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Way to keep a secret! Achievement Hunter enabled their Detective Mode and subsequently discovered a neat little hidden room in Batman: Arkham Asylum. If you head to the Warden’s room and apply three charges of explosives to a certain panel, Bats will gain access to a secret hideaway that teases the upcoming sequel that takes place in Arkham City.

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Introduction

Batman: Arkham Asylum is a thrilling look into the dark corners of the Caped Crusader’s mythos. This stealth/action title was released in August 2009 by developer Rocksteady Studios and publishers Eidos Interactive, Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment, and DC Comics. A gorgeous game with a veritable utility belt of tools at its disposal, Arkham Asylum is ready to BAM! and ZOW! its way right into your heart. A bit much? Sorry about that. The story thus far is that the Joker has found his way back to Arkham Asylum after suspiciously minimal fighting. Batman is wary of a possible trap, yet he has no choice but to bring his archenemy back to the asylum, where his belongs. Aaaand things begin to go south from there. Keep reading, and I’ll try my best not to throw in an old-school witty palm-punching interjection a la Robin. No promises though.

Gameplay

Batman: Arkham Asylum (AA) is an amalgam of stealth and “Freeflow” combat, with a little bit of investigation on the side. Fairly linear in all regards (except for some of the Riddler’s more frustrating secrets), AA is not a difficult title. In fact, if the protagonist were to find himself leaping or falling to his doom, the player has a few seconds to tap an indicated button in order to “Escape” via grappling hook, in a most dramatic (and automatic) fashion. If you fall in combat, well that’s only a matter of picking up at the most recent of the game’s MANY autosave checkpoints. Defeating enemies and solving riddles bestows upon Batman not only health but also experience to be used at any time on enhancements to gadgets, armor, and Freeflow combat efficiency. Easy to learn from the get-go, AA has a little bit of everything.

Freeflow Combat
The touted “Freeflow combat” in AA highlights Batman’s extensive knowledge of the martial arts, as well as his inherent proficiencies in ass-kickery. Initially, timed corresponding button presses will allow Batman to attack, stun, counter, and takedown enemies that will frequently swarm him. The Dark Knight’s combo meter will climb, creating opportunities to use advanced techniques such as throws. Combat is fluid to the point that Batman at times seems to fly through the air in order to deliver a devastating kick…it’s stunning, really (nyuk nyuk). When the range gets a bit too far for even Batman’s limbs, a quick tap of the appropriate button will fling a Batarang or deploy the Bat-Claw in order to keep the combo going. Lower difficulties will display when an opponent is about to strike, making it relatively easy for beginners to set up simple or extensive combos by stringing together strikes and counters. As the storyline progresses, certain enemies vulnerable to specific attacks (stun then strike, dodge then attack from behind, etc.) will call upon a player’s newly-learned combat techniques in order to avoid taking damage.

Stealth
No matter how much the player might try to will it so, Batman just won’t pick up all those dropped guns! I suppose it’s dishonorable, even though these villains are clearly trying to kill him, but the Caped Crusader prefers to render his enemies unconscious. Never fear, for he is the night, and as such subtlety is his closest companion (sorry Robin). Silent takedowns are a button press away when sneaking behind unsuspecting foes, but that’s just the beginning. Early on you can unlock (through experience points) an Inverted Takedown, which is a hilarious tactic that involves Batman dropping from an overhead gargoyle and stringing up a nemesis that passes directly beneath him. Often other henchman will run to see what just happened by way of curiosity (thugs eventually wear collars that will emit a pulsing sound when the villain is incapacitated) or at the urging of the Joker’s intercom announcements. From perches, Gliding Takedowns are also queued onscreen when the opportunity presents itself. Following up with a strike after leaping upon the unsuspecting henchman will take him out of the fight. Explosives can be strategically deployed and subsequently detonated to take out criminals. And that’s not to mention the modified Batarangs or Bat-Claw…

Detective Mode
Batman’s cowl has built-in x-ray to detect the location of armed and unarmed hostiles and civilians, as well as interactive objects. At times the player will be restricted to what could be compared to a CSI segment, where a certain object or substance must be discovered for tracking purposes. When shadowing an individual after this item is found, the cowl automatically switches to scanning mode to track the fingerprints, DNA, or what have you when necessary. Detective Mode does all this, and more! In order to find many of the Riddler’s hidden statues or points-of-interest, Detective Mode must be active. And if the Riddler wants it but it’s not a statue, it’s got to be scanned. The cowl will do this in the same manner as discovering the desired target from the “crime scene” mentioned earlier; holding a predetermined button for a second or two is all that is required to scan. If the target is out of focus or not properly aligned, there will be an appropriate on-screen warning for that. It’s just that easy!

