Video Game Review: Lumines [PSP, 2005]

Posted by Eric — February 23, 2012

Lumines
System: PSP (later on mobile, PC, XBLA, PSN, PS2, iOS)
Genre: Puzzle
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Q Entertainment
Release Date: March 22, 2005

Here I am, seven years late to this party. Seven years where I did not have Lumines in my life. Seven years where I had one less addiction than I do now.

Every major handheld system seems to have a wildly popular puzzle game tied to its release, starting all the way back with the original GameBoy and its top seller, Tetris. In 2005, the PSP’s claim to fame was Lumines, a psychedelic title influenced mostly by Tetris and Columns.

Lumines is a falling block game that uses 4×4 pieces of two different colors. The goal is to line up these blocks so 4×4 squares of the same color are pieced together and removed from the board. If a block is placed on an uneven structure, half will remain on top while the other half falls to the remaining pieces below. This adds an additional element of strategy to what is an otherwise very simple game.

What sets Lumines apart from the rest is its heavy emphasis on light and sound. An integral part of the gameplay is the use of a “timer” — a line that moves across the screen at intervals based on the beat of the music. This timer wipes out the same-colored blocks and removes them from the screen. The kicker here is that you must wait until the timer clears them before you can put new blocks in their place. This gets increasingly more difficult as the timer slows down and passes by less frequently. On the flip side, this can also be used to create massive bonuses by linking several squares together, if done correctly.

After passing through four levels (reached by hitting a certain amount of points), the music and the entire “skin” of the game will change. This means that the colors of the blocks, the background, and the tempo of the timer will all change at the same time, all while you are in the middle of playing. The transitions can sometimes be jarring, but they are a lot of fun and help keep the game fresh.

Music is a major part of the game, which is to be expected since this comes from Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the mastermind of the cult hit Rez. While psychedelic colors flash on screen, various blends of electronica play through the speakers, creating a thoroughly engrossing audio/visual experience. Plugging in a set of headphones really takes the game to another level — seriously, it makes everything even better.

While falling block puzzle games aren’t anything new, Lumines adds a fresh coat of hallucinogenic paint to a classic concept. This is one of those games that must be played to truly appreciate it, and it’s also one that is easy to learn yet difficult to master. It’s not perfect — I wish there were a way to start the challenge mode with random song selections instead of the same one every time, for example — but complaints are minor overall. The bottom line is that Lumines is addictive as all hell, and that’s all you can ask from a puzzle game. With several game modes and the ability to play multiplayer, there is a staggering amount of replay value. This title will not be leaving my PSP anytime soon, and I can’t wait to try out its sequels.

If, somehow, you are like me and slept on Lumines all these years, do yourself a favor and try it out. This is a bargain bin title now, and there really is no reason to skip out on it.

8.5/10

Movie Project #3: M [1931]

Posted by Eric — February 22, 2012

Due to the overwhelming success of my initial Movies Project, I decided to do a second round for 2012. This time around I put a greater emphasis on directors I am not familiar with, but I also tried to compile a mix of different genres and eras. This will be an ongoing project with the finish date being sometime this year.

M [1931]
Director: Fritz Lang
Genre: Film Noir/Thriller
Starring: Peter Lorre, Ellen Widmann and Inge Landgut
Runtime: 117 minutes

I will never hear “In the Hall of the Mountain King” the same way again.

For my first Fritz Lang film, I opted to see M. For some reason, I was under the assumption that this was a silent film, so I was mildly surprised when I heard children speaking in the opening scene. It didn’t take long for me to get hooked into the movie.

Set in 1930s Berlin, M tells the story of a child murderer and those who are searching for him. The killer is Hans Beckert (Lorre), a portly man who lures children by buying them balloons and other small gifts. After several children disappear and are thought to be murdered, the police begin frantically searching for clues. Fingerprinting, handwriting analysis, underground raids, vast location searches — they are doing everything they can to put an end to the killings. This is bad news for the criminal underworld, as their frequent raids are putting a major hit on their business. In an effort to get the police off their backs, the big time crime bosses pool their resources and decide to eliminate the murderer on their own.

