Batman: Arkham Asylum

{{DC Database:Video Game Template
 * Image                  = BatmanAA_XBOX_360_US.jpg
 * ImageSize              = 254px
 * Title                  =
 * Aliases                =
 * Universe               = Batman: Arkham Asylum


 * Developers             = Rocksteady Studios
 * Publishers             = {{sup|EU}} Eidos Interactive {{sup|JPN}} Konami {{sup|NA}} Warner Bros. Interactive DC Comics
 * Modes                  = Single-player
 * Genres                 = Action-adventure
 * Ratings                = ESRB: T
 * Platforms              = PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows
 * Media                  = DVD-DL, Blu-Ray disc
 * Release Date           = August 25, 2009 (Consoles) September 18, 2009 (Windows)


 * Previous Game          =
 * Next Game              = Batman: Arkham City

Featured Characters: Supporting Characters: Featured Villains: Other Characters: Locations:
 * Appearances            =
 * {{a|Batman}}
 * {{a|Commissioner James Gordon}}
 * {{a|Oracle}}
 * {{a|Aaron Cash}}
 * {{a|Joker}}
 * {{a|Harley Quinn}}
 * {{a|Bane}}
 * {{a|Poison Ivy}}
 * {{a|Killer Croc}}
 * {{a|Scarecrow}} {{ApDeath}}
 * {{a|Mr. Zsasz}}
 * {{a|The Riddler}}
 * {{a|Scarface}}
 * {{a|Two-Face}}
 * {{a|Prometheus}}
 * {{a|The Great White Shark}}
 * {{a|The Ventriloquist}}
 * {{a|Professor Hugo Strange}}
 * {{a|Black Mask}}
 * {{a|Calendar Man}}
 * {{a|Catwoman}}
 * {{a|Maxie Zeus}}
 * {{a|Ra's al Ghul}} {{Cameo}}
 * {{a|Firefly}}
 * {{a|Amadeus Arkham}}
 * {{a|Thomas Wayne}} {{Hallucination}}
 * {{a|Martha Wayne}} {{Hallucination}}
 * {{a|Alfred Pennyworth}}
 * {{a|Hush}}
 * {{a|Mad Hatter}}
 * {{a|Clayface}} {{Cameo}}
 * {{a|Humpty Dumpty}}
 * {{a|Tweedledum and Tweedledee}}
 * {{a|Ratcatcher}}
 * {{a|Mr. Freeze}}
 * {{a|The Penguin}}
 * {{a|Killer Moth}}
 * {{a|Mad Dog}} {{Mentioned}} {{Flashback Dies}}
 * {{a|Jack Ryder}}
 * Warden {{a|Quincy Sharp}}
 * Dr. {{a|Penelope Young}} {{1st Dies}}
 * {{a|Frank Boles}} {{1st Dies}}
 * Dr. {{a|Sarah Cassidy}}
 * {{a|William North}}
 * {{a|Zach Franklin}}
 * {{a|Eddie Burlow}}
 * {{a|Louie Green}}
 * Dr. {{a|Gretchen Whistler}}
 * Dr. Kellerman
 * Dr. Chen
 * {{a|Gotham City}}
 * {{a|Arkham Island}}
 * {{a|Wayne Industries Building}} {{Cameo}}

Items:
 * {{a|Batman's Utilities}}
 * {{a|Batarang}}
 * Multi-Batarang
 * Remote Control Batarang
 * Sonic Batarang
 * {{a|Explosive Gel}}
 * Batclaw
 * Ultra Batclaw
 * Cryptographic Sequencer
 * Line Launcher
 * {{a|Grapnel}}
 * Cowl's Vision Mode (Includes Detective Mode, Environment Analysis, and Tracer)
 * {{a|Unlockable Bat-Armor}}

Vehicles:
 * {{a|Joker Gas}}
 * {{a|Joker's Joy Buzzer}} (DLC Only)
 * {{a|Scarecrow's Fear Toxin}}
 * {{a|Penguin's Umbrella}} {{Cameo}}
 * {{a|Batmobile}}
 * {{a|Batwing}}

Gameplay
The game features a more closed gameplay atmosphere, similar to The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay. Gameplay places just as much focus on Batman's role as a detective as his combat prowess. Most of the game is played through an over-the-shoulder, third person perspective. Arkham Asylum was chosen as a location because of its limitations including the fact that it's located on an island. Arkham Island will be a persistent location that the player can freely roam, including an area that serves as Batman's secret on-site Bat Cave.

Combat
Combat is accomplished as Freeflow Combat. This allows Batman to easily glide through the fighting area, moving from one thug to the next with the greatest of ease. The realism of combat is heightened through the use of ragdoll physics and custom animations.

