So I just got done with Batman: Arkham Asylum earlier, and I’ve gotta say I really enjoyed this game. It reminds me a lot of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but that could be just because it uses the same engine for about the same purposes.
The atmosphere is great – when I first saw it I thought it was supposed to be The Dark Knight version, but it’s actually based off the comic books. The asylum is rendered beautifully, and you don’t really ever feel like there’s an invisible barrier keeping you in the environment.
The combat works almost flawlessly, and the thugs and various enemies are all sufficiently varied that it doesn’t seem unreasonable – I suppose the asylum inmate uniform probably lends something to that.
The boss battles are genius for the most part, the game walked me through each one on “Normal” difficulty providing a challenging experience without me feeling like it was holding my hand through it.
Now for the bad parts…
Though the environment is rendered beautifully and works well within the confines of the game engine, it’s not terribly dynamic. A grate that you kick or pull off the wall will lay around on the floor, and any touch you give it no matter how stealthily you’re moving will make a heinous clanking noise. But bump into the lightest-appearing of medical equipment and you’ll find it’s as if it’s welded to the floor.
The “DLC” thus far isn’t much, but it’s all free from what I can see. Mostly it’s just additions in the challenge modes, more familiar maps – nothing really new except the ability to play as the Joker.
Finally, the experience isn’t really random. I watched my brother in law play the “Killer Croc’s lair” and Croc attacks at all the same points – all the enemy spawn locations are all identical.
Other than that though, I really enjoyed it.
