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Out This Month
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Prince of Persia Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC Release Date: 12/2/2008 Genres: Action, Adventure Developer: Ubisoft |
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Damnation Platforms: PS3, PC, Xbox 360 Release Date: 12/16/2008 Genres: Action Developer: Blue Omega Entertainment |
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Bomberman Ultra Platforms: PS3 (PSN) Release Date: TBA Genres: Puzzle Developer: Hudson |
| Batman: Arkham Asylum Preview |
| Sean Tonks, Senior Editor | ||||||||
| Friday, September 12 2008 | ||||||||
 There is not a generation that has gone by in nearly 70 years that doesn't know who Batman is. With the numerous comics, movies, T.V. shows, toys and video games that have spawned from DC Comics' most popular character, it would be hard to not be at all familiar with the Dark Knight. However, his gaming reputation has been less than desirable. While Batman has appeared on nearly every console since his computer debut in 1986, he's never really had a game that was worth the play time. But with the release of Batman: Arkham Asylum the team over at Rocksteady Studios hopes to change the history of the mediocre Batman game forever.As the name suggests, the game takes place in the comic book setting of Arkham Asylum. With this setting, there is a much more serious feel to the game. Seeing the asylum looming on an island surrounded with what seems like an endless sea, really gives you the feeling of isolation. But before you feel disappointed that the setting will get repetitive, know this- Arkham Asylum is huge. Housing some of Batman's most famous -and dangerous- enemies requires an incredible amount of space and, much like Bioshock, the world is yours to roam.  As the game opens, Batman has just brought Joker back to the Asylum. While he is being secured to a very Silence of the Lambs style gurney, he spouts off his usual twisted remarks. Batman has returned the Joker to his prison, yet he can't help but feel that the surrender was much too quick and easy. In response to his feelings, and through some very tense moments the Joker ultimately escapes his bonds and the picture becomes clear. He had planned the takeover of Arkham and lured Batman into his twisted funhouse, with every Bat-hating baddie at his disposal. With this type of threat, Batman has to be sure he assesses the danger before flying into a battle. Because Batman is not only bad ass in the combat department, in Arkham Asylum you will get to see the detective side of our winged hero as well. The game will take a CSI feel when the Dark Knight comes across evidence. He'll have all the latest gadgets from a scanner to add to your evidence database to devices that show weak walls and fingerprints. With another new tool, he can locate enemies and even identify hazards the may have, such as knives and guns, to help him decide the right course of action.  The player has several options during combat. If you see a baddie wandering on his own, use the grappling gun to throw him over a rail to his death. As his screams attract the others patrolling the area, you can decide if you want to swoop down from the rafters and dispatch them in close combat or pick them off from afar. While Joker's regular goons are no real match for Batman, the threat of crossing paths with the likes of Killer Croc leaves Batman with the need to upgrade his gadgetry. This doesn't mean that the Batman you start with is a wuss. In fact, he feels very much like Batman, but with more serious threats, new and improved gadgets are very useful. To help with this the team has developed a type of level/upgrade system where you can enhance current weapons, like being able to throw multiple Batarangs at the same time, or even acquiring new equipment, like a claw for the end of your grappler. The close combat has been simplified to enhance the overall game. Instead of a long list of combo moves and complicated button presses the developers have slimmed combat down to three buttons: attack, stun, and takedown.  The reason for this? So that combat can stay fresh without becoming too overwhelming, and confusing. Which means Batman isn't only going to do the same three moves that don't flow or get stale after just a few minutes. The battles feel like you really are Batman, punching, kicking, and swiping your cape to stun multiple enemies before you string them up by their feet ending the confrontation. You can even swing in using the grappling gun and perform the classic kick-in-the-back move we've always seen from our masked hero.But what about when there are just too many villains for you to dispatch by hand? That's where the stealth-inspired predator mode comes in. Rather than hiding in the shadows and waiting for an enemy to pass, Batman takes a much more active approach to the stealth idea. Throwing enemies over railings or dropping in silently behind them only to take them out and disappear into the shadows before being spotted are more akin to Batman's style. He never worries about an enemy finding a body or hearing a crash. In fact, that is all part of his plan. As the enemies are picked off one by one, the remaining goons grow more anxious and terrified with each scream or echo in the distance. Their own fear makes them behave irrationally and therefore, make more mistakes.  This new take on a beloved comic book series really makes the excitement of Batman really come back to life. Rather than feeling as if our hero is lame, Rocksteady Studios is working tirelessly to make sure Batman feels every bit as badass as he really is. The story is very dark and an intriguing experience that could change the way we look at Batman games forever. We are very excited to see what else Rocksteady has up their sleeves when the game releases in 2010.images from gamedaily.com Share/Bookmark: 
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3.23 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."
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