This week 360 and PS3 owners get a chance to test out the demo for the Dark Knight’s latest action-adventure stealth videogame called Batman: Arkham Asylum. It’s been in my radar but I wasn’t too excited about it. You can blame that on the many terrible superhero games that came before it. Superman 64, I’m looking at you.
In this game, you finally GET to be the ultimate Batman. From fighting and sneaking to investigating, it’s the total package. In the demo, you get a taste of Batman’s cool combat system. You have your regular attacks and then you have your counters. Predicting when to counter is easy; just wait until the goons have a blue symbol around their head and presto, knuckle sandwich time.
The coolest thing in the demo is the ability to be sneaky like Batman. You can hide on top of gargoyles and wait for the bad guys to come, and then swoop down for a glide kick, knocking them out. Hanging upside-down a ledge and grabbing an enemy from above is another satisfying move.
Batman’s got the latest technology that he can use against his enemies. With Detective Mode, you can scan an area to look for clues, find ways to hide, hidden areas, and enemy status. In other words, Batman’s got X-Ray vision now.
The graphics for this game is really impressive. While playing the game, I was aiming at a knocked-out thug, zooming in on his hands, and I could see the veins, hand prints, and scars he inflicted on himself. That’s an attention to detail. It isn’t a Batman game without a moody and creepy atmosphere. The game is very dark with lights flickering and hideous looking bad guys waiting to take you down.
Rocksteady Studios has sold me so far with this demo and I can’t wait to get my hands on the final game. This might be the best Batman game so far but I’m pretty sure we have a solid good superhero game. Did I mention that Kevin Conroy voices Batman and Mark Hamill does the Joker? Now that’s icing on the cake.
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Cricket
Aug 9, 2009 -
Can’t wait to play it!
KichiGuy
Aug 9, 2009 -
The demo is pretty impressive, but I will still reserve final judgement for the final game. Demos can sometimes be deceiving, but the basics of the game are done well. The animations that occur while you’re brawling and countering are probably the best I’ve ever seen, because batman automatically does different moves in the moment based on his position, the move the thug does etc. The game has sneaking, action, and an actual story, and the fact that the cartoon voices are here is definitely great. I’m curious to see just how good the final product is.
Agt. Pendergast
Aug 9, 2009 -
I like picking the guys off one by one and freaking the last guy out. I also liked how the Joker was helping add to that, “I know you probably think your the last one standing, all alone against the Batman, but hey, guess what? You are!”
Mike
Aug 11, 2009 -
I played the early demo and button mashing was pretty fun. Just push the analog stick in a general direction and mash buttons and you do some crazy kick ass move.
Colonel Guile
Aug 11, 2009 -
It’s pretty cool to see Batsy hit one guy than elbow the other behind him making for a very fluid combat maneuver.
Mongoose
Aug 13, 2009 -
It’s a decent game, worth renting, it’s probably not worth $65.