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New Batman: Arkham Asylum dev diary gives Batman a terrible evening

by Ben Gilbert { Jul 2nd 2009 at 10:45PM }

As Rocksteady's Sefton Hill and Paul Dini eagerly explain in the video above, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a game about torturing Batman. Okay, okay, maybe not directly, but by way of Joker setting up a nasty ruse for Gotham's greatest hero at Arkham Asylum itself. Trapping Mr. Wayne inside with all of his most fearsome enemies, when he thought he was just stopping by to deposit a criminal, leaves him at the mercy of the now-in-control Joker.

From what we played of the game's campaign back at E3, we're not sure exactly how Eidos/Warner Bros. plan to keep the game's T-rating, as evidenced by the few gameplay snippets you see in the developer diary above. We are, however, surprisingly excited for the game's release in late August -- and glad we don't have to bring along Mom to buy us the game.

Gallery: Batman: Arkham Asylum

Here are your Batman: Arkham Asylum cheevos

by Justin McElroy { Jun 29th 2009 at 11:00PM }

The Batman: Arkham Asylum Achievements (a full list of which is available right here) are already pretty pedestrian. (Complete a combo of 5 moves? Snore.) But the problem is compacted by the complete absence of:

1. Do A Really Soulful Batusi
2. Fight Off A Shark with Shark Repellent Bat Spray
3. Reconstitute All World Leaders from Colorful Piles of Dust
4. Spot Three Different Girls Playing Catwoman

Honestly, we're not even sure how the thing is calling itself a Batman game.

[Thanks, TheDarkWayne]

Hands-on: Batman: Arkham Asylum

by Ben Gilbert { Jun 3rd 2009 at 1:20PM }

After we got to get an eyes-on with Batman: Arkham Asylum's single-player campaign last week, we were hankering for our first hands-on with the game. Luckily, Eidos brought the title to E3 this year, offering more than just the challenge rooms (available for play on kiosks at your local big box store) but also a slice of gameplay from the single-player campaign. Twenty minutes later, we had silently "not murdered" a slew of baddies employing the game's Detective Mode, and found ourselves smiling ear to ear.

A cinematic guided us through the intro to the game -- essentially dropping off Joker at Arkham Asylum and witnessing the subsequent takeover of the facility. And that's when we started sluggin' dudes. Lots of dudes -- with big veins popping out of their arms. Each punch felt surprisingly satisfying and various on-screen commands helped to fluidly guide Batman's blows from one enemies' face to another.

Gallery: Batman: Arkham Asylum

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Batman: Arkham Asylum Joker DLC will be free

by Jason Dobson { Jun 1st 2009 at 9:00AM }

What's with the goofy grin? Did you dip into the jar of Smilex, or are you just giddy that playing as the Joker in Batman: Arkham Asylum won't cost you a dime?

Eidos has confirmed that the PS3-exclusive DLC will be free, allowing players to frolic about in the game's challenge maps as the Clown Prince of Crime when Batman: Arkham Asylum swoops onto store shelves this August.

E3 2009: Entering our bedcaves with Arkham Asylum room keys

by Alexander Sliwinski { May 31st 2009 at 3:58PM }

click to embiggen

Riddle us this: What insane card will let many E3 attendees find their way to a bed each night?

Answer: The Batman: Arkham Asylum room keys that apparently all associated hotels of the show will receive. Yeah, we're definitely taking this as a souvenir. Sorry, Hyatt.

PS: Eidos spent all that money on these cards and they were printed backwards (the arrows point the wrong way). Clearly, the Joker teamed up with The Riddler in the production.

[Thanks, Sam Houston]

Impressions: Batman: Arkham Asylum

by Kevin Kelly { May 29th 2009 at 12:15PM }

Unlike the character it's based on, Batman: Arkham Asylum has been prancing about in broad daylight quite a bit as of late. We've seen walkthrough videos, tons of screenshots, and we've gotten our hands on it. In fact, if you really find yourself itching for some quality time with the Caped Crusader, you can head down to your local Target and try out a combat demo on the PS3 for yourself. Even PlayStation Home broke news via an in-game ad that players will be able to control the Joker, only in the PS3 version (video just after the break). Seriously, the game has been everywhere.

So how did Eidos and WB decide to whet our appetite even more? By showing us another gameplay demo, of course. This time, it was all about showing off Batman's CSI skills, which should come as no surprise (he is the World's Greatest Detective, after all). Get the details after the break, and dust the brand-new screenshots below for fingerprints.

Gallery: Batman: Arkham Asylum (05-29-09)

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Batman: Arkham Asylum committed to retail Aug. 25 in NA, Aug. 28 in Europe

by Alexander Sliwinski { May 29th 2009 at 10:43AM }

The Dark Knight is finally ready examine the bats in Arkham Asylum's belfry on August 25 in North America and August 28 in Europa. The game had previously been delayed to "late summer" from its June 23 release date, so the wait doesn't appear to be much longer, but it's already felt like a Ra's al Ghul lifetime.

Remember that if you're not looking to play so seriously, that the Joker will be an "exclusive" character in the PS3 version of the game. Batman: Arkham Asylum will be playable at E3 next week and we'll be sure to give our updated hands-on impressions of the game that might actually do Batman justice.

You must CQC this new Batman: Arkham Asylum footage

by Randy Nelson { May 15th 2009 at 4:35PM }

What do you do when the most promising Batman game in, oh, years gets delayed to "the end of summer?" You get angry. Well, that and you watch every bit of gameplay footage you can leading up to when it's finally in stores ... and hopefully doesn't disappoint.

