Superhero games - is this one mighty?
Cited: Associated Press
Superman, Aquaman, Iron Man, X-Men: all these undefeatable superheroes have suffered defeat at the hands of an industry that often functions more as a money-making tool than actual entertainment.
So calling “Batman: Arkham Asylum” (Eidos, $59.99, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) one of the best superhero games ever is kind of a backhanded compliment. Let’s just call it a great game, period. For DC Comics fans, it’s a must-buy, but it’s hugely entertaining even if you aren’t versed in the whole Batman mythology.
It begins with the Caped Crusader ushering the Joker back to Arkham Asylum, Gotham City’s home for the criminally insane. This time, however, the supervillain has set up a clever trap and quickly takes over the entire facility. Besides setting free hordes of violent lunatics, the Joker has an even deadlier endgame in mind — and only Batman can stop it.
Fans will relish the chance to take on familiar foes like Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc and Scarecrow. Combat is easy to handle, and Batman can usually handle a dozen or so henchmen without breaking a sweat. But it’s more rewarding to take them out one by one, using Batman’s stealth skills to sneak up on them or swoop down from the rafters.
More intriguing is the opportunity to explore Arkham, the eeriest video-game setting since Rapture, the underwater city in “BioShock.” The dank, decaying facility oozes menace and depravity, even when the all-seeing Joker isn’t taunting you over the public-address system.
Throughout the asylum, you discover tools from Batman’s utility belt: “batarangs,” explosive gel, a grappling hook and other wonderful toys that open up new areas of Arkham and help you uncover its secrets.
“Arkham Asylum” developer Rocksteady Studios borrows freely from other games: puzzles from “The Legend of Zelda,” stealth from “Metal Gear Solid,” freaky nightmare sequences from “Eternal Darkness.” But those are pretty good games to imitate, and this game blends its influences smoothly.
The mood reflects the darker tone of last year’s “The Dark Knight” movie, and younger Batfans may find the violence and dialogue disturbing. The smart script is by Paul Dini, a veteran of the noirish “Batman: The Animated Series,” and that show’s two stars — Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as the Joker — deliver stellar voiceover work.
Most of the major boss battle are less than extraordinary, and more demanding fans will be disappointed because some popular villains are absent. And Batman’s powers are occasionally unnaturally limited, which is aggravating as you are forced to solve the game the way the programmers want you to. It is, however, a fascinating journey. The solid plot, mixed with diverse gameplay styles- Rocksteady has, finally, delivered a super superhero game. Three-and-a-half stars out of four.
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My Take: The best songs are “borrowed” from predecessors. Why not video games, especially one as motley as “Batman: Arkham Asylum”?
Composing a game as eclectic as this one requires the grace and taste of a master, so let’s not knock them for not being completely original. Since they put together an entertaining game with a solid story, why not break out the ticker tape? Like Van Gogh said, “good artists copy, great artists steal”.
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