Wow, first of all, let's catch up. I'm still the same me that I introduced months back. But in the time that I've disappeared, my family has arrived and we have moved into our current residence in the Laredo Ranch community! More on that to come as we're still settling in some. Also, exploration will continue when possible. Arizona Livin' has a lot to see and share with the world outside! Stay tuned for future videos and places to go.
Now, let's get back into the swing of things with something that I promised back in August. We're going to keep the first blog post in ages simple and review - drum roll please...I said drum roll please!! (sigh) - Batman: Arkham Asylum!
The crowd wonders, "Well, Faith, why in the world do you have the PS3 boxart there? Back in August...!" Yes, I know. Me darlings, I'm going to preface this by saying I've gone to the dark side and done something that I swore I never would: I bought a PS3. I'm very sorry, Microsoft, but it just wasn't working out between us. Sony was smart enough to grab the Joker gameplay, and I go anywhere my sweet Mistah J goes. You knew that when we first met. My only regret is that I'm dearly going to miss my beloved Fable series.
Anyway, enough of the sweet sorrow parting. Time to address the matters at hand: Did the game live up to the hype and expectations? Have Batman and his glorious Rogues finally been redeemed in the World of Gaming? Is it worth shelling out it's current price value of $50 bucks?
...you were expecting an answer right away? And ruin the surprises? Hell no, keep reading!
Story/Gameplay
Game written by Paul Dini: I still believe that this was the saving grace for Batman this time around. Mark Hamill himself was happy back in the day when he found out a B:TAS episode was a Dini script. The fact that Eidos/Rocksteady managed to get Dini onboard for B:AA was the breath of fresh air after a rainstorm. I am a fan of Dini's work, the vast majority of my favorite episodes being written by him. Hell, he even made an episode of the recent The Batman series bearable. (Of course, he had to sacrifice Harley's backstory to do it, but for the sake of point, we'll stick with 'bearable.')
The premise of course is simple. A few months after the Joker's last Arkham escape, Batman has finally wiped the Gotham streets clean by returning the murderous psychopathic clown to his home sweet home-away-from-home. Little is the B-man expecting the surprise that awaits when they arrive. With some help on the inside, the Joker has orchestrated a grand homecoming, which results in Bats' greatest threats taking over the asylum, all ready to give him the night from hell.
In the midst of this, we have the "Project: Titan" subplot. Newcomer-character, Dr. Penny Young, Head of Arkham Research, has been developing a formula derived from Venom, the steroid-esque drug that powers infamous rogue, Bane. Titan is a bajillion-and-one times more powerful, however, unfortunately to the point of a nasty side effect: turning the test subjects into huge hulking monsters! (Yes, it's gross to watch. We're talking spine-splitting-through-skin gross.) Of course, this means that the Joker wants it to create a monster army that will put Gotham City in ruins. It's your job as Bats to not only survive, but also make sure Titan production is shut down before Joker reaches that point.
Both plots are well handled, balancing out to keep your head in the game. Although, they make gameplay very linear (i.e. do A to get to B, B to get to C, etc). For a more casual gamer like myself, that is perfectly fine. Some gamers however prefer a more open-world plot that lets the player decide what they want to do next. That style was touched briefly upon here with the Riddler side quests that you complete to get more "experience points" for character upgrades. But even that is more linear, making it where you can't get certain Riddler items without specific gadgets you acquire throughout the game.
One thing though that they did get completely right was the perfect blend of Batman's combat skills and sleuthing abilities. The latter has always been missing from previous games, not offering the complete experience of being the "World's Greatest Detective." Here, you get the full package. Going up against armed goons is suicide, plain and simple, and there are rooms that are filled with them, forcing you to be more invisible and figuring out the best way to take them down before they see you. There is also a "Detective Mode" option for those moments when you just can't figure out what to do. Hitting the button to go into this mode sets off a program in Batman's cowl that lets you see hints, which thugs are armed and not, etc. It's been only the biggest help for this player!
The story's weakest link...is the ending. Because some people who may be reading this are currently playing the game along with me, I will leave much "SPOILER!" space so that they may scroll ahead and skip this part until we finish. (Mom, this means you. No peeking!)
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(...diamond motif...Harley...get it? C:)
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SPOILER: With all the rogues locked up and defeated, you finally have a chance to go up against the big J-man himself. However, while we all know the Joker is surprisingly very good in hand-to-hand combat, apparently the game developers or whoever decided he wouldn't be able to match against the Bat. (I guess they missed the grand fight on the train in Mad Love, among others.)
This being said, following an onslaught of Blackgate thugs and two Titan goons, the Joker injects both himself and Batman with the Titan formula. Batsy only has enough antidote for one person, and uses it on...himself. I stared at the screen for so long, my dears, saying "...WHY?!?!?" So there you are, helpless against a Titan powered Joker who can kill you with one hand swipe, fighting yet more Blackgate thugs. The only way to defeat Titan Joker is to avoid him, wait til the arena is clear, pull him off his grand stand where he's showing off for the masses as you fight goons, and when he's stuck in the floor boards after the pull, beat the living hell out of him. Repeat two more times, and you're done.
Because I don't know whose idea it was more - developers or Dini - the fault unfortunately has to rest on both. Not only does this feel like a very "video game" ending, but it really brings the Joker to shame. He isn't the single greatest threat to Batman for nothing, and he doesn't need to shoot himself up with a steroid to win. He fights dirty, for crying out loud! He does whatever it takes to win, sure, but overall, he says no to drugs. Like many things, they're beneath his genius, a cop out solution to the problem. There is nothing remotely funny about it. Not to mention, Titan Joker is ugly enough to scare away even his dear Harley Quinn, I'm sure. Thankfully she's safe and locked up in her cell over in the Penitentiary before she sees this happen.
