The Dark Knight tosses The Joker (enthusiastically voiced by Mark Hamill) into Arkham Asylum and inadvertently sets in motion a diabolical scheme to free The Joker’s locked-up cronies and fellow Batman arch nemeses. Thus begins Batman: Arkham Asylum, as well as the player’s quest to track down The Joker and stop his predictably devious plot. Missions are doled out in a liner fashion and take place in one of Arkham Island’s large buildings, with the island’s exterior serving as an impressively large hub world à la Mushroom Castle. Enemies with weapons, particularly those with guns, are incredibly difficult to take out with a Batarangs-blazing frontal assault. Rather, it behooves players to scale a nearby building or ledge and stalk goons stealthily. “Detective Mode” can aid in this clandestine approach by allowing one to see enemies through walls and decipher whether or not they are armed. Sadly, this mode’s usefulness comes at the cost of viewing the gameworld through an ugly neon-blue filter that undermines the gritty atmosphere of Arkham Island. Once hidden, players can swoop down on enemies to catch them off-guard, or even tie them up and leave them dangling by their feet from a conveniently placed gargoyle. Any henchmen left standing can be taken out with a very simple, yet incredibly satisfying hand-to-hand combat system, which features some of the smoothest looking and most entertaining animations I have ever witnessed. Stylishly defeating foes and uncovering secrets left behind by The Riddler, which are liberally scattered across the island, allows players to upgrade Batman’s armor and gadgets, and unlock new combat moves. Batman: Arkham Asylum succeeds not only as a fun experience, but also as a justification for bringing the stealthy dogmatic millionaire and fellow denizens of Gotham City to the medium of video games.
