Context of Practice AAA Research: Batman Arkham Asylum

This is probably one of my favourite games due to how beautiful and perfect the game is. It follows Batman as he takes The Joker back to Arkham Asylum, the prison built to house all of Gotham's most wanted. But it feels to easy and soon enough a mass breakout occurs and the Bat is tapped inside. The game is based around the Joker setting many traps for Batman and the Bat trying to take him down.

Along with the constant threat of The Joker there are also other villains on the loose, as obviously The Joker has let everyone out of there cells. We meet a multitude of Batman villains including Bane, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and even Clay face... if you can find him. Throughout the game there are also so many little secrets to be found that gives clues to other characters living in the cells such as Calender Man and Two Face, even though we don't actually meet them.

Along with fantastic character designs the island is also amazing. Arkham Asylum has been built on a separate island to the rest of Gotham - a bit like how its set out in Batman Begins, and the Asylum is also heavily guarded. Around the asylum there are so many things to see and find which makes exploring it so much fun as there is such a massive space to look around. Along with the main building there are also a few others including the cell blocks and intensive treatment. But there is also the chance to explore Ivy's gardens, Batman's makeshift Bat Cave and Killer Croc's Lair; which the prison actually built for him in the sewers.

Unlike any other game I know the mechanics in this game are beautiful and so smooth to play with. Whether its gliding around the cave system or just running down the different corridors, which I'll add are all beautifully created and really create the mental asylum atmosphere, everything about this game is fun and exciting. But it is the combat that sets this game apart from the rest. It is the best I have ever seen in any game. The flow is so smooth and it is so easy to get lost in a fight when watching Batman effortlessly pound down mentalists. But even though it is a very easy combat system it can sometimes be difficult to get everything in time and counter every hit to get that perfect combo ending which is something I really like.

To sum up, this is a wonderful game that everyone should try playing at least once as it really cannot be faulted. The only thing I will say is that they could have cut down slightly on the amount of villains there were. As great as it was seeing nearly all of them, they only got about 5 minutes screen time each as they has to fit so many in, but this is a minor detail that didn't alter how I think about this game, as it is truly one of the best that I have had the privilege of playing.

Again like a lot of the games I've been reviewing Batman: Arkham Asylum has a very well written story that is told well through the players progress throughout the game. The storytelling is very good throughout and you can see how it develops as the player discovers more about the people behind the breakout and then also find out about other characters along the way that are helping. As this was the first Batman game to be published by Rocksteady, it was important for them to make the environments as beautiful and creative as possible and they have done just that. The environments are all very cleverly designed and include lovely little details that all relate to either learning more about the background story of Batman or telling a new or different story to go alongside his. In any case it helps guide you through the environment even more and is an excellent example of how environmental storytelling can be used in even big AAA games.