Arkham Asylum feels dated today in the same way that Mass Effect one feels dated. The level construction is too faux-open for how linear and on-the-rails the game actually is. It makes the user feel like they're fighting against the design. The combat is pretty smooth and would remain so throughout the series, using a knockoff Assassin's Creed 3-Button counter-heavy action style, but much of the game grits at the edges.

That being said, the story is damn fun and the characters are abundant. The Riddler Trophies are still manageable and it's a very fun caped crusade through a deteriorating Arkham Asylum as The Joker commands havoc. It's less worth playing through today, certainly on its own, but it is rewarding in the context of the entire trilogy.