Batman: Arkham Asylum (PlayStation 3)

Graphics

For a game that uses the Unreal Engine (3) Batman not only looks good, but there’s no frame-rate drops or noticeable texture-pop in. That has been one of the biggest problems with this engine to date and Rocksteady have polished it so much that it positively shines across all 3 platforms. There’s much debate here that the best looking version of the game on the consoles goes to the 360 over the PS3, but it’s only marginally better looking on Microsoft’s console. The PC version of course looks absolutely fantastic on a high end machine but is no slouch on lower spec machines either. The sense of detail, the quality and the atmosphere of Arkham Asylum and the Batman universe in general has been brought to life by Rocksteady’s artists and as a Batman fan myself I can truly say, job well done guys and gals. This is one of the most detailed and best looking games that just ooze with visual appeal from the environments, characters and models. A nice touch here is that Batman takes visual damage as the night unfolds, from various events in the asylum he ends up looking more and more battered as you play the story.

Animations

The animations in the game are fluid and when you get a good flow in combat, they look almost balletic. It showcases Batman’s training as a combat machine as well as his athletic ability during climbing and gliding. Everything here is spot on across all of the platforms and from the lowliest thug to Batman himself, it all comes together perfectly in terms of movements and cinematics.

Physics

The Unreal Engine supports some decent physics that are well implemented on both console versions, they give a sense of weight and life to the environments and Batman’s cape as a physics object is particularly stunning and moves like a real cape does. The game really shines though physics wise on the PC using PhysX to simulate things like environmental destruction. On the PC version there is paper that kicks up when you fight and tiles that break from vicious blows. There’s smoke that is truly particle based and it billows around Batman as he moves through it. The animations and weight of the moves are better tracked too thanks to PhysX.

AI

The developers at Rocksteady have done a good job with the AI here. It reacts nicely to Invisible Predator tactics and it can be spooked the more and more terrified it becomes. It goes on active search patterns, works as a team and can totally lose it when confronted with Batman when there’s only one thug left out of a group. It’ll cower and it’ll run away sometimes. It all adds to the sense of personality these guys have. It’s great fun just messing with the thugs in a level, setting off remote explosions or cutting down a hanging villain as a friend passes close by.

Music

A great quality score accompanies the game and kicks in at the right moments, it adds to the overall atmosphere and swells/ebbs/flows just when you’d expect it to.

Sound

Great sound design accompanies the music and everything combines to bring Batman’s world to life like never before. From the tink of a batarang as it strikes the metal wall behind a terrified thug to the snap of the grapple gun, it’s all perfectly realised.

Voice and Dialogue

Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill return to their respective roles as Batman and the Joker. These two veterans of the voice industry have thrilled audiences with their performances from the Batman Animated series, countless video games and cartoons for ages and ages and it’s awesome to hear their talents in the game. They deliver a great performance and they’re both on top of their game with this title. They’re joined by other veterans of the industry as well as the Batman Animated series too. In fact this game has some quality talent all around and even the bit part actors are excellent.

The dialogue is crisp and in some places perfectly hokey for the Batman universe, yet it all has an underlying menace about it and from every moment of perceived comedy comes a moment that will truly make you shudder as you realise just what’s going on with Joker’s plan. Paul Dini and the other writers have done a spot on job and crafted a storyline and dialogue that is truly worthy of the Dark Knight.

This is not the kiddy camp Batman that some people might think it is.

Multiplayer

There isn’t any, so you’re going to have to contend yourself with the leaderboards and posting the best times for the many unlockable challenges in the game, split between combat and stealth gameplay types. All of your unlocked goodies from story mode carry on over here and these rooms are excellent to train you in the combat and takedown gameplay (as well as being a lot of fun).

Do you have bats in your belfry?

If you’ve made it this far on the review, then congratulations to you Bats, you’re a braver man than I am. Seriously though, if you skipped to the end, well, there’s only one thing you need to know about this game.

Batman: Arkham Asylum is awesome.

If you want more...well...this is /the/ comic book game we’ve all been waiting for and the Batman game that the Dark Knight has well and truly deserved for such a long time.

The PS3 has the additional Crime Alley and Joker content, this is well worth the price of admission and playing as the Joker requires a different mindset to Batman in the challenge rooms as the Clown Prince of Crime can’t grapple and hide in the shadows; he has to be tricky and troublesome to his enemies instead.

If you haven’t gone out and bought this yet, well, you need to.