User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1850 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Sep 4, 2023
    8
    Batman: Arkham Asylum is a 2009 action-adventure video game developed by Rocksteady and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

    + Fun and Easy Combat + Predator Mode and Bat-Gadgets + Main Characters Designs and Voice Acting are Good + Game Over Screens +- The Game Looks Great and Batman's Damage During the Campaign is a Nice Touch,
    Batman: Arkham Asylum is a 2009 action-adventure video game developed by Rocksteady and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

    + Fun and Easy Combat
    + Predator Mode and Bat-Gadgets
    + Main Characters Designs and Voice Acting are Good
    + Game Over Screens
    +- The Game Looks Great and Batman's Damage During the Campaign is a Nice Touch, but Facial Animations and Lip Syncing from Secondary Characters could be Better
    +- Tons of Cool Stuff to Unlock, Including Challenge Modes, but Collect all the Collectibles can be Frustrating
    - Some Boss Battles are Forgettable and Disappointing (Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, and Titan Joker)
    - Too Tempting to Play Through the Entire Game in Detective Vision Mode
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  2. Aug 11, 2023
    10
    The perfect start to the franchise of arkham games. To start of with is the combat which is perfect you can feel how impactful all of the moves are, even when you fly 30 meters from one guy to next the “free flow” combat is very satisfying. The graphics for a nearly 14 year old game still holds up, when you first get a shot over the whole Arkham island the gothic, dark atmosphere is madeThe perfect start to the franchise of arkham games. To start of with is the combat which is perfect you can feel how impactful all of the moves are, even when you fly 30 meters from one guy to next the “free flow” combat is very satisfying. The graphics for a nearly 14 year old game still holds up, when you first get a shot over the whole Arkham island the gothic, dark atmosphere is made perfectly in this game and really makes you feel like Batman. Story is intense and it’s really Batman versus a whole island infested with prison inmates and villains. The villains in the game are introduced over the course of the game and it really feels like everyone’s after you, so you have an uneasy feeling traversing the different buildings not knowing what’s waiting, Especially with the lunatics they freak me out. 100% this game recently and can’t recommend it enough. Expand
  3. Aug 8, 2023
    8
    Arkham asylum offers great stealth, gadgets, puzzles, and a unique combat system. The setting is also well done but I found that exploring the truncated open world to be unrewarding at parts. The combat system is great with it's use of "free flow" mechanics but I found that because of this mechanic, the dodge button wouldn't register which caused some unfair damage. Outside of these flawsArkham asylum offers great stealth, gadgets, puzzles, and a unique combat system. The setting is also well done but I found that exploring the truncated open world to be unrewarding at parts. The combat system is great with it's use of "free flow" mechanics but I found that because of this mechanic, the dodge button wouldn't register which caused some unfair damage. Outside of these flaws the story saves it with the plot being very on par with the characters however the final boss is very easy and disappointing. Expand
  4. Jul 15, 2023
    9
    Listen, are you really trying to convince me that you don't know anything about this game? And that you need a review in order to decide whether to play it or not? Stop it! Just play it! The whole Batman trilogy is a masterpiece that was ahead of it's time.
  5. Jun 17, 2023
    8
    Batman: Arkham Asylum delivers an unforgettable action-adventure experience with a captivating blend of psychological horror and thrilling gameplay. The game's setting within the walls of Arkham Asylum creates a beautiful and haunting atmosphere, immersing players in a chilling journey. The villains, especially the Joker, shine brightly with exceptional voice acting from Mark Hamill andBatman: Arkham Asylum delivers an unforgettable action-adventure experience with a captivating blend of psychological horror and thrilling gameplay. The game's setting within the walls of Arkham Asylum creates a beautiful and haunting atmosphere, immersing players in a chilling journey. The villains, especially the Joker, shine brightly with exceptional voice acting from Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy as Batman, adding depth and intensity to the story. With state-of-the-art gameplay mechanics and a solid plot, Batman: Arkham Asylum solidifies itself as a groundbreaking title that has set the bar high for future superhero games. Expand
  6. Jun 4, 2023
    8
    What it loses in terms of gameplay and open world compared to its sequels, Asylum makes up for with a simple but great story and excellent atmosphere. An amazing start to this game series and definitely worth playing even if you don't really like Batman that much.
  7. May 6, 2023
    10
    my first ps3 game, I will never forget that day I first put the cd in my brand new ps3. city does improve on this game in many ways but this game hit me differently
  8. Mar 22, 2023
    9
    The combat and gameplay in this slaps! I legit felt like batman when I was playing this at some parts, however the final boss was mediocre and some of the graphics don’t hold up, buts still amazing game
  9. Mar 19, 2023
    8
    Probably my least favourite Batman: Arkham game, but even that is telling of how good the series is. The combat, while not as good as the later games (understandably), is still fun, but its best quality is arguably its atmosphere. The only downsides are that the boss fights aren't amazing, and, while the story is consistent, it doesn't reach the heights of the games that succeed it - 8/10.
  10. Feb 15, 2023
    9
    The second-best superhero game (the sequel is the best). Perfectly captures what it’s like to be Batman. Filled with secrets and easter eggs. Combat is really fluid.
  11. Jan 11, 2023
    8
    Recenzja powstała w celu zapisu oceny z gry na moim profilu, ku potomności.
  12. Dec 11, 2022
    8
    Very fun Batman game with solid controls and interesting progression and gadgets. Solid voice acting and good checkpoint systems. A few frustrating sections, but very fun overall.
  13. Nov 28, 2022
    9
    sinopsis: Primer juego de la saga batman arkham dirigido por rocksteady studios en donde como su nombre lo indica encarnaremos a batman en otra aventura en donde nos enfrentaremos a varios villanos de los comics de este incluyendo al memorable joker utlilizando muchos artilujios utilizados por el mismo batman vasandose en la serie de comics con el mismo nombre y en todos los echos hasta lasinopsis: Primer juego de la saga batman arkham dirigido por rocksteady studios en donde como su nombre lo indica encarnaremos a batman en otra aventura en donde nos enfrentaremos a varios villanos de los comics de este incluyendo al memorable joker utlilizando muchos artilujios utilizados por el mismo batman vasandose en la serie de comics con el mismo nombre y en todos los echos hasta la fecha en que salio este titulo.

