Batman: Arkham Asylum Collector’s Edition

10 Review to this product

• 

  PC gamer for Life
  September 30th, 2010 on 11:16 pm

  Rating

  I received my copy the day it cam out an am about 4 hours into it and I can say that I am truly enjoying it. The developers did an outstanding job on this game and creating something that should be remembered for years to come.

  I was not sure if I was going to get this game or not until the demo came out. After playing through that half a dozen times I knew that it needed to be in my collection. So a note to developers out there, PC demos help.

  The graphics are gorgeous. The detailed models for batman and the surroundings keeps you immersed and you honestly do feel like you are there. I love the Physx effects and can say that they are worth turning on (and the FPS hit). The smoke, papers, spider webs, banners, and other things all move realistically and it just adds to that immersion feeling.

  The sound seems good. I can tell that a lot of the voice acting is familiar from the old tv series. I have some complaints about some cheesy lines but overall it is quite good. This games works well with my 5.1 speaker system and just as well for my headphones.

  The game play is better then I thought it would be. I was afraid from the demo that the fighting was to simplistic and it would get redundant but have changed my opinion about that. The upgrades you get along the way can also open up some new moves and it really isn’t button mashing, you really do have to time your hits right and have to be aware of the enemies around you.

  It runs well and the installation was easy. I do not have internet at my house so I don’t like DRM that requires you to register before you can play and limits your installs. This game does not do that However you do have to set up a Windows Live account online which I did several months back. After you have your Windows Live account set up on your computer you don’t need to be connected to the internet after that. It runs great on my 8800GT with all settings maxed and AA at 4 (Yes it has AA unlike a lot of other ports) and physix on high.

  I have heard this game can be won in about 10 hours but I think that is without any extra treasure hunting. I think GOW, Jak and Daxter II and III wer about that length and it fit me perfectly. This game has a lot of extra content too like Ridlers Riddles and unlock able character bios and trophies so I don’t think I will feel that way.Anyway, I plan on going through this game at least 3 times.

  This game is worth buying if you like action, story oriented games, stealth, or fighting games. This game has a good blend of action that will not get boring.
• 

  Edeyie
  October 1st, 2010 on 12:55 pm

  Rating

  Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1KGV6YEY6MCAT The video shows the unboxing of the PS3 Collectors Edition of Batman Arkham Asylum.

  My review. I have completed the game with one play through and am happy to say it’s without doubt the Best Batman game ever made!!! It even got into the Guinness book of world records for crying out loud!!!

  “Guinness announced this morning Batman: Arkham Asylum has become ‘Most Critically Acclaimed Superhero Game Ever’ due to its average Metacritic score of 91.67, surpassing Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for Dreamcast which averaged a score of 90.”

  “We are so pleased to be awarding Batman: Arkham Asylum a Guinness World Record,” said Gaz Deaves, Manager at Guinness. “It is a fantastic new game and due to the reaction of gaming experts we believe it has a well deserved place in the Guinness World Records book!”

  Gameplay 5/5

  The gameplay is smooth and very responsive, whether your beating the crap out of groups of villains or swinging across the room undetected, it just feels like you are Batman! The gadgets add more in-depth gameplay allowing for some unique combos, takedowns and much more! The best and most often used tool in Batman’s arsenal is not actually a gadget but a mode called Detectivemode which allows Batman to view the world of Arkham in a whole new way! You can view henchmen’s weapons, pulses and view if they are a bigger threat than some of the other inmates, allowing for strategic planning for taking out the heavy hitter’s first! The detective mode also allows you to scan the area for potential clues that will lead you to a hostage or villain (depending on the situation)and also scan for The Riddler’s infamous Riddles!

  Graphics 5/5

  The look and presentation of this game is outstanding. Not only did they nail the beefy and serious look for our masked hero but they did a great job on the devious Joker and the overall landscape of Arkham!The other character’s in the game are amazing! They’re detailed and put into well thought out sketches that resemble ,that of which they came from, the animated cartoon series! When your walking, gliding or fighting in or outside of Arkham you’ll notice that the environment changes! It’s as if they planned ahead to make sure your not seeing the same old walls or floors every minute…..it’s very detailed and I love it!!

