Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman: Arkham Asylum is a video game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Microsoft Windows, and is based on DC Comics' Batman. It is 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.

Plot
The game begins with the Joker being escorted by Batman to Arkham Asylum after being caught at city hall. The situation at the hall took place at the exact same time as a 'mysterious fire' at Blackgate Prison, causing all of the prisoners to be sent to Arkham. When the two arrive at Arkham, Batman and several guards strap the Joker to an up-right stretcher and roll him down into Intensive Treatment. As the Joker is being registered into the Cell Block by Commissioner Gordon, he breaks free and escapes from Batman with the help of Harley Quinn. After a brief confrontation with Zsasz and learning that Warden Quincy Sharp has been captured, Batman follows the Joker to a transfer room where he is attacked by a mutated Blackgate prisoner. After a short battle, the prisoner collapses. The Joker escapes on top of a security cell and broadcasts a message to Batman telling him that Frank Boles, a member of the team assigned with escorting Joker to his cell, is actually on his side and has captured Gordon.

Using some of his gadgets, Batman follows an alcoholic trail to Boles, who he finds dead strapped to a stretcher near the exit of Intensive Treatment after being double-crossed by the Joker. Simultaneously, the Riddler intercepts Batman's transmission system which he uses to contact Oracle, and begins tasking him with riddles which he can solve across the island. Batman leaves Intensive Treatment and discovers that the Batmobile is being attacked by Harley Quinn's henchmen. Batman quickly defeats them and follows a tobacco trail to Gordon, who is being held in the Medical Facility by Harley.

As he makes his way through the Facility, Batman rescues a trio of doctors from the Joker's men before being drugged by the Scarecrow and hallucinating, being forced to endure a terrifying trial depicting Gordon's death and escape from what seems like an enormous form of the Scarecrow. However, Batman successfully overcomes the fear gas and tracks Gordon to a large room in the centre of the facility.

Batman knocks out Harley and rescues Gordon, but is drawn to a gas-filled chamber in the middle of the room. Inside, he finds Bane hooked up to a pump, which the Joker uses to fill him with venom. After a hard fight, Batman defeats Bane by remotely driving the Batmobile into him and knocking him into the sea. Batman and Gordon discover that Dr Young, one of the three doctors rescued from the Facility, may have information that the Joker wants to get hold of.

After heading through a locked-up cave outside, Batman glides down to a secret Arkham-based sector of the Batcave, which he installed beneath the island's surface years ago. Using the computer there, he learns that Young has been researching the venom drug fuelling Bane and has managed to develop Titan, a similar, yet more powerful drug based on venom, ostensibly intended to help inmates withstand the more... strenuous therapies. Realising that Joker plans to use Titan for something, Batman heads over to Arkham Mansion to reach Young's notes before the Joker gets there first.

Batman fights his way through the Mansion to Dr. Young's office, only to find that she has already retrieved the notes. He tracks a trail of her finger prints to the mansion's library, where she hid the notes from the Joker. He destroys the notes, but Joker has kidnapped Dr. Young herself and intends to torture the Titan formula out of her.

While venturing through the Mansion to rescue Dr. Young, Batman is drugged by Scarecrow again, this time being forced to relive his parents' death. After emerging from the gas unharmed once more, he finds Zsasz holding Young hostage in Warden Sharp's office with a knife. He uses his Batarang to defeat Zsasz and rescue Young. However, when she goes over to Sharp's safe, she finds that the Joker had got there first and has rigged the safe with explosives. The blast kills Young, and Harley approaches a barely-conscious Batman and walks away with Warden Sharp, whom she is still holding hostage. After waking up again, Batman tracks Harley to the Penitentiary.

Batman chases Harley through the building. He finds Sharp in the control room, and at the same time, Harley releases Poison Ivy from captivity. Batman follows Harley to a large room with an electrified floor, which she uses to try to kill him. When she fails, the Joker crosses her off his 'party list' for some kind of celebration he is holding later that night. Out of anger, Harley attacks Batman, but he successfully apprehends her and locks her in a cell. Through a slip of the tongue from Harley, Batman learns that the Joker has a secret Titan production facility inside the Botanical Gardens.

