Batman: Arkham Asylum has been universally praised as one of the best games of 2009, but were reviewers glossing over the bad points? No doubt B:AA is a fantastic game, but thestartscreen.com believes there were a few problems that need to be fixed before a sequel is made. Go to the source for the full article.

During media hype, games journalism tends to gloss over issues in some of the most well constructed games. Taking in the awesomeness of Batman: Arkham Asylum, let us discuss the issues in this well made, but slightly flawed masterpiece.
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Most recently commented on by on Oct 4, 2009
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  • 9
    Existence Sep 25, 09
    If you think Poison Ivy should have had more of her body covered up, I have nothing to say to you, sir.
  • 0
    Gamesta100 Sep 25, 09
    The Killer Croc section is what actually stopped me finishing a second playthrough as I found that section very boring.
    • 0
      jimmystick27 Oct 1, 09
      Iv'e said it before and I'll say it again Killer Croc is just an eighties cliche, he shouldn't have been in this game. They should have killed him off a long time ago. He was very boaring and so easy a toddler could have beat him. But that is one of the few flaws of the game.
      • 0
        Miss Razz Oct 2, 09
        I thought Killer Croc was a great character... until we actually had to face him. The game built Croc up as such a terrifying villain who was hell-bent on ripping Batman to pieces (I was really looking forward to facing him), then when Bats actually went into his lair, all it took was a few batarangs to knock Croc down then a well-placed explosive gel to get rid of him for good. It was kinda disappointing.
  • 6
    FinalFantasyFanaticc Sep 25, 09
    The problems with Harley and Ivy? You sir are a goddamn idiot.

    Ivy is MEANT to look like that, especially using leaves as make shift underwear, seriously go read a damn comic book.
  • 1
    Storm Sep 25, 09
    Wow, pick up a comic book once in a while. Batman is built in quite a few adaptations...hell in most of the comics he's rather ripped. It shows more in a game due to its highly graphical features when compared to a 2D 'slideshow' like comic books or the animated series.

    And honestly, I don't see the 'RPG' elements when it comes to the Riddler challenges. Its pretty much puzzles. Sure there's exploration involved with them, and you get a decent bonus for each you solve, but RPG? :S I'd put B:AA in an Action-Stealth/Platformer/Puzzle genre way before that one.

    I love how he mentions how "built" these guys look due to the engine when you've got Joker, Scarecrow and company running around just fine. The inmates shipped in from Blackgate are the generic hired goons we usually see, more muscle than brains kind of characters. Batman is highly trained and fit, and the Commish isn't always a slouch.
  • 1
    Gamesta100 Sep 25, 09
    Not too mention it's common for inmates to buff themselves up big time.In a place full of murderers and rapists, you don't want to be a weak little bitch or you'll end up someone elses bitch.
  • 3
    Miss Razz Sep 25, 09
    The comments about Harley and Ivy were... strange. I never got the impression that Harley was meant to be a character with a "tarty look". And Poison Ivy's character pretty much revolves around sex appeal (and plants). She's worn alot less in the comics.

    The only "problem" I had with the game was the lack of decent boss battles. Stop throwing henchmen at me. They don't make a boss battle any better. But even that was only a small gripe.
    • 0
      jimmystick27 Oct 1, 09
      I agree, the bosses were not very good, the more hentchmen is not the better but more annoying. And again harley was not dressed like that just because, she was like that because rocksteady wanted an adult game not ages 5-and up.
      • 0
        Miss Razz Oct 4, 09
        No, they skanked up Harley because sex sells. Showing a bit more flesh on a female character =/= a mature game.
  • 0
    BANDITO ATTACK Sep 25, 09
    you people are far too busy being caught up in the fact that the game doesn't totally heave to realize it's not really that good.

    for such a big budget game, they were lazy as hell with it. it's a great 'insert awesome game here' template, but not much more... a 3 hour game that recycles every single unique scenario to the point where they can drag it out for a good 11 hours or so.

    the end big bad boss battle with the joker is the same exact thing as the opening free-flow combo 'tutorial', except they have weapons.
    • 4
      Storm Sep 25, 09
      Are you kidding me? The game does a lot more right than you give credit for. For one, the brilliant voice-acting, keeps the story going where otherwise it would fall flat. The graphics are up-to-speed for today's gaming world, and playing the game actually puts you in Batmans' boots. His sense of 'detective work', invoking fear, highly trained in combat, use of gadgets, so on and so forth.

