86 reviews
This game is amazing. It has a VERY large atmosphere, and has tons of side missions and game play.
There is plenty to do and tons of new gadgets and gizmo's and lots of new take downs. Tons of new styles of enemy's and as many things to do as you can count.
Get this game, lots of game play. If you get it you will not be sorry you did, lots of riddles and a LOTTTTTT of challenge maps. Now stop looking at this review and go buy it. Please just play it, it has so many creative things. I don't know what else to say other the to have fun with this game and i hope you like it as much as i do
There is plenty to do and tons of new gadgets and gizmo's and lots of new take downs. Tons of new styles of enemy's and as many things to do as you can count.
Get this game, lots of game play. If you get it you will not be sorry you did, lots of riddles and a LOTTTTTT of challenge maps. Now stop looking at this review and go buy it. Please just play it, it has so many creative things. I don't know what else to say other the to have fun with this game and i hope you like it as much as i do
Batman Arkham City took everything that was great about it's near perfect predecessor and improved it beyond belief. Instead of being confined to a relatively small island you are now in a small area of Gotham City specifically made for the scum of humanity. On the surface there doesn't look like much to do in this small space, but the area is teeming with henchmen from Two Face, Penguin and Joker and they're all going to try and kill you at any chance they get. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Long story short, after the events of Arkham Asylum, Warden Quincy Sharp was named Mayor of Gotham and decided that the old asylum was unfit for prisoners. Thus he created Arkham City, a blocked off piece of North Gotham for Batman's worst foes to thrive. He then placed the mysterious Professor Hugo Strange in charge and now deadly gang wars break out as everyone fights for control of the city. Batman must enter the city and find out Strange's real plan, along with stopping his old foes from killing each other.
This is the basic plot of the story, but there are a number of sidequests you can take throughout the game. From destroying the last Titan drug barrels with Bane, to tracking down victims of Deadshot. The Riddler returns physically in Arkham City and has placed twice as many riddle trophies and puzzles in the area. He has also captured doctors and people who worked in old Arkham. These challenges are deadly and requires a lot more critical thinking then in the last game. With all these sidequests combined with the main story you're looking at many hours of gameplay and with new game plus you can replay the game with all the gadgets from your first game and keep any riddler secrets you've found.
The challenge areas are the same as the first game, but there are a lot more to be played and with all the new combat and silent predator moves in this game you will have a blast taking down nameless thugs with an even greater sense of being Batman. With downloadable characters like Robin and Nightwing you have a lot more reason to play the challenge maps then in the first game.
I could go forever on how awesome this game is. But this is one of those games you need to play to believe. It has everything for long time Batman fans and newcomers. With a great plot with a lot of twists and faster combat this game has exceeded all expectations and is without a doubt one of the best games of the year, if not all time. And I haven't even played as Catwoman yet.
Long story short, after the events of Arkham Asylum, Warden Quincy Sharp was named Mayor of Gotham and decided that the old asylum was unfit for prisoners. Thus he created Arkham City, a blocked off piece of North Gotham for Batman's worst foes to thrive. He then placed the mysterious Professor Hugo Strange in charge and now deadly gang wars break out as everyone fights for control of the city. Batman must enter the city and find out Strange's real plan, along with stopping his old foes from killing each other.
This is the basic plot of the story, but there are a number of sidequests you can take throughout the game. From destroying the last Titan drug barrels with Bane, to tracking down victims of Deadshot. The Riddler returns physically in Arkham City and has placed twice as many riddle trophies and puzzles in the area. He has also captured doctors and people who worked in old Arkham. These challenges are deadly and requires a lot more critical thinking then in the last game. With all these sidequests combined with the main story you're looking at many hours of gameplay and with new game plus you can replay the game with all the gadgets from your first game and keep any riddler secrets you've found.
The challenge areas are the same as the first game, but there are a lot more to be played and with all the new combat and silent predator moves in this game you will have a blast taking down nameless thugs with an even greater sense of being Batman. With downloadable characters like Robin and Nightwing you have a lot more reason to play the challenge maps then in the first game.