Now in possession of the knowledge that Joker plans to build an army of Titan-fuelled mutants (effectively an enormous group of Banes), Batman heads over to the Gardens and reaches the facility. After battling two of the Joker's henchmen drugged with a now complete Titan serum, he destroys the facility and begins to search for an antidote to stop the rest of the Titans. Knowing that Titan will mutate the plant life on the island, Batman believes Poison Ivy should help him to find a cure. She informs him that the only way to create an antidote is to use some rare spores which can only be found in the sewers - directly inside the lair of Killer Croc.

Batman learns from Aaron Cash, a policeman on the island, that the only way to access Croc's lair is through a pathway in Intensive Treatment. Batman backtracks through the facility, but is drugged by Scarecrow once more on his way through. Scarecrow injects an immense amount of toxins into him (enough to drive ten men insane), but when Batman still emerges triumphant, Scarecrow is shocked and flees into Croc's lair. Scarecrow dangles his toxins over the river in the pipeline, threatening to drop them in if Batman comes closer, forcing his wildest nightmares to come true. As Scarecrow stands on the edge, Croc jumps out of the water and grabs him. Croc is about to eat Scarecrow, but Batman hits his shock collar with a Batarang, forcing him to recoil and throw Scarecrow into the water. Batman ventures into the sewers and, while frequently being attacked by Croc, gathers all of the required spores. As he prepares to exit the lair, Croc suddenly charges at him through a tunnel, but Batman destroys a weak part of the floor using his Explosive Gel as Croc runs over it, sending him plummeting down into the river below.

Batman emerges from the sewers to find that Ivy's plants have grown ominously and are tearing apart the island. Inside the Batcave, he uses the spores to create an antidote, and sets out to stop Ivy from taking over Arkham. He travels back to the Botanical Gardens, where Ivy states that while she originally thought that Titan was hurting her plants, it has actually made them much stronger. With that, she summons a colossal Titan plant through the floor, and bonds with it to fight Batman. However, he manages to defeat her, and she and the plant sink back into the undergrowth. Upon emerging from the Gardens, Batman learns that the Joker's party is about to begin. He heads over to the Visitor Centre, which has been recreated to match the Joker's style. The Blackgate prisoners announce Batman as the Joker's special guest and allow him entry.

Inside the Centre, Batman is weakened when the Joker detonates a bomb on the other side of a thin glass window. He awakens to find Joker sitting on a throne of mannequins with Scarface sitting on his knee. The Joker sends some of his men along with two Titan-fuelled policemen to attack Batman, and when they fail, he reveals Gordon tied up with some rope. Joker whips out a gun filled with Titan pellets and takes a shot at Gordon, but Batman dives in the way and begins to mutate. When Batman resists the change, Joker declares that he is ruining his party, and shoots himself through the lower jaw with the Titan gun.

The game flashes forwards to about 10 minutes later. News choppers are flying all around Arkham, cameras fixed on the roof of the Centre. A horribly mutated Joker climbs up from inside the building, gripping Batman in his hands. Still taunting him to give in to the change, he tells him that he does not have long left. In retaliation, Batman injects himself with the antidote in order to prevent the Titan from taking control of him. Joker jumps up onto a high point and sends his men to attack Batman, but while he poses and shows off to the choppers, Batman yanks him down with the Batclaw and he crashes through the floorboards into an electrical circuit. He still climbs out, barely harmed at all, but as he brags about how he is victorious, Batman sprays Explosive Gel over his heavily armoured knuckles. Stating that he will never let Joker win, he punches him in the face, detonating the Gel just as he does so, launching Joker backwards and knocking him unconscious.

Outside the Centre, Gordon tells Batman that the effects of Titan are starting to wear off the Joker and his men, and that they are being taken back to their cells. Batman is informed that Two-Face is raiding Gotham, and flies away into the night in the Batwing. After the credits roll, a crate marked 'Titan' is seen floating through the sea outside Arkham. A randomized appearance of either Bane, Scarecrow or Killer Croc grabs the crate, as the three villains are still at large.

