Batman: Arkham Asylum review

Batman: Arkham Asylum is the game that set the template the rest of the series followed, and it still ranks second here. The Steam page lists the three pillars that later Arkham games kept: FreeFlow combat for chaining combos against crowds, Invisible Predator stealth with fear takedowns, and detective work with x-ray scans, fingerprint scans and a pheromone tracker. The whole game takes place on Arkham Island after The Joker takes control, with Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and Killer Croc among the villains. The Game of the Year Edition adds four Challenge Maps: Crime Alley, Scarecrow Nightmare, Totally Insane and Nocturnal Hunter. English Steam reviews sit at 96% positive across 31,615 reviews, tied with Arkham City for the highest rate on this list. It is also the lightest Arkham game to run, at 2 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage. The trade-off is scale: the island is far smaller than the open cities in Arkham City and Arkham Knight.

Who it is for

players who want a tighter, story-first Batman game

Price

$19.99 one-time on Steam for the Game of the Year Edition.

Explore every inch of Arkham Asylum and roam freely on the infamous island. $19.99 Buy on Steam
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• FreeFlow combat system for chaining combos against groups of henchmen
• Detective tools including x-ray scanning, fingerprint scans and a pheromone tracker
• Invisible Predator stealth with fear takedowns and vantage points
• Villains include The Joker, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and Killer Croc
• Game of the Year Edition adds four Challenge Maps, including Crime Alley and Scarecrow Nightmare

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: 96% of 31,615 English Steam reviews are positive, the largest review count here after Arkham Knight
• Strength: Runs on 2 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage
• Strength: $19.99 for the Game of the Year Edition
• Weakness: Smaller playable area than the later Arkham games
• Weakness: Steam lists Vista and XP as the original operating systems
• Weakness: Single-player only

Key facts

• Developer: Rocksteady Studios
• On Steam since: March 26, 2010
• English Steam reviews: 96% positive of 31,615
• Minimum RAM: 2 GB
• Storage: 8 GB

Where it ranks

Batman: Arkham Asylum is No. 2 in our Best Batman Games verdict.