16 Years Ago, This Game Absolutely Revolutionized the Action-Adventure Genre

Since the dawn of the home video game console, the action-adventure genre has been one of the most successful. There’s some debate as to when it all began, though some cite Adventure on the Atari 2600, released in 1980, as one of the first. Since then, the genre has expanded significantly, and modern action-adventure games are a blend of other genres. They’re often first-person or third-person shooters, and much more. As one of the oldest video game genres, action-adventure games have covered pretty much every aspect of popular culture, and in 2009, the genre got a huge boost.

That’s the year that Rocksteady Studios developed Batman: Arkham Asylum, which is arguably one of the best DC Comics, Batman, and comic book adaptations in video game history, as is its sequel, Batman: Arkham City. It revolutionized the depth of storytelling that entries in the genre could explore, and it’s widely beloved as one of the best of its kind. The game’s dark storyline draws on various aspects of the Caped Crusader’s lore. It focuses on Batman battling the Joker after the Clown Prince of Crime launches a plot to take over Arkham Asylum, trapping Batman inside. It includes a powerful story, brilliant character acting, and a world ripe for exploration.

Batman: Arkham Asylum Redefined Action-Adventure Games for a New Generation

Batman: Arkham Asylum puts the player in Batman’s boots, and they undertake a compelling adventure across various levels that were expertly designed to be as engrossing as possible. Most notable is the game’s combat system, which is a combo-based, rhythmic, and countering system, allowing the player to alter their attacks depending on their enemies. This includes using various tools and weapons in mid-combat, making it feel as if you’re really the Dark Knight running about Gotham City’s most notorious psychiatric prison. Not only was the combat system revolutionary, but it also inspired a ton of games that followed.

This is evident in titles like one of Marvel’s best: Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man, which features a clear homage to Arkham Asylum’s combat mechanics. The game also includes stealth mechanics and puzzle-solving, which detract from the direct action by incorporating elements that make Batman such a compelling comic book character. He is the World’s Greatest Detective, after all, and Arkham Asylum doesn’t forget this for a second. Batman must use his keen senses and tools to discover every aspect of the Joker’s plot. It’s incredibly captivating, ensuring you can’t just play the game for a few minutes and walk away.

All of these elements combine into one of the best action-adventure video games ever made, and it’s been highly influential. The original God of War games on the PlayStation 2 and beyond are action-adventure, but the style changed considerably after Batman: Arkham Asylum demonstrated a better way. In 2018, the Game of the Year winner, God of War, completely reshaped the franchise, moving away from its hack-and-slash roots. It incorporated many of the same free-flowing combat mechanics, use of tools and upgraded equipment, and more to tell one of the franchise’s best stories. Its sequel, God of War Ragnarök, continued the trend.

Batman: Arkham Asylum Is a Transformative Game

Every so often, a new game in a longstanding genre comes along and transforms it into something new. That’s certainly true of Arkham Asylum, and while its sequel is often considered to be superior, there’s no denying that it made a significant impact on the genre and on the video game industry as a whole. When a game does exceptionally well, as Arkham Asylum did, it not only gets sequels but also inspires developers to emulate what worked. They incorporate similar mechanics and narrative structures to deliver something that will work well in the ever-changing market, and you can see the influence Arkham Asylum had when it was released 16 years ago.

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