Review - Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)

          Hey guys, Chuck here, and I am taking a look at a video game that is proof positive that DC media was better BEFORE Zack Snyder made Man of Steel. Batman: Arkham Asylum was released in 2009, as is a co-production of WB Interactive, Eidos Interactive, and Rocksteady. Originally released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, it was later re-released as a two-game set called Batman: Return to Arkham on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. 

         The game opens on a rainy night in Gotham, where Batman has apprehended the Joker after a violent siege of City Hall, and is personally driving the clown back to Arkham Asylum, situated on the remote Arkham Island in the middle of the Gotham Bay. The Asylum warden, Quincy Sharp, greets Batman and Joker personally, and the Joker is taken to the cells in the lower area of the Intensive Treatment building. Batman, weary of how easily Joker surrendered, goes along to see the Joker to his cell. It's also here where we see another Asylum patient, Waylon Jones/Killer Croc. Joker is taken down to the cells, but Batman is told to stay with Commissioner Jim Gordon due to concerns about Batman unsettling some of the patients. Joker breaks free, and with the help of his girlfriend, Dr. Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn, takes control of the Asylum, with Batman trapped in the Asylum. So, in a nutshell, the nuts are taking over the nuthouse, and Batman has to fight them off to regain control. 

        Along with Joker, Harley Quinn, and Killer Croc, Batman must also contend with the likes of Victor Zsasz, Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow, Bane, and Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy, along with Joker's thugs ported over to Arkham from Blackgate Penitentiary, as well as several crazed patients unleashed by the Joker. So, Batman is outnumbered and only has assistance from Barbara Gordon/Oracle, who is in constant communication with Batman. 

       As the game progresses, we learn of an experiment that one of the Asylum doctors, Dr. Penelope Young, was working on: Project TITAN. TITAN utilizes a plant-based hybrid to produce a monstrous transformation ala the VENOM substance used by Bane. Through additional digging of information, we learn that a Jack White was financing Dr. Young and her TITAN project. It was only when she realized that Jack White was actually the Joker (as Jack White is one of Joker's aliases), she tried to give his money back and stop the experiment, as he was bankrolling it to get an army of monsters. So, he let himself be returned to Arkham and took the Asylum over to get Dr. Young's formula and make the monsters himself. 

         After saving the likes of Commissioner Gordon and Warden Sharp, and being unable to save Dr. Young, Batman reaches the Botanical Gardens, destroys the TITAN production plant, and learns from Poison Ivy that one plant carries the spores to produce an antidote for the TITAN strain. Unfortunately, the plant grows in place deep beneath Arkham Island...in Killer Croc's lair. Batman heads to meet one of the Arkham guards, Aaron Cash, to learn how to get into Croc's lair. Unfortunately, Joker injects Ivy with the TITAN, and it causes her plants to grow at an intense rate and begin overtaking the entire island. 

        After a third encounter with Scarecrow, Batman navigates through Croc's lair, and sending Croc into a deep chasm in order to escape. Batman produces the antidote and goes after Ivy. Upon her defeat, Joker summons Batman to the Visitor Area of the Penitentiary building, and Joker injects himself and Batman with the TITAN. Batman cures himself and defeats the giant TITAN-monster Joker. Gordon and co. retake control of Arkham, and Batman, who drove Bane into the Bay with the Batmobile, takes off in the Batwing to answer a crime in progress by Two-Face. 

     In addition to the main story, which is absolutely fantastic, we also have one bit of tedious filler in the game. This is a challenge set up by Edward Nygma/The Riddler, who has several trophies and hidden secrets spread across Arkham Island. Collecting all of the Riddler stuff doesn't do much, other than doing so allows Batman to deduce the Riddler's location and send that information to the police, who arrest him. Among the Riddler secrets, there are the Chronicles of Arkham, sets of a story of a mysterious figure claiming to be the Spirit of Amadeus Arkham. Of course, deciphering all of the Chronicles allows us to deduce the identity of the Spirit of Arkham, but I won't spoil it here. Don't get me wrong, this is a ten year old video game, but I still want to avoid spoiling anything else for potential new players. 

        What really is awesome about the game is the combat. Batman: Arkham Asylum has some of the best combat in a superhero game, and allows players to beat the crap out of bad guys and seamlessly use Batman's array of gadgets at the same time. I also enjoyed Detective Mode. The idea is neat, and it allows Batman to see in dark areas, as well as get a drop on thugs carrying machine guns. It also allows Batman to follow trails that lead him to various places he needs to get to. Also, the area map is pretty big. Arkham Island is large enough to really explore, and it has several areas aside from the island exterior to explore as well, including the caves, the Intensive Treatment building, the Medical Center, the Botanical Garden, Arkham Mansion, and the Penitentiary building. All fully explorable and with a lot of Riddler goodies and Patient Interview tapes (Joker, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Riddler, Croc, Scarecrow, and Zsasz) to pick up. 

        However, the real star of Arkham Asylum is the voice cast. Batman: The Animated Series veterans Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, and Arlene Sorkin all reprise their roles as Batman, Joker, and Harley Quinn in this game. In addition to them, we have other notable voice actors in different roles, such as Steve Blum as Killer Croc, Tom Kane as both Warden Sharp and Commissioner Gordon. Kimberly Brooks as Oracle, Tasia Valenza as Poison Ivy, Cree Summer as Dr. Young, and Wally Wingert as The Riddler. Honestly, this was one of the most stacked casts of any video game up until the sequel, Arkham City. And, of course there are Easter eggs for other villains throughout the game, such as Mad Hatter, Two-Face, Penguin, Catwoman, and so on. Ultimately, those characters didn't make the cut in the game because, well, of it wasn't a hit, there wouldn't be any sequels. Luckily Arkham Asylum was a hit, and we got more games. 

       Honestly, I loved this game, and I'm glad that I got to play it several times. Hell, I find myself always going back to it, simply because it's that good. I'm giving Batman: Arkham Asylum a rating of 5/5. And, yes, I do plan on taking a look at both Arkham City and Arkham Knight in the future. 

        Anyway guys, this is Chuck signing off, and be sure to join me later today for my review of The Big Lebowski.