Steam Autumn Sale 11-30-13

Hello again. It's another day, and so it's time for another round of games on sale. I'm still doing my best to track all the different sales going on, but overall it seems like Steam has had the best deals. Some competitors have had a better deal on a specific game or two, but tend to be more expensive on the majority of the games offered. That being said, here's what I've found on four different non Steam sites, followed by the actual Steam sale, and concluded with some standard commentary. You know, the usual.

Green Man Gaming had Alien Rage Unlimited for $6.79, a Thief Pack for $3.79, Poker Night 2 for $2.49, The Walking Dead 400 Days DLC for $2.49, and 75% off games from Digital Tribes in one set. Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn for $14.99/$24.99, Omerta for $9.99, Air Conflicts Vietnam for $17.99, Wargame Airland Battle for $19.99, and Dishonored for $14.99 in another set. A set I didn't catch because I don't get paid enough to stay up all night watching sales, mostly because I don't get paid at all. This was followed by Castlevania Lord of Shadows for $14.99, Brothers for $7.49, Cities in Motion Collection for $12.49, basic Skyrim for $19.99, and Chaos on Deponia for $9.99. At the time of this writing you'll find Prohibition 1930 for $3.99, the Hitman franchise for $8.99, Dungeons and Dragons Chronicles of Mystara for $7.49, Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition for $10.19, and Duke Nukem Manhattan Project for free with the purchase of one of the other four titles.

Amazon is over there with a few Black Friday Deals remaining, mostly in packs. Some of the great deals, like Batman: Arkham Origins at $19.99 have expired, but if you fish around, you can find others, such as the base version of Dishonored for $4.99.

GamersGate has another set of 8 games up. The Magicka set at $7.49 seems like that might be a good deal, and depending on what's included, since you'd have to compare to the Steam collection, that might be a better deal than you'll see on Steam, which I doubt would drop below $9.99. Other games, like L.A. Noire or Dark Souls, are more expensive than they have already been elsewhere, while others, like Bastion or Tomb Raider, should be a few bucks less on Steam when/if they come up.

The Humble Store still has its titles on sale, as well as the weekly sale, and the mobile sale that are all going on.


Main Sale

Chivalry Medieval Warfare - Tried this game a few months back during one of its free weekends. It's a first person hack and slash class based games with all types of weapons and upgrades as you gain experience. I tried it after play War of the Roses, which I have reviewed, and I found that I didn't care for this game quite so much. It's more of an insta kill deathmatch game than I'd prefer. While there is objective based gameplay, that refers to the ease of killing people, or the difficulty in staying alive, if you want to look at it that way. Sure, it's fun to run into a crowd and slice off two or three people's heads, but I had already grown accustom to the more drawn out method of fighting where it was all about timing attacks, bandaging, etc., rather than the spawn, run in and kill a few, then die with a single hit style that is appropriate of, in FPS terms, the similarly named Modern Warfare. It's $6.24 for the base game, and $11.24 for Deadliest Warrior. Funny note, you'll save a cent if you buy them separately.

Shadowrun Returns - Saw a trailer for it a while ago, but being so new (4 months) I haven't gotten around to buying and trying it yet. You can grab the adventure/rpg/strategy game for $8.99 for the base game, or the deluxe edition for $15.74, which includes a soundtrack and some background info/art.

Forced - So this game grabbed my attention when the subtitle says tactical. It however loses that attention over the next two words: arena co-op. I am just not the type of person this game appeals to. If you're not like me and interested though, the game is $7.49. If you're not like me and also have friends, you might want to try the four pack to essentially get a free copy of the game.

The Witcher - A written and video review of The Witcher 1 are available, though I still haven't played The Witcher 2. Still, the first one was a fantastic RPG with a great decisions impacting the world feature. It does leave something left to be desired visually,  but you can find some mods to help out with that. The second game is a bit different, in that it will mostly melt your computer, thanks to the new engine the devs put together. After the quality of the first one, it's not much of a limb for me to go out on and recommend you get both of these games. These games come up during all the major sales, and return again today for the traditional prices - $2.49 for the original, and $4.99 for the second one. Worth buying both.