    Lo bueno: fue un muy buen comienzo en la saga de batman arkham por su semi mundo abierto su sistema de combate muy adictivo (en el que se pueden usar los artilugios que no se les tiene pensado para el combate para dejarte llevar) la ambientacion caracteristica del personaje su ritmo fluido e incluso aprovechando el sistema de combate y sigilo se implementaron los retos cada uno mas dificil que el anterior.

    Lo malo: es dificil encontrar algo malo en esta entrega ya que por donde lo veo esta pulida hasta el mas minimo detalle para darnos una aventura digna del personaje.

    Numero de jugadores: 1.
    Online: solo para las listas de clasificasion en los retos.
    Logros o trofeos: si (para el 100% o el platino se requiere una habilidad de 5/10 ya que no es tan complicado pero tampoco es una tarea facil)
    Horas para completarlo: 25-40 (completista)
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  14. Nov 11, 2022
    9
    Por fin se hizo justicia al Caballero Oscuro. No de la misma forma al Joker, y quién se ha acabado el juego sabe por qué.
  15. Oct 30, 2022
    9
    no bad things about this game at all boss fights are decent story feels like the animated series which is amazing and arkham feels scary
  16. Oct 24, 2022
    8
    When we got Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, I was thankful we finally got good Batman movies. After playing this game, I was thankful we finally got a good Batman game (not including the lego games). This game is thrilling and at times scary. They did a great job creating a creepy and dark tone throughout the game. The voice acting is pretty solid, the graphics are great, and the gameWhen we got Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, I was thankful we finally got good Batman movies. After playing this game, I was thankful we finally got a good Batman game (not including the lego games). This game is thrilling and at times scary. They did a great job creating a creepy and dark tone throughout the game. The voice acting is pretty solid, the graphics are great, and the game flowed very well. There were a few times I thought the game dragged, and I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending, but this game, for the most part, is AWESOME and ENJOYABLE. Good job. Expand
  17. Oct 18, 2022
    10
    There isn't much that I can say about this game that hasn't been said. It is a (flawed) masterpiece. The story is great, Joker is peak here (maybe the best representation of him outside of comics), the combat is fun, and the setting of Arkham Asylum is just too fun!

    My only two complaints about this game is the lack of enemy variety and backtracking. I played this game for the first
    There isn't much that I can say about this game that hasn't been said. It is a (flawed) masterpiece. The story is great, Joker is peak here (maybe the best representation of him outside of comics), the combat is fun, and the setting of Arkham Asylum is just too fun!

    My only two complaints about this game is the lack of enemy variety and backtracking. I played this game for the first time in 2022, and it holds up, but the enemy variety severely lacks, and the devs try to make up for it by just adding more enemies to encounters to up the difficulty. It does not make encounters more difficult it just makes late game fights and frustrating battle of health management. Back tracking is also a big problem. You will re-clear and go through each area 2-3 times in the game. It just isn't interesting. I'm sure there were technical limitations or limitations in how big the asylum could be in the logic of the story and world, it just didn't feel good.

    One of my biggest praises for this game is the art direction. In 2022, the graphics obviously aren't amazing, but that is okay because the art style down to the architecture of the buildings makes this game beautiful even today. Art style will always be greater than graphics and frame rate.

