Story
Arkham Asylum Arkham Asylum is a compact, story focused mystery and chase game that benefits from how much emphasis they put on the story they craft. Very little feels fruitless and everything is about stopping The Joker and the threat you must uncover. By maintaining this overall focus it gives you drive and purpose throughout every mission and the bonus features are well and truly optional; not a staple. The story as well plays on the intertwining of the villains to make them a real united front against Batman, Killer Croc is a horror and the titan formula surrounding the mythology of the Arkham Asylum complex is one that intrigues and makes you believe youre fighting for something very important.
Story Rating: 5/5Arkham City
The split focus that hampers how well the villains are utilised is what undermines the story of Arkham City, starting off with Hugo Strange and Protocol 10 perks interest, but then you shoot straight to the Joker and the search for an antidote. Having more than one plot isnt a negative thing however the handling is horribly unbalanced and by the time you finish one; the other rears its ugly head and you struggle to remember why thats important. Furthermore Hugo Stranges mentioning of a greater master is as predictable as it is a cop out to not giving a great villain more of a presence than just being someone elses worker. As well as that the game really misses a trick with the inner gang politics that would prevail through Arkham City, its talked about by common thugs but never really built upon as part of the narrative. At the end of the day all these criminals in one place will develop clear structures and unsettling them as each head honcho develops plans for destruction could have been an incredibly interesting to deal with and make the game as expansive story wise as it is by just sheer size wise.
Story Rating: 3/5