Batman: Arkham Asylum
Eidos, £59.99 PS3, X360 collector’s edition, £49.99 PS3, X360, £39.99 PC
PC, PS3, X360, Out Now
Rating: 15

This is Batman at his best, a mix of stealth detective and action hero. Throw in the gothic backdrop of mental institution-come-prison Arkham Asylum, and you’ve got the perfect atmosphere for a Batman adventure.

Trapped inside Arkham with the Joker, his many minions and all the bad guys you ever put away, you’ve got to use your sleuth skills to uncover the comedic one’s plans. This is where detective mode comes in handy, as you search the room for clues, solutions and escape routes. It’s also a blast getting to use Batty’s gadgets such as the Batarang and Batgun. 

Both the story and setting never gets dull. You’ll explore areas as varied as the whitewashed walls of the Asylum’s surgical wing through to the damp sewers and creepy mansion. All the while, the plot twists and turns, keeping you on your toes.

Platform, stealth and fighting tactics all have a role in gameplay, and in terms of combat you can use all these tactics to beat the bad guys into submission. Combos add to the points you earn through progression, which over time open up gear and skill upgrades, letting you play around with even more abilities. If that wasn’t enough, there are also a huge number of challenges to try out and collectables to pick up.

Immersive and addictive, this game plays like a story from the dark Batman comics – just as it should be. Immensely enjoyable, this game both looks and plays great, a rarity for comic-book tie-ins. It’ll be a long time before we see another that compares to this…

We reckon… 5*