Super heroes weren't ever terribly well represented in video games- until Batman: Arkham Asylum, that is. Setting the Caped Crusader on a linear path with lots of distractions, 2009's best release showed us the Dark Knight's darkest night, unleashing the Joker, Killer Croc, Scarecrow and Bane on him before the sun came up. Shortly after we got Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions, which applied some great traits from Arkham to the Spider-Man universe, but did it do that better? Let's put the games head to head and see...GRAPHICS: Batman featured gritty deaths and visual gags from the DCverse aplenty, but it was in Spider-Man's world that we got not one but four perfect realisations of the comic book universe. WINNER: SPIDEY
GAME-PLAY: They say that imitation is a form of flattery. Sadly, that also means it can never do anything other than compliment the original. Shattered Dimensions improved the Spidey combat engine, yet was still repetitive and quickly became tired, plus there was far less variety. WINNER: BATMAN
COMIC FAITH: A tough one, this- Arkham Asylum boasted a plethora of hidden facts and references, however plenty of Spidey friend and foes made cameos or were mentioned throughout the levels. WINNER: TIE
PLOT: Arkham Asylum wins outright here for the sheer torture you endure as the Dark Knight traverses the dangerous buildings, taunted by the Joker all the way, while in Spider-Man...you have to collect 13 tables by beating villains then stop big baddie Mysterio. Yep, real original. WINNER: BATMAN
OVERALL: If the winner of this competition isn't obvious by now, here it is- Batman: Arkham Asylum is a fluid, innovative experience throughout that has stood the test of time two years on, whereas Shattered Dimensions gets too repetitive and predictable to stand a chance of coming out top. If the sequel to the latter shakes these flaws, though, it might get closer to changing its 8/10 to something nearer to the 10/10 the Caped Crusader received!
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