Batman Arkham Asylum: Game of the Year

Batman: Arkham Asylum is back with a game of the year edition Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, which includes extra content and now for the first time, 3D vision Trioviz console. Batman: Arkham Asylum has launched to critical acclaim in the summer of 2009 and has often been called the best game license "and a" must buy "on video game websites and magazines. He was commended for achieving a blend of action, stealth and puzzle game tied with the original story written by black five times Emmy winner Paul Dini and supported by a cast of famous voice actors, including Mark Hamill as The Joker and Batman Kevin Conroy.

Product Details

Amazon Sales Rank: #1259 in Video Games

Brand: Eidos

Model: 1000150449

Published on: 2010-05

Released on: 2010-05-11

ESRB Rating: Teen

Platform: PLAYSTATION 3

Number of items: 1

Dimensions: .40 pounds

Features

Become the Invisible Predator with Batman's fear takedowns and unique vantage point system to move without being seen and hunt enemies

Experience a whole new to play with Game of the Year Edition extras including: 2 pairs of TriOviz 3D vision glasses, access to the playable Joker character and the Joker Challenge maps and 4 additional standard challenge maps

Utilize the unique FreeFlow combat system to chain together unlimited combos seamlessly and battle with huge groups of The Joker's henchmen in brutal melee brawls

Investigate as Batman, the world's greatest detective, by solving intricate puzzles with the help of cutting edge forensic tools including x-ray scanning, fingerprint scans, 'Amido Black' spray and a pheromone tracker

Face off against Gotham's greatest villains including The Joker, Harley Quinn, Victor Zsasz and Killer Croc

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description

Recognized as one of the best games of 2009, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a single player, third-person action/adventure in which the Dark Knight takes on his greatest challenge yet when he is trapped by arch rival, the Joker, within Gotham City's facility for the criminally insane, Arkham Asylum. The special Batman Arkham Asylum: Game of the Year Edition for PlayStation 3 ratchets the crime-fighting action up even further with an innovative new technology which allows you to play and watch in 3D with two sets of TriOviz glasses compatible with all standard and high definition TV sets. Also included are access to challenge maps that allow you to play as the Joker, and four additional standard challenge maps. Kick it in combat gameplay. View larger. And stealth action. View larger. Match wits with and play as The Joker. View larger. Utilize utility belt gadgets. View larger. Take on dangerous bosses. View larger. Story Batman: Arkham Asylum features an original story penned exclusively for the game by famous Batman author and five-time Emmy award winner, Paul Dini, whose credits include "Lost" season one and "Batman: The Animated Series." As the game begins Batman is personally delivering his nemesis, The Joker, to the asylum at Arkham Island, but he is uneasy. Although the Arkham asylum is well fortified, he has a nagging feeling that all is not well, which proves to be the case when seconds after turning The Joker over to the guards, the master criminal breaks free of his captors. Even more surprising than this quick turn of events is the revelation that it was never The Joker's intent to escape the vault-like facility, but instead to trap Batman there. Surrounded by an asylum full of dangerous criminals, many of which he put there and all at the beck and call of the Joker, can Batman survive and discover what is behind the Joker's intricate plot? Gameplay In Batman: Arkham Asylum players strap on the gadget-heavy utility belt of the Caped Crusader. Gameplay here is a combination of both the knuckle crunching rush of hand to hand combat as you take on the hordes of thugs that infest Arkham Asylum, and stealth gameplay in which you must dispatch individuals from the shadows. Players can expect an engrossing single player campaign in which Batman continually moves forward to face the henchmen, bosses and traps that The Joker has set for him. With regards to opponents, in addition to The Joker who you will hear more than you see, the dark walls of Arkham also hold familiar villains from the the Batman criminal universe including Harley Quinn, Victor Zsasz and Killer Croc, that you will have to deal with, but don't expect a one-dimensional experience. As players progress from environment to environment within Arkham they will have to use varying combinations of muscle, detective skills, gadgetry and a certain degree of light RPG-like leveling of Batman's skills, arsenal and physical characteristics to survive and discover what The Joker's underlying scheme is. In addition to the story-driven single player campaign Arkham Asylum also contains various additional play modes. These include an arcade styled combat mode where players accumulate points by engaging hordes of thugs in a hand to hand slugfest across a series of maps, in which Batman's physical strength and agility play a major role. The key here is to chain together as many attacks as possible due to the fact that with each successful combo players increase the point multiplier associated with their actions. The game also features a time-based stealth mode where players must hone their ability to strike silently from the shadows. This gameplay, referred to as 'Invisible Predator' utilizes the Dark Knight's skill with gadgets like the grapple tool, batarang and explosives. These allow for vertical/horizontal mobility, the ability to quickly strike from above and at a distance and to take out enemies and create distractions, even through walls. But remember that Batman works solo and is not superhuman. Your enemies will congregate around trouble areas and work as a team against you, so you must be silent, plan your attacks wisely, strike quickly and discover the value of encouraging fear within enemies. Batman Arkham Asylum: Game of the Year Edition for PlayStation 3 Includes: View larger. Batman: Arkham Asylum for PS3. 2 pairs of Trioviz 3D vision glasses. Access to the playable Joker character and Joker Challenge Maps via PlayStation Network. 4 additional Challenge Maps. Key Features Experience the game in a whole new way with Game of the Year Edition extras including: 2 pairs of TriOviz 3D vision glasses, access to the playable Joker character and the Joker Challenge maps and 4 additional standard challenge maps. Utilize the unique FreeFlow combat system to chain together unlimited combos seamlessly and battle with huge groups of The Joker's henchmen in brutal melee brawls. Investigate as Batman, the world's greatest detective, by solving intricate puzzles with the help of cutting edge forensic tools including x-ray scanning, fingerprint scans, 'Amido Black' spray and a pheromone tracker. Face off against Gotham's greatest villains including The Joker, Harley Quinn, Victor Zsasz and Killer Croc. Become the Invisible Predator with Batman's fear takedowns and unique vantage point system to move without being seen and hunt enemies. Choose multiple takedown methods, including swooping from the sky and smashing through walls, and use the predator camera get a closer look at the action. Explore every inch of Arkham Asylum and roam freely on the infamous island, presented for the first time ever in its gritty and realistic entirety. Experience what it's like to be Batman using batarangs, explosive gel aerosol, the Batclaw, sonar resonator and the line launcher. Unlock more secrets by completing hidden challenges in the world and develop and customize equipment by earning experience points. Enjoy complete superhero freedom in the environment with the use of Batman's grapple to get to any place you can see, jump from any height and glide in any direction.