Much of the movie follows the efforts of both the police and the criminals as they pursue Beckert. In fact, despite being the central figure of the movie, Beckert doesn’t really get that much screen time. We see his shadow and we hear his whistling of “In the Hall of the Mountain King”, but we don’t see him that often, at least not in the first half of the movie.

When the killer is shown, however, Peter Lorre makes the most of his screen time. Beckert is played as creepy, a real disgusting shell of a man who claims to have no control over his actions. He really is a disturbing fellow, and Lorre portrays this perfectly.

M feels well ahead of its time. The subject matter is very heavy, and everything about the film just has a dark, grungy feel to it. This isn’t the type of film I would expect to come out in the 1930s, regardless of its location. A haunting film that is constantly engaging, I don’t think I could have asked for a better introduction to Fritz Lang. I can’t wait to see more of his work.

9/10

Video Game Review: Batman: Arkham City [PS3, 2011]

Posted by Eric — February 20, 2012

Batman: Arkham City
System: Playstation 3 (also on Xbox 360 and PC)
Genre: Action/Adventure/Stealth
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Rocksteady Studios
Release Date: October 18, 2011

It was just last month that I finally played through Batman: Arkham Asylum, Rocksteady’s breakout hit from 2009. That game totally blew me away and removed any pre-conceived notion I had about superhero titles lacking in quality. After completing Batman’s first PS3/X360 effort, I immediately picked up last year’s sequel, Arkham City.

Whereas Arkham Asylum focused primarily on a plot against the Joker, Arkham City showcases several prominent villains. After former warden Quincy Sharp is elected mayor of Gotham, his first order of business is to clean up the streets. His solution? Turn the slums of the city into a maximum security prison — its own metropolis, blocked off from everything else. Naturally, this is a terrible idea, as that means all sorts of evil masterminds are put together in one location. All hell breaks loose, and it’s Batman’s job to restore order against the likes of Hugo Strange, Two Face, the Penguin, and the Joker, among many others.

The biggest difference between the two games is Arkham City’s venture into a larger open world. The city is five times bigger than the asylum, and it allows Batman to have free reign in a massive urban environment. With the ability to use a grappling hook from building to building and rooftop to rooftop, you really feel as if you are Batman himself. The sheer freedom that the city provides is awe-inspiring, and it helps to be controlling such a badass character.

The core gameplay is the same as before, a strong mix of combat, stealth and exploration. The combat system still uses the same attack/countering method that is so simple yet amazingly well-executed. Batman has some new gadgets this time around, many of which help during battles. Smoke pellets can be dropped to disorientate enemies and allow Batman to more easily escape harm’s way. A taser gun can be used to shock enemies, and it also restores power to generators. There’s even a new freezing gadget that can be used to toss ice grenades. All of these new toys are used throughout the game, often at critical points.

Stealth is largely the same as before, but the exploration aspects have drastically increased. If you couldn’t get enough of Riddler’s challenges before, you will love Arkham City even more. This time around there are a whopping 440 trophies to acquire, and all of them are scattered throughout the huge in-game world. There are also an increased amount of side missions, many of which introduce other villains not otherwise found in the main story. The Riddler himself has a side quest that has Batman stopping Saw-like puzzles to save innocent victim’s lives.

What’s great about all of these new quests is that once the main campaign is completed, everything is rolled over into a “New Game+” mode. That means that you can pick up all of the side quests you missed the first time around, but with all of Batman’s upgrades already included. I loved having this functionality, as I am the type of gamer that usually tries to finish the story first before digging into the supplementary features.

Also carried over from Arkham Asylum is the expansive Challenge mode. This feature pits Batman in a series of increasingly more difficult combat sequences, with the goal being to string together awesome combos in order to achieve a high score. A new twist to this mode is the ability to tweak the settings in order to make combat even more challenging (or easier, if you are so inclined).

