Arkham Asylum sucks!


I don't mean the game, it's fantastic and addictive as heroine! A soon-to-be classic masterpiece among gamers.
I'm talking about the asylum itself. What kind of an institution is that? The problems? Where do I begin:


1. With The Joker's notorious reputation of being violent and unpredictable, they actually thought it was a good idea to send one unarmed guard to escort him to his cell?
2. One doctor is conducting an experiment with the venom used to give Bane his super strength. What in the world for? Plus, she's doing business with The Joker of all people. She was willing to let him in on it for a price. Not too smart, I'd say.
3. Another doctor didn't even know Batman existed. Who did she think was bringing them their clientel? Aqua Man?
4. They obviously don't screen new doctors too carefully or look at their credentials. Harleen Quinzel was clearly an idiot when she started, it's no wonder The Joker brain washed her.
5. All the famed super criminals managed to escape custody, time and time again. The only one who actually stayed put was Clayface.
6. The warden is criminally insane and thinks Amadeus Arkham is speaking through him
7. They don't screen their guards either (i.e. Frank Boles).
8. They allow Killer Croc to roam freely in the sewers. For that matter, why do they even house Croc to begin with? I know he's partially human, but he's mostly animal. That's like if they put a wild tiger in San Quentin prison cell.
9. The ventillation shaft gives easy access for those who wish to escape
10. The penetenitary doesn't lock up their weapons properly
11. They treat the inmates like garbage. They're bad people, I know, but they're still people. Listen to their interview tapes, particularly Croc's, as well as The Riddler and how dismissive Dr. Young was of him, and how the Blackgate prisoners were treated at the beginning. They were just saying hi to Joker and the guards just told them to shut up.
12. The Riddler managed to plant all those trophies and riddles around the island before he escaped.
13. Two Face somehow had a knife in his cell
14. Experimenting on Bane, who was already a dangerous psychotic, but they upped the ante. They don't let sleeping dogs lie.
15. Amadeus Arkham, the man behind the institution, was a crazy himself, as evidenced by his very own prison cell in the mansion.
16. The cell doors are all controlled by one, or two control consoles. Therefore if it malfunctions, they all open. Not too smart.
17. Arkham is a dark, dreary place that would mess with anybody's mind.
18. They have not cured or reformed ANYBODY

I think as an in-joke, they should have placed a "Please Do Not Escape" sign somewhere on the island.


Exploiting patients, horrible security, even worse leadership, Arkham Asylum is an accident waiting to happen. In fact, it already did. Where do they get their funding? Who would support an institution of idiots?
If being located on an island was a disaster, imagine the outcome of housing them all in an entire section of the city?

The game is awesome, but the asylum itself is horrendous.

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Believe me, I work in corrections and some of what you said is funny but right to a degree.

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yes, but this explains that somewhat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyE0c-00Y58

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In comics canon, not many facts are given about the day-today running of the asylum (which is set in/near Gotham City, not on an island), but by far its worst flaw is the recidivism rate. They appear willing to declare their patients "cured" at the drop of a hat!

Supermodels...spoiled stupid little stick figures mit poofy lips who sink only about zemselves.

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Good post! Enjoyed seeing some of my subconscious concerns all nice and neatly presented.

While I agree with a lot of it, you have to remember: it's a *game/story*. Without convenient plot devices, we have neither of the two. Games, movies, books...you name it...situations are "invented" that make no sense in the real world, but it makes for convenient plot devices to create story and game material. You have to suspend your disbelief a bit to enjoy it.

My logical brain, however, picked out most of what you listed as I played through it. Yeah, some of it is completely and utterly ridiculous to think that anyone would design things like dangerous criminals having access to weapons and each other in an asylum. But as for a nutjob being in charge of an insane asylum: it takes one to know one, and I'm sure similar parallels can be dug up in the real world for situations similar to that one, albeit not as over-the-top I'm sure.

It's based on a comic, and as such, we are often treated for story and gameplay's sake to some pretty outlandish scenarios to make things more interesting.

Thank you for creating such a detailed list.

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Good post but wasn't Mr. Freeze still in his cell too? I know you didn't see him but it was all frozen so I assumed he was in there.

You were fantastic...absolutely fantastic...and d'you know what? So was I.

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2. One doctor is conducting an experiment with the venom used to give Bane his super strength. What in the world for? Plus, she's doing business with The Joker of all people. She was willing to let him in on it for a price. Not too smart, I'd say.


