Evan Narcisse: As Crispy's resident comics dude, I've got a fair amount of anticipation for Batman: Arkham Asylum. But I'm not naive enough to ignore the pain that past Batman games have caused. We didn't get a Dark Knight game -- and as stories on that aborted release roll out and paint the scene, I think it's probably best that we didn't. The screens and video I've seen of Arkham Asylum so far make me think they've nailed the look and sensibility for a good Batman game. The designs look like they're riffing on the way artist Lee Bermejo interprets Batman and his world, which should appeal to hardcore gamers and comics fans. Rocksteady, the dev studio behind Arkham Asylum, has only one other game underneath its belt, so it could surprise us or flop badly. The true test will be some hands-on time, so I'll remain hopeful until then.

Russ Fischer: I don't think I ever played Urban Chaos: Riot Response, the first game by Rocksteady Studios, so I'm going into this prognostication based solely on the awesome production design we've seen so far. And I do love the look of what has been revealed for Arkham. But face it: On the Universal Difficulty Scale, making good-looking Batman stuff ranks alongside not screwing up your microwave popcorn. And we've never had a truly good Batman game, ever. Brawling and gadgets are easy enough to implement, as are crazy-looking characters. But to nail that knowing, perceptive, detective aspect of Batman is so elusive. So I'll enjoy the trailers, but remain highly skeptical until a few character moments really blow me away. (If I had my druthers we'd get Sucker Punch making a "Batman: The Animated Series" game using its Sly Cooper tech, but I'm willing to work with what Eidos is handing us.)

Outlook: A Riddler-sized question mark.


Read more from the Game Trust in Crispy Outlook 2009.