Zero Punctuation: Batman Arkham Asylum

[paasi]

Not enough rant.
You may pour pickles on to crap you're intent on eating but you don't pour shit onto anything you want to eat. Hence good parts are best mentioned last, giving you a "well maybe it's not so bad" -feeling instead of giving you the "it could be a trap" -feeling.

In anycase, not going for it. Games made from movies or already existing material in other form usually come out as sellouts and, being the biased bastard I am, will stick to some certain-to-entertain -entertainment.

 

[blankgabriel]

lol @ Futurama reference at 1:55

 

[benjtfell]

Twas a great review but i do wish he said more about the amazing scarecrow bits.

Would have defeated the point in the review ehen he explained that his purpose was to spew (not unreasonable) bile and nought else.

whoops i didn't hear that part or maybe i just didn't care to much un-like mister perfect blastcage.

 

[CrysisMcGee]

The review was informative and balanced, and it also made me want to play it. I think I'll pick it up.

 

[guyroxorz]

I have to admit i wasn't planning on buying this game but this review might have actually changed my mind, which is odd seeing as Yahtzee often scares me into not buying a game i previously thought would be good on the basis that he tore it to shreds...

 

[Phantom_Natal]

haha so true, my friend is a huge batman fan and whenever she brings the topic I always refer to how funny batman is. Oh well, crazy standards from the joker has to have a crazy standard counter to make it so comical.

 

[elvor0]

I gotta admit I was backing Yahtzee 200% until he mentioned that comic book literature isn't that good. Ill admit that 50% of the comics sales are attributed to their art but you cant sell half a product. If you read any series worth its salt, you'll know that comic book writing is some of the best written word left on this planet. By that I mean don't compare the early Spiderman comics with The Dark Knight by Frank Miller.

Yep.

Preacher
Punisher: MAX
Sin City
Priest

All compelling cases for the legitimacy of comic book writing. Goodness sakes, Preacher alone is enough to prove that comic books can have writing every bit as good as that of any other medium.

As for the game, I dunno. I'm skeptical. The gameplay engine looks like a modification of that used in the Batman Begins game. And Batman has never been my favorite superhero, in part because his complete refusal to kill people who try to kill him and thousands of innocents effectively renders him powerless. I think The Dark Knight proved that better than any point I could make. The Punisher knows how to solve problems. Batman just moves them from place to place.

I believe that was his point, he said "people say it's just comic book writing but that doesnt hold water, (as in he doesnt care about it being a comic book it can still be good) was watchmen just words on a page and was shindlers list just lights on a screen?" An obvious rhetorical question that was meant to point out those two things as great works.

Speaking of which, I need to get hold of another copy (or 9) of Preacher, that is assuming they dont do a compilation....that would be one thick book.

 

[WorldCritic]

I had to agree with him on the boss fights, most weren't all that great. Great review as always.

 

[rdiggs]

At the risk of sounding like a fanboy, I would like to point out that the Departed was almost a shot-for-shot remake of a Chinese movie called Infernal Affairs. There are three of them. Look it up. I just thought it was funny that Yahtzee would reference a remake when he hates them. I haven't played the full Arkham Asylum yet but I have played the demo and I almost expected Yahtzee to take shots at the flashy but button mashing combat or the extreme linearity of the of the hallways that make up the Asylum. Maybe things are better in the full game. Honestly though, Yahtzee is a fantastic reviewer mostly because he slices through the bullshit. He tends to be right even if I disagree with him on personal taste.

 

[caitalian]

How do they get ahold of Batman durring the day? Doesnt anyone remember the big red phone in the den? The hotline from the comish to the Bat!

 

[gcar]

woooo

You're probably going to get suspended for that, by the way. Just a heads-up.

Thanks for that. Just expressing excitement. Probably should have watched it first. My own dumb fault got me hit with a probation notice.

Very easy to learn the hard way.

g

 

[Vanguard_Ex]

woooo

You're probably going to get suspended for that, by the way. Just a heads-up.

Thanks for that. Just expressing excitement. Probably should have watched it first. My own dumb fault got me hit with a probation notice.

Very easy to learn the hard way.

g

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic...are you?

 

[Schlorgan]

I'm going to take a wild stab and say that I think he will be reviewing ODST next...

 

[beema]

"...and you didn't come to me to hear about how a game is good."
ahaha, so very true.
But not that this game has the Yahtzee stamp of approval I have no qualms about buying it!
great review. If Yahtzee is struggling to find faults with box art, you know it's a good game.

Detective vision is a bit annoying though -- when it's on it oversimplifies the game, and only when it's off can you appreciate the nice graphics... but then you sort of need it to do anything.

ps: I'm going to throw my computer out the window if I have to see another goddamn motherf**king Halo ODST ad. F**k Halo I'm so sick of it.

 

[MorkFromOrk]

Good game, buuuut...

The game had a lot of repetitiveness, especially all that throw Batarang and dodge. In fact I think all but one boss battle (and I hate boss battles BTW, it's so like 80's) had you throwing a Batarang to the face. Then there is the whole Scarecrow trippy 2.5D gameplay which was cool the first time around but c'mon, THREE TIMES? Talk about filler.

It was fun, but nowhere near deserving as high a score as what some reviewers gave.

 

[Superior Mind]

A dark gritty Batman game is all well and good but I think it would be fantastic to make a Batman game based on the upbeat, camp and Adam-West-ridden series from the 1960s.

 

[Sven und EIN HUND]

I've never been one for "superhero games" unless you count prototype (I would). On that note I've never been one for "movie games" either, much less "comic games" which are essentially "superhero games".
And also on a nitpicky note, I SWEAR he says emeny at 2:23 although its probably a bit too late to be expectant of a stable mental state xD

 

[Slipslop]

Hehe i always think Yahtzee can read the thoughts of critical game veterans, i felt excactly the same way. Afterall it's a very entertaining game, with rich character design and voice acting.

You made fun of the walking, what a wonder But it's for posing purpose, to show how superior batman is.

Great review, you never fail to entertain!

 

[gcar]

woooo

You're probably going to get suspended for that, by the way. Just a heads-up.

Thanks for that. Just expressing excitement. Probably should have watched it first. My own dumb fault got me hit with a probation notice.

Very easy to learn the hard way.

g

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic...are you?

No no no,

no sarcasm, just me being dumb.

sorry.