Is Batman Arkham Asylum worth playing in 2025?

Batman Arkham Asylum was the revolutionary first installment of the Batman Arkham franchise. The game pioneered a genre of melee-based combat that was copied into oblivion by many titles that succeeded it. However, players might be wondering if Arkham Asylum is still worth playing this year, as it nears its 16th anniversary on August 25, 2025.

To answer that question, yes, Batman Arkham Asylum is still incredibly enjoyable and absolutely worth playing in 2025.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.

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Why Batman Arkham Asylum is still worth playing in 2025?

An amazing combat system

Batman Arkham Asylum features one of the best melee combat systems (Image via Warner Bros. Games)

Batman Arkham Asylum was the first entry into the Arkham franchise that featured the revolutionary free-flow combat system. This system removed the use of specific button combos and instead focused on the concept of attacking and countering enemies with contextual animations. This combat system allows Batman to leap from one enemy to the next as he tries to defeat them all in one smooth combo.

However, that doesn't mean combat is easy in this game, as numbers will be your primary enemy. You get access to better crowd control options with a longer combo, providing an extrinsic depth to the game. Meanwhile, trying to replicate the combat prowess of The Dark Knight by trying to defeat numerous enemies in one smooth flow provides intrinsic depth to the system.

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Great stealth setpieces

Preying from the dark as the caped crusader feels incredible (Image via Warner Bros. Games)

Another gameplay element that the game pioneered was its predator stealth sections. When armed enemies roam around an area, Batman needs to hunt them from the shadows one by one. Players can use gargoyles, vents, wall corners, and more, to stay out of their line of sight. The game will also try to spice up these encounters by changing their locations or conditions.

But the change in difficulty will also be balanced by an increase in your arsenal. You'll slowly acquire various gadgets to help you in this endeavor, such as explosive gels, sonic batarangs, the batclaw, and multi-batarangs. However, your best weapon in these encounters will be your knowledge of the locations and your creativity in approaching these sections.

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A mysterious atmosphere

Arkham Asylum feels terrifying in the game (Image via Warner Bros. Games)

One of the signature elements of Batman Arkham Asylum that its sequels fail to capitalize on is its mystical atmosphere. Arkham Asylum almost feels otherworldly in this game. Cut off from the world, the building has three wings: North, East, and West.

As you progress, the Asylum will start filling up with numerous hazards, such as Poison Ivy's dangerous plants, various deranged patients on the loose, or the numerous Joker goons. The game's gothic influence also adds a sense of mythos, contributing to its dark and lovecraftian feel.

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A lot of side content to explore

The game still has great replayability (Image via Warner Bros. Games)

Once you've completed the main campaign, there is tons of side content to explore in Batman Arkham Asylum, and a good chunk of it is related to the Riddler. You can collect Riddler maps and Riddler trophies by solving his puzzles. Apart from that, other collectibles include Interview Tapes, Arkham Chronicles, and Joker Teeths.

However, if you only want to improve your combat and stealth skills in the game, one of the best ways is to play its combat and predator challenges. These challenges basically plop you into various iterations of the combat and stealth encounters from the base campaign. However, you'll need to collect certain medals while completing them.

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