The abandonment of the planned The Dark Knight videogame (that was due to tie into the movie of the same name) several months into production seemed to be the end as far as a new Batman videogame adventure was concerned.

Much has been written in recent months about how you have to go back two decades for the last Batman game worthy of the name. You're really looking back at the humble 8-bit machines that hosted both Batman (the isometric version) and Batman: The Caped Crusader, along with the Amiga version of Batman: The Movie back in 1989, to try to strike gold. Granted, last year's Lego Batman shouldn't be overlooked, but that wasn't the serious take on the Dark Knight for which it feels we've been waiting decades.

Batman: Arkham Asylum, however, is.

If you can get past the initially very obvious plot - that Batman is basically lured by the Joker into a trap at Arkham Asylum, which is crammed with the nemeses of Gotham's famous superhero - then straight away, it's hard not to warm to the game.

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Clearly professionally scripted, voiced by some of those who lent their tone to some of Batman's superb animated adventures over the past couple of decades (including Mark Hamill as The Joker and Kevin Conroy as Batman) and stunning to look at, complete with a Batman who gets more and more battered, visually, as the game progresses, this really is some piece of work.

To succeed in Arkham Asylum, you'll need to master assorted disciplines. At first there's the fighting mechanic, which is bolstered with upgrades and combos, and features intuitive, well explained controls. Just the combat alone - with the help of a gradually-growing-in-power batarang - would be enough to keep us busy.

But the complexities of Arkham require varying approaches. Stealth, for instance, can be vital, and sneaking up on enemies can, predictably, save a lot of commotion. Interestingly, it can also cause fear amongst those remaining, which you can use to your advantage. Finally, there's swinging from platforms, looking for positions to grapple up to and generally exploring and visiting the nooks and crannies of Arkham itself.

And then on top of that, there's the detective view. This is brilliant, and takes Batman back to its comic book source, where he was more a detective than a swinging superhero. There are puzzles to be solved in Arkham Asylum, and whenever you need a helping hand you're advised to switch to the detective view, which works as a kind of infra-red for clues. It's a special HUD that helps you find things of interest, and while it doesn't do all the work for you, it lends a massive helping hand, not least when you're following forensic trails.

Mixed together, with a collection of some of Batman's most famous enemies, what's ultimately surprising is that Arkham Asylum hangs together brilliantly. It tapers off a little towards the end, perhaps, but it packs so much detail - and lavish visuals - into a well balanced game, that it's understandable why many feel the search for a great Batman game is over.

We're relieved to add our names to that list.

A superb comic book videogame, and it's been a long time since those words could be used.