Borderlands - I've still only played the first one, which I liked well enough as a single player game, but which really shined if you partook in some multiplayer, which of course, I did not. The randomness of an RPG's gear, the mechanics of a FPS, questions, monsters with weak spots, vehicles, all ingredients for a good time. The second game has a ton (read: too damn much) DLC, and while there is a GOTY edition avaialble, that doesn't actually include all the DLC. While I like the lower price, I'm thinking I can wait another year and see if they release a complete edition. The original's GOTY is $7.49, which is also the price for the base version of the sequel. If you want B2 GOTY, it'll be $29.99, which includes 10 items, but not the 40 something that you can get as individual DLCs. Sure, most of those look useless, but there are some that actually involve a bit more content, such as additional characters, raising the level cap, or new seasonal events. Yep, still waiting for a complete edition before I buy.

Amnesia - Both a written and a video review of the first game, which you should absolutely get. The only reason I'm not going to buy the second game right now is on the off chance it drops in price in a month, since I don't have a large amount of time to play between now and then, so I can wait. Still, both of these titles are must buys. The original is only $3.99, which I'm pretty sure makes that an all time low, while the new game is $9.99, which is also probably an all time low.

Batman - I just reviewed Arkham Asylum, which is a great game. Like so many other games on today's sale, this is one of those franchises I plan on seeing to completion, and I recommend you do too. The combat style, the mix between stealth and all out brawls, and general Zelda style adventure gameplay of the original has me hooked. These games are usually on sale during these large events, so it's not uncommon to see Asylum for $4.99 and City for $7.49. Also worth it.

Splinter Cell - I've only finished the first two games in this series, which would be the ones that came out back in the GameCube/Xbox/PS2 days. I've played a little bit since then, including Conviction, which, while awesome in its own way, was a huge departure from the previously stealth centric franchise. The latest entry, Blacklist, looks to be another departure, though you have the option of maintaining a bit of a stealthier game, if the development trailers prove to be true. While I would suggest some of the other titles for those of you that like stealth games where you cannot be detected, cannot engage enemies, etc., I'll advocate on holding off on Blacklist due to the price. You can get 4 of the first 5 games (for some reason Pandora Tomorrow isn't on Steam) for $19.99 if you find the Splinter Cell Elite Echelon Edition. If you're just looking for Blacklist, the latest game, that's still 50% off at $29.99. Probably not a bad idea to get the pack of four and chew on those for a while.

Total War - Total War Rome II is the game on the front page, but you'll find all kinds of Total War games on sale, as well as the various packs with all the games in it (look up Total War Master Collection and Total War Grand Master Collection). Just make sure you know which strategy game you want, become Rome II isn't included in those packs, but can still be purchased for $29.97.


Flash Sales

Call of Juarez - Here's another series I have some experience with, mostly when I played 2. The western style game with two different characters you could choose to play, with different play styles, was a fun game, but nothing particularly special. It was worth it to pick up a few years back when Steam started these types of sales, and if you're looking for an FPS that isn't scifi or modern warfare esque, I would advocate that one. The four games in the series range from $4.99 to $9.99, so take your pick. FYI, the second game, which I actually played, is Bound in Blood, though that is a prequel to the original Call of Juarez, which is actually available on Steam now.

Serious Sam - Pretty much the antithesis of modern day shooters. The franchise is available for 90% off if you do it right, which would be the Complete Pack, which is $9.49. If you're interested in just 3, that's $3.99.

 Max Payne - So I was pretty surprised when this game was $10 back in July, having only come out two months prior. well, not it's $3.99. The Max Payne 3 Complete pack is $6.99, if you want 10 pieces of DLC. The first two games are also on sale, for $3.74 and $2.49.

Dead Space - Reviewed! While the original is more of a Resident Evil type survival horror, where you operate in near total isolation, the second game shits a bit towards the action side, with mixed results. Still, both games worth play, considering you can get each game for $4.99, or both together for $9.99, which once again makes the bundle the more expensive option. If you read the bit about the Chivalry titles, you'll have saved $.02. Yay!


And in case you missed it, the past flash sales consist of Ace of Spades for $3.74, Divinity Dragon Commander for $19.99, Infestation Survivor Stories for $3.74, L.A. Noire for $4.99, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic for $4.99, Fall Enchantress for $4.99, Super Street Fighter IV for $7.49, and Train Simulator 2014 for $9.89.


