when they least expect it

The entire game takes place within Arkham Asylum, where The Joker and his allies have overtaken the facility and set a trap for Batman. This is no simplistic beat 'em-up though, with Batman forced to prove his status as the world's greatest detective with a number of complex forensic style puzzles.

When it does come to combat though you must still use your cunning as much as your fists, as you stalk unaware enemies and distract them with the bodies or screams of their cronies. With believable physics, superb graphics and a serious adult tone this is more than just another superhero tie-in.

Key Features

• Rogue's gallery: Battle all of Batman's greatest foes, including The Joker, Harley Quinn, Killer Croc.
• Final Knight: Gain experience from fights and puzzles to improve and add to Batman's abilities via a role-playing game style skill tree that lets you customise the Dark Knight as you see fit.
• Dynamic duo: Target the most dangerous foes from the shadows with a special takedown move and then move in to stun or attack opponents with the game's intuitive combo system.
• Detective comics: Batman must use his brain as well as his brawn, with CSI style puzzles solved by an array of bat-gadgets including a multi-use interactive visor.
• Animated avenger: An original story written by comic book and Batman: The Animated Series legend Paul Dini - plus Kevin Conroy as the voice of Batman and Mark Hamill as The Joker.

About the Developer: Rocksteady Studios

Only found founded in 2004, this London based developer's first game was the well received first person shoot 'em-up Urban Chaos: Riot Response for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Their first game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (and PC) is comic book license Batman: Arkham Asylum.

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Customer Reviews

The first great Super Hero game
Batman-Arkham Asylum is a pretty special game. It came out of the gates with the sort of demo that sprung from the shadows, grabbed me suddenly around the waist, shoved a bat mask onto my face before I knew what was happening and firmly insisted in a gruff voice on being played through at least 25 times, or else. So I did. And it was good. Very, very good. By the time I'd played it through only 10 times I had already fetched my childhood bat cape from the attic, dusted off my Michael Keaton/Kim Basinger posters, smashed up my favourite piggy bank and separated out the silver into a clearly marked plastic bag entitled "the bat fund." I was mildly excited.

Lucky for me then that the full Batman game turned out to be a true gaming treat. Great character models, flawless voice talent (care of Mark Hamil et al from the last animated series), inspired mood, lighting, and atmosphere, all tied together by a fluid, intuitive control system. We finally have a super hero game that not only doesn't suck, but that can proudly stand shoulder to shoulder and head held high with the truly great titles of this generation. But it does so with a little borrowing. Regular gamers will immediately sense the influence of other popular titles at work here. The artwork, presentation and atmosphere are heavily influenced by the classic first person-shooter Bioshock, as is the sense cultivated throughout of a world gone slightly mad. The regular use of the Joker's voice on the intercom to taunt you and comment on your progress also harks back to bioshock's Fontaine. No bad thing. Metal Gear Solid throws its hat in the ring next, being the clear model behind the stealth action (albeit with the fantastic twist here that the gunmen know you are around somewhere and are terrified of you, becoming more terrified as you pick them off). The intuitive control system has a distinct sense of Gears of War, and finally, at a stretch, you can even pull out gaming elements and level design from God of War (particularly in the fantastic fight with Scarecrow.) Of course, all of these comparisons are to top drawer, best of their generation titles. The fact that Batman pulls to mind the very best elements of these games speaks volumes for its class, and at worst it certainly presents an overall experience unlike any you will have had before in gaming.

The fact that this is a "Batman" title doesn't unduly carry the game through its ills, either. Yes, its great to have these characters to hand, but the story line that guides you along the game is well written and engaging in its own right (although I won't ruin it by going over it here). The character interpretations are also spot on. A Comic book look rather than photorealism has been adopted, but coupled with the grimy, frightening, brutal design of the Chris Nolan Batman films. There's less spit-shine and "Kabblams!" here than there is blood, violence, death and madness. Of course, whilst this may heartily stoke the excitement of older gamers, do bear in mind that this sort of game may not be suitable for your Bat Youngadult. Its important to look beyond the pointy ears and note that this game has been given a 15 rating for a reason. Uncertain parents should have a quick play themselves first and see what they think.

Other than that there's little else to say. If you grew up with Batman like me, you will love this game. And even if you didn't, well... you will still love this game. Its too good not too.

