A great start to a strong series, that series featuring maybe the best superhero game of all time (at least so far). The story isn't too complex but that isn't a problem at all, as the main thread of the game in Batman vs. Joker is easy to do well and with the writing for Joker and the fact it's Mark Hamill you're set up for greatness. None of the other villains really match up to Hamill's Joker performance but there are definitely entertaining characters to be found. Any time the Scarecrow shows up is a particular highlight, as the first time through the game it catches you off guard and any subsequent times through his appearances are a joy to relive. The hallway fake game crash scene is pretty much iconic for a reason. The combat and stealth systems are fantastic, as each fight moves very smoothly, and each stealth situation is incredibly rewarding if you can take it carefully and patiently, surveying the room and taking everyone out one by one. This time round I also went after the Arkham Chronicles and Riddler challenges, and unlike later installments where i've never had the drive to finish them it was a lot more enjoyable. Perhaps the smaller scale of the map helps with that but I never found myself frustrated or bored with them. I've always found the riddles to be particularly entertaining but this time the trophies were much more fun too. If I had to find a fault with the game, I think that the boss fights are a little uninspired. None of them are particularly fantastic because they tend to just be "fight the goons then the boss' weakpoint" repeatedly, but that's fine because the combat and stealth make up for that. Overall i'd say this isn't the peak of the series, but a fantastic start point and storywise sets up well for its incredible successor.