***

So that's today sales. Any big purchases for you? So far all I've picked up during this sale is Sanctum 2 with its season pass, and Surgeon Simulator 2013. I also went ahead and played through the demo of Van Helsing, so now that game has gone on my wishlist for the next sale, when it'll hopefully hit $5 for the full pack. As for today's offering, I'd say it's probably the best day of the sale so far, but that might have something to do with the fact that I've had experience with 6/9 of the main titles in some way, as well as 2/4 of the flash sales. In order, I would say get both Witchers, followed by both Amnesias, followed by the first 2 Batman games, since Origins is still highly priced. Then we can talk again after about 200 hours of game time.

Steam Autumn Sale 11-29-13

All right, so I've done my best to track some of the sales, but it's been a hectic 24 hours, mostly because I have a ton of family, and I need to sleep at some point. But here we go:

Green Man Gaming had How to Survive for $7.49, Crusader Kings II Collection for $19.99, Super Street Fighter IV for $10.19, Dishonored GOTY for $19.99,  with Jack Keane II as the bonus game in one set. Then you could get  Sniper 2 Ghost Warrior for $5.99, Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn for $14.99/$24.99, Thunder Wolves for $2.49, Europa Univeralis IV for $19.99/$22.49, with Citadels at $19.99 as the bonus game for another set. This was followed by Sins of a Solar Empire Rebellion for $9.99, Deus Ex pack for $8.98, LA Noire for $7.49, Teleglitch for $3.24, and The Dark Eye Demonicon for $19.99 in a third set. Then there were two more sets that I didn't catch because I am human and need to sleep. After that, you could get Tomb Raider Collection for $11.99, Kings Bounty for $5.99/$6.59 , The Bureau: XCOM Declassified for $16.99, Rage for $4.99, and Cargo! for free with the purchase of another game. Currently it's Final Fantasy VII for $5.99, The Walking Dead for $6.24, a Max Payne Bundle which includes the whole franchise for $22.49, Payday 2 for $14.99, and 50% off all Valve digital games. Additionally, and I just found this out, you can use this code to get an extra 20% off the sale price: TAREM-4PLAY-VOUCH

Amazon is still doing it's thing. The Humble Store has reshuffled it's offerings, bringing in a few more titles to the mix, but mostly leaving things unchanged. Then there is GamersGate, which has it's 8 main games on sale, those several of those are redundant at this point, such as Bioshock Infinite, which is the same price on Steam, or Final Fantasy VII, which is less than GMG, but still more than it was on Steam. So apparently it's go Steam right now.

Main Sale

State of Decay - So many zombie games. This is an action RPG simulation game where, if I recall correctly from when my roommate was playing it a few months ago, you can do things like alternate between several different characters with different attributes as you go about searching for supplies, survivors, etc, while trying to survive the zombie apocalypse. It's supposed to be a decent game, with a variety of mechanics, such as evil survivors, loud cars that attract zombies, etc, but also somewhat brief. Personally, I'm a bit burnt out on zombies, so I'll pass, as it's less than a month old and already 50% off, bringing it down to $9.99.

Call of Duty Ghosts - I haven't been much of a COD fan since 4, unless it was a console version with 4 player split screen, because then you can add things like food and alcohol to the mix to make things more enjoyable. While I'm told this one is pretty good (I wouldn't know, because they decided to make split screen 2 player only on the 360), I will certainly be passing on it. While it's a whopping 17% off on Steam, bringing it down to $49.79, or the price games used to be, you should probably head over to Amazon instead. There you'll find Ghosts for $44.99. So take your $5 and buy some other game instead.

Contagion - Today's early access game. Also, another zombie game. Certainly an ambitious attempt, if the informative video is to be believed. However, as a mutliplayer game, I'm not interested that much, and this won't be one of those games I plan on playing any time soon. Even though it's early access, you can still get it for 75% off, which brings it to $3.74 today.

Euro Truck Simulator 2 - I'll be honest, I don't get it. But you can, for $6.24.

Counter Strike - One of the Valve games that is always on sale for this price. You can pick up Global Offensive for $3.74, while the Complete pack is $7.49, just in case you want to get into the whole 1.6 vs. source. vs. GO debate as you plant bombs or rescue hostages.

Bioshock Infinite - This one has been on sale, and current is, on a few different sites. I loved the original Bioshock, and some of the mechanics, though not the story, of the sequel. I've heard very good things about this game, and $9.99 isn't a bad price at all, though you'll probably want to shell out a but more for some of the DLCs, none o which are on sale (note, the Season pass is already the same price as the two released DLCs it includes. As an alternative to buying the shooter here, you may want to consider Amazon, where you can find the entire franchise for $14.99. That will save you about $5 over what it would be to be the games individually on Steam.

