Arkham Asylum, Developed by Rocksteady, Set the Standard for Batman Games
Gonna talk about a freakin' fantastic superhero game, y'all! We've been graced with some top-notch superhero games in recent years, but back in the '90s and early 2000s, it was a hot mess – especially when it came to Batman. There were some decent ones, but they rarely managed to encapsulate the essence of the Dark Knight that we know and love. But then came Arkham Asylum.
This gem of a game dropped on August 25, 2009, developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Warner Bros. They truly went all in to make this game the definitive Batman experience in the gaming world. Flaunting an original story, universe, and a killer team including Paul Dini, Kevin Conroy, Arleen Sorkin, and Mark Hamill – Asylum seemed like it was doing everything right. And they did. It became a critical and commercial success, earning numerous awards and even snagging a Guinness World Record as the best-reviewed superhero game ever.
You could rarely find a piece of shit boss fight that managed to take away from its shine. It's well-regarded as one of (if not the) best superhero game of all time, and y'know what? I still believe that to be the truth, even 15 years later, minus the boss fights and dated designs for Harley and Poison Ivy.
Now, sometimes games either stick around looking timeless or become ancient history. Arkham Asylum falls into the former category. I recently gave it another run (thanks, Return to Arkham!), and it's as great as it was back in 2009. You'd never know this was Rocksteady's second game; it possesses a remarkably confident vibe from the get-go. The blend of combat and stealth still works, and it's always satisfying to clear a room or uncover new gadgets opening up the asylum a bit more.
Asylum dropped at a crucial moment in Batman's timeline. Following The Dark Knight's rise as one of the biggest Batman movies ever, and the airing of Batman: The Brave and the Bold on Cartoon Network, our favorite brooding vigilante was a household name once again. The world got hit with a wave of Bat-fever, and Rocksteady's Arkham series became a significant part of that mania. Even the Bat-lovers over on Reddit created a subreddit for a nonexistent fourth mainline game.
In a broader video game context, Asylum left a massive footprint. Nearly every action-adventure game (be it a big game or just a side player) in the past 15 years has something that can be traced back to Arkham Asylum. Whether it's fluid combat, a 'bat-dar'-like vision mode, or slick sneaking around for silent takedowns, they all share some DNA with Rocksteady's series. The most obvious examples are Insomniac's Spider-Man games, which borrow heavily from Arkham's mechanics, and Monolith's Middle-earth: Shadow duology.
Even recent Batman games like Gotham Knights and Rocksteady's own Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League from this year drew comparisons to the Arkham games, just with less grace given. Despite all those imitators, elements of Arkham Asylum and its extended series remain unique to itself. The game's atmosphere is always on point, and even with Batman being who he is, there's a constant feeling of unease as you delve deeper into the asylum. When everything's clicking, it truly feels like you're reading a great comic book arc or watching a high-quality series of episodes.
There hasn't been a new mainline Arkham game since 2015's Batman: Arkham Knight. While Rocksteady is keeping busy with Suicide Squad, Warner Bros. is gearing up for its first non-Batman solo game in years with Monolith's Wonder Woman. The series is continuing with Camouflaj's Batman: Arkham Shadow-a Meta Quest 3 sequel to 2013's underrated prequel Arkham Origins-but its future beyond spin-offs remains unknown.
Batman ain't going down easy. Whether it's from Rocksteady or another studio, we'll all be living in the Dark Knight's world once more. Want to know about more amazing stuff in the world of gaming? Check out the latest on Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who.
- Despite some dated designs, Arkham Asylum remains one of, if not the best, superhero games of all time, standing the test of time.
- The Arkham Asylum game, released in 2009, was a significant part of the Batman mania in the late 2000s, fueled by the success of The Dark Knight and Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
- In the broader gaming context, Arkham Asylum left a massive footprint, influencing numerous action-adventure games released in the past 15 years, such as Insomniac's Spider-Man games and Monolith's Middle-earth: Shadow duology.
- The future of the mainline Arkham series beyond spin-offs like Batman: Arkham Shadow (Meta Quest 3) remains uncertain, but Batman's presence in the gaming world is expected to continue, whether through Rocksteady or another studio.
