Batman: Arkham Asylum Video Game

[abundant]

Batman: Arkham Asylum™ Demo Available August 7

The consumer demo for Batman: Arkham Asylum™, co-published in North America by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Eidos Inc., will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 entertainment system and Games For Windows® LIVE worldwide on August 7. The full game will be available at retail stores nationwide in North America beginning August 25, and in Europe and Australia beginning August 28.

The demo will be offered on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for Xbox 360 and PlayStation®Network for the PLAYSTATION 3. Fans can visit www.batmanarkhamasylum.com for details on how to download the Games For Windows LIVE version.

The Batman: Arkham Asylum™ demo opens as the DARK KNIGHT and COMMISSIONER GORDON return The Joker back into confinement at ARKHAM ASYLUM. But things soon fall apart as THE JOKER gains the upper hand and springs a trap, setting Arkham Asylum’s occupants upon Batman. The demo offers gamers a taste of the fierce FreeFlow™ combat system, the cunning stealth of the Invisible Predator™ mechanic, and the feeling of becoming the WORLD’S GREATEST DETECTIVE as they navigate Arkham Asylum’s imposing Intensive Treatment facility. Players can unlock character bios, as well as get a sneak peak at some of the infamous foes that BATMAN will encounter within the cavernous and macabre confines of Arkham Asylum.

Featuring amazing graphics within an intense, immersive setting, Batman: Arkham Asylum™ exposes players to a unique, dark and atmospheric adventure that takes them to the depths of Arkham Asylum – Gotham City's psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane. Gamers will move in the shadows, instigate fear amongst their enemies, and confront The Joker and Gotham City's most notorious villains, including Harley Quinn, Bane, Killer Croc and Poison Ivy, and the newly revealed Scarecrow, who have taken over the asylum.

Batman: Arkham Asylum™ has been rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB in North America and PEGI 16+ in Europe. For more information on the title, please visit: www.batmanarkhamasylum.com.

[kale]

I can't wait to play this freaking game.

[TKz]

DEMO IN 4 DAYS!? HOORAY!

[RoyWill Rumble]

It's rad that the demo is more than just the combat demo that's been in stores for absolutely fucking ages. I need to either trade in a lot of games, or find some damned money, because this AND NHL 10 are both coming out soon and I am a broke motherfucker.

[abundant]

Alright, the demo sealed it, this game is going to be one of the best games coming out this year. The combat is easy, yet satisfying. You feel like a badass zipping between enemies and countering with ease. The Silent Predator parts are really fun, stalking your prey, finding new ways to stop your prey, and fucking with them when they're paranoid is great. Those parts are pretty open ended because you have a ton of options to work with.

Edited August 6, 2009 by abundant

[SJay068]

I just tried the demo and it was cool. The fighting seemed to be easy button mashing in the beginning, but when the enemies had guns I couldn't be Rambo anymore and had to go stealthy.

The graphics look amazing on this game and I dig the art style they went with for the menu etc. I only bought one game this entire year so far because most of the new games don't interest me, but I think I'll spend my money on this one.

Oh, and stating the obvious: demo was too short.

[King Ellis]

I kind of screwed myself over during one of the stealthy bits by hanging one of the goons from the statues, that alerted his friends and I ended up nearly being shot to death. Was a cool moment though.

[alldaws1]

I did the same thing. Except I actually was shot to death

Good demo, though. I'll probably play it a few times just to play around with different ways of stealthily taking down the goons.

[Kaney]

Okay, that was awesome. I'm loving the combat, and the stealthy bits were awesome, seeing the guards go nervous, then terrified. Way too short a demo, but the real thing will be good.

[Captain Eo]

If the board's going to be better off for it, it's no big deal.

I just hope we haven't lost anyone. It's not the first time I've seen that sort of thing happen, wherein a site is down for so long the members find somewhere else to go. Obviously that's the last thing I want.

Overall I loved it, and it was already on my list of must haves this year.

One little annoying thing was the slowdown at the end of ever combat combo I did.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

Demo is fine. I fucked up the stealthy bit when there's the huge space with loads of goons and you on the rafters. I didn't properly check where all the guards were and went for that Glide Kick thing on one of them, only landed in the eye range of someone else. I liked the graphics and the voice talent, game-play was fine. Probably one to buy when it's a bit cheaper.