I could go forever on how awesome this game is. But this is one of those games you need to play to believe. It has everything for long time Batman fans and newcomers. With a great plot with a lot of twists and faster combat this game has exceeded all expectations and is without a doubt one of the best games of the year, if not all time. And I haven't even played as Catwoman yet.
- FilmFreak94
- Oct 24, 2011
- Permalink
Wow. Talk about a game completely living up to expectations. The twists at the end were so intense. I don't know, everything about the game was so perfect for me. The story could have been a little longer probably, but I'm sure it was at least ten hours which for a game like this is very impressive. Plus I didn't do any side stuff, which I'm sure will give me another five or so hours at least. The gameplay was brilliant, kept everything feeling fresh and exciting.
Even the basic combat with thugs never got repetitive (which it did quickly in Asylum), and unlike Asylum, instead of just button-mashing you actually have to use a lot of strategy in even the most basic combat. When surrounded by a group of thugs you have to employ Waynetech and prioritize who to go after, instead of just hopping around like in the first game. You also don't have the easy move of being able to use Detective Mode nonstop, which is a huge step up. There's a lot of thinking and strategy needed for many parts of the game and there were definitely a few moments where I had to stop for a few moments to figure out just what to do.
The detail was out of this world, from the dark and perfectly toned scenery to just the simple things like thugs talking about the villains while you fly overhead. I'm so surprised that a game of this nature was fused with such rich and diverse detail. A lot of people, myself included, were disappointed by the lackluster boss fights in Asylum and to say that they stepped up their game with this one would be to really under appreciate just how much they improved on that front. Every boss fight was fantastic (except for the last one, ironically) and challenging, keeping things fresh and utilizing all of the weapons in your arsenal. These aren't just ordinary boring fights like they were before.
With all of that being said, the highlight of the game is absolutely the story. From the brilliant opening to the haunting final shot, I've rarely been more immersed in a story in a game like this one. The emotions were very high, you felt like real things were at stake here and the twists and revelations in the final act were remarkable. Everything from the confrontation with Strange until the last shot had me on the edge of my seat and my mouth hung open. This story is up there with some of the greatest works to come out of this franchise, as far as I'm concerned. A case of a company truly listening to the complaints on a game and fixing every single thing about it. This is one of the closest encounters I've had to something I would call a perfect game.
Even the basic combat with thugs never got repetitive (which it did quickly in Asylum), and unlike Asylum, instead of just button-mashing you actually have to use a lot of strategy in even the most basic combat. When surrounded by a group of thugs you have to employ Waynetech and prioritize who to go after, instead of just hopping around like in the first game. You also don't have the easy move of being able to use Detective Mode nonstop, which is a huge step up. There's a lot of thinking and strategy needed for many parts of the game and there were definitely a few moments where I had to stop for a few moments to figure out just what to do.
The detail was out of this world, from the dark and perfectly toned scenery to just the simple things like thugs talking about the villains while you fly overhead. I'm so surprised that a game of this nature was fused with such rich and diverse detail. A lot of people, myself included, were disappointed by the lackluster boss fights in Asylum and to say that they stepped up their game with this one would be to really under appreciate just how much they improved on that front. Every boss fight was fantastic (except for the last one, ironically) and challenging, keeping things fresh and utilizing all of the weapons in your arsenal. These aren't just ordinary boring fights like they were before.
With all of that being said, the highlight of the game is absolutely the story. From the brilliant opening to the haunting final shot, I've rarely been more immersed in a story in a game like this one. The emotions were very high, you felt like real things were at stake here and the twists and revelations in the final act were remarkable. Everything from the confrontation with Strange until the last shot had me on the edge of my seat and my mouth hung open. This story is up there with some of the greatest works to come out of this franchise, as far as I'm concerned. A case of a company truly listening to the complaints on a game and fixing every single thing about it. This is one of the closest encounters I've had to something I would call a perfect game.
- Rockwell_Cronenberg
- Oct 19, 2011
- Permalink
Pros:
Cons:
Verdict: The greatest Batman (and superhero) game to date, improving in pretty much all ways on the original.