Saints Row IV - The over the top GTA like sandbox game. Steam has it down for $19.99 for the base game, but if you spend just $27.19, you can get the franchise pack, which includes Saints Row 2, 3, 4, and a ton of DLC for 3, though none for 4. Guess if you really want that dubstep gun, you're going to have to buy it seperately.

Surgeon Simulator 2013 - The quasi joke game with the QWOP controls. I'm still pretty meh on the whole thing, though today's all time low price of $2.49 is a bit of an incentive. That, and the certainty that it'll be on sale again during the winter and I'd like to know a bit more about it so I can actually write something of substance instead of having a day go by where I have only played 1/9 games in depth.

Dishonored - In case you're wondering, this is the 1/9 games I've played in depth. Dishonored is an interesting FPS/Stealth game. I've put about 20 hours into it, though I'm not done yet. Part of the reason it's take me so long is that I'm choosing to go the Stealth route, so I have to wait for people to pass by, since I'm attempting to complete levels without being detected or killing anyone. The game certainly has some interesting features to it, such as a chaos system that will change your game depending on how you fall on the stealth/kill everything spectrum. I like the world, and the overall gameplay, which feels somewhat like it takes from Bioshock and perhaps the faster pace of Half Life, should you decide to go that route. Unfortunately, the game is lacking in certain aspects, such as the variety of abilities (there are 5, but only 2-3 cater themselves to stealth, while violent blasts of wind or summoning a swarm of rats are more useful for combat), but almost makes up for this with the variety of ways you can move around levels or complete missions. The base game is $7.49, while the GOTY is $13.59, which is still less than I paid when I picked up the DLCs separately earlier this year. I do recommend it, but be prepared to be frustrated by some of the really stupid mechanics, like non existent rats eating corpses.

Flash Sale

Trine 2 - Reviewed! Look, 2 is 90% off, which brings it down to $1.99. And the franchise is only $2.49. Really, why are you even debating this. Go buy this now, because it is that awesome.

Half Life 2 - Another common sale item, at it's usual $2.49. Well worth it if you've never played it before. Episodes 1 and 2 are also available for $1.99 each.

Spelunky - The randomly generated worlds and generally unforgiving nature of this game seem like too much to me. But hey, I've managed to make it through both FTL and Hotline Miami, so maybe I can handle this. It's $3.74.

Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 Platinum! - Sorry, can't tell you anything about this one but that it's $5.99.

In case you missed it, past flash sales included: Cities XL Platinum for $5.99, Starforge Alpha for $11.99, Tropico 4 for $5.59, The Binding of Isaac for $1.24, Might and Magic Heroes VI for $7.49, Command and Conquer Red Alert 3 for $4.99, Gunpoint for an all time low $3.39, and Limbo for $2.49.

***

Well, a bit different selection of games today, one that, unforunately, I'm not terribly familiar with. Still, I can at least point out that I can save you money on COD Ghosts, that you absolutely must buy Trine 2, and that Dishonored is okay, but not the great game I was led to believe. Thankfully that last one hit a new low price, so maybe it's better at that price. Can't wait to see what tomorrow holds.

Steam Autumn Sale 11-28-13

Good morning everyone, or at least, good morning to everyone that lives in a time zone where it is still morning when a new set of games goes on sale. A few things to mention, as more and more retailers have joined the Autumn/Black Friday/Holiday sale train. Yesterday I mentioned that Green Man Gaming was going to launch a sale today, and they certainly have. What they have is a bit simpler, consisting of four games on sale for four hours, with the whole sale lasting 4 days. At the time of this writing, you can purchase Company of Heroes 2 for $19.99 (base edition), the Chivalry titles for up to 75% off ($6.24 for the original, $11.24 for the new game, or $17.49 for the franchise pack), a Grand Theft Auto bundle that includes 5 games starting with GTA 3 and ending with GTA 4 Lost Episodes for $12.49, as well as Bioshock Infinite for $9.99 and its assorted DLC for up to 50% off. Since the games rotate every 4 hours, there is no way I'll be able to keep track of all of these, considering things like, oh, sleep. Also, while the website does list the time frame on the left hand side, note that those hours are in UTC. Ah, time zone conversions.