Gameplay
The game has a more closed gameplay atmosphere, similar to Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay. Paul Dini's story is a style reminiscent of the depth and twists of Bioshock using many gadgets such as the batarang, batclaw, explosive gel, and line launcher. 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, similar to that of Resident Evil 4. It has been hinted that certain villains might be playable at some point in the game although this may be as an unlockable after completing the game. Arkham was chosen as a location because of its limitations including the fact that it's located on an island. Arkham will be a persistent location that the player will be able to freely roam, including an area that serves as Batman's secret on-site Bat-Cave.

Combat
Conflicts between Batman and opponents take place in two different styles, depending on the situation: either straight combat or the stealthy "Predator" style.

The unique combat system does not feature specific moves tied to specific buttons of the controller, but focuses instead on keeping up a perfect rhythm of blocks and attacks, which Batman executes in whichever style is appropriate for the situation. As a string of blocks and attacks is kept up, a "Combo Counter" keeps track of the length of the current string, increasing both the strength of Batman's attacks and the XP earned. The only controls necessary for combat are "Attack", "Block", "Evade", and "Cape Stun". As the game progresses, additional special moves - such as an unblockable throw maneuver - can be bought with XP, which can be executed once the Combo Counter reaches a certain level (initially 8, can later be reduced to 5).

Two of Batman's gadgets can also be used in combat, namely the batarang and the batclaw (once it has been collected). These have special buttons to deploy them quickly in combat, rather than the usual way.

Certain opponents wield knives or shock batons and cannot be attacked directly or blocked. Their attacks must be evaded instead, and they can be attacked only when stunned (knife wielders) or from behind (shock baton wielders). Opponents enhanced with the Titan drug require special tactics. Their attacks must be evaded, and they can only be safely attacked when stunned. When they execute their charging maneuver, a quick batarang will cause them to stampede blindly into walls, stunning them, leaving them open to attack. When a series of attacks has brought a Titan temporarily down to his knees, Batman can jump on his back and steer the stumbling, flailing Titan into hitting other opponents in the area, until he is shaken off.

Conflicts with groups of gun-wielding goons require the stealthy "Predator" approach, where Batman silently takes out goons one by one without being detected. It is advisable to play these encounters in "Detective Mode", which allows Batman to see the position and status of all opponents, even when they are hidden by walls. Special moves such as "Silent Takedown", "Ledge Pull", "Glide Kick", "Corner Cover" and "Inverted Takedown" (must be bought with XP first) are best employed in this style of combat. Conflicts of this type usually take place in high-ceilinged rooms featuring many interior gargoyles that allow Batman to strike from above and fly back up into the shadows when spotted.

Certain gadgets and their buyable upgrades are well suited to the Predator style. The "Sonic Batarang" can interact with the alarm collars of goons to either attract or disable them. The explosive gel can be used to set traps that are detonated either by remote control or automatically.

Gadgets
Batman will collect a series of gadgets at specific points during the plot.


 * The standard Batarang is available from the start.
 * When Batman defeats the Goons attacking the Batmobile, he collects a dispenser for Explosive Gel, that can be detonated by remote control. It can be used to break down weak walls (revealed in Detective Mode) or to set traps for opponents.
 * When he enters the Batcave for the first time, he collects the Batclaw, which can grab on to objects (especially ventilation grilles) and allows them to be pulled.
 * After rescuing warden Sharp in the penitentiary Batman gets a Cryptographic Sequencer that allows him to disable the electric security fields.
 * After the battle with the two titan-enhanced goons in the botanical garden, the Batwing delivers a Line Launcher, which allows Batman to travel between two pieces of ground on the same level across chasms or other similar obstacles.
 * When Batman enters the Batcave for the second time, he upgrades the Batclaw to fire three lines simultaneously, which allows weak walls that were previously out of reach to be grabbed and pulled down.

Upgrades to some of the gadgets can be bought with XP:


 * Auto-detonating Explosive Gel. Explodes when an enemy gets near.
 * Selective detonation of Explosive Gel. Zoom in on a specific Gel patch to detonate only that specific one.
 * Double Batarang
 * Triple Batarang
 * Sonic Batarang. Attracts a nearby enemy.
 * Sonic Batarang II. Attracts and disables a nearby enemy.  Can only be used once per encounter.
 * Remote Control Batarang. Can be steered through complex flights, taking out several enemies.
 * Range enhancement for the Cryptographic Sequencer. Allows security boxes to be disabled at a greater distance - e.g. ones that are protected behind the security fields they control.
 * Power enhancement for the Cryptographic Sequencer. Increases the ease with which the Sequencer disables security boxes.