  Story 5/5

  If you have played the demo (if you haven’t I’d recommend you do it’s very good!) then you pretty much know the idea or plot of the game. Batman captures Joker with ease so Batman is suspicious and Joker breaks loose and takes over the Asylum using all the demented inmates and villains inside to assault Batman with deadly force!! I’ve seen so many villains it’s mind boggling! It’s so great to see where they are heading with this and they put huge efforts into thinking like Batman to get it right and from what I’ve played so far they’ve nailed it!!!

  Overall 5/5 Perfect Score

  I just finished the game and am very pleased with the game! The Beginning, Climax and Ending were superb and I don’t want to spoil anything for you but…..you’ll love how it ends!! I was so excited when I heard Kevin Conroy (the voice of Batman) and Mark Hamill (the voice of Joker) were coming back to reprise their roles from the old cartoon series which I am a huge fan off!! Thanks for watching and reading my review hope it helps and please comment!

  Have a great day!!!
• 

  Matt R.
  October 2nd, 2010 on 10:33 am

  Rating

  For years I have waited for a decent Batman game to be released. As a kid, he was always my favorite superhero and time after time I was dissappointed with the games that were released. And then finally, here it is, the savior of all Batman games (and one of the best games this year in general). Arkham Asylum is so engaging that I had a hard time putting it down. I am by no means a hard-core gamer but this is one addicting game and it is very well executed. You get to swing from statues, use an array of gadgets like the batarang, grappling hook, code scrambler, explosives, and more. And not just mindless throwing of batarangs. You get to aim your weapons or use them as a tactical advantage. There are areas where you are in a room of thugs and have to take each and every one out by sneaking around the room–in and out of wall grates, flying from the ceiling and wrapping villains up. The character voices are great (many straight from the animated series such as Mark Hamel as the joker). The visuals are intruiging as well. I don’t think you can go wrong with this game.
• 

  Bradley
  October 2nd, 2010 on 11:34 pm

  Rating

  I cannot begin to express how wonderful this game is! I’ve purchased several comic games in the past (all of which have ended up on ebay) hoping that one might capture the magic of how it would feel to websling or fly or shred an enemy to bits with Wolverine’s claws. But game after game, I have always come away thoroughly disappointed. I mean, is it really so hard to approach a comic game with the same level of production as Gears of War or Fallout 3 or Mass Effect? I suppose many publishers just assume a comic game will sell no matter what the product value, and therefore they rush it to store shelves.

  But Arkham Asylum is different, and is everything I have ever wanted in a Batman video game.

  First off, you actually feel like Batman. By the end of the game, you have all his gadgets and all of them are actually useful. I found the detective vision, the grappling hook, and the exploding jelly (great for setting traps) to be the best, but the others are almost equally great.

  If you’ve seen the in-game pictures then you know what to expect from the graphics. Arkham Asylum is an extremely gritty place that is displayed in surprising detail. There were several pictures I saw before the game’s release that I swore were cut-scenes (the one where Batman is standing on a cliff ledge overlooking Arkham Island comes to mind). But, quite surprisingly, nearly all of them were still-frames of actual in-game footage (the cliff ledge included). Even in the beginning when you first deliver the Joker to the island, you are in full control of Batman.

  Other reviews I’ve seen on Amazon have explained the storyline, so I won’t delve into detail. By now, you probably know the premise. Just know the story is intriguing and well thought out.

  Another aspect of the game that surprised me was the Joker. The voice acting by Mark Hamill was superb, which is expected, but he is actually funny. Sometimes in the Animated Series I found the Joker to be a little too campy, but they’ve certainly given him more of an edge in the game and have allowed him to be more risqué. Every time I sit down to play, he blurts out something over the loud speaker that makes me laugh out loud. The Riddler’s audio recordings are also pretty funny, with a punch-line at the end of each of them. Great stuff!