Gadgets
Batman has a plethora of nifty toys, and many of them find their way into AA. The Grappling Hook/Bat-Claw, Batarang, Explosive Sprayer/Detonator, and Frequency Scanner all find their way into your utility belt, and they get Batpimped along the way. Accrued experience will unlock new toys and modification of old ones, allowing access to previously inaccessible areas of the map. No worries about passing up what is clearly a Riddler trophy, as the game is free-roaming…even after you’ve beaten it, the final checkpoint is just before the very end. This means that at any time you can run around the asylum complex, even if you only want a midnight glide from the clock tower…which I recommend trying, by the way.

Presentation

The audio of AA honestly falls to the wayside. I say this as a compliment. Many games feature mismatched music or trumpeting themes that draw your attention from the game, but not this one. The audio settles quite snug in the background of all the action, adjusting as necessary to what is going on in the game. It lends just enough shadow to this already dark game without smothering it. Running on Unreal Engine 3, AA is a marvelous bit of eye candy. The characters are well-rendered, the skyline is stunning, and viewing the complex from above is breathtaking. Seriously, try the gliding.

Extras

Riddles
Batman’s cowl has a built-in receiver that he uses to correspond with Oracle, his eyes and ears on the outside. At times the Riddler will take over, provoking the Caped Crusader and challenging him to demonstrate his mettle by finding the riddles hidden in the world of AA. Finding these riddles is DEFINITELY worth it, as they award XP and health, while often unlocking character profiles, statues, and patient interview tapes.

Challenge Mode
Challenge Mode has Predator (stealth) and Combat (POW!) maps, which require the player’s savvy to gain top score. Surviving isn’t the only theme here, as each map has its own specific requirements for bonus points. While some objectives are as simple as throwing a Batarang to cut down a victim of an Inverted Takedown so that he falls onto another henchman, these goals naturally vary in difficulty. Prodigal performance on these maps will get your name on the list of online rankings, placing you amongst the best of the best.

Rants and Raves

Rants

• Detective Mode is good. TOO good. I can almost guarantee that you will be seeing blue from playing the majority of AA in Detective Mode. While this certain perspective is quite handy indeed, it lulls the player away from truly appreciating the gorgeous graphics found in the game.
• Finding riddles can be quite frustrating. Although the Riddler was so kind to have hidden guides that will reveal undiscovered riddles on the map as dancing green question marks, it can still be tedious in chasing down all of them in order to finish the game with 100% and maximize your Achievements. Also annoying is that some of the riddles involve finding the top of a question mark somewhere in an area, then finding the dot that goes beneath it, and coordinating your view so the question mark is properly aligned before scanning it for the Riddler. The man is sick, I tell ya. Sick.
• You will want more than the casual cameos of the other villains. You will run into the Joker, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Bane, the Scarecrow, and others, but the Riddler’s quests will guide you to mere cameos of other characters in the world of Batman. While this provides a clever little shout-out to many of the more unsung characters, avid fans will hope in vain to have just a little more than that. At least Harley has a pretty big role in the game!
• Autosaves can be a blessing and a curse. The player does not have true freedom over when to save; rather, this is accomplished by entering/exiting areas of the map, accomplishing key goals in the storyline, and solving riddles. This can be used to your advantage if you keep this in mind, but many players will argue about having to suddenly abandon a game then pick back up at a previously saved checkpoint.

Raves

• Written by Paul Dini, seasoned Batman writer, to grant a straight-from-the-source appeal that is not often found in video games, AA is a winning title while boasting continuity within the character universe. The fact that continuity is maintained (at least to a degree) while maintaining enjoyable gameplay makes this a phenomenal enterprise on the part of DC Comics et al.
• AA features the talents of many of the voice actors from the Batman animated series. Kevin Conroy (Batman), Mark Hamill (The Joker), and Arleen Sorkin (Harley Quinn) have notable contributions to the game, and the Joker’s voiceovers are hilarious. Though his announcements often send his henchmen scattering about the area to look for you, it’s amusing to hear the Clown Prince of Gotham hassling his hired help because you’ve downed one and they haven’t even noticed. The patient interviews are really cool too.
• The Scarecrow’s induced segments can be pretty freaky, and ingenious to boot. There are a couple of instances in particular that will make you do a double-take. You’ll know them when you see them. Very sneaky, Dr. Crane.
• Free Downloadable Content (DLC) was made available in September. This package, entitled the “Insane Night” Map Pack, allowed extended Challenge Mode play. A second free DLC, “Prey in the Dark,” is slated to be released on October 24th.