10/10
- Great story and characters
- Great combat
- Excellent voice acting
- Fantastic boss fights
- Very good open world
- Ballsy ending
Cons:
- Some lacklustre side mission bosses
Verdict: The greatest Batman (and superhero) game to date, improving in pretty much all ways on the original.
10/10
- Moviememmer
- Oct 24, 2019
- Permalink
If you thought Batman Arkham Asylum was one of the greatest games ever then you are highly mistaken!
This game is very dark and very intense, a lot of the features from the first game that made it so good appear in this game also, plus the new plot line, new twisted characters and intensity make it one of the best games i have ever played!
This game is clearly 10/10! Without a doubt.If you have not played the first one then you do not know what you are missing! You must play it right now!
Thank You.
This game is very dark and very intense, a lot of the features from the first game that made it so good appear in this game also, plus the new plot line, new twisted characters and intensity make it one of the best games i have ever played!
This game is clearly 10/10! Without a doubt.If you have not played the first one then you do not know what you are missing! You must play it right now!
Thank You.
Batman: Arkham City is one of the best open-world video games I've ever played and experienced. It's right up there with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Grand Theft Auto III, IV & V, Red Dead Redemption and even The Mass Effect Trilogy.
Arkham City has so many sub-missions and side stories that it shows Batman and other comic characters are ideal for the world of video games, to explore their own lore and make experiences larger than life. This game was incredible: from the start where you have to fight your way out from the clutches Penguin's thugs as Bruce Wayne, this game just keeps building upon one of the most promising starts ever done in gaming. And it only improves from there on.
Great story, gorgeous gameplay, brilliant camera, theatrical cinematics and timeless characters make up an experience to remember.
Arkham City has so many sub-missions and side stories that it shows Batman and other comic characters are ideal for the world of video games, to explore their own lore and make experiences larger than life. This game was incredible: from the start where you have to fight your way out from the clutches Penguin's thugs as Bruce Wayne, this game just keeps building upon one of the most promising starts ever done in gaming. And it only improves from there on.
Great story, gorgeous gameplay, brilliant camera, theatrical cinematics and timeless characters make up an experience to remember.
- Johnny-the-Film-Sentinel-2187
- Sep 29, 2016
- Permalink
I'm just going to say it... This game is fantastic. We all know it but it needs to be said. It totally beats Arkham Asylum with it's graphics, gameplay and story. Firstly, this game is set in a much larger open world space, that being Arkham city, and it's so packed full of enemies, collectables and missions that there is never a dull moment while gliding around the city. All of the criminal inmates have conversations which sometimes hint at other things going off inside the city. The storyline has you on the edge of your seat as it takes you to all the corners of Arkham city. Along this road you'll meet tons of characters from the Batman universe including Two-face, Penguin, Mr.freeze and,of course,Joker. The ending was awesome and even when you finish the main story, you'll still have hours of gameplay left. And that's not even including the new game plus mode. Each side mission feels full and will add to the overall plot. No two side missions are alike and they don't feel tacked on. But still, there's more! The riddler trophies scattered around the city provide a challenge and there are also riddles to work out. Catwoman returns as a playable character and has her own mini campaign and trophies to collect. When you aren't in Arkham City, you're in Riddler's revenge. This is a series of challenges that test your combat skills or your stealth kills. There are DLC characters,maps and costumes that you can buy to play in this mode. Overall this game is not only the best superhero game i've ever played, it's also in my top 3 favourite games of all time. I can't recommend this game enough and you should go buy it as soon as possible.
- Pjtaylor-96-138044
- Apr 19, 2012
- Permalink
I had gotten Arkham Asylum a couple years after it came out as part of a Cyber Monday deal on Amazon and it proceeded to stay on my shelf for about a a year or so. I had heard about it but felt no burning need to play it.
Now let me explain, I'm not much of a gamer. Sure I play some from time to time but on the whole it's not something that takes up most of my days. But I love just about all things Batman and figured even if I never played it it would be a nice thing to have.