Also joining the fray today is GamersGate, with a bit of a twist on its sale - buy four games in the same order, and only pay for 3 of them. Just like Steam, this one has a rotating set of Deals of the Day, as well as a ton of other titles on sale. Just a bit of full disclosure, I've not used this site before, but I've you've had positive experiences with it, please let me know. I don't want to be advocating for a service with a questionable reputation, after all (but I am promoting Steam?...).

The Humble Store is still going strong with the same 18 games as yesterday.

Amazon continues its sale, with the bundles making up some of the better deals you can get. There is even a Games for Steam filter, should you be so inclined. Bonus, Batman: Arkham Origins is up there for $20.

Alright, so that is a ton of games on sale, and it'll be a pain to list and comment on all of them. If there are redundancies, such as the same gaming coming up for sale on multiple websites, I'll try and find the one with the best price for you. But since my audience seems to be largely Steam related, and as the major digital distributor of games, I hope you'll forgive me if that's what I focus on.


Main Sale:

Dead Island - The zombie survival open world rpg game. Someone traded this to me a year or so ago, and I still haven't claimed it, mostly because I've heard, from a large amount of my close friends, that the game isn't that great. It's an interesting idea, but something fails in the execution. You can get the GOTY edition of the first game for $4.95, which is tied for the lowest I've ever seen it, or you get by the Franchise pack and pick up Riptide as well for $12.49, which, since Riptide is $7.49 itself, is basically saving you on less than $2 of DLC.

Game Dev Tycoon - I'll be honest, the only reason I've even heard of this game is because the devs intentionally released a pirated version of the game with a key change - everyone who played that version of the game would eventually find their game studio loosing too much money to piracy to be able to stay open. The results of that experiment were pretty funny, particularly when some individuals advocated for some type of DRM to stop the piracy. Only 50% off at $4.99 today.

XCOM Enemy Unknown - I've actually played, and completed, this game, yet I haven't reviewed it. Yes, I'm getting behind. It is a fun take on turn based strategy games, with the whole big picture portion of the game where you need to invest in expanding your base, researching new technologies, interrogating aliens you managed to capture in combat, etc. It took me 36 hours to beat, but I'll freely admit that I didn't play the hardcore mode where you would lose a soldier for good. Instead, I saved at the beginning of each mission and would replay it until I achieved a satisfactory ending. I do have criticism for the game, such as the sentiment that the game needs more maps, which is a common one in the community. Another one is that at times the game seemed to just drag on, particularly since there are only 3 tech levels. I would also point out that the start of the game is rough due to the lack of explanation about certain things, as well as being locked into what you must due to the tutorial mode, which you want so you learn, but you don't want so you have more freedom. The game will be getting an 8 or 9 from me, and I'll advocate picking it up under $10, which is good, because today it's $9.99. The just released expansion pack is not on sale. Also, as a final dig, Frozen Synapse is a much better game, so if you have to choose...

Van Helsing - An action adventure game in the vein of Diablo or Torchlight. There is a good amount of versatility in how you customize your character. It's a game I'm considering getting, and thankfully there is a demo to let me try it out. It hits the lowest price I can remember at $5.09 for the base game, but you can also pick up the Complete Pack for $6.79, which is nice, because those 3 DLCs aren't on sale themselves.

Dark Souls - Alright, so I'm about 8 hours into this game, which I figured I'd give a try just because I was certain it would come up during this season's sales, as well as to see how challenging this game, which only came to the PC after a massive outcry of public support/petitioning. If I had to rate it right now I'd give it a 5...maybe. The game isn't this fantastic test of your gaming skills, it's more an idiotic gamble where you fight gigantic monsters that attack so quickly and repeatedly that you cannot a) avoid their attacks, including some that have splash damage off of a club, even if you roll out of the way or b) can't get an attack in yourself, all the while dealing with some terribly place world geometry that you'll get stuck on it. The game does not explain anything, so you'll need to make friends with a wiki or buy a guide just to know what the symbols under you weapon's equip requirements are, as well as figuring out where to go in this open world RPG. Also, you absolutely most download a slew of mods, and get an Xbox 360 controller to make the game playable, if you want to do things like, say, run the game in the resolution you'd like to actually view it in any decent resolution and not in a window. Sure, the game has some interesting points, and is more engaging than plenty of other titles, with things like the whole invasion/online thing being an interesting idea, but it also suffers from some glaring flaws that make the game distinctly not fun, such as where I'm currently stopped, with is the 4th or 5th boss, because you engage a 15 foot tall demon with 10 foot swords in an 8 x 5 alleyway, with enough rubble that you can't step over it and you constantly get stuck. It is $5.99, which makes it an all time low, but honestly, I don't think I can recommend this game unless you really, really, really want to try it.

