Batman: Arkham Asylum E3 Preview

June 16th, 2009

Finally… a Batman game that could potentially have massive replay value.   I’ve been waiting to play this game since it was announced and my wait came to a screeching halt at E3 ’09.   First of all, it looks great.   The fighting is fluid, the movement is smooth, and the environment sets the tone for the world of Arkham Asylum.  

The story, which was penned by Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated series), begins with the Joker being banished to Arkham Asylum where he has prepared a trap to finish the Caped Crusader.   Once Batman is in, all hell breaks loose.

As far as the gameplay goes, there were no real disappointments.   This is so much more than just a button mashing melee game.   In Arkham, you will be attacked by multiple henchmen at the same time and must engage numerous opponents simultaneously.  That feature alone gives the game a real “Batman” feel to it.   Historically speaking, the character of Batman trains for years to do exactly that.   The AI will not be waiting for you to destroy them one at a time, patiently waiting for their turn.   The melee moves are not limited to punches and kicks, but also include intricate takedowns and full on knockouts.   The amount of attacks does not feel repetitive at all, provided you are skilled with the controls.  Granted, there were times where it felt a bit easy… until I got into a room where henchmen carry guns.   This is where it gets really interesting.   It’s pretty damn difficult to just maul through a set of opponents when they’re firing live rounds at you.   The difficulty of that alone ensures that it will take skill and strategy to take out armed enemies.

Furthermore, the combat elements are enhanced with Batman’s bread and butter, the stealth attack.   There will be scenarios where you will not be able to take out a certain enemy because of an inability to access a certain room, for example.   This is where you will have to use your environment and grapple hook to attack from above.    Once you are perched on an object, you will be able to take the enemy out with the use of batarangs, gliding attacks, drop attacks, or a simple drop down and melee.   All these elements we experienced was strictly based on the “challenge rooms” that were featured in the E3 demo.   It will be interesting to see what Batman can do in different environments that the full game will include.

One feature that is strictly made for PS3 owners is the ability to play as The Joker in the challenge rooms.   Playing with the Clown Prince of Crime brings a whole new dimension to the title.    The Joker’s combat elements are much more theatrical than those of Batman.   The bat fights a very straightforward and physical style whereas the clown treats his adversaries like… well… a joke.   He uses dirty tactics to get the job done, all the while humiliating his foes with slaps to the mug, gas blasts to the face, and a plethora of taunts and gestures.   For the PS3 owner this will be a fantastic perk.

Batman: Arkham Asylum will hit shelves on August 25th and it looks to be the Batman game that fans have been waiting for.  

Hands-on Preview by K.G. Blikian

Submitted by: VoreekMAN