9.5/10.

Batman:AA - Extensive gameplay in the style of the Graphical Novels
I'm a Batman Fan - And my Brother is to blame as I read his comics of the Nineties and the Graphical Novels of the same period. My only other experience of Batman was the 60's version with Adam West. The Comics introduced me to the real Gotham. Not only real Gotham but to the real villains in the Bob Kane universe.

To start with, Batman: Arkham Asylum isn't like Lego Batman. I was reminded of this when my wife watched me playing and asked what Rating it was - This is not a game for kids.

I think it would be fair to say this is a Batman based version of the Splinter Cell games, with stealth and cunning winning over the 'ATTACK' style of many 3rd person games. Batman starts out equipped with his trusty Baterang and through building up his points earns upgrades. These can be 'spent' on additional toys (the explosive gel / grapple) or upgrades (better armour / faster decoding). You get to choose what you'd like but they aren't all available at once and get unlocked as your get further into the game. Ignoring the 'end of stage' bosses (these are your main villains such as Poison Ivy, The Croc, The Scarecrow,etc) there are only 2 other types of baddies. Inmates and 'Venom' injected inmates. Although this sounds limited the normal inmates come in a variety of guises which make them harder to defeat. Some are armed with knives and have to be stunned before attacking and others get armed with Cattleprods which can't be attacked face on otherwise you get stunned!

I've just completed the main game with about 50% of trophies. This has taken me about 20 hours. I so far have about 20 bronze and 9 silver. I did this on the 'normal' setting and I'm looking forward to re-visiting some areas to get all the bonus items and unlockable features. I've got loads of Trophies still to collect and many of these are on the challenges, not the main story line. I chose to ignore these until I had completed the game and I must say they are very hard. There are 2 types of challenges, one based on beating up gangs of thugs and the other on taking down thugs.

The Beat-Up challenges gives you the opportunity to get 1,2 or 3 bats depending on the scores you get. These rely on you building up combos and repeated attacks over 4 rounds. You get additional points if you aren't hit at all during a round and also extra points for varying your attacks.

The Takedown challenges place you in one of the many halls with Gargoyles and as the challenge name implies, you get your 'Bats' from various takedowns. Pressing the 'Select' button gives you the full breakdown of what the 3 takedowns are and they vary in each challenge.

I'm still working my way through these and have about 8-10 'Bats' but will keep working towards them all. It adds another side to the game which would otherwise just be the normal single player campaign.

I give this game 4 out of 5 stars. It has massive re-playability and the scope to challenge even the most skilled gamers. The Graphics are excellent and the sound effects/voice work is amazing - Mark Hamill reprises his role as 'The Joker' from the animated series. I've found it is the little touches which have made this game as good as it is. The time spent in development has really paid off in the finished product. This game is a must for all PS3 owners and is up their with Bioshock and Half-life2 in the immense detail that has gone into polishing the game.

Treat yourself - you deserve it.

I feel like Batman..but not THE Batman
This game (not demo) is, without doubt, marvellous.
'Does exactly what it says on the tin', is a perfect phrase to use, when describing this game. The gameplay is easy to pick up, the graphics are fantastic, sound and music fit the mood and feel of the source material perfectly and this all contributes to the overall success of the game.
Its a well written plot too, the premise, that Im sure you all know from reviews etc, is perfect for this type of game. Its not'Batman does God of War' as some reviewers will have you believe. Any game in which you can dispose of the henchmen without being seen in most of the game, can never be levelled with this description. If one must give it a brand as it were, I would describe it as 'Batman does Metal Gear', no sneaking or stealth in the Boss battles, but plenty in the game.
The good points covered..BUT
Im am still waiting for the Batman game to end all Batman games. A sandbox, GTA style game, a fully explorable Gotham, coupled with another comic-inspired plot, and of course full use of the Bat-Vehicles etc. Past attempts on the PS1 &PS2 have been weak, mostly because they have been based on the films, and have bitten off more than they can chew. This game is a good start to rejuvenating the Batman-Video game brand.
Arkham shows us the direction, hopefully someone will take advantage of a sole-PS3 release, and create a game of epic proportions.
Maybe just a far-flung dream? Maybe something that will finally unlock the full potential of the PS3.
Verdict: buy it, its great (simple as)