Baldur's Gate - The updated and released classic. There were some issues when it launched, and I'm not sure those were resolved. Still, if you're interested, it's $7.99 for 1, while 2 is still full price at $24.99.

Final Fantasy VII - I never owned a Playstation, so I never game this game a try (I also didn't game on the PC at the time that version was released). That actually makes this more of an interesting buy for me. It's $3.99 today.

Don't Starve - I have been told by a friend that I must buy this survival sim, but I've been waiting for it to hit the 75% off mark, so I haven't actually given it a shot yet. It is down to $5.09 today though.

Papers Please - As bizarre as this game looks, I can see it being one of those great games that I would enjoy. Not sure why though. It's 50% off at $4.99 today.


Flash Sales:

Skull Girls - This was just free to play during the last few weekends. Personally, I'm not a fighting games guy, so I passed even then. It's $7.49.

System Shock 2 - The classic game makes it back down to $2.49 today.

Sanctum - The original, which I have reviewed, is $2.49. The recently released 2 is $2.99, which seems like such a great deal there is no way I'll pass it up. DLCs for 2 are also marked down, including the Season Pass, though the information page for that one doesn't actually tell you what's included, which is a bit of a shame, though if you're diligent and click through the different DLCs, you'll find out that The Pursuit, Ruins of Brightholme, and Road to Elysion are all part of the pass (meaning one still needs to be released) while the Skin Pack is not. So put me down for the game and the season pass then.

Killing Floor - This is a fun shooter to play, assuming you can round of some friends to play with. I've mostly done it solo, and it simply is not as rewarding. It's a class based game that haves you surviving waves of mutant zombie things. There is a brief break between rounds where you can make it to a store to restock. There are a variety of enemies, such as a screamer that stuns you, or some giant guys that will enrage if you do too much damage too fast. The base game is $4.99, but you an get the bundle for $12.49, which includes a ton of DLC. Frankly, a lot of those DLCs don't seem to add anything to the game, being character packs and all, but it is certainly cheaper to go that route than spend $45.81 to buy them separately.

And in case you missed it, here were the over night flash sales: Super Meat Boy - $2.99, RPG Maker VX - $17.49, Prototype - $4.99 for 1, $9.99 for 2, Gone Home - $4.99,  The Cave - $3.74, Evoland - $2.49, Trials Evolution Gold Edition - $4.99, and Primal Carnage - $3.74

*****

So that's it for today. Though you'll want to make sure and check back at places like Green Man Gaming, what with their flash sales and all. I think it's an interesting mix of games, with the biggest winner being Sanctum, though Killing Floor, System Shock 2, and XCOM would all also be excellent buys. Dead Island and Dark Souls are iffy, though cheaper than they have been, and most of the rest are either games that I'm not interested in (Skull Girls), or games that I would certainly like to try, but maybe for a bit less, which is easy to do when the next big sale is just a month away.

Go ahead and drop a line in the comments section to let me know what you think of the sale so far, or my expanded coverage of some of the other sites with sales out there. See you tomorrow!

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Uh oh, it’s comic book superhero time. I’ve never really been a comic book guy, and while I don’t really care as much for the DC variety of heroes in particular, at least the star of this story is one of the better ones out there, given his more believable and far less dependent on nuclear mutation or alien origin powers than natural physical ability and enough wealth to buy some cool toys for his utility belt. I’m speaking, of course, of Batman, which you should have guessed, being the title of the game and all.
 

Batman: Arkham Asylum is an example of a game done right. It’s a combination action adventure game with a focus on stealth combat, puzzle solving, and creatively navigating gothic structures with the use of cool tools like the Bat grapple. The premise of the game involves recapturing the Joker after his recent escape from Arkham Asylum, an island based mental institution that holds plenty of the more famous Batman villains. One does wonder about the notion of bringing someone who recently escaped back to the place he escaped from, especially when it lines up with a huge transfer of bad guys from Blackgate Prison. Could this all be part of a plan the Joker has brewing where he’ll escape, unleashing the villains there, and using some of Arkham’s darkest secrets to continue his goal of saving the city, mostly by destroying it?

