the buzz log

Over the years, Batman has starred in dozens of video games. Sadly, the vast majority left gamers as moody and depressed as Bruce Wayne. Now, at long last, Batman has an interactive adventure worthy of his name. "Batman: Arkham Asylum" hits shelves today and is blowing up in Search.

For the most part, the reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Yahoo! Games calls it "the greatest comic book game of all time" and 1Up.com says it's "the best digital Batman simulator we've seen to date." Lofty praise, but searchers are also interested in some of the game's specifics.

Lookups on "batman arkham asylum villians" are up 40%, proof that gamers want to know which baddies they'll be going up against (the Joker and the Riddler are two of the most infamous adversaries in Arkham).

Also buzzing — achievements and trophies. Folks who play the Xbox 360 version earn "achievements" for progressing through the game (PlayStation 3 gamers earn "trophies"). They aren't worth anything (aside from bragging rights), but Bat-fans still care enough to search.

Another trend we've spotted: spoilers and walkthroughs. Even though the game has just hit, would-be Dark Knights are seeking every advantage they can get, whether its cheating or not. Probably a good idea — after all in this game, the inmates are running the asylum.