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Review: Batman: Arkham Asylum (PC)

Postiwyd gan Jeff the Fridge o Caerdydd - Cyhoeddwyd ar 05/08/2011 am 12:02
5 sylwadau » - Tagiwyd fel Technoleg

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Batman: Arkham Asylum (PC (reviewed), Xbox 360, PS3)

If you own a next generation console then you will most likely have B: AA already and there isn’t much point in you reading this review. If you still haven’t played the original Arkham Asylum game and want to catch up on the story before you consider getting Arkham City, then you’re in for a treat.

If you're getting Arkham Asylum because you’re a fan of the classic DC comic fan, then you’ll be glad to know that it’s a full canon story and is actually based on a great classic graphic novel by the same name. Fans of the cartoon will be happy to hear that nearly all of the cast do their voices in both game and TV show. Mark Hamill is especially good as The Joker and really steals the show. Another helpful note for the comic book fan is The Riddler challenges. Some of these unlock character biographies which range from the big guys like The Joker and Batman even down to Scarface the puppet and Firefly. You know, Firefly!

The combat looks amazing, even if it is just button mashing, with batman jumping around a room fighting with his elbows and fists, doing spectacular summersaults and stunning enemies with his cape. The stealth is pretty amazing, but it has the same problem as Metro 2033. If even one guy is alerted then everyone knows instantly where you are and those guns kill you astonishingly fast. Still, hanging a guy upside down from a gargoyle is awesome. These stealth sequences are helped by your detective mode, which is basically x-ray vision with a heartbeat monitor. It’s ridiculous fun taking out a guy’s buddies one by one until he’s the last one left and terrified.

The game's main downfall is the boss fights. The first time you fight Bane is amazing but the next boss fight which is basically the same except with two guys. The bigger boss fights, such as Killer Croc or Poison Ivy are suitably different but still aren’t up with the great boss fights from God of War or other hack’n’slashers. The lip-syncing isn’t very good either, apart from The Joker; everyone has bug eyes and not much facial expression.

Batman: AA's greatest moments are when batman himself is under the powers of The Scarecrow and you enter his reality. The first time you see him in the morgue is genuinely scary and made me jump back from the monitor. Also Batman’s array of gadgets are used to great effect, especially once you’ve completed the game and are looking for The Riddler trophies.

89%

A great game that is let down by its repetitive boss fights and aggravating stealth mechanics that got Metro 2033 criticised but didn’t seem to matter because you’re Batman. This is definitely one of the best games out there despite of these fall backs. Go get it. Now.

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