This issue was originally intended to have the review in it, but we've got a gigantic bit of information instead.
WELCOME TO THE MADHOUSE
“Epic, essential and better on PS3. Why you’d be mad not to commit to Batman: Arkham Asylum”
Think of a Great Superhero game. No, not a good one – there are plenty of those around – but one as essential as, say, GTA IV or Bioshock. You’re struggling, right? That’s because there aren’t any. Or rather, there weren’t any until Batman: Arkham asylum came along. After an Extensive hands-on, exploring the majority of the enormous Arkham island – and the worlds first play of the ps3 exclusive challenge rooms – we’ve come to the conclusion that not only is this the batman’s best game to date, but the best superhero game ever made. A bold claim, but one we think you’ll agree with the moment you take your first tentative steps into the foreboding darkness of Gotham’s Legendary Loony Bin.
Heart of Darkness
The first thing you notice is how it looks. Rather than cash in on the popularity of Christopher Nolan’s grimly ‘re-imagined- batman universe, Developers rocksteady have drawn influences from the darker chapters of the caped crusaders comic book adventures. “We wanted to create something totally authentic” explains game-director Sefton Hill in a one-on-one with PSM3. “We were inspired by the psychological elements of the batman comics, the detective elements. We see batman as a kind of mythological figure to the villains. And we wanted you to feel like that.” The result is an extraordinarily evocative setting – the exaggerated gothic architecture of the asylum being a particular highlight – and a cast of bold, vividly designed characters. But rather than simply ape the comic book artists, the villains in Arkham asylum have all had radical makeovers. We’re sworn to secrecy about exactly who makes an appearance, but we can say that this is the batman universe as you’ve never seen it before. The developers have taken the best of 70 years of batman history and given it its own rich identity. But perhaps the most fascinating character of all is Arkham itself. The environments are enormous, varied and stuffed with detail – from elaborately decorated hallways and dreary cell blocks to the moonlit bay of Gotham city and the giant spires silhouetted on its horizon. The game may be entirely set on Arkham Island, but rather than be limited by this the art team have created a broad selection of colours and moods – in the same way that the dead space team made each deck of the ishimura feel distinct. There are also Numerous References to the batman universe that fans will lap up, such as ‘Vote Harvey Dent’ stickers inside guard towers, newspaper articles detailing events from the comics strewn on the floor and even patient interview tapes you can play in the background as you explore. These Not only help to flesh out the characters and give the story context, but also immerse you completely in the world. Arkham is as complete and fertile setting as the depths of rapture or the streets of Liberty City. An Incredible feat.
Fighting Chance
But what good are lush environments if they’re no fun to move around in? Mercifully Rocksteady have nailed the feeling of ‘Being’ Batman. What makes the dark knight such an effective crime fighter is his mixture of light-footed agility and brutish strength. With the help of your grappling hook, getting around is a breeze. You can latch onto pretty much any surface and pull yourself towards it. This lets you swoop and clamber effortlessly around the levels, using your cape to glide across gaps. The controls are brilliantly smooth and the thrill of silently leaping between guard towers above the oblivious enemy never fades.
But when its time to get your hands dirty it’s like controlling a whole new character. Combat is timing based, reminiscent of the ‘Onimusha’ series’ ‘Issen’ counters. As you punch and kick with stabs of the Square button, foes behind or to the side will move in for a strike when your guard is down. This is indicated by a lightning bolt above their heads, which is your cue to hit triangle and counter. With each counter your combo meter rises and you perform more elaborate attacks (Some of which are unlocked via the upgrade system; more on that later) and are able to perform additional moves, such as throws. It sounds simplistic but getting the timing right takes practice and the results are hugely entertaining. The grace and fluidity of the animation is incredible and batman has countless reactions to enemy attacks – from blocking counters to sweeping legs away and side-stepping. As batman would, he makes the jokers lumbering thugs look ridiculous as he effortlessly whips around them and takes them out. They only ever get the better of him when they attack in packs... which they often do.
Weapon of Choice
And sometimes they’re armed, which is where the silent predator mode comes in. It only takes on burst of gunfire to kill batman, so to deal with packs of rifle-toting guards you have to use stealth. The aforementioned grappling hook is perfect for staying out of their line of sight and watching their movements, while batman has a range of silent stealth attacks you can perform by sneaking up to an enemy with R2 and then hitting Triangle. The trick is to wait for the guards to separate and pick them off one by one, knocking them unconscious or hanging them from the rafters by a rope – an ability you can unlock later in the game. The problem is, the more guards go missing, the more the others get spooked. And when they’re nervous they’re allot more dangerous, often firing blindly into the shadows. Luckily you have Detective Mode (activated by pressing L2) that lets you see foes through walls to easily track their movement. It even shows you their heart rate and mood (Calm, Nervous etc.) So you can figure out how much of a threat they are before you act.
