Batman: Arkham Asylum

[vivisectvi]

Eh, what can I say? I splurged and picked up the Collector's Edition yesterday. It comes with some PSN codes that you can redeem for some challenge rooms, and a lot of extra stuff. I haven't had a chance to sit down and play it yet, other than the half hour I spent on the Gamestop demo kiosk playing the full version of the game. Probably the last game I'll pick up for the next couple months.

How is the crazy Batarang?

 

[AndrewTS]

This game is really making me consider my new game purchasing vow of chastity, especially since I have a bunch of (probably near worthless individually) games that could add up to some good credit with trade-in bonuses. I just feel kind of burned because the last new console game I bought was Prototype, and yeah--that was quite the letdown.

What, if any, does the game include as far as replay value?

 

[Broward83]

Re: trade bonuses

If you go to Gamestop and put it towards Batman, you get an extra 25% bonus for the games and I believe if you have an Edge card, the extra 10% bonus tacks on to make it a bit easier for purchase.

I've been playing the game on the crappy PS3 kiosk at work during drop offs in customers and have had a blast playing it. Don't know if I'd buy it since I'm not big in to Batman and I've heard the ending kind of ruins what the game builds you up towards..

 

[Obi Chris Kenobi]

This game is really making me consider my new game purchasing vow of chastity, especially since I have a bunch of (probably near worthless individually) games that could add up to some good credit with trade-in bonuses. I just feel kind of burned because the last new console game I bought was Prototype, and yeah--that was quite the letdown.

What, if any, does the game include as far as replay value?

Game of the Year, I can't put it down, yet I don't want it to finish. I haven't played a game and felt like that since Zelda on the N64. Not sure on the replay value of it, other then beating your mate's scores on the challenges, and collecting all the Riddler Challenges.

 

[AndrewTS]

If you go to Gamestop and put it towards Batman, you get an extra 25% bonus for the games and I believe if you have an Edge card, the extra 10% bonus tacks on to make it a bit easier for purchase.

Yeah, I picked up that little ad so I'm aware of it. It's tempting, indeed.

 

[Haws Bah Gawd]

Eh, what can I say? I splurged and picked up the Collector's Edition yesterday. It comes with some PSN codes that you can redeem for some challenge rooms, and a lot of extra stuff. I haven't had a chance to sit down and play it yet, other than the half hour I spent on the Gamestop demo kiosk playing the full version of the game. Probably the last game I'll pick up for the next couple months.

How is the crazy Batarang?

Well, it fits nice on the shelf. It comes "battle damaged" which is kind of neat. It's a really nice set overall though.

 

[CBright7831]

I was listening to some of the Arkham Asylum Patient Interviews - my favorites are Joker, Harley, and Scarecrow. Some of the bits with Harley are taken directly from Mad Love.

 

[2GOLD]

This game is like my favorite episode of Batman, that is going to be the replay value for me. There may not be different ways to take the story but there are different ways to take out the henchmen and different things to look for. I've already made it my goal to talk to everyone next time around just to see what they say. Some games once I beat them it's like "Ok, beat it" but with this one I'm looking forward to beating it so I can try it again with one of the other three save spots. Add in the Riddler trophies and riddles, the tapes, and the secrets of arkham tomes and it's an overall big list of things to do.

And Killer Croc is HUGE!

 

[Scroby]

Main Story Replay: There really isn't a replay value here. Once the story is actually over, you can go back into the game and just walk around Arkham with basically no baddies around and find everything you didn't find while playing the actual story but once you find everything...well basically that part of the game is over. It's still fun as hell though.

Challenge Modes: I think once you get the gold medals on all of these modes you probably won't want to go back and play them again but getting the medals isn't really that easy so yeah.

Honestly Andrew, if you're worried about buying the game, I suggest renting it. The story is really really good. I was playing it for hours and didn't really want to stop playing it.

 

[Haws Bah Gawd]

I've fought Scarecrow

Spoiler

a couple of times

and that's been interesting to say the least. I really like what they did with Bane. Guy has an oil drum sized container of Venom strapped to his back!