      The combat is quite in-depth, makes great use of the gadgets as well as Batman's style of play once surrounded. At times the enemies can be quite idiotic, but the stealth action sequences make up for it. I'll give you the ending with the inmates being similar to the beginning, but Joker is the main baddie and that is how he operates, it's very in-character.
      • 0
        jimmystick27 Oct 1, 09
        I cant really agree with the graphics, I feel they could have done alot better, for a game that is that up close and personal they could have hmade the facial features flow better. But the voice acting was amazing that def. made up for it. and it was only in 720 p for the xbox, (I dont know what the ps3 offered.) And as far as Harley and Ivy are concerned, they dressed harley like that to get away from the child's clown costume and get into something more adult. And Ivy, what was wrong with her, she was exactly as I would think she would be, she hates mankind and loves plants so why would she wear manmade clothes (less the arkham shirt, Rocksteady had to set graphic boundaries) it only makes sense for her to be all natural with the leaves.
        • 0
          Gamesta100 Oct 1, 09
          The graphics were really good for PS3 seeing as usually the Unreal Engine on PS3 has rather bad texture loading.Characters and backgrounds will sometimes be blurry for a second or two while the textureds load up.I don't think Batman had any noticble texture loading.
        • 0
          Red 9 Oct 1, 09
          Well everything was good, but the facial designs for some of the smaller roles were pretty bad, such as a few of the policemen you encounter.
    • 4
      Seeker X Sep 25, 09
      Or you know...they could just....like it? Like--a lot?
  • 5
    Gamesta100 Sep 25, 09
    Or maybe we just, I don't know......really enjoyed the game.I've said it before and I'll say it again, B: AA is my GOTY so far.


    Two people who said they hate games like Batman ended up buying the game and thinking it was a brilliant game.So obviously the game did something right.Mnmfan was so adamant that he didn't want to play the game because he hates "button mashers" and he ended up buying it and platinuming it.
  • 7
    Tiger of Wu Sep 25, 09
    "Oh look, let's be really nitpickingly stupid and go against the crowd, now we're cool "

    No, you're not. Take your red light article and don't come back until you have some real journalism, 'k?
    • 2
      Subzer0 Sep 25, 09
      thumbs up to you sir. couldn't have said it better myself
  • 6
    RabidChinaGirl Sep 25, 09
    But Ivy uses her sex appeal to rob rich dudes blind. Hell, she's even seduced Bruce Wayne before. This guy really doesn't know Batman at all.

    There are some valid problems with the game, sure, but he doesn't mention them here.
    • 0
      jimmystick27 Oct 1, 09
      I think you have catwoman and ivy mixed up, catwoman is the theif, Ivy has no motive to steal she just want to destroy mankind to make the planet safe for plants.
      • 3
        Tiger of Wu Oct 1, 09
        No, Ivy does and has done that in the past for funding for her plans. She did it to Dent in the Cartoon and has done on numerous occasions in the comics too.
        • 0
          jimmystick27 Oct 1, 09
          yea but who ever said that said that ivy robs men blind, im not saying she doesnt steal, i saying that she has no motive to rob men blind, she would rob mankind blind meaning men and women. Just to clairify you are right, I should have phrased it better.
        • 3
          Tiger of Wu Oct 1, 09
          She does have motive to rob men blind. A lot, actually. Not just for funding for her plans but also because she can use that to destroy big companies that are destroying the Earth. She has done before. So she does have a motive, many motives, to rob men blind. I don't see how your disagreeing is agreeing.
        • 0
          jimmystick27 Oct 2, 09
          yes she robs big corps. blind, but do you really ever see her go up to a random man on gotham's streets and just mug him? That sounds more of a catwoman thing. Ivy has motive to save the world from mankind, robbing random men is just a waste of time, she targets certian men, and women are c.e.o's also. She wants a earth with no people, how is robbing average jo schmo's going to make that possible? And me disagreeing is not agreeing, im agreeing to disagree with each other, you know "to each his own" Catwoman was the orphan who was a petty theif, ive was a botanist. Catwoman robs blue collar men just because she can, ivy robs white collar men ( and women) to try to take down titan companies , i really don't see the simularities. Ivy does not rob, she destroys. If this is just going to go in a loop ill end it right now, your right Im wrong let's move to another discussion.
        • 3
          Tiger of Wu Oct 2, 09
          Catwoman mugs random men on the street? No, she seduces wealthy men, gets into their home, maps out their belongings and then robs them blind that way. The only times she's robbed randoms was before she became Catwoman.

          And, again, Ivy does steal money from people that way. She then uses that money to fund her plans, laboratories, experiments and so on and so forth since when she just steals a load of lab equipment with an army of plants Batman finds her within a matter of minutes; when she covertly steals money and uses it to buy said equipment it is much less conspicuous.

          This isn't about a loop, you've either just got yourself confused or think reading wikipedia qualifies you as a Batman fan.
        • 0
          jimmystick27 Oct 2, 09
          ok you give me one instance that she robbed a plain guy on the streets then I'll agree with you, if it is in a comic book tell me the # or if it was in a show tell me whick one and Ill research it.
        • 3
          Tiger of Wu Oct 2, 09
          I'll say this as clearly as possible.

          IVY DOESN'T STEAL FROM RANDOM PEOPLE ON THE STREET. CATWOMAN DOESN'T STEAL FROM RANDOM PEOPLE ON THE STREET. THEY PLAN FOR A WHILE, FOCUS ON RICH TARGETS AND GET WHAT THEY WANT.

          How about you go read any Batman comic that has Ivy as the main focus and actually read the comics instead of 'researching' on random internet forums, then you might actually learn something. I'm done talking to you now.
    • 0
      jimmystick27 Oct 1, 09
      I dont know who said it first but that directed to them, get your facts straight before you blog anything. Go google poison ivy then come back, oh wait just go here http://ezinearticles.com/?Batman-Villains-The-Story-Behind-Poison-Ivy&id=744626

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