Batman: Arkham Asylum, which has sold more than 2.5 million copies worldwide since late August, has officially become this year's must-have title after Guinness World Records named it the 'most critically acclaimed superhero game ever'. The award was based on its record-beating 91.67 average score from a survey of national newspapers and specialist reviewers; Marvel vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes, which was first released in 2000, had an average score of 90. Independent British developer Rocksteady Studios created Batman: Arkham Asylum, a third-person action-adventure stealth game, for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows PC. Players take on the role of Batman as he captures and delivers The Joker to Gotham City's hospital for the criminally insane, Arkham Asylum. The deranged inmates, including villains Scarecrow and Poison Ivy, are on the loose and have taken over the place. They conspire with The Joker to set a lethal trap for the Dark Knight. In a dark and gritty adventure, players travel to the depths of the asylum, crawling through air vents and sewers, creeping down dark corridors, and silently gliding and swinging above The Joker's henchmen. Gamers must also solve intricate puzzles using Batman's CSI-type skills and gadgets, which include 'detective vision' to see through walls and X-ray and fingerprint-scanning devices. But there is also intense action when Batman confronts the villains. The game's FreeFlow combat system, developed by Rocksteady Studios, allows players to seamlessly string an unlimited number of vicious attack combinations together in brawls against multiple enemies. This makes Batman: Arkham Asylum the only game based on the superhero franchise to deliver the right, fan-friendly system for close-quarters, take-no-prisoners fighting. The game's voice actors are outstanding, led by Mark Hamill (yes, Luke Skywalker from Star Wars) and Kevin Conroy reprising their roles as The Joker and Batman, respectively. The graphics rendering is also splendid. The decaying gothic architecture shows incredible detail, with wall tiles chipping and breaking, stone pillars crumbling upon impact and particles from breaking glass and debris shattering and falling around Batman's feet. If you only get one game this year, then Batman: Arkham Asylum should be it. PROS: The game is easy to play and features immersive combat and a realistic environment. CONS: What's not to like?