So I pick it up one day and decide to see what it was all about and from the very start I was just hooked. The story was good. The voices were incredible, the fights and predator events made you feel like you were Batman. I finished the game and immediately went in search of the sequel Arkham City. I found it and immediately ran out to get it.
They had improved the game mechanics, added more abilities and just cranked it up to 11. Now instead of being limited to a small island, you had part of an entire city to explore. And the best part about it was you could literally take the time to play it in whatever order you wanted. There was no "right" way to play it.
The games that came afterwards weren't quite as good which is why I say this one was the best.
Now let me explain, I'm not much of a gamer. Sure I play some from time to time but on the whole it's not something that takes up most of my days. But I love just about all things Batman and figured even if I never played it it would be a nice thing to have.
So I pick it up one day and decide to see what it was all about and from the very start I was just hooked. The story was good. The voices were incredible, the fights and predator events made you feel like you were Batman. I finished the game and immediately went in search of the sequel Arkham City. I found it and immediately ran out to get it.
They had improved the game mechanics, added more abilities and just cranked it up to 11. Now instead of being limited to a small island, you had part of an entire city to explore. And the best part about it was you could literally take the time to play it in whatever order you wanted. There was no "right" way to play it.
The games that came afterwards weren't quite as good which is why I say this one was the best.
It took a few play-throughs over the years, but "Arkham City" really grew on me. Almost uniquely so. Somehow, the Gotham City that seemed rather empty was a place I couldn't wait to get back to. You could easily kill a few hours at a stretch just gliding around and beating on people.
Part of it's the added content (I was playing the GOTY edition). Harley Quinn's Revenge is some of the best DLC I've ever played, and only enhances the theatricality. Hell, even just the addition of skins is a real bonus. It's somehow much more fun to beat up criminals as Animated Series or Dark Knight Returns.
You've gotta hand it to the studio for putting together a blockbuster Batman game; the voice talent is top-shelf, the story's ambitious, and the gameplay is addictive. It's easily accessible as a button- mashing free-for- all, but once you get the hang of the combat, it's just plain exciting.
This was a real gem.
8/10
Part of it's the added content (I was playing the GOTY edition). Harley Quinn's Revenge is some of the best DLC I've ever played, and only enhances the theatricality. Hell, even just the addition of skins is a real bonus. It's somehow much more fun to beat up criminals as Animated Series or Dark Knight Returns.
You've gotta hand it to the studio for putting together a blockbuster Batman game; the voice talent is top-shelf, the story's ambitious, and the gameplay is addictive. It's easily accessible as a button- mashing free-for- all, but once you get the hang of the combat, it's just plain exciting.
This was a real gem.
8/10
Batmam Arkham City is one of the best games ever and I think it's the best superhero game ever, everything from the game play to the story to the characters and side story are fantastic and the ending so just amazing. I would give it a 20 out of 10 if i could.
- joelnelson-66258
- Jan 4, 2020
- Permalink
So I am a huge Batman villain fan. More so than is probably good for my health. So when I saw all the villain trailers that were being released, I got super amp. And once I saw all the perfect scores it was getting, I was even more excited. And did it live up to all the hype? 99.9% yes. The possible only flaw was that the campaign seems a bit too quick (took me around 12 hours to beat, without side missions). Other than that, it's more Batman butt kicking, and mind blowing plot lines. If you thought Inception played mind games, then this will blow you away. Not buying this would be a disservice to yourself. It's that good. And although I called the ending, it's like I said: I'm a freak. I was playing with my friend online when he got to the end, and he was freaking out and not knowing what was happening. It's. That. Big.
- coltsfan18288
- Oct 22, 2011
- Permalink
Yes, playing this in 2019 the graphics have aged.... but this game taught us that superhero games could be amazing. If you like this, play the others in the trilogy + arkham origins as well.
- brian-linton1
- Mar 16, 2019
- Permalink
I finished the game today the moves are so many times the same it's very boring
The boss fights are good
But still a very very overrated game.
