If you subscribe to the theory that 80 percent of everything is crap, then the decreased number of summer releases means fewer good games. I think. Math never was my strong suit. The only time I use math in conjunction with video games is determining Microsoft Point to U.S. Dollar conversion.

I don’t consider May and September part of the summer video game season. We’re talking about the dog days of summer, before all the big fall releases. 

There have been pleasant surprises in the past, like “Bioshock” from two years ago.

 Summer game releases are also overlooked because people are actually outdoors enjoying themselves instead of sitting on the couch or in front of the computer. Well, most people.

At my three-month internship in South Carolina this summer, I was separated from most of my game systems (and a decent Internet connection).

 When I returned to Michigan, the first routine I picked up again was firing up the ol’ Xbox 360 and turning my brain to mush.

Xbox 360 owners were treated to two great game releases this summer: “Shadow Complex” for Xbox Live Arcade ($15 download), and “Batman: Arkham Asylum” ($59.99 retail).

 Both are excellent examples of rarities in the video game industry: a great downloadable arcade game and a superb licensed title.

Fans of the old school era of “Metroid” and “Castlevania” will find a lot to appreciate in “Shadow Complex”: 2-D platforming (though in a full 3-D game), item collection, and exciting boss battles. 

Old school doesn’t mean bad graphics though. “Complex” is fully rendered in the Unreal 3 engine, as seen in “Gears of War” and “BioShock.”

“Shadow Complex” has been described as a love letter to “Metroid.” This is absolutely correct. 

But more importantly, it plays on the strengths of its predecessors while keeping its own sense of style and fun. 

There are some really hard-to-find gadgets and powerups that will only make you more obsessed.

The plot is cliché and cheesy at times, but hey, it comes with the territory. 

When you play as a former soldier trying to stop an army from taking over the world with robots, it’s understandable. 

Kind of like the “Metal Gear” franchise, only not as melodramatic. 

My one complaint is that the environments are all depressing gray metal and rock. The designers took the whole “underground bunker” concept way too literally.

Like “BioShock” from two years ago, I picked up “Batman: Arkham Asylum” a week or so after its release. 

I just couldn’t ignore the near-perfect reviews and positive buzz. I’ve mentioned “Metroid” and “BioShock” previously; “Batman” shares many similarities with both, intentionally or not.

 Backtracking, item collection, and gadgets come from the “Metroid” side. The atmosphere, audio logs, and graphics are heavily influenced by “BioShock.” 

Throw in a well-crafted Batman story, and you have a combination that appeals to both gamers and fans of the comic.

Being a huge Batman fan when I was a kid, I was pleased to hear the voices of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill gracing the game. 

Conroy and Hamill also voiced Batman and the Joker in “Batman: The Animated Series” in the ‘90s. 

The developers at Rocksteady and Eidos didn’t just throw in a few shout-outs to the Batman mythos; “Arkham” is completely and believably steeped in the universe. 

Just like the “real” Batman, you won’t have any guns to go in a-blazin’ with. 

Stealth, gadgets, and martial arts are how the Dark Knight rolls. 

Armed thugs have the advantage on the ground, but Bats can swoop down on them from a gargoyle or string ‘em up like piñatas. Of course, you can’t kill anyone, so a lot of creativity goes in to finding ways to incapacitate your foes (Hint: blunt force trauma to the head).

“Arkham” isn’t for little kiddies who dress up as Batman for Halloween. 

The Teen rating pretty much covers the kung-foo fighting, harsh language, and scary sights in the Asylum. 

However, the audio logs of the inmates are downright chilling, as are the shenanigans of the Joker and his supervillian friends. 

Like “The Dark Knight,” “Arkham” is for late teens and adults. I liked “Arkham,” but I didn’t love it. Sadly, I would have been just as satisfied borrowing it from a friend or renting it for a weekend. 

That’s not to say that I have buyer’s remorse; I feel that I received a fair amount of entertainment for my $60. 

Besides, when I get tired of the same-old-same-old dreck being released this holiday season, I’ll have two excellent games to go back to.

Brian Diefenbach, a copy editor and columnist for the Western Herald, is a senior majoring in imaging. For more Game Brain, go to www.gamebrainonline.blogspot.com.