Batman: Arkham Asylum now available

Batman: Arkham Asylum is finally in stores to the delight of Dark Knight fans across North America. Now those who have tried the demo on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network can really see what happens when they run headlong into that boss fight with Killer Crock. My opinion on the game (check out our freshly published Batman: Arkham Asylum Review), based on the demo is a big fat question mark. On the one hand you have an incredible cast doing the voice-over work for the game (Batman, Joker and Harley Quinn from the original animated series) stylized and context sensative content, cool bat gadgets and gameplay that is as smooth as silk; and on the other hand you have gameplay that feels like an overabundance of hand-holding and a bizarre art style that makes Harley Quinn look like she just jumped off the operating table after a boob job.

That aside, if you haven’t heard anything about Batman: Arkham Asylum, it was developed by Rocksteady Studios, based on DC Comics’ popular comic book license and co-published by Eidos and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game tells the tale of a harrowing night in Arkham Asylum after The Joker and Harley Quinn spring a trap on the Dark Knight. Trapped, Batman will have to face off against his most dangerous enemies and their henchmen to bring The Joker and everyone else to justice. That old saying “the lunatics are running the asylum” is apropos in this situation.

Players will have access to a special bat suit feature called Detective Mode, which provides real-time data on the environment and the people in it, as well as a targeting system to make melee attacks, grappling and gadget use easier to handle. As I mentioned, much of the combat in the game is situational; for example, Bats might use a great height to hit a target with a glide kick or to snipe with the batarang if he so chooses. He’ll need all the help he can get as he takes on The Joker and Gotham City’s most notorious villains, including Harley Quinn, Bane, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy and Scarecrow.

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The Burn Zombie Burn! PlayStation Home Space

Kuju Entertainment and developer Doublesix have announced that Sony has opened the first graveyard in PlayStation Home, in the brand-new Burn Zombie Burn! PlayStation Home Space. The Burn Zombie Burn! PlayStation Home Space incorporates the cartoony art style and quirky sense of humor of the game. Players wandering the Burn Zombie Burn! graveyard will see statues, crypts and a maze, among other surprises.

The Burn Zombie Burn! PlayStation Home Space includes three crypts, and those brave enough to explore them will find the first two filled with Burn Zombie Burn! goodies and extras, including a hedge maze mini-game for up to six players. The third crypt, on the other hand, remains a mystery, though music and flashing lights offer some clue as to what lies behind the stone door.

Log on to PlayStation Home to find out more.

EA Sports Complex Launches

Electronic Arts has launched the EA Sports Complex on PlayStation Home today. The newly created EA SPORTS space offers users a place to play a variety of casual multiplayer games with friends in PlayStation Home, as well as view exclusive game trailers and videos, learn more about EA SPORTS games and more. At launch, EA SPORTS Complex will feature a tournament-style Texas Hold ‘Em Poker game and EA SPORTS Racing featuring formula-style cars.

You can try it out by firing up your PS3 and logging into Home.

EA Sports Complex Launches

Electronic Arts has launched the EA Sports Complex on PlayStation Home today. The newly created EA SPORTS space offers users a place to play a variety of casual multiplayer games with friends in PlayStation Home, as well as view exclusive game trailers and videos, learn more about EA SPORTS games and more. At launch, EA SPORTS Complex will feature a tournament-style Texas Hold ‘Em Poker game and EA SPORTS Racing featuring formula-style cars.

You can try it out by firing up your PS3 and logging into Home.

Guitar Hero Coming Home

Activision Publishing announced that Guitar Hero will get a virtual venue in PlayStation Home. Sony’s virtual destination for the PS3 will get “Backstage with Guitar Hero” giving fans VIP access to both a themed backstage lounge and massive concert venue where they can meet up, hang out, check out videos for upcoming titles in the franchise, and share their rock and roll secrets. Backstage with Guitar Hero will continue to evolve over time adding new functionality. More details on this new Home destination when we have them.

PlayStation Network: 20 Million Strong..

..and growing. Sony’s PlayStation Network has hit 20 million registered user mark, the company announced today. The PlayStation Network went live on November 11, 2006 giving users free access to online multiplayer, downloadable content, multimedia content and some social networking features. Meanwhile, in a kitchen across town an Xbox Live player felt a tear roll down his face, caressing a space in his wallet where some money used to be.

A lot has changed in the two years since launch; PSN is available in 55 countries and over 600 PS3 titles support some kind of multiplayer functionality via the service. On the digital distribution front, the PlayStation Store currently has 14,500 pieces of digital content including full games, demos, trailers and add-ons, along with 5900 movies and television shows available for purchase. Sony also recently launched PlayStation Home, its graphical 3D world space where players can interact with other PSN users, customize their own personal space and show off their game trophies with others.

While the PlayStation Network may have a long way to go before it catches Xbox Live, Sony is doing everything that it can to make the service more attractive to all kinds of users. From exclusive downloadable content like Flower and Noby Noby Boy, to online only titles like Metal Gear Online and War Hawk, the network continues to grow, learn and reposition where it needs to. One area where Sony is undeniably beating both Nintendo and Microsoft is the PSN model - online play for free. You can’t get that on Xbox Live and you won’t find it on Wii any time soon.

The Rundown: Jan. 8, 2009

EA announces a stand-alone expansion to RA3, City of Heroes is available for Mac gamers, Nyko shows off at CES, EVE Online expands, SmackDown vs. RAW 09 gets some DLC and much, much more in today’s Rundown. Right after the jump…

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