Even those that have stood up to some scrutiny compromise their source, cramming powers and villains into well-worn gaming templates. It's the result of a rushed licence, a studio ordered to have a game ready to ship alongside the latest summer movie blockbuster. Or it can be the result of a simple act of opportunism, reskinning a standard genre piece in the knowledge that a captive audience will hand over the cash so long as it looks cool.
Batman: Arkham Asylum may yet turn out to be a bad game, but if it does it'll be for neither of those reasons. And there's a more than good chance it'll be an excellent one, because from concept to tone this is a seriously positive case for the genre. It begins as the Batmobile, complete with a glorious 1950s grille, roars through Gotham, past emergency vehicles heading the other way.