Conclusion

A nifty little bit of trivia is that Batman: Arkham Asylum dethroned Marvel vs. Capcom 2’s Guinness World Record for “Most Critically Acclaimed Superhero Game Ever,” beating out the old average of 90.0 with a score of 91.67 from worldwide reviews. It’s hard to argue with that. There is stealth, trophy hunting, and a fluid combat system that vaguely resembles God of War at times…only better. There is a bit of continuity with the Batman mythos lent by Paul Dini mingled with fan favorite voice acting from the animated series. There is an array of techniques employed by Batman and a surprising ease in the ability to execute them. There is a gorgeous, yet haunting world ready to be explored at the player’s whim both during and after following the story arc. Batman: Arkham Asylum is a title that succeeds in so many areas, and it can satisfy anyone from the Batman cognoscente to the casual action/adventure gamer. Once you visit Arkham Asylum, you’ll never want to leave.

Score: 9.5

Let us know what you think about the game and the review here.

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360 Rant Rave recently had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Paul Dini, author of the upcoming multiplatform title, Batman: Arkham Asylum (Currently slated for release on June 9th, 2009). Paul has been a big part of the Batman universe for several years, and we wanted to give our readers the opportunity to pick his brain a bit about Arkham Asylum and his long time career with Warner.

So, without further ado, here is our interview with Paul Dini:

360RR: Hello Paul.  I’d like to thank you for taking the time to sit down with us to answer a few questions.  I have a list of questions from our readers, as well as a few of my own.  Let’s get started.

What work did you present in your portfolio to get into WB animation? Or if you didn’t have a portfolio, how did you go about joining such a prestigious company and later working on such amazing projects? – Question Submitted by xTheGunslingerx

PD: I had been working off and on in animation about ten years when I joined Warners in 1989 – gad, twenty years ago! By that time I had worked up a fairy substantial list of credits writing for such animation producers as Filmation, Hanna-Barbera, Lucasfilm, Sunbow, and a few others. I had also made a number of personal contacts, artists and producers I liked, who were already at Warners. Fortunately they liked me too, so getting in was fairly painless.

360RR: That’s quite a resume.  I think more people have seen your work than they realize. 

What challenges does a writer face while working on a video game, as
compared to working in television? – Question Submitted by buzzguy76

PD: You have to remember first and foremost it is a game, and while certain players might also be a fan of the game’s lead character, say, Batman, they have plunked their money down for a gaming experience, and not to watch the same character for a half hour on TV. Therefore you have to keep the action fast and filled with challenges, while also providing enough of a narrative hook to keep the players engaged from one level to the other.

360RR: It sounds like a bit of a balancing act.  I’m eager to get my hands on the game to see how you worked it out. 

With the success of the recent Batman films, how do you take the plot of
Arkham Asylum enough away from those movies but yet keep it Batman in
order to make sure people don’t think this is a movie game. Also did any
part of the new films inspire some of the writing in the game since both
are darker plots? – Question Submitted by Deadly Cyclone

PD: Arkam Asylum is not tied into the recent movies in any way, though it does reflect the darker, more adult tone of the Christopher Nolan films. That said, it takes place in a world equally consistent with the comic book world, with the more traditional visual versions of many of Batman’s main enemies. We were not trying to replicate The Dark Knight world, but go for a similar tone, where Batman’s enemies are extremely unhinged and lethally dangerous.

360RR: That sounds great. 

After writing for both television and videogames, which type of writing
do you enjoy doing the most? Why? – Question Submitted by Frag Monger

PD: Games are great and I’ve enjoyed being a participant in Batman’s world. However, there is something satisfying about telling a story and setting it out there for an audience to watch.

360RR: It sounds like you prefer straight, narrative story telling.  I can certainly relate. 