Price: $49.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

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Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman Arkham Asylum, The Dark Knight takes his biggest challenge when you are stuck with all the most dangerous enemies of Gotham City in their Asylum - Arkham Asylum! Batman: Arkham Asylum exposes players to experience a unique adventure, dark and atmospheric, which leads to depths of Arkham Asylum, Gotham psychiatric hospital for insane criminals. Players move in the shadows, instigate fear among the enemies and confront The Joker and Gotham City villains, most famously, who took over the asylum. Using a wide range of Batman gadgets and abilities, players can become invisible predators and tried to thwart the plans of the mad Joker. Batman: Arkham Asylum has an original storyline written exclusively for the game with the famous Batman writer and winner of five Emmy time, Paul Dini, who has notably lost season and Batman: The Animated Series. With spectacular graphics and a changing environment, surround, Batman: Arkham Asylum game offers several options to push the boundaries of any action, adventure and superhero games .

Product Details

Amazon Sales Rank: #124 in Video Games

Brand: Eidos

Model: 1000094911

Published on: 2009-08

Released on: 2009-08-25

ESRB Rating: Teen

Number of discs: 1

Platform: PLAYSTATION 3

Number of items: 1

Dimensions: .58" h x 5.40" w x 6.76" l, .30 pounds

Features

Face off against Gotham¿s greatest villains including The Joker, HARLEY QUINN, VICTOR ZSASZ and KILLER CROC

Become the Invisible Predatotm with Batman¿s takedowns and unique vantage point system to move without being seen or utilize the unique FreeFlowtm combat system to chain together unlimited combos and battle with huge groups of The Joker¿s henchmen

Choose multiple takedown methods, including swooping from the sky and smashing through walls, and use the predator camera get a closer look at the action.

Explore every inch of Arkham Asylum and roam freely on the infamous island, presented for the first time ever in its gritty and realistic entiret

Experience what it¿s like to be BATMAN using BATARANGS, explosive gel aerosol, The Batclaw, sonar resonator and the line launcher

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description

Batman: Arkham Asylum is a single player, third-person action/adventure in which the Dark Knight is forced to take on his greatest challenge yet when he is trapped by arch rival, the Joker, within Gotham City's facility for the criminally insane, Arkham Asylum. A blend of exciting arcade style combat and stealth mechanics packed with amazing graphics in a moody, immersive setting, Batman: Arkham Asylum offers diverse gameplay options that push the envelope for all action, adventure and superhero games. Kick it in combat gameplay. View larger. And stealth action. View larger. Match wits with The Joker. View larger. Utilize utility belt gadgets. View larger. Story Batman: Arkham Asylum features an original story penned exclusively for the game by famous Batman author and five-time Emmy award winner, Paul Dini, whose credits include "Lost" season one and "Batman: The Animated Series." As the game begins Batman is personally delivering his nemesis, The Joker, to the asylum at Arkham Island, but he is uneasy. Although the Arkham asylum is well fortified, he has a nagging feeling that all is not well, which proves to be the case when seconds after turning The Joker over to the guards, the master criminal breaks free of his captors. Even more surprising than this quick turn of events is the revelation that it was never The Joker's intent to escape the vault-like facility, but instead to trap Batman there. Surrounded by an asylum full of dangerous criminals, many of which he put there and all at the beck and call of the Joker, can Batman survive and discover what is behind the Joker's intricate plot? Gameplay In Batman: Arkham Asylum players strap on the gadget-heavy utility belt of the Caped Crusader. Gameplay here is a combination of both the knuckle crunching rush of hand to hand combat as you take on the hordes of thugs that infest Arkham Asylum, and stealth gameplay in which you must dispatch individuals from the shadows. Players can expect an engrossing single player campaign in which Batman continually moves forward to face the henchmen, bosses and traps that The Joker has set for him. With regards to opponents, in addition to The Joker who you will hear more than you see, the dark walls of Arkham also hold familiar villains from the the Batman criminal universe including Harley Quinn, Victor Zsasz and Killer Croc, that you will have to deal with, but don't expect a one-dimensional experience. As players progress from environment to environment within Arkham they will have to use varying combinations of muscle, detective skills, gadgetry and a certain degree of light RPG-like leveling of Batman's skills, arsenal and physical characteristics to survive and discover what The Joker's underlying scheme is. In addition to the story-driven single player campaign Arkham Asylum also contains various additional play modes. These include an arcade styled combat mode where players accumulate points by engaging hordes of thugs in a hand to hand slugfest across a series of maps, in which Batman's physical strength and agility play a major role. The key here is to chain together as many attacks as possible due to the fact that with each successful combo players increase the point multiplier associated with their actions. The game also features a time-based stealth mode where players must hone their ability to strike silently from the shadows. This gameplay, referred to as 'Invisible Predator' utilizes the Dark Knight's skill with gadgets like the grapple tool, batarang and explosives. These allow for vertical/horizontal mobility, the ability to quickly strike from above and at a distance and to take out enemies and create distractions, even through walls. But remember that Batman works solo and is not superhuman. Your enemies will congregate around trouble areas and work as a team against you, so you must be silent, plan your attacks wisely, strike quickly and discover the value of encouraging fear within enemies. Key Features Utilize the unique FreeFlow combat system to chain together unlimited combos seamlessly and battle with huge groups of The Joker's henchmen in brutal melee brawls. Investigate as Batman, the world's greatest detective, by solving intricate puzzles with the help of cutting edge forensic tools including x-ray scanning, fingerprint scans, 'Amido Black' spray and a pheromone tracker. Face off against Gotham's greatest villains including The Joker, Harley Quinn, Victor Zsasz and Killer Croc. Become the Invisible Predator with Batman's fear takedowns and unique vantage point system to move without being seen and hunt enemies. Choose multiple takedown methods, including swooping from the sky and smashing through walls, and use the predator camera get a closer look at the action. Explore every inch of Arkham Asylum and roam freely on the infamous island, presented for the first time ever in its gritty and realistic entirety. Experience what it's like to be Batman using batarangs, explosive gel aerosol, the Batclaw, sonar resonator and the line launcher. Unlock more secrets by completing hidden challenges in the world and develop and customize equipment by earning experience points. Enjoy complete superhero freedom in the environment with the use of Batman's grapple to get to any place you can see, jump from any height and glide in any direction. PlayStation 3 exclusive Joker Challenge Map DLC.

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Customer Reviews

The Definitive Batman Game.
For years and years, gamers (myself included) have played many different Batman video games and have only been let down time after time.

Now, Batman: Arkham Asylum IS that Batman game that you have always wanted to play.

It satisfies every part of you Batman desires and really gives you the feeling that you ARE Batman.

From the strength and power to the gadgets to the stealth and surprise you can bring toward your enemy, it is quite a marvel that a game developer finally got it right.

Thank you Rocksteady!

I do not want to give away any spoilers from the game so the plot is really basic and simple.

The Joker has taken total control over Arkham island and Batman needs to hunt him down to stop him, but not without going through many of Batman's familiar villians in the process.

Batman's gadgets come in handy often, most of the time you will be using his 'detective mode' which is built into the cowl and gives you the ability to see important items in the room and clues to lead you in the right direction.

There will be some moments where you find yourself just playing with all of Batman' gadgets for 10-15 minutes because there are so many of them to play with. (It feeds your inner dork so it's okay!)