- woutdedroog-34655
- Jun 1, 2021
- Permalink
This game forces you through ridiculously difficult obstacles and challenges just to get to any fun brawling parts. It's such a chore to master the mechanics of different situations that the game is too frustrating to play. What it got right, it got really right. What it got wrong is very consistently, irritatingly wrong. Honestly, it's one of the most frustrating games I've ever played. Unlike many similar action titles, I won't play it ever again. I nearly uninstalled it at the Demon Trials flight thing and only ever completed that part by plugging in a gamepad instead of using PC keys. A bitter disappointment of a game.
Licensed games, as a general rule, aren't anything to write home about. But video games have been especially cruel to Batman in the past. "Batman: Vengeance" featured frustrating combat laden with clunky animations and vehicles that handled terribly. "Batman Begins" was an all-too linear stealth game that required Batman to take out enemies in the exact manner and order he was intended to,because his Kevlar armor wasn't enough to save him from being killed just by having a gun pointed at him. So, this was what it was like to be Batman?
Then, in 2009, against all odds,Rocksteady released "Arkham Asylum." Instead of being a tie-in to existing movies or comics, it took place in the developers' own unique version of Batman's universe. Turns out to make players feel more like they were in Batman's shoes, it just took a good combination of stealth game play and brute combat, with a healthy dollop of fan service thrown on for good measure. It was, without a doubt, the best Batman gaming experience there was. Until now.
"Batman: Arkham City", blows it completely out of the water. An improvement in every way imaginable, it picks up where the last game left off. A huge section of Gotham City has been walled off and is now patrolled by heavily armed security teams. The city's captured criminal element has been transferred in from the old asylum and Blackgate Prison. Batman, naturally suspicious, finds a way inside to investigate, and he finds a gang war being being waged by some of his most notable arch-enemies.
Those who have played "Arkham Asylum" will be familiar with the basic game play, divided between two main components: free-flow combat and stealth, or "predator", tactics, enabling Batman to take out throngs of thugs head-on and pick out armed enemies from the shadows with equal ease. Free-flow combat is mainly accomplished by alternating between an "attack" and "counter", combined with a direction, to move from on enemy to another, breaking necks and cashing checks (in for upgrades). Fighting also makes use of Batman's "wonderful toys", with different gadgets being mapped to simple button combos. New gadgets and upgrades are collected throughout, providing more variety and a heavier emphasis on Batman's weaponry than in the last game. There are also new types of enemies that must be "stunned" first using specific combos, which keeps fights from being identical button-mashers, but sadly also slows the pace a little.
Predator tactics come into play when Bats enters an area being guarded by armed foes. While Batman has ballistic armor that can be upgraded, for the most part running into the line of an armed baddie's fire leads to a quick death. But the game gives you enough freedom to feel like Batman, hiding in the shadows not out of fear, but in order to strike fear. There is an even larger variety of "takedowns" than in the last game, allowing Batman to take advantage of elements of his environment such as ventilation shafts, gargoyles, and plywood barriers to pick off stragglers and watch their allies grow progressively more terrified.
The biggest improvement between games is the massive open-world that provides the setting for the game. Although some building can only be accessed as the story and your inventory allows, for the most part, Arkham City is your oyster from the moment you get in. Using a combination of gliding, diving, and grappling, you can battle random clusters of thugs for XP, follow up on various side missions as you discover them, or just admire the scenery. Most of the key locations you'd expect in Gotham City can be found walled off in Arkham, and Batman fans will definitely be in awe. I spent the first few hours gliding around the city, listening in on inmate's conversations, and occasionally swooping down to put the fear of God into them. Now THIS is what it's like to be Batman.
While there were references to just about every character in Batman's universe in the previous game, here just about all of them appear. To provide a list is to spoil many of the surprises, but returning enemies include the Joker, voiced in a stand-out performance by Mark Hamill (yes, THAT Mark Hamill.) Since he's announced his retirement from the role, this will probably be your last chance to get goosebumps listening to his pitch-perfect interpretation. Harley Quinn also returns, with a new (and, in my opinion, improved) costume, and also a new voice, with the Batman: TAS "Batgirl" Tara Strong taking over the role. Kevin Conroy also fits nicely back into the role of the titular character, who he voiced in TAS and the previous game. Another great performance comes from Nolan North, who voices my all-time favorite Batman villain, the Penguin. Here reinvented as a racketeer with the hint of a London accent and a cigar and broken glass bottle to replace the old cigarette holder and monocle, respectively, is a character that's still Oswald Cobblepot but is not to be trifled with. Chances are, between the main story line, the Easter eggs scattered throughout the city, and side missions, if you've got favorite Batman characters, they're in this game, and they're done justice.