Yet another new addition to the game is the ability to play as an entirely different character, Catwoman. Unfortunately, she can only be used if you buy the game brand new, or if you are willing to cough up $10 extra for used copies. This is a seriously shitty move on the part of the publishers, as Catwoman was clearly already built into the game and therefore should not be considered as something akin to downloadable content. I had considered paying the $10, but from what I have heard, her campaign is very short and only lasts about an hour. That’s not worth it to me, and I am disgusted that it is not included as part of the main package.

Still, Catwoman or not, Batman: Arkham City is an incredible experience that is an absolute must play, especially for those that loved its predecessor. The dark, gritty visual style is back and better than ever, and the soundtrack feels like it could easily belong in one of Christopher Nolan’s terrific Dark Knight films. With a staggering amount of gameplay depth, this will last a LONG time. An easy contender for 2011′s Game of the Year.

9/10

Poll results: Biggest Oscar Snub

Posted by Eric — February 18, 2012

This year’s Oscar nominations caused a huge uproar in the film world, and once again people spent more time discussing the snubs rather than the actual nominees. The awards are pretty much a running joke now, but it’s still fun to pick through the nominees and see what should be changed. There were quite a few major omissions, and this week’s poll results really show this.

THE RESULTS:
- Drive for Best Picture: 6 votes
- Michael Fassbender for Best Actor: 4 votes
- 50/50 for Best Original Screenplay: 4 votes
- Albert Brooks for Best Supporting Actor: 1 vote
- Shame for anything: 1 vote
- Michael Shannon for Best Actor: 1 vote
- Tilda Swinton for Best Actress: 1 vote
- Other: The Interrupters for Best Documentary: 1 vote

Can’t say I am surprised by the winner. The lack of respect for Drive is especially disappointing, considering that it made many critic’s top ten list last year. Nice to see a write-in for The Interrupters, a documentary that I am very excited to see.

What do you guys think? What was YOUR biggest Oscar snub?

Movie Review: Carnage [2011]

Posted by Eric — February 15, 2012

Carnage [2011]
Director: Roman Polanski
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Starring: Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly
Runtime: 80 Minutes

Two eleven year old boys are arguing in the park. We don’t know what about, but does it matter? That’s what kids do. One of the children, Zachary, strikes the other, Ethan, across the face with a large stick. Now we have a messy situation on our hands, complete with a missing tooth and some serious dentalwork needing to be done. This incident brings the parents of the two children together to discuss treatment and punishment options.

And so begins Carnage.

Zachary’s parents, Alan and Nancy Cowan (Waltz & Winslet), visit the home of Ethan’s parents, Michael and Penelope Longstreet (Reilly & Foster), with the intention of quickly dealing with the problem. Somehow this quick visit turns into an elongated stay, and the entire movie takes place in this stationary apartment.

With this decision, much of the film’s weight is placed on the shoulders of its stars. Thankfully, this is an absolutely all-star veteran cast. Foster, Reilly, Winslet and Waltz are all terrific, and they do their part to make sure this dialogue-heavy film is not hampered by the one-shot location.

Each character has their own quirks, and they all have a certain sense of pride. When little remarks here and there are interpreted as sly insults, the discussion grows heated, and it doesn’t take long for everyone to start ragging on each other. In this regard, “Carnage” is an apt title for the film, as there are some heavy blows dealt to the egos of all involved.

Carnage is a fun, brief film that really picks up once the bottle of scotch comes out. There are moments I could have done without, such as Alan’s frequent phone calls and Nancy’s moments where she gets sick, but for the most part this is an entertaining ride with a tight script.

7.5/10

Movie Project #2: Blow Out [1981]

Posted by Eric — February 13, 2012

Blow Out [1981]
Director: Brian De Palma
Genre: Crime/Drama/Mystery
Starring: John Travolta, Nancy Allen and John Lithgow
Runtime: 107 minutes

I don’t watch the news. It’s too depressing.