Did you get the chance to work directly with any of the voice actors in
the game (to perhaps work through script issues or line delivery)? What
was that like. – Question Submitted by Frag Monger

PD: In many ways the voice sessions for Arkham Asylum had the feeling of going home again. It was great to work with Kevin Conroy (Batman/Bruce Wayne) and Mark Hamill (the Joker) once more as they rekindled that old Batman: The Animated Series magic.

360RR: Conroy and Hamill are certainly well known as those voices from the animated series.  It will be nice to hear them reprise their roles for the game. 

How close will the story of this game mirror the story from the graphic
novel of the same title? – Question Submitted by dionysusolympus

PD: Other than the title, there are few similarities. While some of the same villains appear in both the game and the graphic novel, the game is more of a series of ultimate deathtraps set within a madhouse and less a psychological battle of wills between Batman and his enemies.

360RR: It sounds like we’ll be in for some challenges. 

Dependent on the success of this title, are there any plans in the works
for a sequel? – Submitted by Frag Monger

PD: I don’t know, but here’s hoping. I had a great time working on the game and I’d like to revisit that world again with the same team.

360RR: Well, here’s to hoping. 

Are there any other video game projects you are currently working on that
you can comment about? – Question Submitted by Frag Monger

PD: I have to play mum about that for right now.

360RR: Ooooh.  That’ll just make us all keep speculating.  I’m eager to hear what you’ll be working on next. 

 What advice would you give to an amateur writer who’s interested in
breaking into the television and video game writing scene? – Question Submitted by
Frag Monger

PD: Study what you like, whether it’s games or action movies, or TV, and look for places where they could theoretically intersect. Not every movie can support a game version, and not every game can be extended into a movie. But the more you discover where the two genres complement each other, the better you’ll be armed when you pitch either project.

360RR: That’s good advice.  Well Paul, I’d like to thank you once again for taking the time for this interview.  All of us here at 360 Rant Rave are certainly looking forward to the game.  Maybe we’ll have the chance to talk to you again when your next project is coming down the pipe.

PD: Thanks for the interview!  It was fun.

360RR: Thank you, Paul. 

Game on!

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To compliment the Dark Knight Batman film series, here is the trailer for the upcoming game, Batman: Arkhma Assulym, which will be out for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC next June.  Enjoy!

Game on!

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Introduction:
Everyone’s favorite, bald-headed assassin is back for this third installment in the Hitman series of stealth/action games.  Somewhat reminiscent of a cross between James Bond and Mr. Clean, Agent 47 doesn’t bring much that’s new to this latest addition in the series.  Considering the two year wait, I expected Hitman: Contracts to be a nice leap in gameplay and graphics above its predecessor, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin.  Unfortunately, this is not the case.  There is a new story…a new set of missions…but not much else is new.  While a little disappointing, the fact that the main gameplay mechanics have remained the same is not necessarily a bad thing. 

Gameplay:
Who, among gamers, hasn’t ever wanted to be an assassin; sneaking up to your target, taking them out, and finding your way back out before anyone knows what happened.  It requires skill, patience, the right tools and gadgets, and the occasional need to be a master of disguise.  Agent 47 has all of these tools and more at his disposal, and it’s up to you to lead him through each mission to success. 

If you played Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, then you should have no problem picking up a controller and jumping right in.  The gameplay controls in Contracts are identical to those in Silent Assassin.  While little has been changed from the previous title, some would say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  IO interactive took this approach to heart.  They knew they had a winning formula with Silent Assassin and decided to stick with it for Contracts. 

A few new weapons have been added, including: shovels, meat hooks, pillows, etc.  Most of these are just window dressing, however, and don’t really add any new strategy to the gameplay.  They can be fun to use, however.  The shovel works similarly to the garden tools available in Silent Assassin.  It’s no Silver Baller, but it does extend your reach, and is good for clubbing the enemy to death.  The pillow can be used in a few different ways.  You can suffocate an enemy, or use the pillow to muffle the sound of a shot, similar to using a silenced pistol.  The meat hook does a fair amount of damage, and can also be very useful in close combat.  The one advantage these items have is that, when carrying them, the enemy doesn’t see them as weapons.  For example, in one of the early missions, I used a butcher’s disguise to infiltrate a party where I was to assassinate a drug lord.  Since I was dressed as a butcher, I was able to walk right in the front door with a meat hook in my hands.  Good thing too, because I had to stash all my other weapons, in order to get past the pat down at the front door. 

