I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a good Batman game would be popular. But as someone that's never played it, I am still a bit surprised to hear that Batman: Arkham Asylum has caught on the way it has. I've had a copy sitting here with me at home for a few days now, but being on vacation, I decided to not get wrapped up in anything new. So instead I played about five hours of inFamous, figuring I needed to break in my new PS3.

I'll probably play Batman at some point, but something about the traditional, cape-wearing superheroes has always been totally off-putting to me. Like, I totally don't understand how people could be seriously into a character like Superman or Batman, especially when their origin stories seem to get retold every few years in some other medium with minor twists to make it more palatable to modern standards. I'm not really sure why I feel that way, but I've always felt that way. My comic book days were anchored by stuff like G.I. Joe and Transformers, not the X-Men or Spider-Man. And I still think Adam West is the best Batman.

Either way, we've got a new leader when it comes to achievement popularity, and the fight for second place between Madden NFL 10 and Wolfenstein is separated by only a dozen or so pageviews (and by about 350 players, gulp). The Beatles: Rock Band shows up again, even though its achievements are still blocked, and Garry's Mod makes a powerful debut.

Top Ten Sets (8/22 - 8/28)

1. Batman: Arkham Asylum
2. Madden NFL 10
3. Wolfenstein
4. Shadow Complex
5. The Beatles: Rock Band
6. Garry's Mod
7. 'Splosion Man
8. Mass Effect
9. Trials HD
10. Ghostbusters: The Video Game

New Sets (8/22 - 8/28)

• Guitar Hero 5 (blocked)
• Mini Ninjas
• Magna Carta II (Korean)
• Garry's Mod (Steam)
• NBA 2K10: Draft Combine
• Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao
• Raven Squad: Operation Hidden Dagger
• Memories Off 6: T-Wave
• Memories Off 6: Next Relation
• WET
• Dream C Club (unblocked)
• The Warriors: Street Brawl
• Indianapolis 500 Evolution

Top Ten Individual Achievements (8/22 - 8/28)

1. Batman: Arkham Asylum - World's Greatest Detective
2. Garry's Mod - Secret Phrase
3. Shadow Complex - Minimalist
4. Batman: Arkham Asylum - Party Pooper
5. Shadow Complex - Serious Complex
6. Shadow Complex - Completionist
7. Shadow Complex - Proven Grounds
8. Batman: Arkham Asylum - Mano-A-Mano
9. Batman: Arkham Asylum - Freeflow Perfection
10. Batman: Arkham Asylum - Freakshow Rodeo

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a good Batman game would be popular. But as someone that's never played it, I am still a bit surprised to hear that Batman: Arkham Asylum has caught on the way it has. I've had a copy sitting here with me at home for a few days now, but being on vacation, I decided to not get wrapped up in anything new. So instead I played about five hours of inFamous, figuring I needed to break in my new PS3.

I'll probably play Batman at some point, but something about the traditional, cape-wearing superheroes has always been totally off-putting to me. Like, I totally don't understand how people could be seriously into a character like Superman or Batman, especially when their origin stories seem to get retold every few years in some other medium with minor twists to make it more palatable to modern standards. I'm not really sure why I feel that way, but I've always felt that way. My comic book days were anchored by stuff like G.I. Joe and Transformers, not the X-Men or Spider-Man. And I still think Adam West is the best Batman.

Either way, we've got a new leader when it comes to achievement popularity, and the fight for second place between Madden NFL 10 and Wolfenstein is separated by only a dozen or so pageviews (and by about 350 players, gulp). The Beatles: Rock Band shows up again, even though its achievements are still blocked, and Garry's Mod makes a powerful debut.

