Lead Level Designer, Ian Ball and Lead Narrative Designer, Paul Crocker chat to eu.playstation.com about bringing the Dark Knight to life on PLAYSTATION 3.
Since the film Batman Begins we've seen the character return to much darker roots. What on-screen iteration of Batman would you say captures the essence and tone of what you're trying to create with Arkham Asylum?
IB: We have really been focused on bringing to life the source material from the original comic books as opposed to the movies which have their own look and feel. We read all the comics and graphic novels we could get hold of.
We were really inspired by the dark psychological elements within all this material, especially around Batman himself. Anyone who witnesses the murder of their parents is going to have some demons they need to overcome.
Can you tell us a little bit about the story and the background to why Batman is here in Arkham Asylum?
IB: The story begins with Batman returning The Joker to Arkham Asylum after his latest psychopathic misdemeanour. The Joker was easier to capture than normal, almost as though he wanted to be brought back to Arkham.
The Dark Knight wants to make sure he is securely locked up so is going to escort him all the way to his cell in the depths of the asylum. This is when it all kicks off...
Were there ever any discussions as to whether or not a sidekick like Robin would be present in the game or was Batman always destined to go it alone in Arkham Asylum?
IB: Right at the start we talked about sidekicks, Robin, Nightwing etc, but as the discussions progressed we decided to focus on Batman as a lone hero as there was so much we wanted to do! This allowed us to focus the story around him and his relationship with The Joker and the other Arkham inmates, all of whom have grudges against the Bat.
In terms of the Batman lore in Arkham Asylum, what have you woven in and from which sources?
IB: Arkham Asylum has a long history; most of the supervillains in the Batman universe have spent some time within its walls. There are lots of references to these characters dotted around the island for the player to discover as well as some indication as to what was there before the asylum was built, way back to when it was the family home of Amadeus Arkham.
Can you tell us about the different types of gadgets Batman will have at his disposal during the game?
IB: The Grapnel Gun and Batarangs are what Batman starts the game with, along with a special Detective Mode visor built into his cowl. This visor allows him to analyse the environment and also gather forensic data such as fingerprints or DNA which allows him to track an individual's movements throughout Arkham. There are loads more gadgets and upgrades to collect and the player will even get to visit a secret Batcave on the island!
Has the fact that Arkham Asylum is not based on a film aided in the direction of where the game aims to go with the character?
IB: It has given us the freedom to create our own story that fits in with all the cool gameplay mechanics like the FreeFlow combat and Invisible Predator. We could chose a location [Arkham Island] where we can give the player total freedom to explore the different areas but still allow us to drive the story forward.
When working on a film licence the story is already there and you cannot usually deviate too far from it. This can obviously limit what you can achieve with the characters in the game.
How does it feel to be developing such a hugely anticipated project starring one of the greatest comic book character of all time?
IB: It can be scary at times, reading the forums about what the fans want from the game, all the hype and the expectations. But we have a lot of experienced people at Rocksteady who have worked on some big IPs in the past, so we can focus on what is important, making this the best superhero game ever.
Can you tell us a little bit about the kind of villains Batman will face in Arkham?
IB: Obviously there's The Joker, and his "girlfriend" Harley Quinn slowing you down giving The Joker time to put his master plan into action. The Joker's goons have also been shipped into Arkham following a convenient fire at Blackgate prison. Bane, Killer Croc, Zsasz, Poison Ivy, plus several other big names also get in on the action.
Will each section of the Asylum have a villain and his gang that rules the corridors or is going to be more of a mash-up of all kinds of thugs and supervillains in every section?
IB: It's a big Joker party with some supervillain VIPs invited along to spice things up. They are all there to greet the guest of honour, Batman.
And do these supervillains represent boss fights at the end of each stage of the game?
IB: Yep! You get to face off against some of the biggest names and biggest bosses in the Batman universe.
There are also a number of modes that are unlocked once you complete the game. Can you take us through some of these and explain how they work?
IB: You can unlock challenge maps that will push your FreeFlow combat and Invisible Predator skills to the limit. The combat challenge maps are all about big combos and even bigger scores.
Batman will face waves of enemies and must take them down with as much style as possible. Bonus points are awarded at the end of each wave for various feats such as never getting hit and the variation of moves you use.
The Predator challenges are slower paced, but just as demanding. The enemies are armed with shotguns and assault rifles so running up and punching them in the face is not advisable. After all, Batman is only human.
These challenges are against the clock, but you are also rewarded for taking down certain enemies in a particular way. These challenges vary per map and incorporate the use of different skills and gadgets.
Also exclusively to the PS3 you can play both the combat and predator challenges as The Joker. You will be facing off against Arkham guards and The Joker has his own set of twisted attacks and deadly gadgets.
And the combat system you've developed for it, can you shed a little light on that and how players will use it and the control system?
IB: The combat controls are very simple to learn, but take real skill to master. You have a strike, stun, evade and counter button, but it's how you use these buttons that makes all the difference.
As you build up your combo Batman starts to flow effortlessly between punches and kicks, ducking under their attacks before sending them flying in all directions. You can also incorporate gadget into the combat, throwing Batarangs to knock enemies down or using the Batclaw to pull enemies towards you.
Then you have takedowns and throws. It feels very satisfying to face off against a room full of enemies and take them all down without them landing a blow.
You've also managed to snare Paul Dini on story writing duties, how much of a hand has he had in the crafting script. Has he been involved from the outset?
IB: He worked with us from the start to create an original storyline incorporating the best villains from the Batman Universe. Killer Croc, Harley Quinn and many others play their part, but the main focus is obviously on The Joker.
It's fantastic to see that Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill have come on board. Did they sign on straight away or did it take some convincing?
PC: I think that having the pedigree of Paul Dini attached to the project made a huge difference in regards to people wanting to work on the game.
What have they been like working with? Did they (especially Mark) ad lib any dialogue or add suggestions while recording or was it just what was on the page?
PC: They were all great. Mark in particular was always ad-libbing or coming up with darker and lighter ways of saying the lines. Both he and Kevin bring a massive level of authenticity to the roles.
Are there any other surprises in store for fans in terms of the talent jumping on board to lend their voices to characters in the game?
PC: We can't say exactly who is in the game character wise, but rest assured, fans are in for a real treat.
Do you see Arkham Asylum as the beginning of a new tale in the Batman universe that can be carried on in subsequent sequels?
IB: If people like this game and they demand more then who knows what will happen next.