Yeah…that sounds about right.

While your ultimate goal is to stop the Joker, which takes place in steps involving you hunting down and saving other individuals, like getting some doctor because she is the only one that has a key to this place you need to go, you’ll encounter some of the more memorable villains from the Batman franchise along the way. Killer Croc, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and the Scarecrow are all enemies you’ll take on more directly, but they are not the only nemeses you’ll come across. There is a whole side mission going on where you uncover hidden collectibles, placed there by the Riddler, which reveal background information about many of the characters in the franchise, and generally fill out the experience so it feels much less focused on the Batman vs. Joker rivalry.

Encounters with major characters usually come in the form of boss fights, and generally mark some huge progress event whereby you got the item you needed to finish exploring an area, defeat the boss, and then unlock some new area. Really, think of the way the Zelda franchise works, and you’ve pretty much nailed it, only instead of getting the Mirror Shield or Bow and Arrow, you’re getting something called the Cryptographic Sequencer or Bat-Zipline. The rest of the time you’ll be fighting those Blackgate Prison goons that the Joker so elegantly got transferred. They come in several varieties, starting with unarmed, firearm equipped, stun baton wielding, and knife wielding. Each enemy requires a different method of attack, such as the stun baton enemies that cannot be attacked from the front, or the knife wielding enemies that must be stunned before they can be taken down. With the exception of the firearm equipped enemies, you’ll usually find yourself faced with a dozen or so bad guys at once. Here Batman’s gymnastic training and superior athletic ability really comes in handy.

You can’t just go around punching every enemy in the face, gliding from one to the other, when they start bringing knives and stun batons to a fist fight. Or they are mutated brutes. Though you can use one against the other.

You’ll have to flip over enemies to get behind them, snap your cape at them stun or disorient, and quickly Pow-Smash-Bang your way from one enemy to another to keep the lot of them on their toes enough that they do not attack you. Depending on the setting you pick when you start out the game, enemies will have a warning notification that they are about to attack. That is your cue to counter. Countering is less like Assassin’s Creed here, where it was instantaneous and somewhat overpowered, and more like Sleeping Dogs, where timing is incredibly important, as countering too early throws off your attack sequence, and countering too late means you get more than a little smacked around. Fighting in this game is very acrobatic, as you’ll have to dodge from one enemy to the other, spreading the pain about. If you’re good at doing this you’ll start a combo string.

Combos are good for a couple of things. The first is that the higher your combo score, the more XP you’ll gain at the end of the fight. Yep, this game has a leveling mechanic that is based on how smoothly you can handle yourself in a little melee. The second reason, which is related to the first, is how combos start to unlock the use of special abilities, which you unlock with a bit of XP. The ability to throw an enemy, or perform an instant takedown (as opposed to the longer, drawn out few hits, enemy falls, enemy gets back up, few more hits, etc.) to finish enemies faster. Upgrades from enough XP can even allow you to use combos earlier in the chain, which turns out to be really nice if you’ve found it difficult to time your counters or make sure you’re using the proper attack for the proper enemy.

Uninterrupted combos, variation, instant take downs - all good things for a higher score. Yay bonus XP!

The upgrades you can unlock from combat benefit more than just your combat abilities, though things like increased health are certainly useful in those situations. About 40% of your upgrades impact available Bat-Gadgets (is that the official term?). One of the earlier things you’ll gain access to is Explosive Gel. Mostly it’s used to take down weak sections of wall, giving you a new path to progress. It’s also a great tool when attempting to quietly take down a room full of bad guys, since you can put a little gel down in an enemy’s path and blow it up when they get near. Upgrading the Explosive Gel, or combining it with a few other abilities and other upgrades, makes it even better. For example, you can place multiple gels down at once, effectively placing many different traps. When upgraded, you can detonate each one individually, letting you take down one enemy, which will act as bait for a second or third. Add to this an additional upgrade that automatically detonates the gel when an enemy walks over it, and your work just got a lot easier.

Explosive Gel is one of my favorite items to use when stealth is critical. The game feels like it’s split about 2-1 between melee heavy combat, since Batman is a boy scout that never uses lethal weapons, and stealth heavy silent take downs. The way the stealth portions of the game work is actually kind of cool. You’ll enter a large room, such as the asylum’s library, and discover that there are a half dozen armed prisoners patrolling the area. While, in a one on one scenario, you can take out one of these goons, if you actually attempt that with multiple enemies nearby you’ll find yourself pretty quickly mowed down by everyone you’re not actively punching in the face. This means it’s time for a little one on one stealth action.
 