[Boogey131]

I loved the demo, the brawling combat is simple but, seeing the counters and the finishing blows in slow-mo is real satisfying, plus the free-flow combat does what the whole game is aiming for by making you feel like Batman taking on a bunch of nameless goons. I think I'll be in the detective mode for most of the game, it's got the same appeal as say the glowing light trail in the newest POP or the directional display thing from Dead Space in that, it'll merely point you in the right direction but this obviously takes it to a new level with some puzzle elements and hidden areas(I'm guessing there's no way to blow out the wall after the Zsaz confrontation in the demo?)

The stealth areas really shine, the first area with armed-enemies was easy, as it was still teaching the player the mechanic but it was still really fun to pick them off one by one silently and then on the next area where the enemies were patrolling I really enjoyed having to work out in which order/the time/which method to disarm them all. I fudged it up the first time with a glide kick but second play through I managed to get by easily without alerting anybody of my presence, made me feel really badass.

I'll be interested to see how the boss battles work though, I imagine something a little closer to the stealth combat with more swinging to gargoyles or using the environment more since I can't conceive Batman taking on somebody the size of Killer Croc in hand to hand, really wish the demo ran just a little longer to alleviate any fears I may have.

Lastly the presentation in this game is what it should be, the atmosphere of the Asylum reminds me a lot of Dead Space's ship which I thought did a great job of creating an environment that fit hand in hand with the gameplay. The voice acting is top notch, I've been re-playing Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and find a lot of the voice work to be too cheesy, but I think the voice actors involved in Arkham Asylum are managing to walk that line between over-the-top and cheesy really well, as somebody who never watched the animated series I'm really impressed.

I am now overly excited about this game, I can't wait to get my hands on it.

[apsham]

I loved the demo, even though it was short as hell. Still I can't help but feel a little bit jipped when I remember reading at the games announcement time that it was going to be kind of like Hitman. I mean sure, there are multiple ways to take out the enemies in a room.. but usually only about one or two ways that won't get your ass killed right off the bat, and that doesn't exactly constitute what I thought it would really. Either way, I'm still going to be picking this up... excellently done.

[Hajjhowe]

Like most people here I thought the demo was great, but really short. I would have liked to have used the Detective vision stuff more to get a complete idea of all the aspects of the game but I'm pretty sure I'll be getting it anyways.

[Maxx]

Game Informer gave it a 9.5, praised the design of the Asylum, comparing it to BioShock in terms of the setting becoming a character itself.

However

They said the final boss fight sucked

[Crybaby Bunting]

I'm sure there was another area in the demo that looked like it could be accessed in the full game, there was a grill area just above the staircase before you face Zsaz, I'm sure there was even a character bio behind that.

But yeah I have THREE options. a) buying it immediately whilst I can still get it for under £35, b) wait until it comes out and see if places begin to compete with each other, c) wait until I go back to uni and buy it with GameStation credit. With just a week or so between Batman:AA and The Beatles: Rock Band I don't think I can last

EDIT - Lrn 2 count

Edited August 19, 2009 by The General

[Captain Eo]

Looks like I might be able to get it today, apparently a 711 about an hour from my place has it for sale.

[Mike Ockizitchy]

Wow downloaded this demo today with NHL'10. PUMPED to get this game. Haven't bought a 1 person game like this since... jesus I think Splinter Cell can't even remember which one. Before Rainbow Six :X Props to the game creators, last Batman game I played was utter shit.

[abundant]

IGN gave it a 9.3, calling it the best comic book game ever. Joystick's review claims it's not only the best licensed game ever, but the best game of 2009 so far. Eurogamer gave it a 9, stating that this game captures the feeling of being Batman perfectly.

[Captain Eo]

After playing for a few hours last night the only complaint I really have is the Riddles are very easy to locate, and the boss battles don't keep up with the brilliance of the rest of the game.

EDIT - So in about 7 hours I've beaten the game with %74 completed, the bulk of the completion are the riddles, and story. I've got maybe 20-30 so more odd riddles to collect and haven't completed any of the challenge rooms.

After you beat the game all the enemies vanish and you have a very empty Arkham Island to roam about and clean up on any missing riddles, I was a bit disappointed by this, but the challenges should keep me busy to overlook the lack of replay value on the island. I'd give it a 8/10, but say rent it and not buy because it looks like I'll be beating this with %100 in the next few days.

Also I played on Normal which was actually really easy, and for any achievements whores the Difficulty achievements are stackable so you can just start the game on hard and rake up the 150 for all 3 achievements.

I tried not to spoil any story details but if anyone has questions before making the 60 dollar plunge feel free to ask.

Best game of 09? I'd have to see what else came out this year, but it's deff the best I've platyed.

Edited August 22, 2009 by Captain Eo