GDC09: Actual Batman: Arkham Asylum gameplay footage, no joke
by Randy Nelson 
{ Mar 27th 2009 at 4:45PM } 
Specifically, this freshly released footage is of the "Silent Knight" challenge stage we wrote about in our earlier GDC hands-on. Marvel (er, DC?) as Bats blows up walls, glide kicks and sneaks around all Sam Fisher-like. So, after reading about it and seeing it in action, what do you think?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Temidien @ Mar 27th 2009 4:48PM
Finally, someone has brought Bat and Snake to the same game. XD
Nytemare @ Mar 27th 2009 4:51PM
With this, and Velvet Assassin coming out. ZOMG tactical overload!
Can't wait for both.
kentuckyfried @ Mar 27th 2009 9:20PM
If Rocksteady pulls this off, this game is going to be unbelievable!
Alvin @ Mar 27th 2009 10:35PM
batman? BATMAN?! BAAAAATTTMMAAAAAAANN!!!
keyvon3 @ Mar 28th 2009 10:44AM
Count me in. This Batman game is looks like a winner.
Jay [psn: jayrockslife] @ Mar 28th 2009 9:59PM
This and Assassin's Creed two would make me sooo wet if I was a chick.
OMG can't wait.
El Punisher @ Mar 27th 2009 4:50PM
Looks Flipping Awesome.
Kevin949 @ Mar 27th 2009 4:50PM
pretty sweet lookin.
Drew @ Mar 27th 2009 6:47PM
I was promised two things by the headline - gameplay footage and no joke.
"Marvel (er, DC?) as Bats blows up walls"
One for two. Good enough.
Peter Szijarto @ Mar 27th 2009 4:52PM
so sweeeeeeet!!
koehler83 @ Mar 27th 2009 4:53PM
That is very cool!
Negativecool @ Mar 27th 2009 4:53PM
"Batman! Show yourself!" Agh, the panic in his voice...DO WANT.
I can't imagine how much fun I'm going to have "being fear" and fucking with people's heads in that game.
Bagels: Commander in Chief of the lolcat sarcasm alert force. Flying Monkeys beware. @ Mar 28th 2009 12:45AM
One of my favorite parts of Batman (and what made the two newest movies popular) is how he uses fear to symbolize himself, which requires more thought and effort then "biff" and "pow"ing into a room
Shimrra @ Mar 27th 2009 4:54PM
HOLY FRAK!!!
Now that is a Batman game.
Kenneth @ Mar 27th 2009 6:27PM
holy smokes batman, we're surrounded!
(BANG!)
(SMACK!)
(WANK!?)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tM_mQ94Xw08/RgNJ7rbkWUI/AAAAAAAAAH8/mPrVpwusehs/s1600-h/capwank.jpg
oh the old days of comics are gone. the game certainly looks good though
Platy @ Mar 27th 2009 8:24PM
Not exactly .... batman is a detective .... and this "detective vision" looks like more an "assasin vision" .. and batman NEVER kills
A true batman game would need more adventure (in the point and click detective meaning) parts
...that being said ... looks awesome =D
xFenixKnightx @ Mar 27th 2009 4:54PM
Nice! I'm actually surprised here.
Huey2k2 @ Mar 27th 2009 4:54PM
Holy fuck, that looks absolutely amazing.
Ranus Studios @ Mar 27th 2009 4:55PM
The cynic in me is saying "no," the rest of me is saying "oh sweet Christ where do I sign up."
BlaqueBeird @ Mar 27th 2009 5:33PM
The cynic in you needs a nice tall glass of shut-the-hell-up juice.
B0E0S @ Mar 27th 2009 4:55PM
I haven't really been following the news on this game, but that was awesome. Maybe we will finally have a good Batman game.
Cubivore @ Mar 27th 2009 4:56PM
It looks like Rocksteady really does know what sets Batman apart as a character, and that they've actually worked really hard to work that into this game. So bravo, this footage looks really good! I have high hopes for this game now, and hopefully this will be the first game to actually feel like it's doing the license justice.
Huey2k2 @ Mar 27th 2009 5:08PM
Indeed, they completely understand the idea that Batman is just a regular guy, who happens to be very very rich and have a lot of cool toys.
He is not a "super" hero, he is just a hero. He relies on fear and his brain to get the job done, if this video is any indication this game will capture that perfectly.
BlaqueBeird @ Mar 27th 2009 5:44PM
He's not just rich with awesome gadgets, he's a goddamn ninja. A rich ninja with awesome gadgets.
StGermain @ Mar 27th 2009 5:46PM
@huey2k2: Batman a regular guy? I'm a fan of the comics and I don't quite agree, sure he has no superpowers but he has trained with the best masters in every conceivable martial art and his physique is probably on par with the best olympic athletes. His most fearsome 'weapon' is his intelligence though, he has actually engineered his tools himself.
That being said, the gameplay looks ... WOW... the only thing that disturbed me here is that Bruce Wayne NEVER kills the vilains, he only disables them, and it looks like he's going Sam Fisher/Jack Bauer style here.
Huey2k2 @ Mar 27th 2009 8:53PM
He is a regular guy, yes he is trained in pretty much every martial art imaginable, but its not like someone who was really dedicated couldn't do the exact same thing. There is nothing about Batman that theoretically any normal person couldn't do (assuming they were rich).