    My last big praise is the voice acting. Dear gosh, give Mark Hamill and Oscar for Joker in this game. Also, Kevin Conroy literally voices Batman for this game, it is just too perfect. From the moment I heard Hamill's psychotic monologue in the opening scene I knew I was in for a truly amazing Batman/Joker dynamic that actually gets their relationship. What a game!
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  18. Aug 30, 2022
    10
    Simply... innovative!

    Ahead of its time, bringing, particularly, my favorite horoi, Batman brings from the shadows of old games, a magnificent game!

    With a captivating story, impressive graphics, and rich details, Batman brings the mantle to the player, managing to make his player feel like the dark knight himself!
  19. Aug 30, 2022
    9
    Cons: the gameplay is is not as good as Arkham City

    Pros: everything else (the story, the villains, the soundtrack, etc...)
  20. Aug 12, 2022
    10
    What a game. It was fun, well paced, and always an adventure. I could not get enough.
  21. Jul 7, 2022
    8
    сюжет хороший интересная боевка сам геймлей интересный красивая графика
  22. Jul 1, 2022
    9
    The first game in the arkham series and it's pretty great for it's time. It's definitely aged a lot now but it can till be heavily appreciated now. This game excels the most in atmosphere and characters. I swear in a lot of moments it really feels like i'm in the very creepy arkham asylum. As for the characters they are some of the best versions of the our favorite villains and heroes i'veThe first game in the arkham series and it's pretty great for it's time. It's definitely aged a lot now but it can till be heavily appreciated now. This game excels the most in atmosphere and characters. I swear in a lot of moments it really feels like i'm in the very creepy arkham asylum. As for the characters they are some of the best versions of the our favorite villains and heroes i've personally seen. The weakest part of the game is the combat and the boss battles. The combat is very hit and miss. Sometimes it's veryy fluid and other times itt's very clunky and inconsistent The bosses overall aren't bad, they aren't mind blowing and some are underwhelming. In all, Batman Arkham Asylum is the foundation of a great series in it's future and is still a damn great batman game on it's own. Expand
  23. Jun 27, 2022
    9
    Rocksteady delivers on a fantastic Batman game that ended up being much better the expected.
  24. Jun 19, 2022
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Eye g1ve 2009-2011 @$ylum c1t1e$ 8/10 de$p1te M1cr0$0ft M0n0p0l1e$ @b0ut C@tw0m@n. Expand
  25. Jun 2, 2022
    9
    Nettes. Spiel es hat echt viel Spaß gemacht. Mehr davon! Nicht zu lang, nicht zu kurz. Genau richtig.
  26. May 5, 2022
    9
    Excellent combat and overall world design. The tone of the game is excellent. Great roster of antagonists as well. Variety of excellent moments and set pieces. Story is the best in the series with what it tries to accomplish. Only gripe is lack of side activities to do. Not much reason to replay.
  27. Mar 10, 2022
    10
    'Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)' is one of the most influential video-games of all time, even if its own inspirations are equally evident. It's arguably the first great superhero game, one that treats its source material totally seriously and delivers a rock-solid story alongside its fun gameplay. The mechanics of the title are practically synonymous with the third-person action genre now,'Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)' is one of the most influential video-games of all time, even if its own inspirations are equally evident. It's arguably the first great superhero game, one that treats its source material totally seriously and delivers a rock-solid story alongside its fun gameplay. The mechanics of the title are practically synonymous with the third-person action genre now, yet they really are revolutionary. The game's familiar mix of combat, puzzles, exploration and stealth is handled remarkably well, each element feeling cohesive and hand-crafted for the caped crusader himself. The rhythm-based combat is snappy, satisfying and suitably violent. It's remarkably deep, with a number of unlockable skills and advanced moves, and the enemy design is varied enough to keep things interesting, especially when several types are tossed at you together and you have to strategically work your way across the battlefield. The combo system isn't just for show or, even, style; it distinctly changes how you play because several abilities are contingent on it, ensuring you feel rewarded when you achieve a high level of play. Even though he can take on tens of foes at once, Batman isn't a tank. When bullets come his way, he has to hide. This is where the game's predator segments come into the fray. These sequences have you sneaking around the asylum and taking out guards as you see fit, every gadget in your arsenal uniquely equipped to deal with a given scenario. If you're spotted, you'll have to retreat to a vantage point with your grappling hook; you can't withstand much damage. The AI is incredibly effective at conveying the fear you expect from someone stalked by the Dark Knight, with enemies erratically slipping from calm to agitated depending on what they see. These segments are highly engaging and provide a great counterbalance to the thing's otherwise more overt combat. Other than taking out bad guys, you're also tasked with doing some detective work. With your X-ray 'detective vision', you can track subjects and even recreate what may have happened based on evidence you find. For the most part, this stuff is fairly simple but it's really satisfying. It tends to progress the story in a very natural way and makes you feel like an active participant in the narrative. That narrative is fantastic, too. It makes excellent use of its source material, bringing its dingy version of Arkham Asylum to life with striking detail. It also offers up a sizeable, fan-pleasing rogue's gallery of villains to face-off against. From the intimidating Bane to the psychotic Harley Quinn, each baddie is as distinct and compelling as the last. The main attraction is, of course, the Joker. Here, he is simply phenomenal, bolstered by a brilliant performance from Mark Hamill. He walks the line between cruel and crazy, as jovial as he is murderous, and it's great to see. He's a suitable adversary for the imposing and stoic Batman, voiced just as well by Kevin Conroy. Everything just comes together to create a completely cohesive world filled with colourful characters and gripping gameplay. It's great. Plus, there's a whole set of side content which sees you solving the Riddler's puzzles. These mostly optional quandaries consist of either a physical test - in which you must use your gadgets to obtain a small trophy - or a mental one - which have you photograph parts of the asylum that act as answers to more traditional, typically lore-based riddles. The side stuff also includes a set of challenges based around the combat and predator encounters found in-game, which are instantly enjoyable and infinitely replayable. Chasing the high-score on these might steal more of your time than you expect, rounding out the overall package and marking it as one that's a must-play for... well, anyone, really. It's absolutely fantastic and is, still to this day, one of the best games of its generation. 10/10 Expand
  28. Feb 18, 2022
    10
    Jugabilidad, historia y gráficos perfectos.
    De los mejores juegos de super héroes.
  29. Jan 8, 2022
    9
    "Batman: Arkham Asylum" is a video game adaption that matched the quality of the greatest Batman comics. A dark follow-up to "The Animated Series", it was named the best comic book game ever made by critics. Utilizing the Unreal Engine, the world of "Arkham" visually recalls "Bioshock" and the characters resemble the muscular soldiers from "Gears of War". Gameplay-wise, the game plays like"Batman: Arkham Asylum" is a video game adaption that matched the quality of the greatest Batman comics. A dark follow-up to "The Animated Series", it was named the best comic book game ever made by critics. Utilizing the Unreal Engine, the world of "Arkham" visually recalls "Bioshock" and the characters resemble the muscular soldiers from "Gears of War". Gameplay-wise, the game plays like "Metroid" complete with hidden rooms, scattered collectibles, optional objectives and backtracking.

