PixlBit

When I first heard about Batman: Arkham Asylum, I thought it was too good to be true. I figured it would end up being nothing more than a typical disappointing licensed game. Then the pieces started coming together: Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill of Batman: The Animated Series fame were set to voice Batman and the Joker respectively, the combat seemed to capture the Dark Knight's signature style, and the story was being penned by prolific comic writer Paul Dini. At the end of it all, Arkham Asylum turned out to be one of the best licensed games I've ever played, and one of the finest games of its kind.

The game's premise is simple: The Joker takes over the titular asylum, traps Batman inside of it, and holds the city hostage. Longtime Batman fans will love all the little references and touches throughout the game's narrative and extra content. Most of the fan service is delivered in extraneous Riddler challenges that have players doing everything from solving riddles to destroying motorized laughing teeth. Arkham Asylum is steeped in Batman lore, but it doesn't force you through all of it.

That's great because there is enthralling gameplay in this 10-hour game that transcends Batman fans. The combat mixes together flowing acrobatic hand-to-hand fighting with fantastic stealth gameplay. When you're in a group of unarmed foes, you can just go in and bust skulls, but when some gun-toting enemies are patrolling an area, that's when the strategy comes into play. Using the shadows, conveniently-placed gargoyles, and ventilation shafts, players can sneak around the environment and take out enemies. It's extremely rewarding to knock out a guard and watch his compatriots become enveloped in fear.

A key part to all of this is detective mode, which allows you to make use of Batman's signature cowl to see if an enemy is armed or not, and look for interactive objects. It's reminiscent of the scan visor in the Metroid Prime series. The only drawback is that you might settle into playing the game in the blue-tinted detective mode and that detracts from the detailed Unreal Engine graphics.

And what would Batman be without his wonderful toys? Starting with just the trademark Batarang, players accumulate many gadgets that unlock different areas. You also gain experience points, which can be used to gain new abilities and upgrade gadgets.

The beefy main story is well paced and really only stumbles in the final moments. Still, there's enough gameplay variety to hold up over the entire game, and if you can't get enough of it, you can try your hand at the different challenge levels. With a mixture of combat and stealth maps, the challenges offer up awesome slices of the gameplay. Even better, more is on the way as there are already free downloadable maps available.

Arkham Asylum excels largely because of what it borrows from other games. The inmate interview tapes are much like Bioshock's audio tapes. Some of the stealth sections seem heavily influenced by the Metal Gear Solid series. Hell, there's even a little Metroid nestled in the game with detective mode and the exploration. All of that combined with the Batman mythos makes for one of the best games so far this year.

With the PlayStation 3 version, you can download free exclusive challenge maps where you can play as the Joker.