The storyline is from TAS writer Paul Dinni, and ranks alongside of some of my favorite Batman comics. Like in "Arkham Asylum", fantastic use is made of the characters in the "Game Over" screens, now with a larger cast of enemies to taunt you, your taunter usually being determined by whose henchman defeats you. Unlike "Arkham Asylum", a fantastic game up until its anti-climatic ending, "Arkham City" only ever gets better as you progress through it. The only way this game isn't for you is if you absolutely hate Batman, great game play, and stunning graphics.
Why are you still reading this when you should be playing right now?
Then, in 2009, against all odds,Rocksteady released "Arkham Asylum." Instead of being a tie-in to existing movies or comics, it took place in the developers' own unique version of Batman's universe. Turns out to make players feel more like they were in Batman's shoes, it just took a good combination of stealth game play and brute combat, with a healthy dollop of fan service thrown on for good measure. It was, without a doubt, the best Batman gaming experience there was. Until now.
"Batman: Arkham City", blows it completely out of the water. An improvement in every way imaginable, it picks up where the last game left off. A huge section of Gotham City has been walled off and is now patrolled by heavily armed security teams. The city's captured criminal element has been transferred in from the old asylum and Blackgate Prison. Batman, naturally suspicious, finds a way inside to investigate, and he finds a gang war being being waged by some of his most notable arch-enemies.
Those who have played "Arkham Asylum" will be familiar with the basic game play, divided between two main components: free-flow combat and stealth, or "predator", tactics, enabling Batman to take out throngs of thugs head-on and pick out armed enemies from the shadows with equal ease. Free-flow combat is mainly accomplished by alternating between an "attack" and "counter", combined with a direction, to move from on enemy to another, breaking necks and cashing checks (in for upgrades). Fighting also makes use of Batman's "wonderful toys", with different gadgets being mapped to simple button combos. New gadgets and upgrades are collected throughout, providing more variety and a heavier emphasis on Batman's weaponry than in the last game. There are also new types of enemies that must be "stunned" first using specific combos, which keeps fights from being identical button-mashers, but sadly also slows the pace a little.
Predator tactics come into play when Bats enters an area being guarded by armed foes. While Batman has ballistic armor that can be upgraded, for the most part running into the line of an armed baddie's fire leads to a quick death. But the game gives you enough freedom to feel like Batman, hiding in the shadows not out of fear, but in order to strike fear. There is an even larger variety of "takedowns" than in the last game, allowing Batman to take advantage of elements of his environment such as ventilation shafts, gargoyles, and plywood barriers to pick off stragglers and watch their allies grow progressively more terrified.
The biggest improvement between games is the massive open-world that provides the setting for the game. Although some building can only be accessed as the story and your inventory allows, for the most part, Arkham City is your oyster from the moment you get in. Using a combination of gliding, diving, and grappling, you can battle random clusters of thugs for XP, follow up on various side missions as you discover them, or just admire the scenery. Most of the key locations you'd expect in Gotham City can be found walled off in Arkham, and Batman fans will definitely be in awe. I spent the first few hours gliding around the city, listening in on inmate's conversations, and occasionally swooping down to put the fear of God into them. Now THIS is what it's like to be Batman.