Detective
The developers have come up with a CSI style for forensic puzzles because Batman is the "World's Greatest Detective". Detective mode is the centerpiece in Batman's arsenal. His cowl can highlight certain points of interest and much like the Metroid Prime games will scan items into your database. One of Batman's new tools is Explosive Gel that you apply to weak walls highlighted by detective vision so they crash down making ways for you to escape and sneak in or even knock out the person on the other side.

Riddles
Each unique set of locations in the game (e.g. one building or one of the island sections) has a number of associated Riddler Challenges, which can be solved to earn XP and unlock boni, such as character profiles, character trophies, and challenge mini-games. There are several distinct types of challenges:


 * Riddler trophies. These green question-mark statues are scattered all over, sometimes out in the open, sometimes hidden  in difficult-to-access areas.
 * Riddles. More or less cryptic clues describing specific locations or objects.  To solve the riddle, the described object must be visible on-screen and must be "scanned".
 * Joker Teeth. The Joker has scattered a lot of "chattering teeth" toys, often in groups of two or three.  To fulfill the challenge, a certain number of teeth (5, 10, 20) must be destroyed.
 * Perspective riddles. Two halves of a question mark have been painted on the scenery (only visible in Detective Mode).  When viewed from the right perspective, they line up to form a whole question mark, which can be scanned to solve the riddle.
 * Interview tapes. Audio tape reels containing patient interviews and doctor's notes can be found in many locations, giving insight into some of the major characters in the game.
 * Spirit of Arkham messages. All over the asylum there are scribbled messages on decorative stones, in the same spiraling style that Amadeus Arkham once used.  Scan these messages to decode them.
 * Riddler maps. Each location set contains one map which reveals the approximate placement of all the other challenge items, by placing floating question marks on the in-game map.

Some of the items are initially inaccessible and can only be accessed after Batman has collected a specific gadget. Since this requires revisiting locations when the actual plot of the game does not require it, the game allows the player to continue exploring the island, even after the reaching the end, in order to achieve 100% completion.

As Batman continues to solve his riddles and collect the items, Riddler initially taunts him with the "slowness" of his progress, but becomes increasingly agitated, as the amount of solved riddles rises. He accuses Batman of cheating, possibly by looking up the riddles on the internet. Once enough riddles have been solved, Batman manages to deduce Riddler's current location and transmits it to the Gotham Police.

