On paper, this can't fail. Arguably, the best comic book superhero ever. Certainly the best villains. Definitely the most compelling universe. A blueprint that marries Chronicles of Riddick, Manhunt and Splinter Cell. And all weaved together by the team behind Urban Chaos, an Xbox riot sim no one bought, but which was really, genuinely good.
Not based on the legendary Grant Morrison graphic novel of the same name, though very much drawn from that world, Arkham Asylum is a dark, brutal Batman game, played out in third-person, Resi 4-style. It's an intriguing mix of combat, stealth and detective work, though with surprisingly few of the complications you'd expect trying to blend all three.
Simplicity is the key here: combat works off only three buttons, for example - Attack, Throw and Stun. It's quick, easy, satisfying stuff, but with an added layer of depth should you wish: combo multipliers help you earn experience points, and from there you can distribute skills using a 'light' RPG-style system. Gadgets are also a key part of the game, and secret rooms inside the Asylum will reveal toys vital for your progression. Certain boss characters and enemies can only be taken down using certain gadgets. Fists won't always do.
In an interesting twist, the game features a Metroid-style visor, which allows Bats to pinpoint important information and clues, while scanning them into his database. Detective work will be the only way to advance through certain puzzles, reinforcing the development team's ambition for this not just to be a bone-breaking beat-'em-up. The environment will certainly help: the ingame Arkham is one, huge persistent location, open for you to explore at will. You can go anywhere you want, at any point in the game (even down to Batman's onsite Batcave) though the story will ultimately drive you where it needs you to go... into the arms of the game's supervillains.
And there are a ton of them. Headed up by the Joker, expect the likes of the Riddler, the Penguin, Killer Croc, Scarecrow and Two-Face to all end up inside the bloody walls of the nuthouse. Completing a game, it has to be said, which is starting to get us seriously excited.
Although it's still early, Arkham Asylum has huge potential. The dark, brutal feel, the Riddick-like looks, the stealth, the detective work, the villains, the freeform environment... if they pull this off, it will be absolutely massive.
and yet a still cant take a man with pants on the outside seriously. no disrespect to the world of batman, or batman himself, it's a beautiful creation... but could they not lose the pants?! There is no need!
and yet a still cant take a man with pants on the outside seriously. no disrespect to the world of batman, or batman himself, it's a beautiful creation... but could they not lose the pants?! There is no need!
If you want a good preview of this game, get the last issue of Game Informer. They have a huge preview and detail some of the game mechanics and story elements. The fear mechanic sounds awesome, taking down a group of thugs using different means, till the last guy standing loses it, and fires blindly into the darkness as he backs away, only to back into Batman who takes him down. Lovely.
Although I admit the game looks great, i never could 'get' the Gotham City, metropolis etc false world. Yes I know superheroes aren't real but the world of Marvel is much more relateable to with real locations etc. I am a marvel fan as you can tell, but come on, the best villains? the Penguin? Have a word with your sen!
I'll take Marvel over DC nine times out of ten but Batman is their best character by far. He's basically just a mentally-ill, stupidly wealthy vigilante. That's quite believable IMO (compared to Superman or the Flash anyway.
It looks like they have really captured that aspect of it. Hopefully the flashy superhero business will take a back seat to gritty realism. I definitely don't want to see Wonder Woman showing up and giving Batman a hand.
i've always liked superheroes that aren't actually superheroes. batman and ironman being the 2 i'm talking about that most people will know.
this game looks pretty impressive so far, and with all the elements it's talking about, could turn out to be a unique and exciting game. yay for batman.
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