Batman: Arkham Asylum is the most recent PC game adaption of a comic-book character. It is the descendant of a long line of worthy predecessors including... well maybe it's best to stop right there. Is the latest addition to the PC's most unfortunate genre banal, or is it batarang-tastic? Does Batman – Arkham Asylum raise eyebrows, or merely doomed expectations. Will Batman escape the Joker's devilish scheme? Tune in here to find out.

Batman – Arkham Asylum opens at the point where most games end, that is the triumph of the hero over the villain. With the Joker once more safe in Arkham, a tentative sense of tranquillity seems to descend over Gotham. For about five minutes that is, until the wily trickster overpowers his guard and with the help of Harley Quinn takes control of the security system. Still doesn't seem that bad, eh? To spice things up a little, the Joker has captured Jim Gordon and Warden Sharp. Moreover, two-hundred inmates from Blackgate prison have recently been transferred to Arkham due to a fire and surprise, surprise, these men happen to be loyal to the Joker. And, the icing on the cake, our favourite malevolent maniac with persuasions toward macabre hilarity has let some of Batman's most dangerous foes loose, including Bane, Killer Croc, and Poison Ivy. Things don't look to good for Batman, Arkham's newest inmate, but it's one hell of a premise for a game.

"Look mom, I'm Batman".

The game-play and has much in common with that of the Splinter Cell series. There's lots of sneaking around in third-person preying on unsuspecting thugs, lots of gadgets to use, and an emphasis on the use of the environment to move around unseen. Sam Fisher, however, does not know Kung Fu. Close combat is what Batman – Arkham Asylum does best; it is probably the best implementation of hand-to-hand combat I have seen in a PC game. I often found myself deliberately getting killed just so I could replay a particular fight. Close combat is simple (left mouse for strike, right for block), intuitive, and incredibly fluid. Hand-to-hand in Batman really needs to be seen, as description can do it little justice. Arkham Asylum handles well using the mouse/keyboard combo, but I suspect it would be better with a joy-pad. Some enemies are armed with assault rifles and unlike the legions of unarmed thugs, these bads pose a serious threat to Batman. This is where sneaking and detective mode come in. Detective mode is a type of vision which allows Batman to locate enemies through walls, making it easier to isolate single enemies and take them out. Usually when faced with armed opponents there are points which Batman can rappel to; this facilitates moving around unnoticed. One flaw in relation to the Blackgate prisoners, is that they all look like they have spent too much time in the gym (read identical). This is a minor flaw, but come on Rocksteady, throw in a couple of skinny guys. There are also a number of boss fights, these are reasonably enjoyable, but usually come in the you-can't-beat-me-with-conventional-attacks variety. The nightmarish encounters with the Scarecrow are particularly memorable. One twist which Rocksteady tend towards with alarming frequency is the old oh-no-the-route-is-blocked-better-find-another-way; this seems to happen about once every ten minutes. The proper response to this problem, as all but the most sluggish of vigilantes are well aware, is the old climb-into-the-conveniently-placed-vent routine. Another flaw, but a forgiveable one.

In detective mode red designates an ally... honest.

Batman would not be Batman without the gadgets. He has a number of tools at his disposal, including the trusty batarang, an explosive spray which can be used to create traps or break through weak points on wall, and the bat claw, which can be used to knock enemies off balance. Each gadget has a useful application and Rocksteady seem to have hit upon just the right mix; too many would unnecessarily over-complicate the game, whereas too few would render Batman – Arkham Asylum much less fun to play. Gadgets and upgrades to gadgets are acquired at certain points in the game or after a certain amount of XP is gained for defeating enemies.

The game runs well on a modest PC and its presentation is well executed. The various buildings which make up Arkham Asylum are suitably dark and foreboding. Batman and his super-villain adversaries are nicely interpreted and rendered. Whether Batman is using his grapple to get from A to B, or engaged in hand-to-hand with a group of enemies, his movements are fluid and excellently captured. As the game progresses there is an excellent sense that the encounters are taking their toll on Batman, in the form of little details like a cut on the face, a chunk of cape missing, and visible damage to his suit's chest-plate, etc.

Boss fight: Batman hides from a towering scarecrow.

Rocksteady have done a commendable job on presenting the various characters and creating an authentic atmosphere; evidently some of the developers are fans of the Dark-Knight. Batman is stoic, driven, and vaguely compassionate. The game may put players in control of Batman, but the Joker's character and antics, some of which will make you laugh out loud, really steal the show. At one point, the player is informed that the supposed bombs which Joker planted around the city are in fact boxes filled with marzipan and kittens. Great stuff. The Joker also regularly sabotages his own plans by not telling his minions where Batman is, just because he finds it to be more fun. Players get the feeling that the Joker orchestrated the whole scheme in Arkham to annoy Batman, rather than to kill him. The tone of the game is a shade darker than in the animated series, but not so bleak or gritty as in the most recent film. What really won me over to Batman – Arkham Asylum is that the voices of Batman, the Joker, and Harley Quinn are instantly recognisable as the voice talent from the animated series, provided by Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, and Arleen Sorkin respectively. A couple of deft touches like this can really make a game. Thank God they didn't get Christian Bale to do his hey-I'm-Batman-and-I-need-some-strepsils-because-I've-got-a-really-raspy-voice thing. The game lasts for around 15 hours (more if you are intent on solving all the Riddler's puzzles). For those who want more there is always the option of playing a harder difficulty level or competing in a series of stand-alone challenges. Hopefully Rocksteady will get around to developing a sequel soon.

Whoops!

Batman – Arkham Asylum is a real treat for fans of the caped crusader. Even if you aren't particularly fond of Batman but like action/stealth games, Batman - Arkham Asylum is well worth the investment.

P.S. I would like to apologise for the extensive use of hyphens.