  Also, every scene involving the Scarecrow is worth the price of admission alone. Many of them are the spookiest things I’ve seen in a video game in quite some time! Don’t worry, I won’t ruin it. Just make sure when you hear Dr. Crane’s name mentioned or you see gas fumes hanging in the air you have the lights out and the sound way up. Chills!

  The only gripe I have is that the faces and mouths are stiffer than they should be, not quite matching the vocal inflection. However, the outstanding voice acting and wonderful look/feel of the rest of the game makes this quibble seem tiny and forgivable.

  I really could go on and on about how cool it is to sneak around in the shadows, striking fear in your enemies, or how great the combat feels — all the moves are tight and powerful, just like in Chris Nolan’s movies. Please, do yourself a favor and pick this game up. If you’re even mildly interested in Batman you’ll LOVE it. I for one can’t wait for the sequel! A+
• 

  Tyler Johnson
  October 3rd, 2010 on 5:13 pm

  Rating

  Batman: Arkham Asylum is the best Batman game ever made. But that is not the reason that you should buy it. You should stop what you are doing and get this game immediately because it is one of, if not the best, game of the year. It excels in every category, and is alot of fun to play, a quality that is fast fading in this modern gaming age.
  
  The game starts off with you escorting the Joker back to his home away from home in Arkham Asylum. Just before he can be safely stored in his padded room, all hell breaks loose and you are trapped on an island filled with your fiercest foes. The story only gets better from there, and you see villans ranging from Harley Quinn, to the Scarecrow in some of the most psycologicaly thrilling levels since Eternal Darkness.

  The Graphics are gorgeous. Period. The voice acting is so good I go to geek heaven every time I hear Mark Hamill give us the greatest Joker laugh ever concieved. Many of the voice actors from the excellent Batman: The Animated Series reprise their roles in this game to great effect. Paul Dini penned the excellent story so have no fear, you will not be rolling your eyes at cliched dialogue the entire game. Think of this as one of the best episodes of the animated series ever.

  As I stated in my title You are the Dark Knight, and it has never been this enjoyable. As Batman, you have at your disposal a wide array of gadgets ranging from your standard issue Batarang, to grappling hook, and blasting gel. Every item has a unique function, and often has combat applications for the more adventurous players. Which brings me to the combat. As Batman you have the ability to jump into a group of ten thugs and put generations of Jet Li and Jackie Chan movies to shame. After a few fights you should have the basic mechanics down, and by the time you have logged in a couple of hours you will be racking up 20 hit combos. There are times however, when you won’t be able to charge into battle, but will need to use stealth, and badass scare tactics to defeat the more heavily armed foes. There are few things as satisfying as swooping down from the ceiling, tying your foe up, and leaving him to swing, scaring the crap out of the rest of his friends while the Joker taunts his men for their incompetence.

  While the combat is fantastic, the area of the game that most impressed me was the exploration. In games past exploration was barely a sidequest and treated more as a distraction for after you had completed the game. In Arkham Asylum you have a ton of interesting things to find from awesome recordings of the villans psych evaluations to engravings chronicling Amadeus Arkhams slow descent into madness. While most games make you turn over every rock and look in every cranny in AA you can find maps that point out the approximate location of the items. And once you find said secrets you are rewarded with extra experience to boost your abilities.

  The one gripe I have with the game is that you do not have a jump button. You jump automatically when you reach a ledge. While this seems like it would be a hindrance, in many case it is easier than a jump button. There are a couple of times I wished I had more control over my jump, but not to the point that it affected my performance.
  
  The playstation three version allows you to use the joker in the challenge maps so if you own a ps3 get this for that.

  This is an incredible game, and you owe it to yourself to play it.
• 

  Sergio Lamadrid
  October 4th, 2010 on 6:09 am

  Rating

  I was skeptical about Batman. I’ve never been the hugest fan of Batman, but have seen all the movies, and played most of his games. The games have always been mediocre at best, so one could imagine why I would be skeptical to dish out $60 for what has always been a mediocre gaming franchise.

