Batman: Arkham asylum [Review of the game]

Until August 2009, no one could have thought that a rather young and little -known Rocksteady Studios would make not just a good, but a magnificent Batman game that turned our idea of ​​what the games about superheroes should be. Batman: Arkham Asylum got into the Guinness Book of Records as the most successful game of superhero in the history of the video game (neither more, nor less, and 92 points on Metacritic), and its combat system, albeit in slightly different variations, is still wandering from release to release to release. This list of awards, titles and achievements can be continued for a long time. And here a reasonable question arises: what helped the game achieve such heights? I will try to answer it now.

Welcome to a madhouse, Batman!
The first and, perhaps, the main advantage of Batman: Arkham asylum is the plot, or rather its presentation, atmosphere, characters and everything else that helps to plunge the gamer into the world of game. The story itself is quite simple and stuffed with different cliches: Batman catches the Joker, sends him to Arkham, the clown maniac runs away and captures the hospital, and the whole game is trying to catch it. Nothing special, isn’t it?

The game quite often gives spectacular angles.

But not everything is so simple. The authors have stunningly worked out all the key characters, bringing them as much as possible to the prototypes from comics. Of course, first of all, I want to highlight the Joker, who, in my opinion, is the best in history. This is not a “rabid dog running after the car” from the movie Christopher Nolan (Christopher Nolaan), This is a cold -blooded, inventive, inspiring fear of a maniac who, however, is not without a sense of humor (his caustic comments are well diluted with the gloomy style of the game). By the way, Mark Hamill voiced it (Mark Hamill), who gave a voice to the character in the series “Batman: The Animated Series”. Against the background of Joker, Batman looks somewhat boring, but it should be so, because the dark knight always holds the image of a silent avenger with a square chin.

The island is small, but the scope for research bonusstrikecasino.co.uk is present.

The game has many details that reveal the characters, turning them from two-dimensional blanks into independent personalities: here the player finds the audio recordings of dialogs with doctors, here is a dossier that opens the hero’s past, and when talking with the NPC, a phrase that refers to any comic book can flash, which will deliver a separate joy to the fans.

Flutter like a butterfly, sorry like a bee!
Gameplay Batman: Arkham asylum can be divided into two parts: fights on fists and stealth. Hand -to -hand contractions are made in the style of a simple Beat ‘Em Up, consisting of two – three buttons: hit, counterattacks and stunning. However, the dance stunning in its beauty is built on this. A dance is the most suitable word to describe what is happening on the screen: Batman smoothly wars from one enemy to another, gaining a rhythm that by the end of the duel turns into music: elegant, beautiful, but at the same time cruel and rude.

In the course of the game, the appearance of Batman changes: holes appear on the suit, on the face of cuts, and even bristles grow.
The animators performed a real miracle – all the movements of the Dark Knight look as lively and natural as possible: be it a blow, counterattack (each block is accompanied by a very colorful animation), or evasion.

I am the night. I am Batman
The second part of the gameplay already mentioned by me is stealth. I have some complaints to him. The main one is very simple. The player does not need to combine various gadgets (of which there are plenty in the game), you do not need to think out tactics, you don’t need to wait, when the damn thug turned away to quietly neutralize his comrade. No, there are high points, Garguli, where rather stupid opponents almost never look. You just cling to one of them and that’s it, you are out of reach. In addition, Batman has a special mode of view, the so -called “detective” regime, in which all enemies are visible through the walls, which significantly facilitates the passage of secretive stages. Closer to the end of the game there is one point when the bandits begin to minute the usual abode of the player, and this, damn it, the most interesting and complex stealth episode in the game! This is where all the mechanics, all the devices, the whole environment are revealed, but, unfortunately, such an episode is only one.

Batches with bosses – a separate plus. Everyone needs their own approach. Fights with scarecrow are especially remembered.

And what after?
That’s all. Batman fulfilled his mission, thugs behind bars, but what to do to the player after passing the plot? The developers have prepared quite standard, but interesting entertainment. Evard Nigma, he also scattered the signs of the question, riddles throughout the island, sometimes rather complicated, and other collective tinsel, which will have to be spent a lot of time (not surprising, because there are 240 of them (!) pieces) if you want to go through the game by 100%. The “Testing” mode is called to pick up the precious clock of our life. It is a cards from the main game, but with various modifiers. At first, these tests are quite simple, but closer to the end you will have to try hard to gain maximum rating.

For collecting prizes, the player open figures of characters and their biographies.

Verdict
Summing up, I want to say that this game has become for me some guide in the world of comics. Even after 7 years, the game does not stop delaying, entering, immersing in his world, and after all, checking time is the most honest and impartial check. Rocksteady Studios proved to everyone that games about men in knickers and colorful costumes can be serious, cruel, and most importantly adults. They made a game from fans for fans, and this love for the Universe of the Dark Knight is visible in every little thing.
Grade: Amazing