StGermain @ Mar 28th 2009 5:56AM
@huey2k2: You forget that Bruce is also extraordinarely intelligent, perhaps only surpassed by Iron Man.
The Dark Wayne @ Mar 28th 2009 12:18PM
well, Iron Man is surpassed by Reed Richards in the Marvel U and in the DCU there's never been any real definitions of who is the smartest, but a guy named Mister Terrific is confirmed as the third smartest man on Earth but they never say who the first two are, but personally considering all the science/robot based sorta heroes I doubt it's Batman
StGermain @ Mar 28th 2009 5:09PM
@The Dark Wayne: You are right, I forgot about Reed Richards, my bad! Still I'm your fan :p
Dustin @ Mar 30th 2009 3:37AM
@StGermain: Batman never really kills his opponents, though. You look at the cartoon series, the movies... most of the time if he kills someone he does it by accident or out of self-defense. The other times the bad guys end up killing themselves in a retarded way. Although, I do admit killing people is a tad bit more satisfying and they may make it to where you kill the joker in the end, but killing guards doesn't seem necessary.
acefondu @ Mar 27th 2009 4:56PM
That looked pretty sweet. Though the AI is borderline retarded for not looking UP. Oh, well the game is better without it I guess. Sacrifice realism for fun eh?
WiredKnight @ Mar 27th 2009 5:07PM
Suspension of disbelief, my friend.
Mazrael @ Mar 27th 2009 7:56PM
it's dumb for having to look? personally, I'm sick of AI that just shoots you.. even Splinter Cell at times, the AI will see you reguardless of how 'in the dark' you are.. if they do see you go up, yeah they should shoot at the dark where you disappeared
look at games like Call of Duty 2 or 3 compared to Gears 2 or CoD4.. the old ones just 'locked on' you can tell from the gun fire on the brick wall your hiding behind, where they can't see you as you move along the wall.. I didn't see that at all in CoD4, they were just bias.. Gears 2's AI 'pretend' to think your still there, and look around a bit, but Gears 2 actually 'toggles' targets.. just go on a bot battle, and get yourself killed, then switch between the AI's..
Bagels: Commander in Chief of the lolcat sarcasm alert force. Flying Monkeys beware. @ Mar 28th 2009 12:43AM
In most cases of fright or panic, I would give priority to watching what's around me and behind me then let my guard down and look up... hope this makes sense, I'm no Dr.Crane...
KeenCommander @ Mar 27th 2009 4:57PM
I'm not even a Batman fan and this looks fantastic.
Game_playa @ Mar 27th 2009 7:58PM
WHAT???!!!
spuddpotatto @ Mar 27th 2009 4:58PM
looks awesome! i wonder how smart the ai really is...it would be so cool to have a multiplayer of this where each round one guy is batman and everyone else is a henchman trying to take batman out.
Jerses @ Mar 27th 2009 8:47PM
But then everyone will know you are at the roof top :P
chris.husmann @ Mar 27th 2009 8:56PM
they did this with one of the splinter cell games (pandora tomorrow i think it was called) and it was really fun. just copy/paste with batman and instant win
player66 @ Mar 27th 2009 4:59PM
Me likey!
AsherR @ Mar 27th 2009 5:00PM
*waiting for the obligatory post from the Dark Wayne*
But yeah, it looks hella sweet. I would like to see a bit of a boss fight or something and see how that will work. I'm pretty excited for this in any case.
+++volume+++ @ Mar 27th 2009 5:00PM
Why do Joystiq videos always lag like balls on my computer? :(
E.J. @ Mar 27th 2009 5:05PM
Why do you like balls on your computer?
Huey2k2 @ Mar 27th 2009 5:06PM
Maybe you need a new computer?
They run perfectly on mine.
SamWard92 @ Mar 29th 2009 8:08AM
yeah i find that they lag horribly on my laptop too but i always watch tv shows online and never seem to get the same problem.
J-Link @ Mar 27th 2009 5:01PM
Wow this looks great, and it kinda reminds of the Batman Begins game, which I thiught was alight. I will probably go for the stealthy approach though.
Grendel Pr1me @ Mar 27th 2009 5:03PM
*checks date, sees it isn't April Fools*
That game, even if there is some repetitiveness to it looks like it will make me do the same thing I've done in the Splinter Cell games, which is go slow, and bide my time to get the cool takedown.
To echo Shimrra's sentiments, that is the Batman game I have been waiting for.
Snake Robot Podium @ Mar 27th 2009 5:04PM
I was expecting a bunch of: It's like _______ meets ________. But I can't think of any! Any takers?
el serpiente @ Mar 27th 2009 5:15PM
It's like Metal Gear meets Cirque du Soleil?
Zertoss @ Mar 27th 2009 5:17PM
I was thinking it's like a little bit Assassin's Creed, a little Bit Splinter Cell and a little bit Metal Gear Solid, but with a delicious Bat-frosting and a Bat-cream-filled center.
It's like Batman silently jumped out of the shadows and got Altair, Fisher and Snake each in a headlock just to tell them "I'll show you pussies how it's done!" before vanishing into the night. And this is the result.