Gameplay mechanics are solid and I have yet to find a defect in them or any glitches.

Fighting is very enjoyable, because you can be surrounded by 6-10 enemies and everytime an enemy is about to attack you hit the counter-attack button and continue to fight off all of them at once. Very fun.

The graphics are amazing and highly detailed like you would expect from a PS3.

Voice-over work is superb and Mark Hamill, as The Joker, really steals the show. If they gave out Oscars for Best Video Game Voice-Over Performance then Hamill would easily win it for this game!

All in all, Batman games have been so poor for so long, it is exciting to see a Batman game done right and this is worthy of a $60 purchase.

Go and get it and play it with the lights off in the dark with the sound blasting.

Holy Incarnations Batman, Freaking Finally! (Jest Review)
After playing this game, you'll forget all of the other bad comic book in the past.

This is a spooky, creepy, gothic-style sand-box where you play the real Batman. Real in that he can't jump 20 ft high, but rely on his gadgets, skill and intellect to avoid, escape and hunt enemies, find important evidence and scout locations. The fighting mechanics are easy that even a 10 years old child can use it, but the difficulty of using it increases where you have to use some of Batman's gadgets to take down larger opponents. At one of several moments, I had to jump into a group of enemies to get to a location. At first I was hesitant, but then I remember how easy it can be if I remember how to deal with each kind of enemy. First, I see what kind of enemies their are and plan my onslaught. To test and hone-in you fighting skills, you have challenges outside the main game to practice on.

It's not just a button-smashing game, its also a puzzler. You can switch into 'detective mode' to find evidence, trophies and solve environmental riddles as well as figure out how to get to one place to another.

I beat the game in 10 hours, but worth going back to try on harder challenging levels as well as to complete the entire game. Puzzles were very cleaver. I had trouble with a certain type of puzzle that I decided to completely ignore them. Now, I have figured it's skillful ways and hitting myself for not thinking of it earlier.

Two things I hated were the fact that I couldn't get to certain locations and be able to get things without the upgrades I got later. The next problem of mine is that the game ended where Batman goes back to Gotham City.

One actual problem is the Scarecrow challenges. The camera angles and controls aren't that responsive verses the way the main game version. I liked them at first to give me a break from the main story line's gameplay, but became increasingly annoying when trying to time an action. It took me several times pressing on the buttons to have it work.

I can say, Batman Arkham Asylum is one of the best games I've ever purchased.

PARENTS: If your thinking of purchasing this game for your kids, here is what to expect. Light or mild sexual themes. Poison Ivy is presented in a seductive way and mild innuendos from criminals stating, "I wouldn't mine playing doctor with her."

Violence is suggestive. The locations have skulls and bones. Bodies lying in the floor or hang on their limbs(Batman only knocks out his opponents or left to their end, while criminals kill). No gory images if you could on a little blood dripping of Batman's mouth after a hit. No bad language. Basically, if you've watch or seen the animated series then you pretty much see what level of sex and violence it has.

The best batman game.
It's been said that Arkham Asylum is the "best batman game" made thus far and whoever said that, was right. This game is fun, no doubt. Playing the game is the closest one can get to actually being the Batman. The freeflow battle system is joyous (once mastered) and the gadgets can be used in fun and innovative ways to solve the puzzles that are presented in the game.

The graphics are very smooth and I didn't notice any frame rate issues. Absolutely everything looks breath taking, from the batarangs to the thugs upon that Batman wantonly stomps. The sound design is perfect: nothing is too loud or too soft and the sound effects don't sound out of place at all.

The only real problem i have with the game is it's length. I beat the game in two sittings in a total of about 8.5 hours. Sure there are things to do after the game is finished, but hunting for trophies and riddles gets old real fast and unless you're the OCD type who has to finish every little thing, bear that in mind.

Arkham Asylum is a good game with a great story but is kind of short.

Price: $39.47 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Related Links : Product by Amazon or shopping-lifestyle-20 Store

Batman: Arkham Asylum Collector's Edition

Collector's Edition includes: Batarang Waynetech Storage Boxes 12 "in the game Batarang design (stand attached, aligned to feel authentic) Official YOUNG (50 color pages of police free) 2 DIGI-Manga Pack For example: a game behind the scenes Chapter 5 series on DVD, including interviews with Mark Hammil and Kevin Conroy exclusive collector's edition of the MAP manual DLC Challenge

Product Details

Amazon Sales Rank: #7284 in Video Games

Brand: Eidos

Model: 1000101106

Published on: 2009-08

Released on: 2009-08-25

ESRB Rating: Teen

Platform: PLAYSTATION 3

Number of items: 1

Dimensions: 4.00 pounds

Features

Face off against Gotham’s greatest villains including The Joker, HARLEY QUINN, VICTOR ZSASZ and KILLER CROC

Choose multiple takedown methods, including swooping from the sky and smashing through walls, and use the predator camera get a closer look at the action.

Explore every inch of Arkham Asylum and roam freely on the infamous island, presented for the first time ever in its gritty and realistic entiret

Experience what it’s like to be BATMAN using BATARANGS, explosive gel aerosol, The Batclaw, sonar resonator and the line launcher

Become the Invisible Predatotm with Batman’s takedowns and unique vantage point system to move without being seen or utilize the unique FreeFlowtm combat system to chain together unlimited combos and battle with huge groups of The Joker’s henchmen