While there were references to just about every character in Batman's universe in the previous game, here just about all of them appear. To provide a list is to spoil many of the surprises, but returning enemies include the Joker, voiced in a stand-out performance by Mark Hamill (yes, THAT Mark Hamill.) Since he's announced his retirement from the role, this will probably be your last chance to get goosebumps listening to his pitch-perfect interpretation. Harley Quinn also returns, with a new (and, in my opinion, improved) costume, and also a new voice, with the Batman: TAS "Batgirl" Tara Strong taking over the role. Kevin Conroy also fits nicely back into the role of the titular character, who he voiced in TAS and the previous game. Another great performance comes from Nolan North, who voices my all-time favorite Batman villain, the Penguin. Here reinvented as a racketeer with the hint of a London accent and a cigar and broken glass bottle to replace the old cigarette holder and monocle, respectively, is a character that's still Oswald Cobblepot but is not to be trifled with. Chances are, between the main story line, the Easter eggs scattered throughout the city, and side missions, if you've got favorite Batman characters, they're in this game, and they're done justice.
The storyline is from TAS writer Paul Dinni, and ranks alongside of some of my favorite Batman comics. Like in "Arkham Asylum", fantastic use is made of the characters in the "Game Over" screens, now with a larger cast of enemies to taunt you, your taunter usually being determined by whose henchman defeats you. Unlike "Arkham Asylum", a fantastic game up until its anti-climatic ending, "Arkham City" only ever gets better as you progress through it. The only way this game isn't for you is if you absolutely hate Batman, great game play, and stunning graphics.
Why are you still reading this when you should be playing right now?
- SylvesterFox007
- Nov 4, 2011
- Permalink
I just finished playing Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition and I absolutely loved it. Batman has always been an interesting character and the Arkhamverse is able to bring out the joy of being the caped crusader. While Batman: Arkham Asylum was a great game in itself, after playing this game Asylum just seems like a demo.
Once again we have Batman pitted against Joker, and this time he's dying because of the Venom that he had taken in a huge dose in the boss level of Arkham Asylum. And he tricked Batman into catching him and injecting him with his blood, such that Batman also gets infected. Joker also sent his blood into all the hospitals of Gotham, which could cause everyone to die. Meanwhile the events take place in Arkham City, a prototype city that is set up by Wayne Enterprises.
Unlike the previous game, we are already given many gadgets. We have to either discover the other ones later on or they are occasionally disabled to add to the challenge. Some levels also require to use a huge arsenal of gadgets and strategies like in battling Mr Freeze or Clayface. We also get to control Catwoman. She's hard to adapt to in the beginning, but eventually you get the hang of it.
The only problem I had was that there was too much to do here, unlike Arkham Asylum where I could at least keep track of the events. I didn't even get the time to play the extra stories of Nightwing and attempting the challenges since I had other games to play, and I didn't want to waste time here since I had already completed the story. But these are just subjective opinions. I'm really happy I got this game on Epic when it was given out. Now that I have completed it I will try out Arkham Knight next and tell how I felt playing that game.
Once again we have Batman pitted against Joker, and this time he's dying because of the Venom that he had taken in a huge dose in the boss level of Arkham Asylum. And he tricked Batman into catching him and injecting him with his blood, such that Batman also gets infected. Joker also sent his blood into all the hospitals of Gotham, which could cause everyone to die. Meanwhile the events take place in Arkham City, a prototype city that is set up by Wayne Enterprises.
Unlike the previous game, we are already given many gadgets. We have to either discover the other ones later on or they are occasionally disabled to add to the challenge. Some levels also require to use a huge arsenal of gadgets and strategies like in battling Mr Freeze or Clayface. We also get to control Catwoman. She's hard to adapt to in the beginning, but eventually you get the hang of it.
The only problem I had was that there was too much to do here, unlike Arkham Asylum where I could at least keep track of the events. I didn't even get the time to play the extra stories of Nightwing and attempting the challenges since I had other games to play, and I didn't want to waste time here since I had already completed the story. But these are just subjective opinions. I'm really happy I got this game on Epic when it was given out. Now that I have completed it I will try out Arkham Knight next and tell how I felt playing that game.
This game is absolutely flawless. The first thing I would like to touch one is the story. It is FANTASTIC. Once you get absorbed in the story, it is hard to pull yourself away. The gameplay is somehow even more perfect than the last game, which some may have though was near to impossible. The ending was perfect. The DLC just adds more to an already great game. It somehow is must-have, but it doesn't hurt the experience if you don't have it. If you haven't played this game yet, nearly seven years later, you need to help yourself and play this.