  Boy, was I wrong. I kept hearing how good the game was, that it was Game of the year potential. I didn’t believe it. I waited for more trailers. Loved what I saw, decided to get it the day it came out. I fell in love with the game, not even 10 minutes in.

  There’s almost nothing negative I can say about this game. The only thing that I wish it would have, is some type of multiplayer but due to the way the game is, it’s understandable why they decided to not include multiplayer. The story is amazing, and even if you’re not a Batman fan, this is still a must-play game.

  Owning more than 85 Xbox360 games, one thing I hate is collectables. Batman has 240 collectables known as “riddles”. As much as I hate them, I’ve gotten all 240 and they were the most fun I had getting collectables. Then there’s challenges, and you can literally spend hours here, trying to master combos, counters, and earning your medals.

  As I said, the only negative is this game is the lack of multiplayer. This game was a blast both times I ran thru it. The story is amazing, the achievements are not easy, yet not too hard, and you can easily spend all day playing this game without getting bored. Batman:AA is near perfection and was a great way to open the gaming season this year.
• 

  Daniel Wolf
  October 5th, 2010 on 12:02 am

  Rating

  For years and years, gamers (myself included) have played many different Batman video games and have only been let down time after time.

  Now, Batman: Arkham Asylum IS that Batman game that you have always wanted to play.

  It satisfies every part of you Batman desires and really gives you the feeling that you ARE Batman.

  From the strength and power to the gadgets to the stealth and surprise you can bring toward your enemy, it is quite a marvel that a game developer finally got it right.

  Thank you Rocksteady!

  I do not want to give away any spoilers from the game so the plot is really basic and simple.

  The Joker has taken total control over Arkham island and Batman needs to hunt him down to stop him, but not without going through many of Batman’s familiar villians in the process.

  Batman’s gadgets come in handy often, most of the time you will be using his ‘detective mode’ which is built into the cowl and gives you the ability to see important items in the room and clues to lead you in the right direction.

  There will be some moments where you find yourself just playing with all of Batman’ gadgets for 10-15 minutes because there are so many of them to play with. (It feeds your inner dork so it’s okay!)

  Gameplay mechanics are solid and I have yet to find a defect in them or any glitches.

  Fighting is very enjoyable, because you can be surrounded by 6-10 enemies and everytime an enemy is about to attack you hit the counter-attack button and continue to fight off all of them at once. Very fun.

  The graphics are amazing and highly detailed like you would expect from a PS3.

  Voice-over work is superb and Mark Hamill, as The Joker, really steals the show. If they gave out Oscars for Best Video Game Voice-Over Performance then Hamill would easily win it for this game!

  All in all, Batman games have been so poor for so long, it is exciting to see a Batman game done right and this is worthy of a $60 purchase.

  Go and get it and play it with the lights off in the dark with the sound blasting.
• 

  Rick Loseke
  October 5th, 2010 on 1:25 am

  Rating

  First off, thank you Eidos for finally producing a comic book game that lives up to its source material! The graphics and character animations are nothing short of spectacular. Be sure to take a good long look at the Joker model from every possible angle, amazing detail all the way from the spats on his shoes to the holes in his tattered suit and on to his lifelike hair…. simply beautiful.

  Another tip of the hat for bringing in the voice talent from the animated series. As far as I’m concerned, Mark Hamill is THE voice of the Joker and Kevin Conroy’s menacing voice never has to resort to the sometimes ridiculous rasp that live-action actors insist on bringing to the role of Batman. Another big plus – I haven’t heard a single line of dialog repeated yet… not even from the generic thugs.

  As for the gameplay, I’m loving the free-flowing fight system, very cinematic. I’m not very far into the game as yet, but the what I’ve played so far has been outstanding. All of the moves I’d hoped to see are there, not to mention those wonderful toys!

  Now for the ugly… I wouldn’t bother with the Collector’s Edition unless you’re a big fan, very disappointing. The game case is great… huge, but cool. My big issue is with the batarang, what a piece of plastic garbage!

