Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman: Arkham Asylum is an action-adventure game written by veteran Batman writer Paul Dini. Batman battles his archenemy, the Joker, who instigates an elaborate plot to seize control of Arkham Asylum, trap Batman inside with many of his incarcerated foes, and threaten Gotham City with hidden bombs.

Sub-Pages#

Prototype Info Prerelease Info

Joker Maps#

To do: Add the sound files for Joker at the start of the maps and the ones for the Guards when fighting Joker.

In the PS3 version, players were able to play as the Joker via a free DLC from PSN along with his own challenge maps, moves, game over screens featuring Batman and Aaron Cash, and in his map for obvious reasons the Joker Goons on the maps were changed to Arkham Guards along with appearances from Zach Franklin, William North, Louie Green, Eddie Burlow, Aaron Cash, Henry Smith, and Commissioner Gordon. Players who mod PC versions can play as well. These maps were included on all platforms in the 'Return To Arkham' re-release.

Anti-Piracy#

The game features copy protection in the form of game-breaking glitches designed to stop pirates from going very far into the game.

Batman's glide move (which is needed to both sneak up on enemies and land in areas that you can't reach via normal jumps) is glitched, which means you can't proceed past a certain point. This particular glitch made the news at various websites, mostly because of a guy who unintentionally outed himself as a pirate on Eidos' forums.

Watch on YouTubeBatman's grappling hook will not work on certain ledges or vents. Since you can't reach them, you're stuck and can't go further.

Sometimes, you will see the grappling icon show up in random places while playing. If you use the grappling hook, you will be transported out of the room to an invisible ledge that you can't climb. If you drop down, you'll fall on a platform and can't get out other than by killing yourself. Depending on where you do this, you can end up outside the map or in the waterfront surrounding Arkham Island.

In a normal game, you can't use any of your weapons, run, or jump while talking to Oracle, but you can walk around the room. Once the conversation ends, you regain full control over Batman. But here, Batman never takes his finger off his cowl, so you can't exit the room.

After obtaining a certain item needed to stop Joker, you have to return to the Botanical Gardens, but you're stopped by an invisible wall. There's a way to get around it through the air ducts, but the grapple won't work (it normally does).

When you reach the Elizabeth Arkham Glasshouse at the Botanical Gardens... there's nothing there, so you just fall to your death. No boss fight for you!

Judging from the videos on YouTube, they appear to be completely random, so what you get in one playthrough may not show up in another. There may be more glitches to be found.

Unreadable Text#

In the game, most papers found in the levels have two tongue-in-cheek texts relating to the intake of patients into Arkham Asylum. Since they cannot be read properly in-game, their text is transcribed here.

Dear Sir/Madam

I'm writing to inform you that your relative is loopy and
will be confined to an inhuman floating cage in some crazy
dungeon.

You have no legal recourse to this descision [sic] and maybe [sic]
liable for all costs incurred for the treatment of your
psychotic family member.

Best regards from all of us at Arkham Asylum rehabilitation
services

Have a nice day.

The Joker & Pals



Signed,



Prof. J Southgate

Umberto Crazooly

     230435-3485

Diagnosis: Has a stupid name

I'm writing to inform you that your relative is loopy and
will be confined to an inhuman floating cage in some crazy
dungeon.

You have no legal recourse to this descision [sic] and maybe [sic]
liable for all costs incurred for the treatment of your
psychotic family member.

Best regards from all of us at Arkham Asylum rehabilitation
services

Version Differences#

Update v1.1 for the original Games For Windows Live version (available by itself, or updating via GFWL) adds multiple levels of PhysX to the launcher's graphics settings.

The Game of the Year Edition featured four extra Challenge Maps: Crime Alley, Scarecrow Nightmare, Totally Insane, and Nocturnal Hunter (both from the Insane Night Map Pack).

The Joker's DLC is only included in the GOTY edition for Mac.