Gargoyles inside a building. Sure, nothing seems off about that architectural choice.

As you glide from one gargoyle to another, or slink through vents or grates in the floor, looking for that lone guard and the perfect time to strike, you’ll find you have more than a few options to silently take down an enemy. Explosive Gel works, as I’ve already covered, and while it’s a good trap setting method, you might want to consider some of these other strategies. Hang from the underside of a gargoyle, and when an enemy passes beneath you, quickly zip down, grab him, and leave him strung up for all his buddies to see. If you haven’t unlocked that ability yet, maybe you just want to sneak up behind someone, either gliding around where they won’t see you or by popping out of a vent, and perform a silent take down via strangulation. If you want to get a little louder, you can always glide kick someone, and then move in while he is down to knock him out. It all sounds easy, right?

Of course, the Joker knows how you work, and he’s gotten his hand on some of the toys and tools stockpiled around the asylum. The most common thing you’ll run into is a prisoner with a collar on. That collar makes a bunch of noise if the prisoner wearing it is knocked out, which will very, very quickly draw the attention of anyone else in the room, meaning you’ll have to make a series of hit and runs if you don’t want to be immediately discovered and shot to death, which most people would agree is generally a bad thing. If you do get discovered, you’ll want to head between different gargoyles as fast as you can to lose the prisoners. However, that’s not always a viable option either, as sometimes the gargoyles get rigged with explosives that will blow up anytime you land on one, relegating you to crawl through vents and sneak through hallways, maybe trying to time an explosive on the floor so you fall onto an enemy bellow, which you can see with the proper scanner.

Detective Mode gives you a ton of information you otherwise wouldn’t have, such as unlocking an X-Ray like view of your surroundings or allowing you to track a specific individual’s handprints so you know exactly where they’ve been.

Now, if you’ll allow me the time, I’d like to go on a brief, anti-Batman rant, because that guy has got some seriously misplaced priorities. When you think about it, with the amount of guards and other innocents that died as a result of Batman’s unwillingness to kill, or at the very least, allow an unfortunate accident like falling off the top of a building, thus removing Joker as a threat is a bit of a major flaw. Sure, you can scream about Batman adhering to his principles, or the idea that no one should be judge, jury, and executioner, but try telling that to generic guard number 43’s family? Can such platitudes heal the loss of a father, husband, and friend? Besides, utilizing the utilitarian school of ethics, the small amount of pain suffered by the Joker, or even Batman with his own internal struggles, is superseded by the gain experienced by everyone else by simply being, you know, alive. Sorry, just something I’ve wanted to get off my mind ever since playing the game, or perhaps since seeing Heath Ledger dangling from a building at the end of The Dark Knight. Plus, I kind of wanted to make sure I could plant the word utilitarian in this review somewhere, after thinking about Batman's belt for a few pages.

Back to the game. Batman: Arkham Asylum makes for a great time. It is a well-crafted balance between the more time consuming stealth parts, the melee heavy sections that toss in a few extra obstacles like electric floors or gigantic Bane like enemies, varied boss fights, and a pretty large island to explore. Once again, the Zelda comparison feels pretty apt, particularly if I were to point to Ocarina of Time, which works, because I kind of love that whole style of game where you can make your progress in noticeable chunks as you access new areas, yet still need the new gear you found in those areas to go back and unlock the last few secrets in previous places. I put 15 hours into the game, and while I did manage a 100% completion on the story side (take that Riddler, you and your stupid hidden items), that only amounted to 84% completion over all, given the additional challenges this game has, at least in the GOTY edition, which is pretty much what you’ll be getting at this point. Overall, this Batman game is a worthy investment, with plenty for the action adventure fan to enjoy. You can probably pick it up on sale for $5 or so, but even $10 wouldn’t be a bad deal (just not the best), because in the end, all those gadgets, secrets, upgrades, and enemies, even the ones that feel a bit redundant at times, make this game an 9 out of 10.

So, the final breakdown:

Score: 9/10
Suggested Price: $5-10

*****

For more Batman: Arkham Asylum, check out this collection of screenshots otherwise unused in this review. Click on any one for a large image.