One aspect of the gameplay, which I’m very glad has remained, is how open things are.  While each level gives you a specific target (or targets) you must take out, how you go about doing that is completely up to you.  Will you sneak in, using a clever disguise, take out your target quietly and sneak your way back out?  Will you run in, guns blazing, taking out your target and everyone else around them?  Will it be a combination somewhere between the two?  Hitman: Contracts gives you the freedom to make these decisions, and take out your targets however you wish.  While it’s true the game allows you to just go all out & kill just about everyone on the map, the real meat of the gameplay here is trying to be as stealthy as possible.  Move slowly and cautiously, use disguises to fool the enemy, pick up the bodies of your victims and hide them so they won’t be discovered, and take your time.  If you try to rush things in Hitman: Contracts, you’ll find yourself triggering alarms and alerting the enemy to your presence all the time.  When that happens, you’ll be forced to fight your way through or die trying. 

The level design in Contracts is excellent, and instrumental in how you will go about your objectives.  Given that there are so many different ways you can complete each mission, the levels are fairly extensive, and allow for free movement.  You can go just about anywhere and do things in whatever order you wish.  This gives the game very good replay value, since you can try things differently, each time you play any particular level.  You can even save your game anywhere during a level, and try things however you like from the save point.  If you tactics don’t work, just load up your saved game & try it another way.  Too many games are missing this ‘save anywhere’ option, in my opinion, but it’s virtually a necessity in Contracts.  You’ll often want to take things very slow & methodical, and having to replay an entire level, should you fail, would really be a pain. 

Back again is the assassin rating system, which gives you a rating after each mission.  Ratings range from Silent Assassin, to Professional, Mass Murderer, and everywhere in-between.  What rating you get, will depend on how you chose to complete your objective(s).  As before, achieving Silent Assassin rating is most desirable, and will unlock weapon upgrades for use in future missions. 

The AI in the game is just as good, if not better than, that of Silent Assassin.  Your enemies are very suspicious, and quick to hit the alarm.  Disguises will only get you so far, and if you’re too careless, they will be able to spot you.  There is an ‘alarm meter’ in the corner of your display, which shows how suspicious your enemies are, as you pass by.  Standing still too long is a definite no-no.  If your enemies get the chance to get a good, long look at you, it will virtually always blow your cover.  This is one way in which the game keeps things moving along. 

The graphics in Hitman: Contracts are good, but nothing special.  With the exception of a few better lighting and reflection effects, the graphics in Contracts look virtually identical to those of Silent Assassin.  While its understandable that IO Interactive wanted to keep the same great gameplay from Silent Assassin alive, they could have put more effort into improving the overall look of the game, and the animations of Agent 47.  Things seem ‘jerky’ at times, and Agent 47 often appears to ‘slide’ when he walks or moves stealthily.  Even the game’s cutscenes look no better than those from the previous title.  They are still decent graphics, but would like to have seen more improvement. 

Speech and sounds are also on par with Silent Assassin.  There’s nothing wrong with the sounds in the game, but there’s really nothing new either.  Pistols sound like pistols.  Rifles sound like rifles.  The gagging sound of an enemy as you use your fiber wire to choke him sounds as it should.  The music score is actually very good, and fits the mood for each locale.  There are also places during the game where there will be no music at all, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  Often, silence coupled with a tense situation can heighten your awareness and anticipation of what will happen next.  The music and sounds in the game definitely do a good job of helping to set the mood. 

Extras:
There is no multiplayer or Live support of any kind in Hitman: Contracts.  It was designed to be strictly a single-player experience.  It’s unfortunate that IO didn’t at least include downloadable content (DLC) via Live.  With DLC to add more missions, more weapons, etc., the replay value would be even greater.

Conclusion:
While the look and feel of Hitman: Contracts hasn’t really evolved from it’s previous incarnation, it’s still a fun game with far more replay value than you’ll find in most off-line, single-player games today.  The overall mood of the game seems a bit ‘darker’ than it’s predecessor, and the minor improvements in lighting and reflections are a nice touch, but still, a little more innovation would have been nice.  It’s a great game, and fun to play, but other than a few new weapons and some new levels to play, there’s really nothing new here for anyone who’s played Hitman 2: Silent Assassin. 

Score: 8.6

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