It's with the intent of helping you through this time of Batman: Arkham Asylum-focused longing that we bring you what you need: video of the Dark Knight smashing goons' faces with man's earliest weapons, his fists and feet. Walking you through the on-screen beatings is Shefton Hill, designer of the game and a rather pleasant-sounding fellow given how dark and violent what he's making is. It's almost like getting a hands-on demonstration, only without ... your hands ... on -- oh, who are we kidding? Eidos, can we at least have a demo?

Batman: Arkham Asylum delayed until 'summer 2009'

by Jason Dobson { May 1st 2009 at 4:05PM }

Like a bat signal against a cloudy Gotham skyline, Eidos and Warner Bros. have sent official word to Joystiq regarding the alleged delay of Batman: Arkham Asylum: It appears we'll be waiting a little while longer for the Dark Knight to rescue us from the summer release schedule.

While the Bat's' upcoming jaunt through the famed comic prison won't take quite as long to get to store shelves as previously rumored, the game is likely to miss its already announced June 23 release. According to an official statement, Batman: Arkham Asylum will ship sometime during the noticeably vague "summer 2009" window. No reason was given for the delay, with parties saying only that the extra time will let devs ensure that the game "is of the highest quality for gamers." We're following up for some more details and will update if we hear anything.

Update: Joystiq has received a slightly more specific ship date for the game, with a representative saying that Batman: Arkham Asylum will ship sometime at the "end of summer."

[Image]

Rumor: Batman: Arkham Asylum delayed until holidays

by Jason Dobson { May 1st 2009 at 8:30AM }

It may take a bit longer for the Caped Crusader to round up his rogues gallery in Batman: Arkham Asylum, as "sources close to the game" tell Game Informer the title has been pushed back from its expected June release until sometime later this year.

Despite impressing us earlier this year, the unspecified sources tell Game Informer than the game will now ship in 2009's fourth quarter. If true, and while disappointing, the delay will give us more time to work on work on our Batarang hurling technique. Neither Eidos nor Warner Bros. have offered a comment on the cause behind the delay, though we have reached out to both ourselves for more.

[Thanks, Christian]

The Dark Knight takes out the trash in Batman: Arkham Asylum clip

by David Hinkle { Apr 30th 2009 at 8:30PM }

In a new clip for Eidos's best effort yet, we get a glimpse at some of the stylish ways The Bats can dispatch his many foes. Whether it's a clothesline, or a full-on bodyslam, the world's greatest detective knows how to handle a crowd (and look while doing it!). Generic thugs, your days are numbered!

Batman: Arkham Asylum fights its way onto PS3, Xbox 360, and PC June 23.

Gallery: Batman: Arkham Asylum

Home ad reveals Joker DLC for Batman: Arkham Asylum on PS3 [update]

by David Hinkle { Apr 23rd 2009 at 5:15PM }

Click for big bow tie-sized image

There's a very peculiar ad in PlayStation Home right now. As you can see above, it would appear the PS3 is on the receiving end of Joker's brand of funny, as several billboards sprinkled throughout Home advertise "Exclusive Joker challenge maps" for the PS3 version of Batman: Arkham Asylum. We decided to hop on Home ourselves and snapped the pic you see above.

We've contacted Eidos for clarification and will update as soon as we've heard back. Oh, and if you're scratching your head at the concept of "challenge maps," then you didn't read about our time with the game back at GDC09. For shame. We're dialing your mother right now.

Update: We've added a gallery with another delightfully precarious shot of the Joker, just below. Don't shoot!

Gallery: Joker Maps in Home

Harley Quinn flips out in latest Batman: Arkham Asylum trailer

by Griffin McElroy { Apr 17th 2009 at 12:15PM }

There's not a comic book ~~nerd~~ aficionado alive who doesn't have a profound appreciation for The Joker's right-hand gal, Harley Quinn. The most recent trailer for Rocksteady and Eidos' surprisingly appealing Batman: Arkham Asylum (posted after the jump) shows a clear explanation of why this is -- she's out of her flippin' mind. Also, sometimes, she's just flippin'.

If you're not familiar with the prowess of Ms. Quinn, the trailer details her sole, villainous super ability: "Total disregard for human life." However, considering the footage we just saw, we think her skill set is a bit more diverse than that. For instance, she shows real promise in the "kicking costumed millionaires in their big, ugly faces" department.

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See Bane in Batman: Arkham Asylum clip

by Justin McElroy { Apr 15th 2009 at 6:01PM }

We sure hope that Eidos is saving a few surprises for those who actually play through Batman: Arkham Asylum, because the above clip of Bane (who once broke the Dark Knight's back) seems like it could have been a good one. As would be expected, Bane looks totally huge and totally scary.

Though we're starting to get a little prudish about these spoilers, we'd like to reiterate that holy crap do we ever want to play this game.

Holy collectors edition, Batman (Arkham Asylum)!

by Richard Mitchell { Apr 9th 2009 at 7:00PM }

click to Bat-size

There's really only one question you have to mull over when considering plunking down the cash for the Batman: Arkham Asylum Collectors Edition. That question is: How much am I willing to pay for a batarang? We'll admit that the behind-the-scenes DVD (or Blu-Ray), Arkham Doctor's Journal (with embossed leather dust jacket) and DLC are nice items, but it's still all about the batarang. Whether or not it's worth the price -- $100 according to GameStop -- is up to you. Sure, Bruce Wayne can afford to throw that kind of money away, but it's a difficult question for most of us.

While thinking it over, feel free to peruse the game's new official pages on MySpace or Facebook. You can also check out the gallery below for a closer look at the batarang in question.