DIG 4813 Gameplay Journal Entry #2: Game Engines

In this journal entry I’ll be delving into an awesome game released back in 2009 called Batman: Arkham Asylum and how its special game engine fits the definition made by Henry Lowood. Arkham Asylum is a popular character action game developed by Rocksteady Studios where you take on the mantle of the Caped Crusader. Batman must delve into the depths of Arkham Asylum to try and stop a mass breakout organized by the Joker and on his way to complete his mission, Batman must face other notable characters from his Rogue’s Gallery such as Killer Croc, Scarecrow, and Poison Ivy. The engine used to help create Arkham Asylum was Unreal Engine 3, a game engine developed by Epic Games that was first presented in 2004. The third iteration showed plenty of new features and improvements that weren’t apparent in the previous versions of the Unreal Engine, such improvements being the rendering and physics engine that can be seen in the stunning visuals that Arkham Asylum presents in its game world and unique narrative.

In his section about Game Engines, Henry Lowood describes them as “the fundamental software components of a computer game” and that they also encompass every “game’s essential ‘core’ functions, such as graphics rendering, audio, physics, and artificial intelligence” (203). This goes hand in hand with Rocksteady’s Arkham Asylum since it’s engine and gameplay formula/aesthetic has not only be replicated in the series’ future installments but it’s style of play in the game world has also been replicated in other game engines. The stunning and realistic visuals to the simplistic/freeflow-like combat is a tread that began with Arkham Asylum. The way Batman’s cape flows and ripples in the air to the hard impacts of punches and kicks is something that can only be felt while playing the game and exploration is also a big part of the experience too, as the level expands and changes to how you interact with it. These instances can be seen via breaking through vents, grappling onto ledges, or blowing up surfaces so that you can make a new path to traverse. In Arkham Asylum, you are the Batman and the gothic/epic sounds and visuals of the game world put you in the seat, where both enemies and allies recognize you for who you are and your abilities only prove to solidify that fact. The video below is a let’s play video from BlazeJump, which shows the beginning of the game and it’s tutorial.

Works Cited

Deger, A. C., et al. Debugging Game History: a Critical Lexicon. The MIT Press, 2016.