  When I first opened the box I thought the batarang had been damaged during packing, it seemed to be covered in random scratches. Upon closer inspection I realized that these scratches were intended to simulate a brushed metal surface. I’m pretty sure someone just takes it and runs it randomly over a belt sander before placing it in the box. As it stands, I’d be embarrassed to display it with my other memorabilia. I’ll probably end up doing some work on it myself in order to make it display worthy.

  The leather bound journal is also a bit disappointing, I was really hoping for a bunch of new artwork, but all that’s there is illustrations and character bios from the game itself.

  I’m hoping the “making of” DVD will compensate for the other weak extras, but unfortunately, I can’t review it until I finish the game and avoid any spoilers.

  To sum it up… BUY THE GAME!!!!… but buyer beware of the Collector’s Edition.

  p.s. Another big shout out to Amazon for their “deliver on date of release” shipping option. It was well worth the $5 and change to receive the game on its release date. I probably would have bought the game locally if they hadn’t offered the option. Gotta love instant gratification!!
• 

  S. Rhodes
  October 6th, 2010 on 10:05 am

  Rating

  Video games haven’t been too kind to Batman. Often times when we think of a Batman game, the first thing that comes to mind is that the game just isn’t going to be all that spectacular. What is it about the Batman that hasn’t always worked in the past? It’s hard to point out. What we can point out, however, is that Batman Arkham Asylum doesn’t fall into that category. In fact, it is easily one of the best Batman games to be released. From its humble beginnings, the game is fine tuned video game that does most of what it does incredibly well.

  Let’s begin with the production values. This is by far one of Arkham Asylum’s strong points. The game begins with the Joker being caught and taken to Arkham Asylum, but he seems to be pretty non-chalant about it, and Batman doesn’t like that one bit. And it turns out he was right to be suspicious. The Joker springs a trap and Batman is caught in the middle. Now he’s trapped inside the Asylum with the Joker controlling things, as well as several other adversaries.

  One of the nice things about Arkham Asylum is that it presents its story very well. The art style feels comic book like, but it doesn’t skimp on the overall visual presentation either. There’s a lot of artistic flair and technical goodness to behold with the graphics. Most of the environments look fascinating and will really draw you into the game. The tone is perfect. The other good aspect is the voice acting. If you remember that Batman: The Animated Television series you’ll be surprised to see its the same voices. Kevin Conroy is Batman and Mark Hamill is the Joker. And the voices are done very well. The production values of the game are absolutely stellar.

  Of course, a game just isn’t much if it only goes off of visual flair alone. In the past gameplay seems to be one of the areas in which Batman games often stumble. In the past the games have had a hard time crafting together good gameplay elements or sometimes being unreasonably clunky. This is mostly Batman’s past. The games sometimes felt rushed. This isn’t the case with Arkham. In fact, the game mostly keeps things pretty simple. The combat is really easy to pick up on, having you string together simple combos. But the game hardly devolves into button mashing. This is because your enemies will take advantage of the situation, and the game makes sure you can’t rush head on into things. First and foremost, most of your foes are willing to take advantage of their surroundings. Second, you can’t go head to head with several enemies all toting guns at once. This is definitely not a beat ‘em up kind of game. In fact, in some areas, caution and stealth are required.

  There has rarely been a Batman game where you actually feel like Batman. In some places you’ll be able to swoop down and leave your enemies hanging from gargoyles… or perform a glide kick or use some of Batman’s gadgets to get the job done. For such simple gameplay concepts, there are actually quite a few ways to implement them into the game. The game also lets you upgrade and improve on your techniques as you progress. So there actually happens to be quite a bit of variety.