Top Ten Sets (8/22 - 8/28)

1. Batman: Arkham Asylum
2. Madden NFL 10
3. Wolfenstein
4. Shadow Complex
5. The Beatles: Rock Band
6. Garry's Mod
7. 'Splosion Man
8. Mass Effect
9. Trials HD
10. Ghostbusters: The Video Game

New Sets (8/22 - 8/28)

• Guitar Hero 5 (blocked)
• Mini Ninjas
• Magna Carta II (Korean)
• Garry's Mod (Steam)
• NBA 2K10: Draft Combine
• Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao
• Raven Squad: Operation Hidden Dagger
• Memories Off 6: T-Wave
• Memories Off 6: Next Relation
• WET
• Dream C Club (unblocked)
• The Warriors: Street Brawl
• Indianapolis 500 Evolution

Top Ten Individual Achievements (8/22 - 8/28)

1. Batman: Arkham Asylum - World's Greatest Detective
2. Garry's Mod - Secret Phrase
3. Shadow Complex - Minimalist
4. Batman: Arkham Asylum - Party Pooper
5. Shadow Complex - Serious Complex
6. Shadow Complex - Completionist
7. Shadow Complex - Proven Grounds
8. Batman: Arkham Asylum - Mano-A-Mano
9. Batman: Arkham Asylum - Freeflow Perfection
10. Batman: Arkham Asylum - Freakshow Rodeo

I'm not surprised by Batman coming in first. The game is a great surprise.
 
especially when their origin stories seem to get retold every few years in some other medium with minor twists to make it more palatable to modern standards.
 
I don't get what this is supposed to mean. Is it a knock on Superman and Batman? Just a statement? How is this a reason to dislike them?

Looks like Jeff is drinking the gin.

Garry's Mod achievements? That's a strange new twist.

I love Batman, Jeff. Maybe it is your childhood but I was born in the early Nineties and I grew up on Batman: Animated Series and Justice League cartoons. I find them much more appealing than GI Joe/Transformers. Still, there is an interesting list of achievements here (Garry's Mod, wow!) and I am sorry to say it but, Jeff, you are drinking that gin.

I look forward to seeing Jeff throw up on camera.

SuperMooseman is a rusty bullet hole.

how do you like infamous jeff? 

Wolfenstein is really awesome

I wish I could go to PAX.  Too bad I live on the other side of the country. 

Is Wolfenstein gaining on Madden at all?
 
It's not looking good, go double or quits on AC2 outselling ODST, before it's too late.

Alright, so Jeff...here's my main question about this gin thing:  are you guys going to PROPERLY prepare this gin for gestation...or are you just doing a dry shot of it?  If you are doing a dry shot, then that's just dumb and a waste of good alcohol!

I hope this teaches you a lesson Jeff... Always bet on the bat.

"  Like, I totally don't understand how people could be seriously into a character like Superman or Batman, especially when their origin stories seem to get retold every few years in some other medium with minor twists to make it more palatable to modern standards. "

Soooo...Looks like Jeff is taking a shot

I love the Kurt Cobain caption.. awesome

Holes that are rusty by bullets.

Garrys mod has achievements now!?!

Good, Batman is great!

Bully's rusty hole?  I thought that damn R* controversy was done.

I like the Kurt Cobain caption lol.

I'm waiting for the Arkham review! I ordered the game today, can't wait to play it.

Neil Gaiman put it best, even as he was helping re-imagine what comics could become: comic books are modern myths. They're the Beowulfs and Odyssies of this time, which is why they get retold and reimagined for whatever is deemed "modern."

I'm only interested in Batman because of the two Tim Burton movies made me do it.

So let me get this straight. 
 
Both Ryan and Jeff couldn't give a shit about Batman: Arkham Asylum? 
 
Now I understand why the game wasn't mentioned once either on the site or in the Bombcast in the months leading up to it's release. 
 
And when it does get mentioned, Ryan bitches and moans about all the hype. 
 

My comic book days were anchored by stuff like G.I. Joe and Transformers, not the X-Men or Spider-Man. 

I'm not a super hero or comic book fan at all and I bought the game.  It's just really good.
People prejudge licensed games because of the bad name movie tie-ins give them.  
If no one is rushing to release day and date with some movie there is no reason why a licensed game can't be great.  
 
Example: KOTOR.  I don't give a shit about Star Wars either but when a solid game is solid don't let the name throw you.

