Batman: Arkham Asylum

WOW! After months and months of anticipation for this game, it has finally been released and I must say that it not only lived up to my expectations, but has far surpassed them.

The game begins with Batman (Kevin Conroy from the 1992 Batman Animated Series) returning The Joker (Mark Hamill) to Arkham Asylum after an attempt is made on the Mayor of Gotham City's life. Once inside Arkham, Batman, along with Comissioner Gordon, deduce that Joker planned to be caught and returned to Arkham because of how simple it was to catch Joker in the fist place. Not to soon after this, Joker does escape custody and (with help from Harley Quinn) sets all of the asylum inmates free. Batman now must save any innocent doctors and cops as well as beat all of the Joker's henchman to a pulp. Some of Batman's greatest enemies make appearances in the game as bosses (Joker, Poison Ivy, Harley, Scarecrow, etc...) and other great villains are not in the game at all, presumably running rampant in Gotham, but files and trivia on these villains can still be found around the game. Story: 10/10

The graphics are truly a marvel to behold with Batman looking especially excellent, you can see each cut on his suit and even his 5 o'clock shadow, Arkham is enormous and is almost fully accessible, and Harley Quinn has never looked better! Visuals: 10/10

The audio is also brilliant, the game has fantastic music and sound effects that are great and totally unique. Each of Batman's cool gadgets give off sounds that almost make them sound as if they are real. Audio: 10/10

The best part of this game is how you actually FEEL like Batman, solving the mysteries of Arkham Asylum as if you were the real Dark Knight. Batman has such a vast array of gadgets from batarangs to his trademark grappling launcher. The combat in the game is very responsive, the stealth elements fit Batman's character well, and the "Detective Mode" becomes more essential to the game the further you go. The only negative point I can think of is that the game is a bit short, but it is totally satisfying. This is the best comic book game of all time, finally breaking the DC Comics video game curse (though Lego Batman was a pretty good DC Comics game, too). Gameplay: 10/10

Just like how The Dark Knight was my favourite film of 2008, Batman: Arkham Asylum is my favourite game of 2009. Get this game, it ROCKS! My overall score: 10/10

Also, is it just me or does Batman look an awful lot like Michael Keaton?

First of all i am a huge batman fan. I was looking for a batman game for many years and EIDOS has just given the perfect game.

This is the type of game i was expecting after Splinter cell, Hit man and Max Payne..... the game is excellent in all aspects (Story, game play, actions, level designs, graphics).

The story starts with joker taking over the control of ARKHAM ASYLUM leaving batman into a trap. Batman has to save and infiltrate the arkham asylum to stop joker from doing bad to Gotham.Not only against joker but batman also has to fight against his enemies like croc, ivy, bane, scarecrow ....

It is a must play game for batman fans. And if any one is looking out for a best 3rd person action game then they should go for BATMAN:ARKHAM ASYLUM I give 10/10 for the game.. so go buy the game and enjoy it

What a wonderful world! A wonderful game that represent very well the world of batman. I enjoyed very much the gameplay: the fight scenes, the gameplay, the gadgets. The story between joker and batman. I also love the riddles and some iconic characters of Batman. A very good experience of video game. If you are a fan of batman, go take i!

Arkham Asylum's map is designed so well that even it's 2009 graphics didn't ruin the intended creepy and mysterious vibe the game was giving. Playing this at nights makes the experience even more magical. The map is also elaborative with puzzles that have a wide range of variety in solving them, I was amazed by how interactive the Asylum's world was given the game's age.

The story is unfortunately a bit too short and sometimes gives very little background to the cast characters. However, because of its short playtime you don't feel fatigued with the repetitive enemies and bosses.

The combat mechanics was fun and addictive, no wonder why the upcoming titles have been using the same combat gameplay with minimal changes.

Having played many Batman games throughout the years, FINALLY a game that really gives you the feeling of being Batman with his arsenal of gadgets and fighting styles that is innovative in execution. Batman: AA is simply THE best Batman game ever created. You got all of Batman's rogues gallery that includes The Joker, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, Bane, Scarecrow, and Harley Quinn; some of which are voiced by fellow "Animated Series" veterans such as Kevin Conroy and of course, Mark Hamill, whose chilling portrayal of the Joker is simply the highlight of the games overall narrative.

In visuals, Arkham Asylum is a beautiful game, with a level of detail that's very impressive with stunning animation and lighting effects. On playing the game, I barely noticed any pop-up and polygonal tearing evident on some games, but not hear. Everything is rendered in crisp and clear clarity and if you have a Hi-Def setup, it's all batty.

Historically, Batman has been relegated to mostly side-scrolling fare with limited set of moves and gadgets. The games were good, but never gave you the feeling of being the Caped Crusader. Now with today's technology, gamers and comic-book fans alike can truly experience the Dark Knight in a way never before seen in gaming. Batman: Vengeance, which I admit is the first game to feature Batman in a 3d environment with aforementioned talent on board and it was an impressive game no doubt. But Arkham Asylum is so much more. It delivers the true experience of being Batman to a T. With stunning visuals, superb voice acting, and an innovative combat system that has you beating thugs like a pro, Arkham Asylum is simply the GREATEST Batman video game ever made. Having just beaten the game, I'm ready for Arkham City.