Frequently cited as one of Quentin Tarantino’s top three favorite films, Blow Out is a gripping thriller that has built up a bit of a cult following since its 1981 release. Last year, the movie was treated to an expansive Criterion Collection package, which was a big reason why I became so interested in seeing this.

John Travolta stars as B-movie sound technician Jack Terry, a man who has worked on such classic titles as Blood Beach, Blood Beach Two, and Bordello of Blood. One night, while he is out recording frogs, owls and other night sounds, Jack witnesses a horrific car crash. One of the car’s tires blows out, sending the vehicle and its inhabitants plunging over a bridge and into the river below. Jack frantically dives in to help, and pulls out the girl trapped inside, Sally (Allen). The other victim, later found out to be a governor and presidential hopeful, is not so lucky, and he dies on scene.

Initial signs point to this being a “freak” car accident, but Jack, being a sound guy and all, is positive that he heard a gunshot before the blow out. Revisiting the audio from the evening seems to confirm this, and now he wants to dig deeper and try to figure out just who the hell shot out the tire.

Now here’s where shit gets real: there was another person at the river that evening, Manny Karp (Dennis Franz). He recorded the entire incident on film, and he begins shopping his photos around to all sorts of tabloids. With some particularly helpful prior knowledge, he was at the scene to make a quick buck. He didn’t shoot the gun, however.

That was Burke (Lithgow), an assassin who was hired as part of a greater political conspiracy. The plan (allegedly) was never to have him murder anyone, but Burke decided to take things to another level on his own. Now he is hot on the tail of Jack and Sally, with plans to kill both of them and finally cover up this political scandal once and for all.

If Blow Out sounds like a film with deep layers embedded with conspiracies, well, it is. There are obvious allusions to real life events such as Watergate, the JFK assassination and the Chappaquiddick incident. There are so many ideas in place, and all of them are covered remarkably. Just as Jack Terry methodically edits sound for B-movies, director Brian De Palma carefully crafts a film that connects on many different levels.

Part of the film’s brilliance also lies heavily on John Travolta’s shoulders. This may very well be his finest performance, as he is extra charismatic as a regular guy who just so happened to be in the right place at the wrong time. Much can be said about John Lithgow’s icy cold take as the assassin/serial killer, a role he would expound upon even more nearly 30 years later in TV’s Dexter. Nancy Allen is passable at best, but she does not detract from the film’s quality.

There were moments during the second act where I felt the film was kicking its tires a bit (pun intended?), but the epic conclusion really renewed my sense of appreciation. The ending, draped in patriotic symbolism, is one that I will never forget.

With its grandeur release from Criterion, Blow Out has much deservedly reached a new generation of fans (myself included). Fans of crime, mystery and thrillers ought to give this a watch.

8/10

Movie Project #1: Vanishing Point [1971]

Posted by Eric — February 10, 2012

Vanishing Point [1971]
Director: Richard C. Sarafian
Genre: Action/Drama
Starring: Barry Newman, Cleavon Little and Dean Jagger
Runtime: 106 minutes

I miss owning a car.

Vanishing Point has re-emphasized that point for me, and I really want to hit the open road again.

There’s something to be said about just driving through open terrain for long stretches at a time, especially when you are behind the wheel of a souped-up car. That’s the case for Kowalski (Newman) and his white 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T. He has accepted an assignment that requires him to deliver the Challenger to San Francisco from Denver in one weekend. That’s not enough for Kowalski, however, and he takes a bet to get the car there in 15 hours or less (an especially difficult task for that time period).

Why the hell not? The dude can drive.

Hopped up on speed pills, Kowalski effortlessly weaves in and out of traffic, carefully dodging construction areas and evading the police. Those in the way have less than desirable results, often leading to spectacular crashes. It’s exhilarating just to watch the professional at work.

