Batman learns from Oracle that Joker has placed bombs all over Gotham threatening to detonate them if anyone enters Arkham. Batman then gets a transmission from Harley Quinn that she has captured the wardenfor the Joker. Batman manages sneak up on Zsasz and take him down with a glide kick. Batman learns that Zsasz has escaped and has captured one of the guards. Soon Batman learns that there is trouble in the pacification room. Shortly after arriving, however, the Joker, with the help of Harley Quinn, frees all the inmates and locks down the Asylum with Batman, Commissioner Gordon, and much of the staff still inside.Īfter fighting some enemies on the first level, Batman makes his way to locate the Joker.
Due to the Joker's recent attack on Gotham City's Blackgate Prison, a large number of sane convicts have been transferred. The game begins with Batman capturing the Joker after his latest plot and escorting him to Arkham Asylum for imprisonment. Additionally, the detective gadgets will be able to identify riddles scattered throughout each level of Arkham, which unlock challenge maps and other upgrades after a certain set of them are solved. Other gadgets include a pheromone tracker, a fingerprint scanner, and an x-ray vision mode. The visor can highlight points of interest and scan items into Batman's database, similar to the Scan Visor found in Nintendos Metroid Prime trilogy. While in detective mode, the visors in the cowl will be engaged.
Investigative mode is the centerpiece in Batman's arsenal. The combat experience is heightened using realistic physics. Batman can create distractions with bodies and victims' yells, and then stalk the guards as they go to inspect. There are sections that involve stealth, although the developers state that they prefer to call them "Predatory" gameplay sections, as stealth tends to imply weakness. The player will need gadgets to survive against certain enemies. Gadgets are revealed by collecting items in secret rooms, and they can be upgraded using accumulated experience points to access new areas. In an RPG-like skill tree system players will be able to distribute points where they prefer. Once the combo expires, a colony of bats will swirl around Batman and then contribute to an experience bar on the left side of the screen. FreeFlow Combat is accomplished using only three buttons: Attack, Stun and Takedown.ĭuring battle, a combo multiplier at the top of the screen will increase with every strike. He then swipes his cape to stun his other enemies and engages them in combat. One thug is carrying a machine gun, so Batman jumps off the ledge, spreads his cape, and stuns him. Batman switches to detective mode using a blue tinted visor that among other things lets Batman see his enemies through walls and identifies things like guns and knives. Combat description features Batman perched on a high ledge in a wide open room as some of the Joker's thugs rifle through drawers. Some boss battles are focused on combat while others will focus on gadgets. Arkham will make use of Batman's many gadgets to accomplish tasks and take down foes, such as using the grapple gun to get a better perspective on a particular area. Arkham will be a persistent location that the player is able to freely roam, including an area that serves as Batman's secret on-site Batcave. Most of the game is played from Batman's perspective through an over-the-shoulder, third person perspective, similar to that of Resident Evil 4 and Dead Space.Īrkham was chosen as a location because of its limitations including the fact that it's located on an island. Gameplay places just as much focus on Batman's role as a detective as on his combat prowess. In a description by Game Informer, the gameplay is reminiscent of BioShock. The game has a fairly closed gameplay atmosphere. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics and was released on Augin North America and Augin Europe.It is based on the long-running comic book mythos, as opposed to most other Batman games which are adaptations of the character in other media besides the source material. It was developed by Microsoft WindowsRocksteady Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Batman: Arkham Asylum is an action-adventure stealth video game for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, and is based on DC Comics' Batman.