Batman begins, for real

by ERIK LEIJON

Cookies and milk, movies and popcorn, beer and paper bags, some things are meant to be paired together. Video games and superheroes seem like an obvious combo: both tend to appeal to the same demographic, superheroes typically have impressive skills or arsenals we mortals dream of having, and there’s usually a supervillain in need of a serious face crushing.

Yet even though those cultural backwater peons in Hollywood have managed to rip the best characters from the comic books and turn them into box office phenoms, superhero video games have been about as appealing as a prospective sequel to Mystery Men.

Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3, X360/Eidos, Rocksteady) is one of the best superhero games ever made, and most importantly a unique, memorable portrayal of the caped crusader. It should be noted this relatively open-ended action-sleuthing third-person title bears no relation to the recent Christopher Nolan reboots, rather it’s based largely on a mix of the comics and the animated series, with a pinch of Tim Burton morbidity. The storyline is classic Batman and perfectly suited for a video game style progression—Joker hijacks the famed hospital for the criminally insane, leaving behind a series of traps waiting for his arch-nemesis.

The entire game takes place on the freakish, Tim Burton-inspired Arkham Island, which houses the asylum, a rat-infested art deco nightmare with hospital wings, laboratories and libraries. The walls are splattered with blood and Joker’s henchmen guard each main area in packs, typically leading to some pretty rudimentary combat. As enjoyable as Arkham Asylum was, it really wasn’t because of the gameplay, which never escapes basic three-button fighting and puzzles that last as long as it takes to find a hidden vent or a structurally weak wall to bust through. There are elements of stealth, mostly with the armed opponents, but again most of the time there’s a gargoyle statue conveniently perched above them, perfect for skulking. The live-action cinematic counter fighting system worked better in the long-forgotten The Bourne Conspiracy video game.

So if the combat is so unremarkable, why is Arkham Asylum such a great game? The individual elements don’t seem like much on their own, but like Michael Keaton playing the Dark Knight, the combination of futuristic gadgets, vulcanized rubber and a cool car suddenly made Mr. Mom a believable vigilante.

The game’s atmosphere, thanks to the inhumane conditions of the asylum along with the natural inclusion of the comic’s most compelling psychotics, adds a level of subtlety and detail that promises to wow long-suffering fans.

The near constant chatter on Batman’s communication device (from Oracle), psyche-breaking hallucinations courtesy of Scarecrow, Joker and Harley Quinn on the asylum speaker system, the Riddler from parts unknown and the many enemies and helpers bring life to the game. There are almost no moments where the mission isn’t readily apparent, or there isn’t something being done to advance the story. Even the asylum interview tapes, one of the pick-up items, play ominously in the background with the perfect canned sound to remind you Batman is trapped on an island with no escape and his mortal enemy in control.

Batman: Arkham Asylum is vindication for anyone who sat through Batman Forever’s load screens, or the first failed next-gen reboot, the Splinter Cell scare-stealth bomb Batman Begins. It’s good enough to bring hope to a generation of jilted superhero and comic book fans slighted time and time again with mediocre adaptations. Oddly enough, it didn’t even require revolutionary gameplay to save the day, but rather just understanding that following the Batman mythos would be good enough.