This was actually explained.
When you're rescuing the three doctors (sanitarium, x-ray room and a third place I can't remember), one of the monitors in the corridors runs an interview with Dr. Young where she explains that the venom is to strengthen the weaker patients who, otherwise, wouldn't be strong enough to handle the treatment methods of Arkham.
Not like that is any less <beep>ed up, but its an reason ;)

And don't forget that when Dr. Young found out what Joker/Jack Whites intentions were with the venom, she tried to back out of the deal by putting a block on her account.

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"When you're rescuing the three doctors (sanitarium, x-ray room and a third place I can't remember), one of the monitors in the corridors runs an interview with Dr. Young where she explains that the venom is to strengthen the weaker patients who, otherwise, wouldn't be strong enough to handle the treatment methods of Arkham."

Then perhaps it would have been best to use treatment methods depending on the constitution of the patient.

"And don't forget that when Dr. Young found out what Joker/Jack Whites intentions were with the venom, she tried to back out of the deal by putting a block on her account."

And she honestly thought that would stop the Joker?

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I have one thing to say to you....

Up yours

Aaron Hughes

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Karen, maybe you should READ the message before you reply. Or maybe you did but you're too dense to get the joke.

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It was a joke, eh? and by the way that's my email, my name's AARON!!

Aaron Hughes

"I SHALL FOLD YOU LIKE PAPER!!"~Bane

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Okay then, AARON!!

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PSYCHO-MAMA!

Aaron Hughes

"I SHALL FOLD YOU LIKE PAPER!!"~Bane

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[deleted]

1) You got me there, but I'm assuming he was almost to his cell, and he wasn't showing any signs of aggression.
2) She didn't know she was doing business with The Joker. If you listen to the patient tapes, he was working under the alias Jack White.
3) Who the heck was that?
4) Harley passed through college to become a psychiatrist a) because Joker paid her way thought college and b) she slept with her professors. She was just an intern, and her interviews with Joker were just practice.
5) Most of the famed super-criminals have connections on the outside, are given parole, and/or are EXTREMELY intelligent.
6) Got me there. Right on.
7) They do screen them. I don't think he became corrupt until after he was hired at Arkham
8) Well, where else are they going to keep him? I'm sure they have men monitoring the weaker parts of the confindment area, and I'm sure it's structurally secure and solid. Also, like you said, he's partly human.
9) Most people who wish to escape a) don't have tools to get the gates open b) don't have a grappling hook to reach the more direct ways out, and c) don't possess the strength of B-Man. Also, in normal circumstances when the doctors and guards are still in control, they wouldn't really have the opportunity to escape that often
10) Frank Boles probably made them more accessible. Part of the reason J's plan was so successful was that it was partially and inside job.
11) Though still human, these are not average patients. I'm more than positive they treat their less coherent, threatening, and inclined to kill patients with more civility. Also, if you'll notice, so long as the patients are civil, so are the doctors.
12) YEAH he did, that patient moe'suckra! XD
13) Perhaps he was smuggled the knife, i.e. inside job.
14) They were looking for something to help the patients. Joker is the one whole perverted the experiments.
15) Yep. He began with pure intentions, but was slowly pushed over the edge by Arkham.
16) I think I missed that detail. Where was that?
17) I'm thinking that the environment is a little different when there aren't Blackgate Prisoners and lunatics running around.
18) No-one we know of. And Harley has been reintroduced into society a few times, she just recesses into madness.

So, what are you getting at?




"It's SHOWTIME!" ~ Beetlejuice

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"2) She didn't know she was doing business with The Joker. If you listen to the patient tapes, he was working under the alias Jack White."

Tape #3 has Joker asking her about "Patient X" and whether or not he's arrived, which Dr. Young affirms and says he's progressing well. So why would she be discussing this with The Joker? Plus if she knows his history so well, as evidenced in Tape #1, she should know Jack White was an alias.

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Because she has absolutely no need to believe he'd be involved, and was perhaps glad that he even brought it up. Do you really think they only talked about him? I bet that the Joker is on his best behavior when he's trying to get what her wants, and he's a master manipulator.

And the whole "Jack White" alias thing? The Joker has a DOZEN aliases. Countless names. Jack White is probably the most ordinary one, not really gonna stand out. And can you imagine how enormous his case file is? I doubt she took the time to commit his aliases to memory.




"It's SHOWTIME!" ~ Beetlejuice

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She was dumb enough to trust him regardless.

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Not the first time it's happened, and I guarantee it won't be the last. Never said it was a good decision.




"It's SHOWTIME!" ~ Beetlejuice

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Not only that, but she didn't listen to Batman when he told her to stay put, and she ended up getting herself killed.

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Again, not a good decision maker.




"It's SHOWTIME!" ~ Beetlejuice

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Doc dun goofed.

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Doctor Young was involved in corruption. She was also easily fooled.

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