---

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description

Batman: Arkham Asylum is a single player, third-person action/adventure in which the Dark Knight is forced to take on his greatest challenge yet when he is trapped by arch rival, the Joker, within Gotham City's facility for the criminally insane, Arkham Asylum. A blend of exciting arcade style combat and stealth mechanics packed with amazing graphics in a moody, immersive setting, Batman: Arkham Asylum offers diverse gameplay options that push the envelope for all action, adventure and superhero games. Kick it in combat gameplay. View larger. And stealth action. View larger. Match wits with The Joker. View larger. Utilize utility belt gadgets. View larger. Take on dangerous bosses. View larger. Story Batman: Arkham Asylum features an original story penned exclusively for the game by famous Batman author and five-time Emmy award winner, Paul Dini, whose credits include "Lost" season one and "Batman: The Animated Series." As the game begins Batman is personally delivering his nemesis, The Joker, to the asylum at Arkham Island, but he is uneasy. Although the Arkham asylum is well fortified, he has a nagging feeling that all is not well, which proves to be the case when seconds after turning The Joker over to the guards, the master criminal breaks free of his captors. Even more surprising than this quick turn of events is the revelation that it was never The Joker's intent to escape the vault-like facility, but instead to trap Batman there. Surrounded by an asylum full of dangerous criminals, many of which he put there and all at the beck and call of the Joker, can Batman survive and discover what is behind the Joker's intricate plot? Gameplay In Batman: Arkham Asylum players strap on the gadget-heavy utility belt of the Caped Crusader. Gameplay here is a combination of both the knuckle crunching rush of hand to hand combat as you take on the hordes of thugs that infest Arkham Asylum, and stealth gameplay in which you must dispatch individuals from the shadows. Players can expect an engrossing single player campaign in which Batman continually moves forward to face the henchmen, bosses and traps that The Joker has set for him. With regards to opponents, in addition to The Joker who you will hear more than you see, the dark walls of Arkham also hold familiar villains from the the Batman criminal universe including Harley Quinn, Victor Zsasz and Killer Croc, that you will have to deal with, but don't expect a one-dimensional experience. As players progress from environment to environment within Arkham they will have to use varying combinations of muscle, detective skills, gadgetry and a certain degree of light RPG-like leveling of Batman's skills, arsenal and physical characteristics to survive and discover what The Joker's underlying scheme is. In addition to the story-driven single player campaign Arkham Asylum also contains various additional play modes. These include an arcade styled combat mode where players accumulate points by engaging hordes of thugs in a hand to hand slugfest across a series of maps, in which Batman's physical strength and agility play a major role. The key here is to chain together as many attacks as possible due to the fact that with each successful combo players increase the point multiplier associated with their actions. The game also features a time-based stealth mode where players must hone their ability to strike silently from the shadows. This gameplay, referred to as 'Invisible Predator' utilizes the Dark Knight's skill with gadgets like the grapple tool, batarang and explosives. These allow for vertical/horizontal mobility, the ability to quickly strike from above and at a distance and to take out enemies and create distractions, even through walls. But remember that Batman works solo and is not superhuman. Your enemies will congregate around trouble areas and work as a team against you, so you must be silent, plan your attacks wisely, strike quickly and discover the value of encouraging fear within enemies. Key Features Utilize the unique FreeFlow combat system to chain together unlimited combos seamlessly and battle with huge groups of The Joker's henchmen in brutal melee brawls. Investigate as Batman, the world's greatest detective, by solving intricate puzzles with the help of cutting edge forensic tools including x-ray scanning, fingerprint scans, 'Amido Black' spray and a pheromone tracker. Face off against Gotham's greatest villains including The Joker, Harley Quinn, Victor Zsasz and Killer Croc. Become the Invisible Predator with Batman's fear takedowns and unique vantage point system to move without being seen and hunt enemies. Choose multiple takedown methods, including swooping from the sky and smashing through walls, and use the predator camera get a closer look at the action. Explore every inch of Arkham Asylum and roam freely on the infamous island, presented for the first time ever in its gritty and realistic entirety. Experience what it's like to be Batman using batarangs, explosive gel aerosol, the Batclaw, sonar resonator and the line launcher. Unlock more secrets by completing hidden challenges in the world and develop and customize equipment by earning experience points. Enjoy complete superhero freedom in the environment with the use of Batman's grapple to get to any place you can see, jump from any height and glide in any direction. PlayStation 3 Batman: Arkham Asylum Collector's Edition Bonus Items Include: Waynetech Batarang Storage Box. 14" In-Game Design Batarang (stand attached). Dr. Young’s Journal (50 page full color character encyclopedia). 2 Sleeve DIGI-Pack Including: Game Behind the scenes 5 chapter series DVD, including: interviews with Mark Hammil and Kevin Conroy. Collector’s Edition Challenge Map DLC. PlayStation 3 exclusive Joker Challenge Map DLC. Joker voice over performed by Mark Hammil to accompany the bonus Joker content. Manual.

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Customer Reviews

Great game, so-so collector's edition.
I just picked up the game a little while ago so these are just my first impressions. I'm not going to discuss in depth gameplay or graphics; these things have been covered to death in the past couple of months. So to get it out of the way, it's a great game, especially if you're a batman fan and it looks great on the PS3.

The meat of this review will be focusing on the collector's edition and it's contents.

First off, the box for it is huge! Not obnoxiously huge, but substantial. The case that holds everything is a nice plastic batarang shape with sturdy feeling hinges. They did a good job there. Inside foam pieces keep everything from moving around.

As stated on the message boards, the batarang is in fact plastic and it is attached to the stand, though it doesn't look like it would take much effort to detach it. It looks like there's just a small tab holding it in. I would have been much happier with a metal version, even if it drove the cost up a bit. Also of note, the batarang (at least the one I got) has what appear to scratches all over it. I'm not sure if this is normal, but this is how mine showed up. I'd be interested in hearing how others' batarangs are condition-wise. Also, I was under the impression it was a gray color. It's actually black.

The leather bound book is decent in quality but the pictures make it look more substantial than it actually is. It's actually quite thin. The book inside is nice though, with matte pages and lots of pictures. Great for reading up on arkham's finest criminals.

As for the game package, they really dropped the ball on this one. I was expecting a nice case, like those that come with metroid prime trilogy or resident evil 5. Not so, you get a cheap looking and feeling cardboard outer sleeve and inner sleeve that holds the game and bonus DVD. Again, I'd have gladly paid more for a metal case. Or even just the regular game case with a slip case for the DVD, like the fallout 3 collector's edition. Being a collector in the truest sense, I removed the DVD and game and put them in standard ps3 cases and put the cardboard case back in the box to prevent any damage to it. Cardboard cases for games are extremely primitive in my opinion. They show wear way to easily.
The discs themselves are also non-standard in that they both look like old film reels and are labeled as disc one and two. Again, give me the retail game and the bonus DVD separate. I might just pick up the retail game later on and put the collector's edition back in the box.

All in all, I love the game but feel iffy about the collector's edition contents. If they would have just included the retail game and not the cheap cardboard box and colorless discs I'd probably have been satisfied. As it is now, I don't regret the purchase at all, I just feel a bit let down by the contents. It'll bug me until I buy the retail version of the game and I know it's just more money thrown at the game but I'm extremely anal about keeping my collectibles in pristine condition.

So my verdict:
The game gets a 5/5. It's a great game and even more so if you're a batman fan.
The collector's edition content gets a 3/5 for being average. The game's packaging is what really let me down here.
So the average is 4 stars and my score overall. If I were reviewing just the game it would get 5 stars.

Excellent game, Awful Collector's edition!
I know this title is pretty much a spin-off of the other review. I just think the differentiation in the gravity of the terms used had to be done. In all fairness, all that you may or may not have read about the game is true: it's an overall excellent gaming experience, a lot of fun and very satisfying for different types of gamers (there's a lot of good fighting, lot's of exploration, trophies and treasures, upgrades which resemble a bit of an RPG customization system, etc.). Even if you are not a big fan of the Batman, if you like video games, you will like this one, and if you ARE a Batman fan, then you will be glad to finally see a well achieved translation from the complex comic book character to a video game (and not a sad Final Fight rip-off where Cody is replaced by Batman[sorry for the retro reference, young readers]). If there were more than five stars to rate this game's fun factor, I'd give'em to it! Now, I will give a detailed comment on each extra item contained in this set in the following paragraphs, but if you don't want to read the whole thing, you can skip directly to the conclusion in the last paragraph.

Now, the sad truth: I purchased the Collector's Edition as an enthusiast of the Batman. However, here in Mexico the normal edition of the game sells for US$69.00, whereas the Collector's Edition sells for a good US$125.00, which is, to me and most non-Donald-Trump-related buyers, a significant difference, which made me look closely into the differences between one edition and the other, in order to determine if the price difference corresponded to the product's value. As a regular Amazon customer, I decided to check here first, and I am sad to say, for the first time, I was mislead by good ol' Amazon =( You see, in the Collector's Edition Page at Amazon, the "Joker Action Maps DLC" is listed under the "PlayStation 3 Batman: Arkham Asylum Collector's Edition Bonus Items Include" list, and upon seeing that, I decided that the Collector's Edition was, by all means, the way to go! However, I was sad to find out TODAY that the Joker's additional content is NOT exclusive to the Collector's Edition, but to the PS3, so either edition of the game will give you access to such additional material!! Now, since my main reason to purchase this edition of the game had been absolutely shattered, below you will find my comments on the rest of this edition's contents, and why they are not even close to a justification of the price difference between the Normal Edition and the Collector's Edition.

As I eagerly unpacked my Collector's edition on Tuesday in my car (Yes, I'm sad to admit I am like a five-year-old when it comes to video games and self control), I was truly disappointed when I saw the Batarang, which is made out of VERY low quality plastic, and looks like it was hand made by yet another five-year-old! Even Fallout 3's Bobble Head figure was of a much better quality (and this is NOT to be interpreted as if said Bobble Head was a quality item either)! You can even see unpolished marks of the cutting tools and sandpaper used in (what I would have thought) was the pre-finish phase in the production of this item. If it at least made it look like a battle worn item, I might be inclined to roll with it and be more lenient in this review, but it really isn't. It just looks and feels like a very, VERY low quality product.

As regards the little "Dr's Journal" accompanying this set, I must start by saying that I have always been a big fan of this kind of extras! To follow on the previous paragraph's reference, I totally loved the Fallout 3 Art Booklet contained in the Collector's Edition, and it actually (along with the "Making Of" Bluray in that kit) washed the bad taste of the badly painted, badly finished Bobble Head off of my mouth (figuratively speaking, of course ;-) Kids, don't put things in your mouth that don't belong there!). However, in this case, although the "Bios" of the characters presented in the Journal are interesting and nicely presented in the form of an Arkham's Dr. point of view, they were all rather short for me, and the fact that they used the exact same illustrations as in the Bios you get to unlock during the game was a true disappointment. Honestly, if the Journal is one of the items that are supposed to provide additional value to the set, at least they could have used other drawings, even from the preparatory stages of the game (as is the case in Fallout 3's Booklet), and not repeat what we already got in the game. This just gives the impression of an abusive and greedy company behind all this, and this is definitely not the impression I want to have when spending over a hundred bucks in anything.

The extra DVD is good if you enjoy (like myself) learning about the work behind the creation of a good game, and seeing how an idea becomes a very good game (which is something we rarely think about as end consumers of all kinds of products in general). However, despite the valuable information contained in this Bluray, again, it hardly suffices to justify such a huge price difference between Collector's Edition and the game alone.

Lastly, the usually overlooked container: The whole thing comes inside a rather large batarang-shaped case, which lid is kept close by little magnets. To be quite honest, I was more inclined to setting this as decoration in my room than the bloody batarang thingy. This may also serve a purpose as a container for whatever it is you like to keep in a container (wouldn't pass as a fresh enough cookie jar, though), but still, it is nothing but a glorified tupper-ware-like item which must have cost less than a Dollar to make. As a marginal note, I must also say I didn't like the fact that the game disc comes in a less-durable, carton sleeve along with the referred DVD, instead of its usual, plastic PS3 case.

So, in Conclusion: Although the game is a Must-Have, the Collector's Edition is a true disappointment, which is not worth the extra money; not even if you are a big fan of the Batman (the contents don't amount to valuable collectibles), nor if you have loads of extra cash to spend (you probably became opulent by spending your money in an intelligent fashion, and this is most certainly not one). As I have tried to establish in this review, I am an enthusiast of this kind of thing, and actually proud to say that I always make good research before purchasing anything (will be more careful when reading Amazon Product Features from now on ;-). This reviews have helped in the past in such research, and I hope this will help you too. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT GAME, BUT THE COLLECTOR'S EDITION IS NOT WORTH A SINGLE EXTRA PENNY! Get the normal edition Batman: Arkham Asylum, get your extra downloadable content for free in the PlayStationStore and use your extra money to buy another game (for instance, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Greatest Hits edition is finally out, and for less than the extra $47 Dollars you'd pay for this, and is also a Must-Have game in my list ;-).

The Best Batman Game Is Finally Here!!!
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1KGV6YEY6MCAT The video shows the unboxing of the PS3 Collectors Edition of Batman Arkham Asylum.


My review. I have completed the game with one play through and am happy to say it's without doubt the Best Batman game ever made!!! It even got into the Guinness book of world records for crying out loud!!!

"Guinness announced this morning Batman: Arkham Asylum has become 'Most Critically Acclaimed Superhero Game Ever' due to its average Metacritic score of 91.67, surpassing Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for Dreamcast which averaged a score of 90."

"We are so pleased to be awarding Batman: Arkham Asylum a Guinness World Record," said Gaz Deaves, Manager at Guinness. "It is a fantastic new game and due to the reaction of gaming experts we believe it has a well deserved place in the Guinness World Records book!"

Gameplay 5/5

The gameplay is smooth and very responsive, whether your beating the crap out of groups of villains or swinging across the room undetected, it just feels like you are Batman! The gadgets add more in-depth gameplay allowing for some unique combos, takedowns and much more! The best and most often used tool in Batman's arsenal is not actually a gadget but a mode called Detectivemode which allows Batman to view the world of Arkham in a whole new way! You can view henchmen's weapons, pulses and view if they are a bigger threat than some of the other inmates, allowing for strategic planning for taking out the heavy hitter's first! The detective mode also allows you to scan the area for potential clues that will lead you to a hostage or villain (depending on the situation)and also scan for The Riddler's infamous Riddles!

Graphics 5/5

The look and presentation of this game is outstanding. Not only did they nail the beefy and serious look for our masked hero but they did a great job on the devious Joker and the overall landscape of Arkham!The other character's in the game are amazing! They're detailed and put into well thought out sketches that resemble ,that of which they came from, the animated cartoon series! When your walking, gliding or fighting in or outside of Arkham you'll notice that the environment changes! It's as if they planned ahead to make sure your not seeing the same old walls or floors every minute.....it's very detailed and I love it!!

Story 5/5

If you have played the demo (if you haven't I'd recommend you do it's very good!) then you pretty much know the idea or plot of the game. Batman captures Joker with ease so Batman is suspicious and Joker breaks loose and takes over the Asylum using all the demented inmates and villains inside to assault Batman with deadly force!! I've seen so many villains it's mind boggling! It's so great to see where they are heading with this and they put huge efforts into thinking like Batman to get it right and from what I've played so far they've nailed it!!!

Overall 5/5 Perfect Score

I just finished the game and am very pleased with the game! The Beginning, Climax and Ending were superb and I don't want to spoil anything for you but.....you'll love how it ends!! I was so excited when I heard Kevin Conroy (the voice of Batman) and Mark Hamill (the voice of Joker) were coming back to reprise their roles from the old cartoon series which I am a huge fan off!! Thanks for watching and reading my review hope it helps and please comment!

Have a great day!!!

Price:

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Kane & Lynch: Dead Men

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men follows the violent and chaotic journey of two men - a flawed mercenary and a medicated psychopath and their brutal attitude towards right and wrong. This volatile partnership combined with innovative technologies allow for unparalleled gaming experiences. Kane & Lynch: Dead Men will immerse players into an emotionally intense thriller with unwavering action.-patented technology will offer interactive fluid high definition graphics and lighting, highly destructible environments, massive crowd AI, single, co-op and Anti cons squadrons against the film-based interface, and dialogue non-stop between Kane and Lynch. The title also offers innovative play two-player online cooperative and innovative.

Product Details

Amazon Sales Rank: #2854 in Video Games

Brand: Eidos

Model: 15782781

Published on: 2007-11

Released on: 2007-11-13

ESRB Rating: Mature

Platform: PLAYSTATION 3

Original language: English

Number of items: 1

Dimensions: .75" h x 5.25" w x 6.75" l, .30 pounds

Features

This is the violent and chaotic journey of two men - a flawed mercenary and a medicated psychopath. Each hates the other but must work together to save themselves. Play Kane in single-player mode and either character in two-player co-op mode.

Violence Erupts in Meticulously Created Safe Worlds: Realistic and responsive environments and crowds react when events get of out control. Manipulate the environments and crowds strategically to complete objectives.

Wide Variety of Intense 3rd Person Game Play: Rappel from buildings, firing on the run or from moving vehicles, launch surprise attacks, lay down cover fire, and shoot blind from around corners, hurl smoke, tear, and incendiary grenades

Fast and Iintuitive Combat: Lead a crew of criminal mercenaries to increase your chance of survival. You can also fight alone, you will automatically draw fire, throw grenades, lay down cover, and engage in close combat with their own signature moves.

Two-player Co-operative Game Play: Team up and play the full story with a friend as either Kane or Lynch. At any point in the game you can choose to play the next, or previous, levels in co-op. Innovative Multi-player Levels: Up to 8 players.

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Customer Reviews

Worst let-down ever!
I was really excited when I first heard about this game. It was made by the guys over at IOI (Hitman series), and they have never let me down . . . until now. The trailers and hype make it seem like this is a high-budget game, but the actual gameplay comes out incredibly short:
The sounds and environment are bland, so there is really no sense of urgency or intensity. The cutscenes are choppy and lackluster and they don't add to the "action-movie" style that this game could have achieved.
The graphics are incredibly poor for a game of its time. I shot a window, and it cracked. The next time I shot it, the entire window just disappeared. And this wasn't because of a glitch, the animation is just that underdeveloped. When I died, my teammates came up and their big blocky arms went through me when they adminsitered the adrenaline shot. This game really looks like an early PS2 game at best . . .
The gameplay is the most underdeveloed part of the game. Hit detection sucks, and even though it claims to have a cover-system, it also sucks. In fact, there is no cover button even. Walk up to a wall and jiggle the joystick around and hope that your character will eventually take cover. It really is annoying. Your character constantly pops in and out of cover whether you want him to or not.
Stay away from this game. I really wanted to like it, but I had to return it after about an hour and a half of play. With game prices as high as they are, you'd expect to have some half-decent quality delivered. Kane & Lynch fails. If you really have to play this game, rent it and you'll be happy you read this review.
This game had everything going for it: a quality developer, a quality storyline, and very capable next-gen systems to support it. However, laziness and greed on the developers' part totally ruined everything this game could have been.

"Kane & Lynch - Dead BORED Men" is more like it.
In all fairness, I really wanted to like this game. I gave it a fair shot and rented it out. After completing it, I've decided that Kane & Lynch had a lot of potential that got turned into a 16-level rehash of Michael Mann's bank robbery scene from the movie Heat.

The game description tells us:

"This is a violent and chaotic journey of two men - a flawed mercenary and a medicated psychopath. Each hates the other but must work together to save themselves. Play Kane in single-player mode and either character in two-player co-op mode."

The reality is: Yes, two men who hate each other are teamed up - but they should direct their hate towards the game control system. We can only change two buttons in the options screen, so if you don't like the layout of the controls, you've got to suck it up.
Passing a weapon to another character is not fluid - holding the R3 button and using the D-Pad to choose a weapon is simply not possible in a heated firefight.
In single-player mode, Kane shows up to the left of the screen, not centered, as one would expect. If you play as Lynch (which can only be done in co-op mode), he's on the right side of the screen.
It's usually standard for games to offer playability as either of the protagonists, but that wasn't done here.

The game description tells us:
"Violence Erupts in Meticulously Created Safe Worlds: Realistic and responsive environments and crowds react when events get of out control. Manipulate the environments and crowds strategically to complete objectives."

The reality is: Yes, if you fire a bullet in a crowded dance hall, the characters start screaming like an 8-year-old girl who saw Michael Jackson in 1983. However, the crowd movement is totally inaccurate. Everyone is able to make it outside but mysteriously, no patrons are trampled to death, as one would expect.
I don't know what it means to use the crowds to complete objectives, as the crowds in this game act like medicated sheep that don't react to much other than gunfire.

The game description tells us:

"Wide Variety of Intense 3rd Person Game Play: Rappel from buildings, firing on the run or from moving vehicles, launch surprise attacks, lay down cover fire, and shoot blind from around corners, hurl smoke, tear, and incendiary grenades."

The reality is: You can do all these things, and the variety of weapons is impressive. However, Lynch usually starts every level with the shotgun as his primary weapon. In a game where most of your adversaries are firing from afar with rifles, Lynch's shotgun is virtually useless. Sure, you can change the weapon out with a better one, but why is the crappy weapon always the default?
Also, the camera angles in single-player mode are agonizing. Since the camera has Kane left of center, if you're behind an object and try to do a close-up aim on Kane's enemies, you'll get a screen full of Kane's bald spot instead. It doesn't help that the targeting reticule is the size of the period at the end of this sentence.

The game description tells us:

"Fast and Intuitive Combat: Lead a crew of criminal mercenaries to increase your chance of survival. You can also fight alone, you will automatically draw fire, throw grenades, lay down cover, and engage in close combat with their own signature moves."

The reality is: The description doesn't mention that the criminal mercenaries have no survival instincts whatsoever. If you don't keep them on a tight leash, they'll walk right into a heated firefight and try to stop their enemies with a devious trick: jumping in front of the bullets they shoot.
You will typically do most of the work yourself, while the mercenaries pick off the leftovers. As far as signature moves, once you've seen Kane break someone's neck for the 79th time, it gets boring.

The game description tells us:

"Two-player Co-operative Game Play: Team up and play the full story with a friend as either Kane or Lynch. At any point in the game you can choose to play the next, or previous, levels in co-op. Innovative Multi-player Levels: Up to 8 players."

The reality is: I don't see what they mean by playing the full story in co-op mode - the only real difference between single player and co-op mode is seeing some events from Lynch's perspective, which we can already deduce from Kane's reactions in single player mode.
Playing previous levels or present levels is a standard feature, so there's nothing innovative here.
I haven't come across 8 players who want to tackle Kane & Lynch, let alone 8 people who want to play it at the same time.

Kane & Lynch is entertaining for a little bit, but the gameplay degenerates quickly into a repeating loop of showing a major gunfight - then another - then another - and then another. Excessive gunfights and generous heapings of cursing can't save this game. I wouldn't recommend Kane & Lynch for anything other than a rental.

LAME
I bought this game after a salesmam tell me that it was great.
After a day of playing, I think this game is very lame.
First, if die, you have to watch the same cut-scene over and over again. There is no way you can skip it. My wife just ask me if I want to sell it. I'm having some thoughts about it. Probably so.
I wouldn't recomend this game at all.

Price: $19.73 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

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Conflict: Denied Ops

Venezuela is left in a state of civil war after the government was violently overthrown by a military coup. With factions fighting to reinstate democracy, the U.S. government has offered assistance, even if the new government regime has threatened to deploy nuclear weapons if the U.S. is mixed in Venezuelan affairs. The threat must be neutralized, and the United States can t risk of nuclear war. The CIA Special Operations Division operates in isolation and secrecy. If captured, any link with the U.S. government has refused. Conflict: Denied Ops is a highly accessible FPS cooperation with the mass shootings, high-explosive destructible environments. The team used the expertise of each operative and experience the ultimate destructive satisfaction with tons of objects and explosion endless barrage of terrorists who are begging to blow up in hell.

Product Details

Amazon Sales Rank: #3710 in Video Games

Brand: Eidos

Model: 15782781

Published on: 2008-02

Released on: 2008-02-13

ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+

Platform: PLAYSTATION 3

Number of items: 1

Dimensions: .75" h x 5.50" w x 6.75" l, .30 pounds

Features

Two-Man Tactics: Switch between team members at any time in single-player mode for maximum control, or have a friend join your game through either online, system link or split-screen.

Explode Your Enemies: Levels are built around massive fire fights with a continuous stream of enemies, and tons of exploding objects littered around the level to help your cause.

Destroy Everything: Obliterate your enemies with explosions, demolish buildings, blow through walls and destroy almost anything in the environment.

Accessible Action: In single-player mode, give commands to your team mate simply by pressing or holding a single button. Concentrate on the action, not complicated menus or control schemes.

Puncture-Tech: Utilize strategic destruction made possible with new Puncture-Tech technology developed by Pivotal Studios. Blast open new pathways, shoot unaware enemies through walls, or create holes in your cover to generate firing paths.

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Customer Reviews

Fun game for 2 people play together
I downloaded the demo and played it with my boyfriend, and we think it's fun so we decide to buy it. The graphic is average good, not best though, the control is easy to handle and not too difficult to play. Overall an average good game, nice split screen co-op mode, it's fun to play with someone else together.

Conflict: Denied Ops
This is a awesome game that can, at times, really put you to the test to ensure that you are actually controlling your team properly. I think that anyone that plays this game will find the graphics and game play very good.

Confilct Denied Ops PS3 - Split Screen Multiplayer
This game Conflict Denied Ops is awesome!!! I played the demo. Then I read reviews of split screen multiplayer offline. Awesome! I bought this game and play it with my friends at home offline in split screen. This game is great. Do not listen to other reviews. This game is onsale too. Well worth it. It does not disappoint. I don't always want to play multiplayer online only and this is a great multiplayer offline split screen at home with your buddy. We need more offline split screen games on PS3.

Price: $19.65 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

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Mini Ninjas

Ninja You are the last who could hope to save the world. But that is exactly what is necessary for evil, when a warlord bent Samurai develop a plan for total domination. Use your Ninja special training to fight an army of samurai magical bent, turn the rapids of the Rio Grand Central, enter the heart of the volcano of Lost, and finally tackle the warlords samurai in his fortress Evil Doom. Play as Hiro and Mini Ninjas unite their ninja skills, weapons and magical powers Kuji in an epic adventure and a challenge to restore harmony in the world.

Product Details

Amazon Sales Rank: #1508 in Video Games

Brand: Eidos

Model: 788687500807

Published on: 2009-09

Released on: 2009-09-08

ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+

Platform: PLAYSTATION 3

Number of items: 1

Dimensions: .59" h x 6.18" w x 6.77" l, .30 pounds

Features

First E-rated game by renowned storyline and character-driven developer, IO Interactive, makers of Hitman and Kane & Lynch.

Epic adventure appealing to all ages. No killing. When an enemy is defeated it is transformed into its original innocent animal form, restoring balance.

Beautiful, distinct, highly appealing and original art style.

A motley crew of 6 playable characters: Hiro, Futo, Suzume, Tora, Shun & Kunoichi.

Play as Mini Ninjas with cool ninja weapons, moves and powerful spells.

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description

A single player action/adventure game, Mini Ninjas puts a new spin on the video game favorite, ninja action genre. A kid-friendly game featuring no killing and an engrossing storyline, which players explore via six playable ninja characters, players take on the role of Hiro and the fellow members of his improbable ninja clan as they face an ancient evil that has returned to impose itself on the world. Each ninja utilizes authentic ninja weapons and moves, and possesses his/her own individual skill set, including mysterious "kuji magic" abilities. Authentic ninja weapons & moves. View larger. Kuji magic abilities. View larger. Huge boss battle. View larger. Story In Mini Ninjas the main character is the small ninja, Hiro. Although he has shown great promise, Hiro is the last ninja that anyone would expect to save the world, yet that is exactly what he is called to do when an evil samurai warlord hatches a plan bent on total world domination. In this plan the evil lord attempts to recapture the dominion he held prior to previously being cast out by creating an army of samurai slaves out of innocent animals. In the process of doing this he also upsets the natural balance of the the world, causing catastrophic storms. This the mini ninjas can not stand for. Armed with authentic ninja weapons and powerful spells, Hiro must rescue the fellow ninjas of his clan who the warlord has captured and then lead them on an exciting journey to battle the magical army of twisted Samurai. Gameplay In Mini Ninjas players have their choice of six playable ninja characters, although as the game begins you will be limited to the main character, Hiro, and his comrade, the slow, but strong un-ninja like Futo. As part of the revealing of the storyline, players are tasked with searching out Hiro's fellow ninjas, who at the beginning of the game were sent out to investigate troubles in the land, but never returned. They were captured by the evil warlord. As Hiro and Futo set each of these free, they in turn become playable characters. Each of the six playable characters has unique abilities, and utilizes a variety of ninja-specific weapons, items and moves, as well as "Kuji Magic," which each--especially Hiro--can use to help them against enemies. These uses include classic mana-like blasts, but also more surprising and powerful forms such as the ability to take animal form in time of need. A New Kind of Ninja Mini Ninjas is an action adventure game with a fresh take on the ninja fascination that has long been part of video games culture. Designed to be kid-friendly, although the game utilzes realistic ninja weapons and moves, there is no actual killing. Because the evil ninjas and other enemies that players face are actually animals captured by the evil warlord, when they are defeated they revert back to their original animal forms, correcting the imbalance that the plans of the samurai warlord have caused, and ensuring game suitability for all ages of players. Key Game Features 6 playable Mini Ninjas, each with his own unique strengths and abilities. Authentic ninja weapons and moves. Kuji magic spells that help you control animals, enemies and the powers of nature. Versatile ninja hats that can be used as vehicles and shields. Huge boss battles. No killing – when an enemy is defeated, it’s transformed into its original animal form. Beautiful, distinctive and original art-stylization.