  At the same time, though, the game is accessible to just about everyone. You can also enter what’s called “Detective Mode” if you so choose. Within this mode, Batman can see certain things he otherwise couldn’t. You can tell where your enemies are easier and find some hidden goodies. You’ll no doubt be playing a large portion of the game in this mode, but it’s very worth it to do so. Choosing not to means missing out on some of Arkham Asylum’s secrets, and there are a lot of secrets. The most prominent of which is that you can find riddles scattered all over that will unlock lots of different things for you to do. You’ll also be able to unlock small character bios and audio samples about certain characters. These are other things that really make the game come alive in its own way. And in the midst of all this, the game doesn’t appear too challenging or intimidating.

  That’s not to say you won’t be challenged. You will. Particularly when you reach something new. It’s nice to know, however, that the game isn’t overly difficult. It’s just to say that when trumping through it at least doesn’t feel easy. When helping you get acquainted to things, Arkham Asylum is pretty easy going. But once the game takes away the training wheels you may find yourself hitting a few snags every now and then.

  The visual look of the game isn’t all that adds to the game’s atmosphere. So does the music and so do some of the animations when you’re fighting. Sometimes it’s fun to battle just to look at some of the animations as they take place. Other times exploring can be absorbing because the music really knows how to set the tone. Arkham Asylum has a lot of strength, but the game seems well aware of just what those strengths are.

  There’s really not much that keeps Arkham Asylum down. In many ways it’s exciting to play a Batman game that’s good. After getting several Batman games that felt like a throwaway of the license, Batman Arkham Asylum feels like a breath of fresh air. Most of its gameplay conventions have been done before, but it’s mostly how the game mixes them together that works well, and the absorbing atmosphere it emits in the process. Batman fans might find themselves pleased by this one. It’s a simple game to play, but there is definitely a lot in it that could keep you busy for some time, and a lot to explore. It’s great to see a Batman game come to fruition, and to do it so smoothly.
• 

  elchamber
  October 7th, 2010 on 7:12 am

  Rating

  After playing this game, you’ll forget all of the other bad comic book in the past.

  This is a spooky, creepy, gothic-style sand-box where you play the real Batman. Real in that he can’t jump 20 ft high, but rely on his gadgets, skill and intellect to avoid, escape and hunt enemies, find important evidence and scout locations. The fighting mechanics are easy that even a 10 years old child can use it, but the difficulty of using it increases where you have to use some of Batman’s gadgets to take down larger opponents. At one of several moments, I had to jump into a group of enemies to get to a location. At first I was hesitant, but then I remember how easy it can be if I remember how to deal with each kind of enemy. First, I see what kind of enemies their are and plan my onslaught. To test and hone-in you fighting skills, you have challenges outside the main game to practice on.

  It’s not just a button-smashing game, its also a puzzler. You can switch into ‘detective mode’ to find evidence, trophies and solve environmental riddles as well as figure out how to get to one place to another.

  I beat the game in 10 hours, but worth going back to try on harder challenging levels as well as to complete the entire game. Puzzles were very cleaver. I had trouble with a certain type of puzzle that I decided to completely ignore them. Now, I have figured it’s skillful ways and hitting myself for not thinking of it earlier.

  Two things I hated were the fact that I couldn’t get to certain locations and be able to get things without the upgrades I got later. The next problem of mine is that the game ended where Batman goes back to Gotham City.

  One actual problem is the Scarecrow challenges. The camera angles and controls aren’t that responsive verses the way the main game version. I liked them at first to give me a break from the main story line’s gameplay, but became increasingly annoying when trying to time an action. It took me several times pressing on the buttons to have it work.

  I can say, Batman Arkham Asylum is one of the best games I’ve ever purchased.

  PARENTS: If your thinking of purchasing this game for your kids, here is what to expect. Light or mild sexual themes. Poison Ivy is presented in a seductive way and mild innuendos from criminals stating, “I wouldn’t mine playing doctor with her.”

  Violence is suggestive. The locations have skulls and bones. Bodies lying in the floor or hang on their limbs(Batman only knocks out his opponents or left to their end, while criminals kill). No gory images if you could on a little blood dripping of Batman’s mouth after a hit. No bad language. Basically, if you’ve watch or seen the animated series then you pretty much see what level of sex and violence it has.