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END SPOILER!
Other than that minor little detail that many have come to ignore, the storyline is perfect and well-executed. You sit hoping that cutscenes last just the slightest big longer because it feels as though you're watching a movie instead of playing a game. These days, any game to do that is a winner!
Characters/Voiceovers
This goes without saying, but the casting choices in B:AA were top notch pick of the litter. You bring in the likes of Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, and Arleen Sorkin to any Bat project and fans are going to cheer. Conroy and Hamill as always were absolutely amazing! Aged some perhaps, but that's just a fact of life, it happens. If you close your eyes, though, you could swear you're watching a brand new B:TAS episode for the first time in years!
The only person I was very let down with was my girl Arleen Sorkin. Her Quinn voice is fine. Not as perky, but that could be an atmospheric choice to match the game's dark ominous environment. However, whether it was an acting choice or a directorial note, her performance during the Harley Patient Interviews while she's still Dr. Harleen Quinzel is disappointing. Quinzel and Quinn, while the same person bodily, are still considered two different character personalities. Harley has to become an entirely different woman when going through that transition from one to the other. When Sorkin recorded her dialogue for Mad Love, she hit the nail on the head. Soft, subtle, professional for Quinzel; perky, naive, 1930s mole for Quinn. In the game, she channeled Quinn the entire time, and the transition that fans know and love was completely lost. Unfortunately, this makes the elation you get from hearing enhanced, updated Mad Love dialogue disappear very quickly after listening to the interviews a few more times.
On a better note, there is a pleasant surprise performance by another B:TAS veteran, Adrienne Barbeau, the voice of Catwoman who joins this cast as Dr. Gretchen Whistler. I didn't notice until a YouTube viewer commented on a video of Harley's first patient interview. "Why is Harley talking to Catwoman and why does Catwoman have an accent?" I thought he or she was nuts until I beat the game and saw Barbeau's name in the credits. Hot damn, she really was talking to Catwoman after all!
Special mention goes to Tasia Valenza and Dino Andrade who play Poison Ivy and the Scarecrow. Upon hearing Ivy speak for the first time, I really had to wonder if it was Diane Pershing, her Animated Series counterpart who I love. Valenza did very well in her stead (despite her seeming to...enjoy her big boss fight with the Bat. Have to wonder, hmm...). Likewise Andrade made the Scarecrow levels all the more tense and edge-of-seat with his eerie, obsessive tones. "You failed; now suffer!" I did whenever I got that game over screen; I really did. Creepy!
Joker Gameplay on PS3
As mentioned earlier, yes, I gave into the hype and got a PlayStation 3, therefore enabling me to download the eight Joker challenge maps. (Yes, just challenge maps for Mistah J - little side levels where you have to defeat enemies around the room, earning bonuses if you complete the specific takedown challenges for each one.)
Let me say, if you are up to a challenge, these levels are definitely for you. Batman has it easy! Higher health bars due to his Kevlar suit (even higher with the Armor suit if you complete the game and obtain it). More gadgets to use against the Joker's goons. Sure, anyone can complete these levels with all that!
Joker, you're not so lucky, and like the character himself, you have to rely on skills and fighting no way but dirty! With no protection, your health bar is minimal and runs out very quickly. Gadget wise, you're also limited. The deadly joy buzzer is there, but only comes up rarely if you perform a takedown. The Joker Toxin/Smilex Gas is the equivalent of Batman's "Cape Stun" attack, only stunning enemies momentarily to get them off your back if you're surrounded. X-Ray glasses act as Joker's Detective Mode, but unlike Batman's, you have to hold the button to make it stay on. Once you let go, it disappears whereas Batman's stays on as long as you need it, no hold neccessary. The only weapons at your command are exploding chattering teeth and a gun that has only one bullet. (You read that correctly, just one. You use it once and then the gun is useless for the remainder of the level. Not cool, but fair, I guess.)
All that said, the levels are a lot of fun, but very, very challenging. I recommend practicing with the Batman maps first before tackling those levels as the Clown Prince of Crime. He only lets the best of the best play for his team, and with these, you'll see why.
Overall, my score for the game is a 8 out of 10. If the ending was handled differently and all voiceacting was up to par, it would be pure perfection.
...but wait...didn't I see...a Sequel is in the works?
Really?! Well, how about that?! The ending does make way for a sequel in a few different ways. All of which I can not say much without ruining it for others who haven't been able to play the game yet.
But yes, as announced at last year's Spike Video Game Awards (in a brilliant introduction worthy of the Joker!), Mark Hamill announced in full J-voice that there was a sequel coming and the trailer was revealed. That of which can be enjoyed right here, courtesy of Machinima.com -
So far, we can only wonder if "Arkham Asylum 2" is going to be just as big and beautiful as its predecessor, but I'm quite positive. Rocksteady has proven themselves worthy of handling the Bat, so as a fan, I trust them explicitly with Round 2. Not to mention with the implied return of Joker and Harley; the hinted appearances of Two-Face, Penguin, and Black Mask; and the possibility of Arkham being moved out into Gotham City itself (chance for open-world?)...well, it could be big!
Right now, it is available for pre-order, although the infamous Release Date Jumping Game is back in play. At this moment, it is expected for January 2011, and currently only on Xbox 360 and PS3. Stay tuned to the blog for updates, 'cause you know I'm ready to give them! In the meantime, go enjoy the trailer one more time at their website, ArkhamHasMoved.com. It's bare bones right now, but no harm in having a bookmark handy!
Faith out C:
