10 Weirdest Genre Shifts In Video Games

4. Batman: Arkham Asylum

Spider Man
Warner Bros.

Speaking of old age, how has it been thirteen years since Arkham Asylum?!

Rocksteady's debut Batman adventure was a revelation upon its release. An unashamedly big budget licensed game, Arkham Asylum infused a deep love of the Batman mythos with groundbreaking combat and exquisite environmental design. It also wasn't afraid to take risks, as seen in its delightfully creepy Scarecrow sections.

Throughout the game, Batman's terror-obsessed nemesis would appear and dose our hero with fear-gas, resulting in a trip into Batman's psyche. These sections transformed the game from a 3D Metroidvania to a linear horror game, where Batman was forced to hide from the suddenly-gigantic supervillain while searching for a way to drive Scarecrow from his mind.

These sections may feel simplistic by today's standards, but back in the Xvox 360/PS3 era it was a genuine delight to see a studio go fully weird with a big-name property like Batman. Hopefully Rocksteady's upcoming Suicide Squad game will take its cue from Arkham and embrace the madness.

Contributor
Contributor

Hello! My name's Iain Tayor. I write about video games, wrestling and comic books, and I apparently can't figure out how to set my profile picture correctly.