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Customer Reviews

Fun game & not just for kids
Mini Ninjas I first played the demo for PS3. I liked it. It's easy to play and looks/sounds cool. Now generally I would shun away from games that less the violence but that isn't what makes a game work. That's just iceing. Now onto the game...

Pros: Easy learning curve and makes use of the Dual Sixaxis 3 well enough, although it could use a bit more. But you'll use it to shake fruit off of trees for health bonus. The graphics are nice, nothing breath-taking but work well as so does the camera views. Fights are fun and if you are like I'm doing so far have started to use the jumping off of objects to land with a hard strike w/sword. It has the jump and grip ledge like so many other games but this is fairly easy to learn after a few+ tries. The story line is geeky & fun.

Cons: None so far.

Overall this is a very fun game. It's challenging enough like other "action/fight/explore" games, but a bit more forgiving. This isn't to say you wont die and have to start from the last save pagoda. It has a story line that works with the game. This is just a quick run down review as I as have only recieved 2% Trophies mind you. You can ignore the quest arrow path and explore but so far I keep using the 3-d arrow to guide me as to where I have to head towards. I've only unlocked 1 other character. He's a masher but sluggish. The button layout is right on & easy to remember (something i like alot, vs games with so many weird setups). I have the PC version before I got this, and while on the PC you can well given a good grfx card max it all out (8x+16x on, I have a eVGA GTX-295) and a good system (4GB Low latency sticks, Vista x64 Ultimate etc) and I don't like it on PC. Sure it plays fine but it's obvious a console port to PC. I'm happy with the PS3 version. It looks the same, plays smoothly & fast, and using a DS-Sixaxis 3 is perfect for this. If you tried the demo, and have a console too, and like it then get it. The PC version really is sub-par to console. On my PS3 it looks just about as good as a maxed out PC version but plays Much better! This game is cute and fun hack n'slash-action-explore game. If you wanted a 3D-Zelda/Prince of Persia/Kungfu Panda/and more kinda game you'll like this. I gave it a 4 Overall and a 5 stars for Fun. Yeah so what, it's not bloody (something I like in games) I can see it's marketed as "E" rating. Mini Ninjas is an all around fun game. Try the demo (which pales in vs the full game) and if you find it fun, well there ya go. It's not a "kiddie" game, just because it doesn't have blood. It is a fun game, especially when you feel like playing something fast enough but don't feel like dealing with overtly multi-button mashing game. Although you use all buttons, it's set up [at least to me] just right. It seems like a game that you can pop in from your last save and play a bit or so after playing more complex games or are just getting off work, and want to play something fun & fast, then save at the next pagoda-given you made it to there (to save). Over all it's worthy of a 4+ star accross the board... I like it, alot.

Refreshingly Different
Over the last 10 years, the video gaming industry has tended toward releasing ever more gussied up versions of Doom. Typical selling points have been realistic gore and hardware pushing eye candy. Mini Ninjas is a great break from that world!

The back story in Mini Ninjas is a simple one. You are among the last of the ninjas left and you must find out what has happened to the others. It is a bit predictable, right down to an "evil master", but the simplicity actually helps. The world of Mini Ninjas is basically Kung Fu Panda meets Lord of the Rings. You travel through a fantasy land filled with forests, rivers, mountains and valleys, but also peasants, villages, dojos, and temples. There is a bit of mild humor as well as a tad bit of stereo typing ancient East Asian (Japanese) culture, but not so much as to offend. The graphics are well done and in a 3d animation style reminiscent of Pixar. The story and play evolve just enough to keep a general player interested without creating confusion. In a move of genius, the IO Interactive managed to temper any violence in the game with back story - enemies a player defeats do not "die", but rather revert back to their innocent animal selves right in front of the player. This greatly broadens the age group the game is appropriate for and may also be appealing to the older gamer who is simply looking for some clean fun. There are trophies and optional side quests - some rather difficult. The control configuration is easy to pick up and intuitive if you are playing on a console you are familiar with.

That said, there are a few blemishes. The MSRP for PS3 and Xbox is a tad higher than deserved, however, the street price (~10 USD less at the time of writing) is justified. This is also not a game for speed players. It's possible to race through the levels (mostly) and ignore the game play. If you are that kind of player, you will be bored inside of 15 minutes. Maybe most detrimental blemish is that this is a single player ONLY game. That's a shame really, since the game begs for two person play.

Last word is that Mini Ninjas is a great representation of its genre and can be enjoyed by everyone from ages 8 to 80 - despite the ESRB 10+ rating. This is a solid 4 Star game.

Review is based on 5 hours of play (multiple sessions) on a PS3, but there is no reason for the Wii or Xbox to play differently. In fact, this game fits the Wii platform perfectly.

NOTE: When it comes to video games, don't just trust the reviews. Video games are expensive and trade-in values are typically low. Most top end games have Free Demos available for download for your computer or console - Try Before You Buy.

Excellent game, I wish it had been longer.
I bought this game because the PS3 demo was so very compelling. I completed it in three or four days. It is cute, hilarious, fun, and intriguing. I would recommend this game to anyone who likes to play video games. I most enjoyed the little touches that make the game so good. For example, Hiro the Hero can use his hat as a boat while in the water. He can also fish for sushi fish while riding in his hat. The game is challenging but not too difficult. There is a minimum of reflex button press sequences, and they are all well timed, so as to not be too difficult.

Most of the game is completely free roam, and there are lots of secrets to discover. The game play is broad with different fighting styles, magic, and strategy.

The concept of saving your ninja friends while traveling and discovering troubles through out he land is simple and compelling.

My wife who is of Japanese ancestry was slightly annoyed at the engrish style voice acting at times.

Price: $25.65

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