By and large, superhero games have been pretty awful (who can forget the horrors of Superman 64?) but Arkham Asylum managed two impressive feats at once; it managed to stay faithful to the source material while also making a game that was great in it's own right. Batman's lack of killing abilities could have made him seem incredibly weak in a video game but Rocksteady handled it beautifully, putting the focus on stealth and strategic brawling - you can definitely imagine Batman analysing the situations in a similar manner. It also helped that the story and supporting characters were extremely entertaining. The Joker is the star (naturally) but lesser villains like Bane and Poison Ivy are used well too; besting them in their boss fights is challenging yet rewarding work. It's the Scarecrow scenes that really stole the hearts of fans though. His Fear Gas affects Batman a few times throughout the game and makes him envision various things, including the corpses of his own parents; seeing a villain reduce Batman to childhood trauma is pretty powerful stuff. Is it worth a second playthrough though? The story hinges on Batman's encounters with his rogues gallery and once you've reacquainted them with their cells, it's not really worth going through the hassle of restarting the game over. Completing the many Riddler and Combat Challenges should be your next stop if you seek more; don't potentially ruin your enjoyment of the game with a second run.
I have an addiction to achievements, a craving for new bands and a dream to become Captain America. I once finished second in a Mario Kart 7 tournament so I'm kind of a big deal.