    The story was inspired by Grant Morrison graphic novel "Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth". In the game, Batman spends an entire night tracking down the Gotham villains that have been broken out of prison by The Joker. The best aspect of the game is how it makes the player feel like the Dark Knight. It feels like a simulation since it cleverly integrates every aspect of the character (sans the Batmobile) into the gameplay. Both the stealth segments and combat mechanics are fluid and perfectly capture Batman's unique fighting styles. A cool aspect is Batman's cape that can be used in combat as well as flight, as you can use it to glide through the environments.

    As players progress, Batman will gain different abilities that can eventually be upgraded. Traveling through Arkham never feels like a chore since repetition is cut down to a minimum. You're always discovering new areas and abilities, while the action moments are used sparsely to compliment the adventure feel of the game. Additionally, combat challenge rooms open up to test your skill if you just want arcade-style fighting. The PS3 version includes exclusive Joker challenge rooms which include attack moves unique to the Clown Prince of Crime.

    Overall, this is a near-perfect "Batman" experience with an outstanding story, amazing visuals and terrific gameplay. At the time of its release, this game was a pleasant surprise since its developer had never made anything great before. I would "Arkham Asylum" with a 9.5 out of 10.
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  30. Dec 30, 2021
    9
    Solid start to the Arkham series. The atmosphere, plot, characters, and action are top notch. This game really does make you feel like the Batman. Weak bosses and clunky movements aside, it's not a surprise that this game is considered to be one of the best Batman games ever made.
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 70 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 70 out of 70
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 70
  3. Negative: 0 out of 70
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    90
    The whole game is a class act. The fighting is sophisticated but arcade-addictive, the visuals are stylish, and the Lara-like exploration is smartly done. Plus the DC heritage feels all-encompassing like a big blanket. Arkham Asylum is comfortably the best comic book game that PlayStation's ever had, and is up there with the system's best actioners, full stop. [Sept 2009, p.95]
  2. Batman: Arkham Asylum is this year's "BioShock," not just from the connection established with the world, but from its ability to innovate where new ideas are needed, and moreover, deliver an adventure unlike any other. [Sept 2009, p.82]
  3. Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)
    100
    Yes, this is the Batman you've been waiting for...It's a wonderful experience, beginning to end, never taking the easy or familiar route, and infusing each shift of the story with original ideas that cut no corners. [Oct 2009, p.70]