Purchased the Batman Collectors edition and never thought twice about it. A week or less and I pretty much put across sometime the past few days to playing this game because it was that addictive!! I couldnt believe the atmosphere, gameplay, storyline and all around adaptation of this new installment of the Dark Knight embodies everything Batman trully is to all batfans.
Just finished the game this evening (couldnt believe id finished it since it felt everything happened so quickly) while the credits were rolling I just had a smile and sat in awe everything you could wish for as a fan came true. The developers really put themselves in our shoes and created a world through the eyes of Batman should really be and for every fans childhood hero to really shine.
Now before i ramble too much about all the praises and acknowledgement this game deserves, if you wanted good gameplay and great graphics with no aimless button mashing then do not overlook this game even if your not a batfan! The combat system just blew me away the dynamics of it make it look so complex on screen YET SIMPLISTIC. Unbelievable how you can have so much fun utilising combat moves at the touch of a button yet timing is everything and spectators will be dazzled by your acrobatic ala matrix manneoveres, every person will love it =). This is what I call intuitive gameplay at its finest, you'll even feel like Batman (LOL peeps will know exactly what I mean after any fighting situations) :P
Now where would Batman be without his trademark utility belt? As you progress through the game you pick up your usual unlockable upgrades as well as new arsenal of gadgets you have at your disposal well executed at introducing new ones as you progress through the game to have fun with and your put in the shoes of the Dark Knight so utilising each is crucial and there are key moments in the game where your wits and quick thinking will have to be on par! It all contributes to making you really feel like your Batman knocking out scum like rubbish, gliding down clifftops, dangling like a bat on gargoyles and using your utility belt which is your life saver
I loved how the Batmobile and Batplane as well as a few villains made cameos along this game ( I wont spoil it for you but it just adds to the countless benefits the developers created just for us!)
The storyline is well thought out and although you do go back and forth (which some view as a negative having to backtrack to areas of the game youve already been to) theyve made this more of an attraction due to the fact that there are secret items left by the riddler that give you more unlockables that you could not reach before i.e Using the batclaw to rip down a wall or blowing out a hollow wall to collect more riddlers items (dont worry even though there are over 200 they are all highlighted on your map, so this game never leaves you completely lost while not spoon feeding you to a total advantage).
Although one could say every batfan is bias towards stating that this game is amazing you probably would get the contrast with them being the most clinical reviewers and the reviews speak volumes about this game!! I do not see any negatives about this game at all except its far too short :P :).
We are blessed with the voice acting cast from the memorable animated batman series group who alot are in this game (and Im really glad as a kid I enjoyed Kevin Conroy playing Batman since he does a fantastic job at it, as well as Mark Hamill aka Joker and the rest of the villains etc). Great contribution to a strong movie like storyline
This game is engineered to perfection:-
You want espionage aka Metal gear solid youve got it here
You want action packed beat-em up aka Dynasty warriors youve got it here
You want captivating graphics and storyline filled with intrigue and puzzle solving aka Resident Evil youve got it here
The collaboration of these respected games aspects do exist in Batman Arkham Asylum- through strategic planning and mastered storyline = One of the best games to ever bless the PS3 so far, and ive played various Playstation games in my time to put this up in my top 10 of all time no worries.
Classic for your PS3 shelf? most definetely!!!!