And detective mode is also used for, well, detecting. This is an aspect of batman rarely explored in games – he is after all ‘the world’s greatest detective’. Between exploration, fights and stealth sections you have to scan specifically designed areas for clues. For example, in one scene you’re tracking down a corrupt guard called Boles. Boles has a drinking problem and carries a hip flask of whiskey around with him. To trace his movements, batman finds the abandoned flask, scans the alcohol content and then uses this to pick up his trail. The detective bits don’t have the same depth and detail of the condemned games, but that’s what they’re closest to in terms of design. Early clue hunting is relatively easy, but the developers promise it’ll get harder as the game goes on, with red herrings designed to mislead Batman.
Riddle Me this
Batman also has to use his ‘genius level intellect’ (as read in his character bio, of which there is one for almost every character in the game) to solve dastardly clues left by the riddler. Every area in the game (and we mean every area – from the smallest corridor to the largest outdoor area) has a clever little riddle attached to it that batman must solve. To do so you have to ‘scan’ the answer in detective mode which earns you a heap experience points to spend on new moves, like bone breaking combos.
Yes, batman can be upgraded. “This was difficult for us because we wanted batman to feel fully-featured out of the box” Says Hill. “But we also wanted him to improve as the story went on. The idea is that you can choose how you want to upgrade.” Almost everything you do has an experience reward – from solving Riddles and finding clues to defeating enemies. When you reach a certain amount you can earn an upgrade that you can use to power up an ability. Some are simple like improved armour or new combos, but others are more outlandish like remote controlled batarangs and the ability to hang upside down from the rafters and grab hapless guards from above. The genius of the experience system is that it makes you really explore the environment. You’ll become obsessed with solving every riddle, finding every set of joker teeth and locating every interview tape because it makes a tangible difference to your character.
No Joke
Playing as the joker is a massive coup for PS3. The controls are the same, but he’s a lot more sadistic. For one, he has a gun. Batman never kills anyone (just knocks them out) but the joker doesn’t think twice about unloading his oversized magnum into a guards face. His ‘stealth’ attacks are also a lot more violent: one, for instance, is a swift kick to the nuts.
We’ve played about six or seven hours of the main game, - from the interactive intro where joker takes over the asylum, to rescuing a guard from the demented Zsasz, to Commissioner Gordon being kidnapped to a boss fight with [Deleted] and another with Bane, Whose ‘venom’ tubes you need to violently yank out of his head. The bane fight is the only disappointment of out entire playthrough.
Arkham asylum is so well designed, so polished and of such quality that we almost can’t believe it. Licensed superhero Games notoriously never live up to their potential, a tradition rocksteady have boldly defied. With grey corridors and indistinguishable jungles dominating games, it’s refreshing to see a world so full of detail and history and to control a character that so perfectly captures its essence. You ARE Batman. “We’re really proud of Arkham Asylum” says hill. “This is the Game we’ve always wanted to make.
PSM3 Reckons
You only really understand Arkham asylum’s greatness when you sit down and immerse yourself in it. An engaging story, a detailed setting and solid, satisfying combat make it one of the most exciting games on PS3. And we’ll have the first Review next month.
Extra Sections
Be Joker on PS3
The PS3 version of Arkham asylum comes with an exclusive playable character – The Joker. He’s the complete antithesis of Batman: psychotic, no morals, willing to kill anyone who gets in his way, and the perfect villain, voiced brilliantly by Mark Hamill. You can’t use him in the main game, but in eight challenge rooms, split between big arena fights and stealth sections. “The joker not as agile as batman, but he has strengths over him and some moral boundaries that he doesn’t Mind Crossing.” Explains Sefton Hill. Here are some of the Deadliest Tricks up his sleeve.
Remote Control Teeth: Release these and you can guide them around the level. The batarangs, they’re useful for scouting; great for the joker as he can’t climb to the top of the level, his biggest weakness. They also explode fatally on contact with legs.
X-Ray Specs:
These glasses are the joker’s version of batman’s detective mode and lets him see enemies through walls to crack their patrol routes. The downside to the specs is that joker has to be standing up and can’t move while using them. This makes them a lot less useful that bats detective view, but they do make a funny noise when you equip them.
Pistol:
The Jokers Gun can only be fired 3 times, but it’s an instant kill. In arena fights you can only fire it once per round. To use it, aim with L1 and fire with R1. “You can combo it into your moves” explains hill “It can even go through people and kill anyone behind them, so if you line up the sots right you can get about four people with one bullet. It takes a lot of skill though”
Tools of the Trade
Batman’s utility belt is as packed as ever with gadgets, although not all of them are available from the beginning. Handily batman built a miniature Batcave on Arkham asylum years earlier (“Just in case” He explains – what a pro) and can use it to get new gadgets and access his computer. We also noticed a vehicle hanging from the ceiling, draped in tarpaulin that looks suspiciously like a speedboat. Maybe we’ll get to explore Gotham bay?
Explosive Gel:
You find this in the boot of the Batmobile after stopping a group of joker’s goons trying to break into it. Spray it onto a wall (Batman draws the shape of a bat, which is just showing off, basically) which you can then remotely detonate to destroy weak walls. You can even use it to set traps for enemies, when they walk over it... boom.
