Batman: Arkham Asylum Collector's Edition Review

Today, 8/25, marks the official release date of Batman: Arkham Asylum. Yes, that's right, the long awaited game that's been the talk of the next generation community is finally here, and with its release comes a package you may want to consider before purchasing the game. What am I talking about? THIS:

The Arkham Asylum Collector's Edition. Preeetttyyyy...
This, my friends, is the Batman: Arkham Asylum Collector's Edition - meaning it's a more pricey version of the game with extra stuff packed into it. Boasting a $100 price tag, it's enough to make any bat fan think twice about choosing this over the standard edition, but doing so would reap benefits and goodies the likes of which you may never see again. Here's a couple of pictures, accompanied with descriptions, to show you guys what's inside this beast of a video game release.

A blurry shot of the contents in the CE.
From this picture alone, you'll see all the cards laid out and out for the public eye to see. The CE contains a number of trinkets that completes the entire Arkham experience. First off, the case is shaped like a Bat Briefcase (I'm not kidding), and once you swing the top lid open, you get your first peek at Batman goodness - a replica of his signature weapon: The Batarang!

"It's Time My Enemies Shared My Dread..."
The gadget made famous by the Dark Knight is now an exclusive goody for this package. It's exactly like the one used in the game, and it's 14" tall, held in position thanks to an accompanying stand that comes along with it. After removing the Batarang, a layer of foam covers what's underneath it, with a compartment that can be removed from the middle to show what else is inside the Bat Briefcase.

Arkham Doctor's Journal *cues Resident Evil music while reading document*
Taking the section off reveals a Arkham doctor's journal, which contains notes, pictures, and data on all the freaks and inmates living in the confines of Arkham Asylum. It's 48 pages of pure insanity reading, and something that will make you realize just how much of a hell Batman is walking into throughout the entire game (not that he's not used to it already).

Well, the rest of the goodies... all so sweet looking!
Next up are the last few items on the list - a postcard containing the game's cover; a sticker of the game's logo that contains the access to an exclusive map in the game's challenge mode - Crime Alley itself; finally, the game itself... packed in a nice slip on Blu-Ray case with the initial case being a representation of one of the doctors' video reel collections. That's not all... there's a second disc too, containing behind the scenes footage of how the game was made and done. If this doesn't tell you that your entire Arkham experience is complete, I don't know what will.

All the cards laid out in the open...
So there you have it. Arkham Asylum is finally here, and it's time to journey into the madhouse... for real. If you can't bring yourself to get the CE package, at least get the game. It's practically a must have after all of the stellar reviews and raves its getting from various gaming websites everywhere. Like I said before in my review of the demo, this is THE Definitive Batman Experience that will make you feel like the Dark Knight, and once you're in, there's no turning back... I know I'm not. I'm ready...

Score (CE Package) - 10/10

Bring It On...