We don’t learn much about Kowalski, and he really doesn’t have much to say. A few brief flashbacks show that he is a Vietnam War veteran, a former race car driver and former police officer, but they don’t provide an extensive amount of depth. This isn’t a big deal because it’s easy to empathize with the man who is just looking to finish his job.

Despite spending most of his time driving, Kowalski manages to meet/connect with a few people along the way. Most important is Super Soul (Little), a blind radio DJ who hears of Kowalski’s high speed chase and encourages him to keep going. As any driving aficionado understands, good music is essential to enjoying the journey. Super Soul is enigmatic and delivers the audio goods on his end, with a soundtrack that has cuts from Bobby Doyle, Delaney & Bonnie and Mountain, to name a few.

It’s easy to see why Vanishing Point is considered a cult classic today. There’s the breathtaking cinematography that proudly shows off the American Southwest. There’s the white-knuckle racing and the relentless chases. There’s a killer and diverse soundtrack. Consider me the latest fan to the ever-growing Vanishing Point collective. This is a damn fun movie, and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick off my project.

9/10

Top 25 Albums of 2011

Posted by Eric — February 7, 2012

This list has been a long time coming. I have had it sitting in my WordPress dashboard for weeks, waiting for a night where I could sit down and write about each album. I have since realized that night just isn’t going to come, so I am posting this as-is. This list will pretty much wrap-up my “Best of 2011″ series, and it was the hardest one to compile. Last year was a good one for music, and there were several albums that could have been my top choice at one point or another.

This is a pretty varied list that dabbles in “indie” rock, electronica and hip-hop. My tastes are always all over the place. I have included links to songs from each album in case you want to listen for yourself.

Honorable Mentions:
Xander Harris – Urban Gothic
Dominik Eulberg – Diorama
The Kills – Blood Pressures

25) Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde
Check out: Weekend

24) Mark E – Stone Breaker
Check out: Black Moon

23) Unknown Mortal Orchestra – S/T
Check out: Ffunny Ffrends

22) Cults – S/T
Check out: Go Outside

21) 13 & God – Own Your Ghost
Check out: Death Major

20) Gold Panda – Companion
Check out: Back Home

19) araabMUZIK – Electronic Dream
Check out: Streetz Tonight

18) Thee Oh Sees – Castlemania
Check out: I Need Seed

17) Cornershop – Cornershop & the Double ‘O’ Groove Of
Check out: Topknot

16) The Antlers – Burst Apart
Check out: Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out

15) Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne
Check out: Otis

14) The Rapture – In the Grace of Your Love
Check out: How Deep Is Your Love?

13) The Roots – Undun
Check out: Make My

12) Drive (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Check out: College ft. Electric Youth “A Real Hero“

11) Destroyer – Kaputt
Check out: Chinatown

10) Kendrick Lamar – Section.80
Check out: A.D.H.D

9) Mayer Hawthorne – How Do You Do
Check out: Hooked

8) Maceo Plex – Life Index
Check out: Dexter’s Flight

7) Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
Check out: Montezuma

6) Radiohead – The King of Limbs
Check out: Lotus Flower

5) The Black Keys – El Camino
Check out: Lonely Boy

4) Real Estate – Days
Check out: It’s Real

3) The Field – Looping State of Mind
Check out: It’s Up There

2) TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light
Check out: Will Do

1) Tycho – Dive
Check out: Dive

So what do you guys think? Did you enjoy any of these albums/songs? What were your favorites of the year?

Video Game Review: Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception [PS3, 2011]

Posted by Eric — February 6, 2012

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
System: Playstation 3
Genre: Action/Adventure/Platform
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Naughty Dog
Release Date: November 1, 2011

Past adventures of Nathan Drake, star of the Playstation 3′s best-selling Uncharted series, have taken him all over the world. The Amazon Rainforest, Tibet, Istanbul, Borneo, Nepal. The dude has been everywhere. With Uncharted 3, Drake can now scratch even more locations off his list, including an extended run in the Middle East.

