Batman: Arkham Asylum
Video games based on super heroes have never appealed to me in the past, but I heard so many good things about Batman: Arkham Asylum that I had to give it a shot. Overall, I was very impressed with this game. The gameplay style is similar to some of my favorite games: combining exploration, combat, and mild role playing elements with great storytelling much like the Legend of Zelda & Fable series.
All of these pieces fit together really well because Batman: Arkham Asylum feels great to play. The level of polish in the controls and animations is fantastic. Most importantly, it is a lot of fun just navigating the world using Batman's various abilities and gadgets. On top of this you gain new devices and upgrades as you level up. This mechanic works well and you can gain experience from both combat and puzzle solving. The combat is simple, but offers plenty of depth if you want to explore it fully. The puzzles (set up by the Riddler) provide a great diversion from the action. Another side story is Batman's continuing struggle against the Scarecrow, which requires you to defeat various nightmare scenarios. This variety of gameplay is probably the game's strongest element since you are never doing the same thing for too long. To top it all off the story is well done with some great voice acting. I love games with this play style and this one engaged me from start to finish, a must play.
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