Remote Control Batarang:
This costs an upgrade but it’s definitely worth it. When batman throws it, the camera zooms in behind, letting you guide it (with the sticks, not sixaxis, mercifully) towards an enemy. Great for recon, it’s also a guaranteed knockout if it hits. Best of all, it disarms gun toting baddies.
Batclaw:
Similar to the Grappling hook, but this one lets you grab an object and then yank it towards you. This comes in handy when you need to rip a vent cover odd or move a heavy crate. You can also use it to pull enemies towards you for an instant kicking.
Bosses
Confirmed:
Joker
Riddler
Killer Croc
Harley Quinn
Amygdala
Zsasz
Bane
Expected:
Poison Ivy
Penguin
Hush
The Creeper
Mr Freeze
Scarecrow
The Great White Shark
Firefly
Riddle Me this...
Early in the Game the riddler taunts you with a series of challenges. These are accessed from the in game menu and you earn experience points for every one solved. They range from destroying chattering teeth to finding hidden trophies to the actual riddles themselves – some are genuinely Mind Bending – and often they reference characters and events from batman’s history. You’ll become genuinely obsessed with clearing the riddles for each area of the asylum, although some early solutions will be blocked off until you unlock new abilities. “We wanted to tie the history and mythology of Arkham Island into an objective that would reward the player fir exploring, hence the riddler challenges.” Explains hill. Below are some Early Riddles and solutions
“My Challenges appear to those who have the correct position in life” This cryptic clue involves using your grappling hook to climb to the very top of the asylum – actually, its highest point, a giant clock tower – and use detective Mode to find a question mark.
The View here is stunning and you can make out Gotham city landmarks in the skyline – including the Wayne enterprises building, which is a clue to a further riddle.
Problem is, the dot [on the question mark] is missing. Then you realise [using detective mode] its painted on the ground by your feet, and you have to line it up with the other half to complete the Puzzle. Genius.
“You don’t know Jack about Gotham. Tune in and find out”This is a much easier one, but a good example of the detail in the environments. Batman passes through a locker room and heard a radio blaring, which is flagged up on detective mode.
The DJ is Jack Ryder – also known as the Creeper, who may make an appearance as a boss later in the game, but that’s just a guess – and he’s reporting on the asylum takeover.
Scan the radio in detective mode and you’ll solve the riddle, this is one of the easier ones to figure out. But easily missed if you’re not paying attention to your surroundings.
“The legacy of this island has been well and truly buried” This ones tricky as the area is absolutely massive, but a creepy graveyard near a steep Cliffside looks like it may hold the solution, but scanning various graves yields no results.
Then you notice one with an exhumed coffin and a lamp burning next to it. Zooming in on the headstone reveals that its the grave of Dr. Amadeus Arkham, the founder of the Asylum.
Solving this riddle unlocks Arkham’s Character Bio and reveals that after building the asylum, he ironically became one if its patients himself. There’s just so much to discover.
“Find the Spirit of Arkham and unlock the Islands Secrets”One of the biggest mysteries in the game is the spirit of Arkham side quest. The Riddler asks you to scan strange stone tablets marked with ancient writing and an insect-shaped [beetle] symbol.
Scanning them in Detective mode unlocks a recording of Amadeus Arkham talking about his reasons for building the asylum, they’re surprisingly dark and twisted.
Amadeus expresses his Disgust at the city’s criminals and a desire to ‘cure’ them by any means necessary. There are 24 stone tablets in total hidden around the island
Trophies
Freeflow Combo 5
Complete a combo of 5 moves in any play mode
Freeflow Combo 10
Complete a combo of 10 moves in any play mode
Freeflow Combo 20
Complete a combo of 20 moves in any play mode
Freeflow combo 40
Complete a combo of 40 moves in any play mode
Freeflow Perfection
Perform a Perfect Combo including all of batman’s moves. Any play mode.
Freeflow Bronze
Achieve 8 medals on combat challenges
Freeflow silver
Achieve 16 medals on combat challenges
Freeflow Gold
Achieve 24 medals on combat challenges
Night glider glide
Waft continuously for over 100 meters
Rope-a-dope-dope
String up one henchman and drop him to KO a second. Any play mode.
Catch
Catch a Batarang. Any Play Mode.
Predator Bronze
Achieve 8 medals on predator challenges
Predator Silver
Achieve 16 medals on predator challenges
Predator Gold
Achieve 24 medals on predator challenges
Invisible Predator
Complete one predator challenge without being detected
Flawless Freeflow
Fighter complete one combat challenge without taking damage
Crack the E Nigma
Solve Every Riddle on the Island
Arkham Analyst Solve
5% of Riddler Challenges
Cryptic Investigator
10% of Riddler Challenges
Lateral Thinker
25% of Riddler Challenges
Mystery Solver
40% of Riddler Challenges
Conundrum cracker
55% of Riddler Challenges
Mental Athlete
70% of Riddler Challenges
Riddle solver
85% of Riddler Challenges
Perfect Knight
100% of Riddler Challenges
Platinum
Collect all Trophies
