Reasons Why Batman: Arkham Asylum is the Best Superhero Game of All Time
Introduction
If there’s one thing that can be agreed upon by comic book fans and gamers alike, it’s that Batman: Arkham Asylum is the best superhero game ever made. It respects its source material, has a compelling story and fantastic gameplay. The fact that all of this comes together in such a cohesive way makes it one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences — not just for Batman fans but for anyone who loves great storytelling and isn’t afraid of some good old-fashioned combat!
It’s a game that respects the source material.
Arkham Asylum is full of references to Batman comics and other media, but it also contains characters who are directly lifted from their original appearances in those comics. The Joker, Poison Ivy, Two-Face and Harley Quinn are all in there (and voiced by Mark Hamill, Jennifer Hale and Arleen Sorkin respectively). You can even see Robin’s costume hanging up in his room if you look hard enough!
The story is an original one with some nods towards past events like “The Killing Joke” or “A Death In The Family.” It won’t spoil anything for me to say that Joker gets out at some point during your playthrough so you’ll get plenty of chances throughout the game to see how well this was done; just trust me when I say it works perfectly for this particular scenario!
The writing is top-notch and stays true to established canon.
The dialogue is funny, dark and immersive–you feel like you’re in the game, not just playing it. It’s also worth noting that Rocksteady did an excellent job casting the voice actors for Batman: Arkham Asylum, as they all deliver their lines perfectly (and sometimes hilariously).
It features an original story, with all new characters and locations.
One of the best things about Batman: Arkham Asylum is that it features an original story, with all new characters and locations. It’s set in the Batman universe, but it isn’t based on a comic book or movie.
The game takes place at Arkham Asylum–a fictional prison for the criminally insane located somewhere near Gotham City. In fact, many DC Comics villains have been incarcerated there over time (including The Joker). During one night when all is quiet at Arkham Asylum…
Batman has been captured and imprisoned by his greatest foe, the Joker, who has taken over Arkham Asylum, Gotham City’s home for the criminally insane. As Batman, you must traverse a dark and atmospheric environment filled with deranged foes and traps in order to stop The Joker’s plan of taking over Gotham City.
Batman: Arkham Asylum is the best superhero game of all time because it captures the essence of Batman and his world. The story is simple but engaging, with an excellent cast of characters that are well developed over its length. The gameplay mechanics are fluid and fun to use, as you explore every inch of this dark and atmospheric environment while trying to stop The Joker’s plan from succeeding.
The gameplay is tight and exhilarating.
The combat is fluid and exhilarating, with Batman’s moves feeling responsive and natural. The game rewards you for using stealth, so if you prefer to sneak around while avoiding confrontation, it’s not too hard to do so (though some enemies will still give chase). This makes Arkham Asylum a great balance between stealth and action–you’re never forced into fights unless you want them.
Batarangs are more than just weapons — they’re Batman’s key to navigating through puzzles.
In addition to being used as a projectile attack against enemies, you can use them in a number of ways:
- To stun enemies so that they’re easier to sneak past or knock out
- As distractions for guards who might otherwise notice you creeping around in the shadows (or even just as a way to lure them away from their posts)
- On locked doors, which will open when hit with the right type of Batarang
The voice acting is some of the best ever heard in a videogame.
Kevin Conroy (Batman), Mark Hamill (Joker) and Arleen Sorkin (Harley Quinn) are three of the most respected actors in their respective fields, with decades of experience behind them. They can make even some of the worst scripts sound good by simply speaking them out loud. It’s no wonder then that Arkham Asylum was able to achieve such high levels of immersion; when you hear these three actors perform their characters for hours on end, it feels like you’re watching an animated movie rather than playing through an interactive video game.
In fact, it gets so good at times that you forget that your character is just an avatar on screen–you become Batman himself!
If you want to play as the Caped Crusader himself in a game that respects your intelligence as well as its source material and skillfully combines exploration, combat and puzzle-solving, then you need to play Batman: Arkham Asylum!
The game features an original story with all new characters and locations (aside from Batman). But don’t worry; it still stays true to established canon by featuring villains like The Joker and Poison Ivy who have appeared in many different forms throughout comics history. The writing is top-notch too–the dialogue between characters feels natural without feeling forced or cheesy like some other games (*cough cough* Bioshock 2).
Conclusion
Batman: Arkham Asylum is the best superhero game of all time. It’s a game that respects its source material, features an original story with new characters and locations, has exhilarating gameplay and some of the best voice acting you’ll ever hear in a videogame. If you want to play as the Caped Crusader himself in a game that respects your intelligence as well as its source material and skillfully combines exploration, combat and puzzle-solving then this is definitely one worth checking out!
