Learning from past mistakes

Gamers last summer may have noticed something particularly surprising, though. Despite the fact it was the top big-budget epic of its kind for the season, Dark Knight had no accompanying video game adaptation. In fact, it’s the only major live-action Batman movie (barring the 1966 version—due to understandable technological limitations of the era) to never have had a such a tie-in.

I wish I could say this was a calculated move by publisher Warner Bros. Interactive, which looked back on the middling to mediocre reviews its last rushed caped crusader adaptation, Batman Begins from 2005, received, and decided not to jeopardize the artistic integrity of the latest entry into the franchise with a quick cash-in.

That wasn’t the case, though. Rather,a planned adaptation was canned after the studio responsible for it, Pandemic, had to shut its doors.

Flash-forward to several months later, and the gaming world’s awaiting a new Batman game with baited breath. Developed by a different studio, and completely independent of the new movies besides an arguable aesthetic resemblance, Batman: Arkham Asylum has already wowed many with its now-available demos.

Competent, enjoyable video games based on another media license, as I’ve frequently pointed out in this column before, are still a rarity today. The key word for most studios remains “convergence.” The tie-in product MUST launch at the same time as the big summer movie in order to gain maximum exposure and sell the most copies, quality be damned.

Don’t believe me? Check out the game adaptations for the new Transformers and G.I. Joe movies. Or wait, don’t. They suck, big surprise.

Arkham Asylum, on the other hand, could be the start of something new. Every facet of the game seems to have been meticulously studied and planned. By all accounts, the gameplay experience attaches equal importance to Batman’s impressive martial arts skills and his detective abilities, frequently requiring you to use your brain to figure out where to go next. It’s got jaw-dropping graphics, an original story by Emmy-Award winning television and comic book writer Paul Dini, and renowned voice actors Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill (yes yes THAT Mark Hamill) returning to their roles as Batman and Joker from their stints as the characters in the fondly remembered ‘90s TV show Batman:The Animated Series. And if you think that doesn’t really matter, you must have never heard these guys act before, because anyone who remembers the show will tell you Christian Bale’s constipated-Patty-and-Selma-Bouvier routine as the pointy-eared one has got absolutely nothing on Conroy’s low, menacing growl.

One can make the point, of course, that Batman is recognizable enough as a brand name that video games based on the character simply do not need a simultaneous release date to a major movie in order to move copies, and there is a certain truth to this. Arkham Asylum is neither the first, nor the last Batman game to come out independently of any movies.

Then again, it’s not like G.I. Joe and Transformers are exactly unknown entities either. Sure, their most popular incarnations were the 80s cartoons, but in one shape or another, these two brands have been around ever since then.

Besides, if that’s the case, it does not explain the recent Ghostbusters video game, which was launched in June to much critical acclaim and has already sold over a million copies. When was the last time a new Ghostbusters movie or TV show came out?

Incidentally, the game seems to have much in common with Arkham Asylum in terms of its development and allotted care. Excellent graphics, a gameplay system that really puts you into the shoes of the title characters, and a story written by the beloved action comedy franchise’s co-creator, Dan Aykroyd himself.

I had the chance to speak to Dan Aykroyd when he came to Fairview Shopping Centre to promote his wine label in June, and his reaction upon learning that I’d spotted someone in the line-up behind me waiting for him to autograph a copy of his Ghostbusters game couldn’t be more delighted. “There are more Ghostbusters fans here in Montreal than anywhere else I’ve been. It’s great!” He enthusiastically said.

He added that he was around for much of the creative process, appearing in the voice cast of the game along with the rest of the cast from the two movies.

Hopefully, the success of these two games may begin to make developers think twice about rush-releasing licensed games.