Uncharted 3 begins with a massive bar-room brawl. Drake and his long-time pal (and mentor) Victor Sullivan (“Sully”) get caught up in a deal that quickly turns sour, forcing them to fight their way through dozens of enemies, complete with broken whiskey bottles and snapped pool sticks. This works as a tutorial of sorts, as it demonstrates the slightly modified combat system while throwing our heroes directly into action.

This is the core of Uncharted 3 — moments of intense action interspersed with cutscenes to help flesh out the story. The opening bar-room brawl is only the tip of the iceberg. This time around, the big adventure set-pieces include a dashing escape out of a rapidly burning building, frantic manuevering out of a sinking cruise ship, and an elongated trip through the stifling Rub’ al Khali Desert with no water to speak of anywhere. These exaggerated sequences are the biggest reason why most gamers have fallen in love with the series, and they do not disappoint in the trilogy’s conclusion.

For those looking for a bit of back-story about Drake and Sully, you are in luck. The mysterious relationship of our favorite treasure hunters is elaborated on in a series of flashbacks, even allowing gamers to play as a teenage Drake. The overall story arc is still relatively simple, but fans of the series will be pleased with this further insight.

The Uncharted series has always featured a seamless transition between its platforming and third person shooter gameplay. Naughty Dog are known for their excellent platform skills, and Drake’s jumping from ledges to chandeliers to poles or whatever else he can grab onto is flawless in execution. The gunplay, however, remains a bit of a burden on the series.

Simply put, little has changed with the game’s combat system, so the same annoyances remain in place. The shooting system feels dated and rough around the edges, and there are a few too many set-pieces that rely heavily on long gunfights. The new addition of being able to throw back tossed grenades is a welcome one, but it does not excise the occasionally awkward shooting controls. Thankfully, the campaign is spaced out with good variety for the most part, making these moments a minor annoyance more than a burst of frustration.

Unfortunately, while Uncharted 3 boasts a beefy multiplayer mode, it requires an online pass ($9.99) to use it (unless you buy the game new). Outside of the co-op missions, I never really fell in love with the online features in this series, so I cannot justify spending an extra $9.99 on something I will not get maximum value for. If you are into the multiplayer aspects, you might be better off just buying this new.

Even though Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception still suffers from minor gameplay issues, the single player campaign is still a blast to play. This is as close as you’re going to get to a *good* Indiana Jones game, complete with outrageous action scenes that will make your heart race. This also may be the best-looking game I have seen yet in this current console generation, as the attention to graphical details is impeccable. If you have been following the series, you ought to do yourself a favor and finish the trilogy. I would consider it a toss-up between Drake’s Deception and Uncharted 2 as to which is the best, and both are absolutely worth playing.

8.5/10

Video Game Review: Batman: Arkham Asylum [PS3, 2009]

Posted by Eric — February 3, 2012

Batman: Arkham Asylum
System: Playstation 3 (also on Xbox 360, Windows and Mac OS X)
Genre: Action/Adventure/Stealth
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Developer: Rocksteady Studios
Release Date: August 25, 2009

I am not a big comic book or superhero guy, but I have always had a soft spot for Batman. I remember buying Batman trading cards (based on Tim Burton’s 1989 film) when I was a kid, and I even watched the ultra campy (but fun) 1960s TV show when it aired on daytime television. After some poor movie sequels in the 90s, Christopher Nolan revitalized the character with his acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy. This success has translated to the video game world, where we have Batman: Arkham Asylum, easily one of the greatest superhero titles ever made.