GB doesn't really Need to review the Batman game if everyone already knows how good of a game it is. Are we, as gamers, really looking for self reassurance in our purchasing decisions so badly?

"Kurt Cobain: Uh oh, Spaghetti-o's!" 
 
Next step is an cameo in the next MK. 
They'll call him Kurt Kobain.

" GB doesn't really Need to review the Batman game if everyone already knows how good of a game it is. Are we, as gamers, really looking for self reassurance in our purchasing decisions so badly? "

" @DrLove: Indeed, Sir "

" So let me get this straight. 
 
Both Ryan and Jeff couldn't give a shit about Batman: Arkham Asylum?  Now I understand why the game wasn't mentioned once either on the site or in the Bombcast in the months leading up to it's release.  And when it does get mentioned, Ryan bitches and moans about all the hype.   "

as long as you don't get shot in the head after you drink your gin like the protagonist in the book 1984, then all is OK.

Batman sold more than it probably should because what's the real alternative? Wolfenstein or Madden. With Halo ODST just around the corner those looking for a FPS fix would rather save the cash and (being in the UK) Madden might as well be an alien concept. No rocket science here!

This weekly article continues to be pointless as last week's games are just replaced by this weeks.

Drink up.

deleted

" It seems that Jeff was already drinking gin when he wrote this article. >_> I mean, no offense, but I can't fathom how you guys aren't excited about this game. It isn't only a great licensed game... it has more entertaining stealth than any of the Splinter Cell games imo, primarily because of enemy reactions, and it's also a great action adventure. And it's like the BIoshock or Dead Space of this year in terms of storytelling, as it focuses on various logs to tell bits of the backstory, and often conveys other details through the environment or monologue/dialogues. It's easily the best game I've played all year. Then again, I don't have a PS3, so I haven't been able to try inFamous or Killzone 2. Still, I'm surprised that giantbomb doesn't have a review up yet. "

DRAMA!
 
Since when does Gary's Mod have achievements? What is it that I am missing?
 
EDIT: Oh, steam achievements. Forgot about them.

sweet at least one game beat madden, oh and jeff sorry about the gin

Ha! Fucking opinions are awesome. Give' em hell guys.

I love how Jeff has to love Batman or he is a shitty person. He doesn't like Batman. For christ's sake, calm down.

" @lolwot said:

" It seems that Jeff was already drinking gin when he wrote this article. >_> I mean, no offense, but I can't fathom how you guys aren't excited about this game. It isn't only a great licensed game... it has more entertaining stealth than any of the Splinter Cell games imo, primarily because of enemy reactions, and it's also a great action adventure. And it's like the BIoshock or Dead Space of this year in terms of storytelling, as it focuses on various logs to tell bits of the backstory, and often conveys other details through the environment or monologue/dialogues. It's easily the best game I've played all year. Then again, I don't have a PS3, so I haven't been able to try inFamous or Killzone 2. Still, I'm surprised that giantbomb doesn't have a review up yet. "

 Well, I feel like i made it pretty clear that I haven't played the game at all yet. I'll get around to it eventually, I guess, and maybe that'll get me excited about it. But as it's not my review and I was out on vacation all last week, so it's not exactly at the top of my list of things to do, either... for the very reasons I mentioned. Not a big Batman fan! Not a big fan of stealth games, either, since you mentioned it. End of story!You're right, though. In a perfect world, we'd have a review for this up already. It's obviously an important release. "

Holy shit, guys. Over reaction much? Jeff Gerstmann happens to be a free willed human being with opinions! (Remember those?). I'm a hardecore batfag myself, but I can understand someone not being in to it, I mean he is a pretty ridiculous character at his core.

" Holy shit, guys. Over reaction much? Jeff Gerstmann happens to be a free willed human being with opinions! (Remember those?). I'm a hardecore batfag myself, but I can understand someone not being in to it, I mean he is a pretty ridiculous character at his core. "

" GB doesn't really Need to review the Batman game if everyone already knows how good of a game it is. Are we, as gamers, really looking for self reassurance in our purchasing decisions so badly? "