Characters

 * Bruce Wayne / Batman - (voiced by Kevin Conroy). Batman is the main protagonist of the game. He is takes the Joker back to Arkham Asylum only to have him break out and cause havoc. Batman puts it upon himself to stop the Joker's evil schemes.
 * The Joker - (voiced by Mark Hamill). The Joker is the main villain in the game. He is captured by Batman and taken to Arkham Asylum where he escapes and takes over the asylum.
 * Harleen Francis Quinnzel / Harley Quinn - (voiced by Arleen Sorkin). Harley Quinn appears in the game already loose in the asylum. She helps Joker break free and cause mayhem on the island.
 * Commissioner James Gordon - (voiced by Tom Kane). Commissioner Gordon is present at Arkham when the Joker breaks free. He is taken captive by Harley Quinn.
 * Barbara Gordon / Oracle - (voiced by Kimberly Brooks). Oracle is Batman's radio contact throughout the game.
 * Waylon Jones / Killer Croc - (voiced by Steve Blum). Killer Croc is present in the Asylum when the Joker takes over. He attacks Batman when he enters Croc's lair.
 * Edward Nigma (Formerly Eddie Naston) / The Riddler - (voiced by Wally Wingert). The Riddler contacts Batman via radio and gives him the task of completing 240 Riddler challenges across Arkham Island.
 * Bane - (voiced by Fred Tatasciore). Bane apppears locked up in the depths of Arkham, being experimented on by Dr. Penelope Young.
 * Victor Zsasz - (voiced by Danny Jacobs). Zsasz is one of the escaped inmates when the Joker takes over Arkham. He takes several staff members hostage with Batman having to rescue them.
 * Pamela Lilian Isley / Poison Ivy - (voiced by Tasia Valenza). Ivy appears in the game locked up in the penitentiary. She convinces Harley to set her free and slowly takes over the island with her plants.
 * Jonathan Crane / The Scarecrow - (voiced by Dino Andrade). Scarecrow runs free throughout the Island after the Joker's breakout and attacks Batman several times with his fear gas inducing elaborate hallucinations.
 * Aaron Cash - (voiced by Duane R. Shepard Sr.). Cash is one of the guards in Arkham. He survives Joker's attack and assists Batman a few times.
 * Warden Quincy Sharp - (voiced by Tom Kane). Sharp has been the warden of Arkham for the last three years. He is captured by Harley Quinn early on in the game, forcing Batman to rescue him.
 * Dr. Penelope Young- (voiced by Cree Summer). Young is one of the chief psychiatrists at Arkham. She is also working on Arkahm's newly developed Titan project. She is killed by a trap The Joker set in the warden office.
 * Frank Boles - (voiced by Danny Jacobs). Boles is a chief member of Arkham's security staff. He aids the Joker in his takeover of Arkham Asylum.
 * Jack Ryder - (voiced by James Horan). Jack Ryder is heard several times on radio news broadcast, detailing the events of the Joker's takeover of Arkham to the public.
 * The Spirit of Arkham - (voiced by Tom Kane). The spirit of Amadeus Arkham, retelling his tale through a series of hidden messages in Arkham.

Minor Characters

 * Gretchen Whistler - A doctor at Arkham Asylum.
 * Eddie Burlow - A security guard at Arkham Asylum.
 * Zach Franklin - A security guard at Arkham Asylum.
 * Sarah Cassidy - A doctor at Arkham Asylum.
 * Louie Green - A security guard at Arkham Asylum.
 * Clayface -
 * Two-Face -
 * Thomas Wayne -
 * Martha Wayne -
 * Joe Chill -
 * Amadaeus Arkham -
 * Scarface -
 * Bob Johnson -
 * Adrian Chen - A doctor at Arkham Asylum.
 * Luke Curtis - A janitor at Arkham Asylum.
 * Jordan Fraser - A janitor at Arkham Asylum.
 * Robert Stirling - An orderly at Arkham Asylum.
 * Ian Kennedy -
 * Carl Todd - A janitor at Arkham Asylum.
 * William North - A security guard at Arkham Asylum.
 * Henry Smith -
 * Stephen Kellerman - A doctor at Arkham Asylum.
 * Kevin Liew - A doctor at Arkham Asylum.
 * Ra's al Ghul -
 * Razor - One of Joker's henchmen.
 * Steve - A security guard at Arkham.
 * Jackson - A security guard at Arkham.
 * Mike - A security guard at Arkham.
 * Bill -

Character Biographies
The following characters appear through a series of unlockable character bios only and are not seen or heard throughout the game.
 * Alfred Pennyworth
 * Catwoman
 * The Penguin
 * Mr. Freeze
 * The Mad Hatter
 * The Great White Shark
 * Black Mask
 * Hush
 * Firefly
 * Prometheus
 * Maxie Zeus
 * Hugo Strange
 * Killer Moth
 * The Ratcatcher
 * Tweedledum
 * Tweedledee
 * Humpty Dumpty
 * The Ventriloquist
 * Calender Man

Development history
The story is written by Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series, Detective Comics) while Wildstorm has 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 with Mark Hamill voicing The Joker in the game. It is rumored that Kevin Conroy, also from Batman: The Animated Series, will voice the Caped Crusader.[citation needed]

The game will be based on the 70-year-old 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.

Sweepstakes
Batman Arkham Asylum Sweepstake began on September 12th offering one lucky winner a chance to be immortalized inside of Arkhams prison cells. The competition was announced at the 2008 Gamestop Managers Conference by Karl Stewart, Eidos' Director of Marketing.