 

[vivisectvi]

I've been terrible at keeping up with this game.. I really need to find more time to play it!!

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

I saw a commercial last week where The Joker informed me I could play as him... if I buy the PS3 version.

Consider yourself boycotted, game!

Editors note: Boycott expires if Joker on 360 is announced as DLC and/or I really enjoy the demo I still have yet to play.

 

[vivisectvi]

You only get to play as him in the challenge mode.. it's just a series of guards coming at you.. there's no special Joker story level or play the game from the Joker's vantage point (which would've been awesome) thing to it.

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

Oh. That's different, then. The commercial made it seem it was one of those Dr. Grant / Raptor in the Genesis Jurassic Park deals.

 

[Sabre]

"Further establishing the Guinness World Records as an excellent marketing tool, Guinness has bestowed upon Batman: Arkham Asylum the record of the ?Most Critically Acclaimed Superhero Game Ever'. Back when I was a kid, you couldn't get into the Guinness Book of World Records without having disgustingly long fingernails, but it's the future now, and with the world supply of fingernail clippers at an all-time high, the Guinness have to look elsewhere for record-breaking feats - like Metacritic, for instance. Having the highest average review score for a video game in the history of the medium I could see, but aren't they getting a bit too specific with ?Most Critically Acclaimed Superhero Game Ever'? Sure, an average review score of 91.67 is nothing to scoff at, but does Batman: Arkham Asylum really need a custom-tailored world record? Guinness' Gaz Deaves seems to think so.

"We are so pleased to be awarding Batman: Arkham Asylum a Guinness World Record. It is a fantastic new game and due to the reaction of gaming experts we believe it has a well deserved place in the Guinness World Records book."

A well-deserved place in a book that is quickly losing all meaning and relevance, with awards that seem crafted to fit the feat, rather than the other way around, as it should be."

WTF?

 

[luke-o]

That's bloody stupid.

 

[Sabre]

Exactly, we ALL know that the best superhero game was Superman 64.

 

[luke-o]

 

[AndrewTS]

So pretty much they're only counting games that exist on Metacritic.

Stupid.

 

[vivisectvi]

I'm just past the fight with Bane in this game. I really love the fighting engine in this, the flow is really great! My favourite encounter so far has to be with the Scarecrow, though. The cut-scene right before is excellent!

 

[Sabre]

They get better ^_^

 

[Obi Chris Kenobi]

I really DON'T want to finish this game Best game I've played in 10 years, no hyperbole. Storyline, atmosphere, character presentation and line delivery are all top class. Ideas and execution are almost flawless. Only downside is that while I WILL play it again on Hard, I don't think it'll hold up to much replay value once I'm done.

 

[Sabre]

Yeah outside of collecting the achivements and Riddler shiz, the game is pretty much done. The challenge maps dont really give me any incentive to keep playing them.

 

[vivisectvi]

Maybe they'll do some DLC with this. I don't want another inFamous on my hands. Great game, shitty replay value. Even sporadic stuff like what Force Unleashed gets would be fine in my books.

 

[Obi Chris Kenobi]

Not sure how they'd be able to make DLC storyline wise for it as its a pretty unique set up. I was really gutted when I finished it, as its been the best game of the year (or several years for me) by a long shot.

 

[bps21]

Hope that it sells really well so they make a sequel.

 

[Sabre]

Well

Spoiler

depending on what difficulty you play it on, you see a different cutscene after the credits of either scarecrow, bane or croc getting the last case of titan.

 

[vivisectvi]

I'm really slow going through this game.. due to time, but I also want to appreciate every bit of it because it's so damn awesome. Right now I've just gotten into the Botanical Gardens.

 

[Obi Chris Kenobi]

Know what you mean dubq, I didn't want to finish it either as it was just so awesome Hope they do a sequel, though not sure what environment/story they'd go for. Would an open Gotham City work?

 

[bps21]

I know I'm getting near the end of the game...and I'm avoiding playing it at the moment.