Technology News: Gaming: 'Batman: Arkham Asylum' Is Crazy Good

Great lede to this piece:

The video game industry has defeated more superheroes than Lex Luthor could ever dream of. Superman, Aquaman, Iron Man, X-Men: all rendered lifeless by forces more focused on making a buck than on delivering thrills.

So, calling “Batman: Arkham Asylum” (Eidos, US$59.99, for the Xbox 360 More about Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) one of the best superhero games ever is kind of a backhanded compliment. Let’s just call it a great game, period.

via Technology News: Gaming: ‘Batman: Arkham Asylum’ Is Crazy Good.

Again, this picks up on the whole concept I’ve been kicking around lately of narrative in games and how derivative franchising makes for horrible games. Even when you have sterling characters/heroes that have transcended the media matrix in the most Cambellesque power of myth way, cashing in on cache isn’t enough to provide a satisfying play or story experience.