So I don’t exactly have the same nostalgia for this series that a lot of others do. I did play Arkham City a lot as a kid, and at that time I loved it. Outside of that, I haven’t touched the other games.
I wanted to revisit Arkham City in my adulthood, but I figured I should start where the series began. I’m glad I did. As someone who went into Arkham Asylum as an adult, almost 15 years after its initial release- I can confidently say it still holds up well.
It’s a more linear experience than the one I was familiar with, but I’ve grown to appreciate linear storytelling games over open world experiences anyway. Even while operating as a more linear experience, it still has an open air of freedom. You have an entire island to roam around, and you can freely go where you please when you want to.
So while it’s not entirely “open world”, it’s still open arena I guess? Idk the term for it. Anyways, I love the gadgets you unlock throughout the game. They’re everything you would want to be able to use as Batman. The remote control batarang is awesome. I only wish I could knock out enemies completely with it.
The aesthetic is so richly moody and atmospheric. Rocksteady did an incredible job at capturing the spirit of the character, and the comics. I also love that they weren’t afraid to go a little creepier than some kids might have been ready for at the time.
A lot of the combat still feels really cool. I do wish some things were a little more responsive, and that there was a bit more complexity to the combat system- but I also recognize how revolutionary this was for its time. I’m willing to bet improvements are made in future installments.
The boss levels were a lot of fun, and I wish there were more of them. For a what was probably a stripped back budget at the time, Rocksteady really managed to pack a lot of punch into this game. There was nothing else like it in the superhero genre. They really created something truly special, and I love it.
I don’t think that it narratively reaches any exciting heights or anything. It’s pretty standard superhero fair. But for what it was, I really enjoyed it. If any of the future games can combine incredible gameplay, atmosphere, and storytelling, then that will for sure be a game that’s one of my favorites. This got pretty close at times.
Can’t wait to continue with the series!
I wanted to revisit Arkham City in my adulthood, but I figured I should start where the series began. I’m glad I did. As someone who went into Arkham Asylum as an adult, almost 15 years after its initial release- I can confidently say it still holds up well.
It’s a more linear experience than the one I was familiar with, but I’ve grown to appreciate linear storytelling games over open world experiences anyway. Even while operating as a more linear experience, it still has an open air of freedom. You have an entire island to roam around, and you can freely go where you please when you want to.
So while it’s not entirely “open world”, it’s still open arena I guess? Idk the term for it. Anyways, I love the gadgets you unlock throughout the game. They’re everything you would want to be able to use as Batman. The remote control batarang is awesome. I only wish I could knock out enemies completely with it.
The aesthetic is so richly moody and atmospheric. Rocksteady did an incredible job at capturing the spirit of the character, and the comics. I also love that they weren’t afraid to go a little creepier than some kids might have been ready for at the time.
A lot of the combat still feels really cool. I do wish some things were a little more responsive, and that there was a bit more complexity to the combat system- but I also recognize how revolutionary this was for its time. I’m willing to bet improvements are made in future installments.
The boss levels were a lot of fun, and I wish there were more of them. For a what was probably a stripped back budget at the time, Rocksteady really managed to pack a lot of punch into this game. There was nothing else like it in the superhero genre. They really created something truly special, and I love it.
I don’t think that it narratively reaches any exciting heights or anything. It’s pretty standard superhero fair. But for what it was, I really enjoyed it. If any of the future games can combine incredible gameplay, atmosphere, and storytelling, then that will for sure be a game that’s one of my favorites. This got pretty close at times.
Can’t wait to continue with the series!