A Long Halloween with Batman

Horror and institutions have always gone together like a horse and carriage. While the concept of being trapped in a prison or asylum overrun by terror is not new, many creators have worked to put a unique spin on the classic setup. In 2009, Rocksteady Studios delivered such a vision with Batman: Arkham Asylum, sending gamers into the mouth of madness as the Dark Knight.

As the Season of Fear continues, Gamers Nightmare spotlights Batman: Arkham Asylum, released in 2009 for the PlayStation 3, XBOX 360, and PC. The game captured the horrors of the iconic asylum while bringing back Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy for their legendary roles. It also redefined superhero games for a generation, standing as one of the genre’s biggest titles since Spider-Man 2 in 2004. Here, however, the focus is solely on the game’s horror.

One Knight at Arkham

The late 2000s to early 2010s saw Batman’s popularity explode. Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight redefined the superhero film by grounding it in reality while presenting a tense mystery thriller about a city terrorized by a deranged agent of chaos. This direction paid off, as it was hailed as one of the best films of 2008, while the late Heath Ledger would make history by winning an acting Oscar for playing a comic book character. This newfound popularity, of course, gave Warner Bros. the perfect moment to capitalize on it with an original Batman game not connected to the movies, but one still grounded in the world fans were familiar with.

To recap the story: Batman arrives at Arkham Asylum with the Joker in custody after the Clown Prince of Crime attacked City Hall. Sensing something is wrong from how easily he surrendered, the Dark Knight escorts him into the depths of the asylum. His hunch proves right when the Joker escapes once again and, with the help of Harley Quinn and a crooked guard, frees the inmates along with the transfers from Blackgate Prison. Making matters worse, the Joker claims to have planted bombs across Gotham City and threatens to detonate them if the police raid the island. With the police locked out, it is up to Batman to aid the guards in retaking the asylum. But not everything is what it seems, and Batman was right: the Joker has something bigger planned.

Upon its launch, Batman: Arkham Asylum earned high praise from gamers and critics alike. Based on 78 critics, the game holds a score of 92 on Metacritic, along with a user score of 8.5 based on 3,637 users. It would sell 2.5 million copies in less than a month. Numerous publications named it Game of the Year, and it went on to win the prestigious BAFTA awards for Best Game and Gameplay.

The Killing Joke

Even though Batman: Arkham Asylum is a superhero action game, I am examining its horror elements. This is a fair assessment because, yes, you are Batman, but you are also outnumbered and cannot expect support from the outside beyond guidance from Oracle.

From the moment Batman enters Arkham Asylum, he senses something is off, not just from how easily the Joker surrendered, but from the presence of Blackgate inmates and encounters with Killer Croc and other inmates in the asylum. The real nightmare begins when the Joker takes over, as the security staff fights for their lives against not just psychos, but also professional criminals who are in league with the Joker and better trained. In their pursuit to take over Arkham, they leave behind rooms of carnage, forcing the survivors to pick up the pieces and try to move on. Who is worse is also up for debate. Victor Zsasz and the other inmates take pleasure in torturing their victims, while the Blackgate goons vary based on the moment or what the Joker wants.

Yet the terror is not limited to the inmates and the horrors they have left behind. Batman’s rogues’ gallery provides plenty of fuel for this nightmare at Arkham Asylum. Besides the Joker and Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Bane, and the Scarecrow have been let loose to wreak havoc upon the asylum. At the same time, the Joker has unleashed horrors created by Bane’s venom. Confronting each villain feels like something straight out of a horror movie, as they bring a sense of dread with their presence, while each battle delivers a thrill that puts you on edge. This adds a new layer of terror that fans had only read about in comic books.

Beyond the horror aesthetics and atmosphere, the game embodies the core elements of survival horror. That is, you are alone in a world of terror, outmatched, and limited by the resources you have. The only edge players have here is that they are Batman. The game finds the balance between a work of horror and a superhero game by reminding players that Batman is mortal and can only survive using his wits and the resources he has. That is how gamers overcome the challenges and horrors presented, not with brute force alone, but through wit and utilizing the resources available.

Die a Hero

As I mentioned in my reflection on Resident Evil: Collection One, I am not much of a comic book or manga reader. So most of my exposure to Batman has been through film and TV. The only Batman graphic novels I have read are The Killing Joke, Batman vs. Predator, Death in the Family, and The Dark Knight Returns. But I have been a fan since I was a child, watching Batman: The Animated Series and the Adam West series. As I grew older, I was introduced to the more mature aspects of the Caped Crusader found in the Nolan films. Arkham Asylum embodies that while also tapping into the horror elements of the franchise that are often overlooked.

Did you play Batman: Arkham Asylum? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. This article is part of our annual Gamers Nightmare series, running throughout October.

8Bit/Digi is a news outlet that provides insight for horror gamers in the Bay Area.