There are sections that involve stealth where Batman has to take on thugs heavily armed with the stolen weaponry of Arkham's security personnel. Using his grapnel gun and the surroundings of the asylum, Batman can create distractions with bodies and victims' yells, and then stalk the guards as they go to inspect.

During battle, a combo multiplier at the top of the screen will increase with every strike. Once the combo expires, a colony of bats will swirl around Batman and then contribute to an experience meter on the left side of the screen. Gadgets are acquired as the story progreses. The player will need gadgets to help Batman survive the various dangers of the asylum. In an RPG-like skill tree system, players will be able to upgrade their gadgets every time the experience meter fills to capacity.

Detective
The developers have come up with a "CSI style" for forensic puzzles because Batman will always have the very latest gadgets. Detective Mode is the centerpiece in Batman's arsenal. While in Detective Mode, the visors in the cowl will be engaged. The visor can highlight points of interest and scan items into your database. Batman can also identify how many hostile personnel there are and which ones are armed with firearms. As the story begins, Batman has once again captured the Joker and is escorting him to Arkham Asylum for imprisonment. He notes to Commissioner Gordon that the capture was far too easy. Sure enough, the Clown Prince of Crime quickly escapes and springs his trap on Batman and Gordon. Batman soon discovers that the Joker has staged a takeover of the asylum, collaborating with transferred inmates from Blackgate Prison and other villains. Batman: Arkham Asylum is an action-adventure video game for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows, and is based on DC Comics' Batman. Developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics. It is based on the long-running comic book mythos, as opposed to most other Batman games which are adaptations of the character in other media besides the source material.
 * Story                  =
 * Cast                   =
 * Kevin Conroy - Batman
 * Mark Hamill - The Joker
 * Arleen Sorkin - Harley Quinn
 * Tom Kane - Commissioner Gordon, Warden Quincy Sharp, Amadeus Arkham
 * Steve Blum - Killer Croc, additional voices
 * Wally Wingert - The Riddler
 * Dino Andrade - The Scarecrow, various insane inmates
 * Notes                  =

Development
The story is written by Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series, Detective Comics) while Wildstorm crafted the appearances of the characters. Game Informer teases that Arkham Asylum will be the ultimate Batman experience and the voice cast will reflect that, featuring Kevin Conroy as Batman, Mark Hamill as The Joker  and Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn in the game, reprising their voice roles from the long-running DC Animated Universe.

The game will be based on the 70-year Batman series as a whole rather than being tied to any particular adaptation, and it is said to run on Epic Games Unreal Engine 3.

A Collector's Edition was announced by Gamestop. The Collector's Edition will feature:
 * A 14 inch Batarang in the style of the game (stand included)
 * A Wayne Tech collector's box
 * A 50 Page color character journal
 * A Bonus DVD including interviews with Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill and others.

In May 2009, it was announced that the Joker would be a free downloadable character exclusively for the Playstation 3. Players are only able to use the character on the Joker's custom brand of challenge maps; there is no single campaign.

Two DLC packs that were released in November included a "Totally Insane" Freeflow combat map and a "Nocturnal Hunter" Predator map.

On December 12, 2009, a teaser trailer for the next game was shown at the 2009 Spike Video Game Award ceremony.

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 * Trivia              =
 * In one of his P.A. system announcements, the Joker pages for "Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard" - the last names of the Three Stooges, which in The New Batman Adventures he has villainous henchmen modeled after, named Moe, Lar, and Cur. This is also a nod to the Three Stooges' short Men in Black (which also took place in a hospital and featured incompetent doctors).
 * The Joker's taunt to Aaron Cash, "tick tock, tick tock, is that a crocodile I hear?" - in reference to the appearance of Killer Croc - also references the crocodile in Peter Pan that swallowed a clock and continually haunted Captain Hook with his appearance.
 * The Riddler at one point accuses Batman of looking up his secret riddle locations on the Internet, which also references how some videogame players find secret locations in their games.
 * Prior to entering the Scarecrow's third nightmare scenario, the game appears to glitch and start over, only for it to be a twisted replay of the opening scene with Batman bringing the Joker into Arkham Asylum with the roles reversed. It would seem that the Scarecrow is playing with the gamers' heads as well as with Batman's. Just before the fake glitch occurs, the female voice over the P.A. system says, "Did anyone catch the game last night?"
 * The game also includes several referances to other Batman villains who did not make a physical appearance. Several of which are the jail-cell's of the criminals. The interior of one cell is plastered with calander pages; an obvious reference to the Calander Man; another one is plastered with several Harvey Dent Political posters, which suggests that it is Two-Face's cell. And in the room where you trap Harley Quin in the game, if you look around you will find Mr. Freeze's cell covered with ice.
 * According to an article on the game's website, arkhamcare.com, the game (or that the very least, before the game) was set in the year 2009.
 * Links                  = * US Official Site