Arkham Asylum is gripping from the opening moments, as Batman (voiced by Kevin Conroy) escorts the Joker (Mark Hamill) to the eponymous institution. The Joker is restrained by handcuffs and surrounded by armed guards, but there is still that sinking feeling that shit is about to hit the fan. Sure enough, his accomplice Harley Quinn (Arleen Sorkin) is there to override the security system, allowing the Joker to escape. Now it is Batman’s turn to regain control of the asylum, while also thwarting the Joker’s plan to create an army of Titans that threaten Gotham City. All in a day’s work for ol’ Bats, right?

Fans of the comic books (and TV shows and films and so on) will be pleased to see several recurring characters show up. Bane, Killer Croc and Poison Ivy are just a few villains that our caped hero runs into, and there are references to several others as well. In fact, for those who could use some refreshers on the series, there are dozens of newspaper clippings scattered around the game’s environment that can be picked up to learn about backstories for each character. Even non-fans will find it easy to get sucked into the world of Gotham.

Arkham Asylum’s gameplay consists of a mix of brawling combat, stealth and exploration. The combat, at first glance, seems almost elementary in execution, as just one button is used to attack. However, this “Freeflow” system is surprisingly well-crafted. Along with standard attacks, Batman has the ability to “stun” an enemy, as well as counter an opposing punch or kick. In order to string together long combos (which boost the overall score), he must flawlessly maneuver between each function, dodging enemy attacks while fighting back at the same time. High scores are eventually rewarded with XP, which can in turn be used to upgrade Batman’s gadgets. Many of these can be used in combat as well, such as the Batarang and Bat-Claw. The amount of depth that this simple brawling system has is outstanding.

The stealth aspects allow Batman to hide in the shadows and use his grappling hook to fly from pillar to pillar. Evasion is important in areas where enemies are rampant, particularly when they are carrying guns. Utilizing a healthy mix of brawling and stealth is the way to go to achieve maximum success.

For those who enjoy exploration, the game offers plenty to whet the appetite. There are countless items scattered throughout the environment, many of which give insight to the game’s backstory (as mentioned earlier). Most intriguing is the addition of a whopping 200+ riddles left behind by the Riddler. In every new area, the puzzle-obsessed villain leaves behind a riddle for Batman to figure out. Many of these are tricky and benefit greatly from the use of Batman’s impressive Detective mode. This well-designed feature highlights objects of interest and allows limited X-ray vision on anyone in sight.

Quite frankly, there is not a shortage of quality gameplay in Arkham Asylum. As an added bonus, there is even a separate Challenge mode that offers bite-sized levels to boost combat and stealth skills. The amount of options and replay value is staggering.

Although Arkham Asylum is now over two years old, its visuals still hold up well today. The game’s environment is very dark and gritty, not unlike Christopher Nolan’s films. This presents a sense of realism that is very welcome, and this is aided by a stellar voice acting cast. Batman, the Joker and Harley Quinn are all played by their voice actors from Batman: The Animated Series, and the other roles are filled by more-than-adequate veterans on the scene. In terms of aesthetics, everything screams high quality.

I won’t go so far as to say Arkham Asylum is the best superhero game ever made, as many have, but it is certainly up there. The gameplay is near flawless, the story is a worthy entry to the canon, and the presentation is superb. You don’t have to be a fan of the series to appreciate what this game has to offer. As a bargain bin title today, there really is no excuse to miss this.

9/10

Now, onto Arkham City, which I am VERY eager to play.

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The Warning Sign

Providing words of caution since 2009!

Video Game Review: Lumines [PSP, 2005]

8.5/10

Movie Project #3: M [1931]

9/10

Video Game Review: Batman: Arkham City [PS3, 2011]

9/10

Poll results: Biggest Oscar Snub

Movie Review: Carnage [2011]

7.5/10

Movie Project #2: Blow Out [1981]

8/10

Movie Project #1: Vanishing Point [1971]

9/10

Top 25 Albums of 2011

Video Game Review: Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception [PS3, 2011]

8.5/10

Video Game Review: Batman: Arkham Asylum [PS3, 2009]

9/10

Follow “The Warning Sign”