Here's a breakdown of what you can and can't do in Arkham Asylum:
What it does well:
* Exploration: You can explore every corner of Arkham Asylum, finding collectibles, interacting with environmental details, and uncovering hidden areas.
* Combat and Stealth: You can freely choose how to engage enemies in combat or sneak past them, offering some strategic freedom.
* Story Focused: The environment is carefully designed to guide you through the story, offering numerous environmental clues and puzzles.
What it lacks:
* Open World: The map is designed to be traversed in a specific order, with clear pathways and objectives. There's little room for truly deviating from the intended path.
* Side Missions: The game primarily focuses on the main story, with limited side content like Riddler trophies.
* Fast Travel: There's no fast travel system, requiring you to walk or grapple your way across the map.
Overall:
Arkham Asylum's exploration is more focused on its linear structure than open world freedom. It's still a fantastic game, but if you're looking for a fully open-world experience, you'll need to look elsewhere.
If you're looking for a more free-roam experience in the Batman Arkham series, you'd be better off playing Arkham City, Arkham Origins, or Arkham Knight, which all offer larger, more open worlds with more freedom of movement and optional activities.