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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Batman: Arkham Asylum demo this week

The official Batman: Arkham Asylum Demo will be available on August 7th, according to word from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Eidos. the demo will be available on Xbox 360, PS3 and Windows later this week (Fans can visit www.batmanarkhamasylum.com for details on how to download the Games For Windows version).

The Batman: Arkham Asylum demo opens as the Batman and Commissioner Gordon return The Joker to Arkham Asylum - the Joker’s home away from home. But things soon fall apart as The Joker releases Arkham Asylum’s occupants upon Batman. The demo offers gamers a taste of the game’s FreeFlow combat system, the stealth gameplay provided by the Invisible Predator mechanic, and some adventure as players navigate Arkham Asylum’s Intensive Treatment facility.

Players can unlock character bios, as well as get a sneak peak at some of the other foes that Batman will encounter including Harley Quinn, Bane, Killer Croc and Poison Ivy, and the newly revealed Scarecrow, who have taken over the asylum.

The full game is set to ship in North America beginning August 25, and in Europe and Australia beginning August 28. The game is being co-published in North America by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Eidos.

Batman: Arkham Asylum Web Site Live

The official web site for Batman: Arkham Asylum is now live at www.batmanarkhamasylum.com.
The official website and community hub for DC Comics’ Batman: Arkham Asylum, the forthcoming action-adventure game developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Eidos, and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment in North America. The official web site promises the usual assortment of attractions including forums, developer blogs, interviews, podcasts, news, videos and the latest screenshots.

Batman: Arkham Asylum is set for release on June 27 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Batman: Arkham Asylum Revealed

According to a reveal of the upcoming Game Informer Magazine (hitting stands August 18) cover, Eidos and developer Rocksteady Studios are working on a Batman game unrelated to the Batman Dark Knight film. The game, which is called Batman: Arkham Asylum, features a storyline revolving around the institution that houses Gotham’s most diabolical criminals.

The story begins when The Joker manages to escape Arkham after a simple prison transfer goes terribly awry.. The story will be co-written by Paul Dini, a veteran comic writer and who credits include work on Batman: The Animated Series.

The million dollar question is why Eidos? Well, Warner Bros. has made an investment in SCi Entertainment, parent company of Eidos, so giving them this wonderful license is a good way to get a return on that investment. Of course, Eidos hasn’t had the best track record in the last couple of years, but that’s another story. We wish them all the luck in the world with this one..

Source: Game Informer