- gagechesteeen
- Feb 14, 2018
- Permalink
Rocksteady has always given us a dark perspective of The Dark Knight. And as always their first Batman Arkham Asylum video game which i played was just amazing. Not only can you fight criminals or throw batarangs at them. But also in this game you get to interrogate them for information. But Rocksteady did a good job on this again in bringing it back.
If you are a fan of Batman Arkham Asylum which is the first game that i played and enjoyed forever, Then you are definitely going to love Batman Arkham City. This game in all it's glory is fun, Intreasting, And really dark like the first game was. And this game combines more intense action and a whole brand new story as you fight The Joker's henchmen and more in this game.
Criminals have escaped Blackgate Prison and now they are on the loose. The citizens of Gotham City are terrifed and there is only one man who can bring them all down which is The Dark Knight. Batman must work on his own to help the innocent citizens and must bring down this new threat once and for all.
There is a lot that Rocksteady Studios brought back to this new game. Like for example. The story was very good and at times was fast paced so that it moved along with the game. And as you progress the story moves along because recently it's all part of the game. In the first game, The story was the same and moved along pretty well. But in this game it continues to move along when you are doing a side mission or exploring no matter what you are doing.
Also you get side missions and you also have to collect The Riddler trophies in each level. Of course being that, The trophies have achievements and your goal is to collect them all in order to surprise The Riddler himself and stop him. But mostly if you collect all the trophies required in each level. Then you get to go to the bonus level with Riddler included in it. How fun is that! Also this game has great new free flowing combat that Batman can use and can attack his enemies more faster. Sometimes you can use weapons and gadgets to sometimes dodge an attack and you will have to stop the enemies that are after you. Plus Batman can kick, Punch, Or take down an enemy with one attack. This is what you should do in the game if there is more then one enemy after you and you must stun them. Plus Robin and Catwoman and Nightwing can do the same attacks as well if you do it correctly in order to block their attacks.
But this game does have playable characters. There is Catwomen, Nightwing, Robin, And of course the caped crusader Batman, You can easily play as one of them and as you navigate your character through certain levels. You are sure to have a fun time in beating the enemies or attacking them. But mostly what you can also do is you can beat your enemy and take them down with one attack and that's how it works well.
There are certain boss fights here. But you get a lot since this game does have so many. You have to fight Solomon Grundy and must take him down. And then when the Penguin comes after you. Then you must also avoid his attacks and take him down. But also the same with Ras Al Ghul and of course Clayface. Each boss fight will be difficult so it will be harder to beat them in time.
Also this game does have new enemies including Harley Quinn, The Joker, The Penguin, Mr Freeze, Clayface, And of course Solomon Grundy. This game introduces you to many new enemies that you have not seen before and really i gotta say. This is just amazing since we never saw them before for quite a while.
Also this game does have amazing voice talents and voicing. Mark Hamill voices The Joker very nicely and who can expect this. Mark Hamill is just amazing at his voicing as The Joker in the game and it just makes him more creepy. Also Nolan North as The Penguin is just awesome. He does a great job voicing The Penguin and his talent is awesome. And also more.
Also the graphics and also they look more realistic. And also the characters look good here too as well.
A great game by Rocksteady. You should get this, The best game of 2011 ever.
If you are a fan of Batman Arkham Asylum which is the first game that i played and enjoyed forever, Then you are definitely going to love Batman Arkham City. This game in all it's glory is fun, Intreasting, And really dark like the first game was. And this game combines more intense action and a whole brand new story as you fight The Joker's henchmen and more in this game.
Criminals have escaped Blackgate Prison and now they are on the loose. The citizens of Gotham City are terrifed and there is only one man who can bring them all down which is The Dark Knight. Batman must work on his own to help the innocent citizens and must bring down this new threat once and for all.
There is a lot that Rocksteady Studios brought back to this new game. Like for example. The story was very good and at times was fast paced so that it moved along with the game. And as you progress the story moves along because recently it's all part of the game. In the first game, The story was the same and moved along pretty well. But in this game it continues to move along when you are doing a side mission or exploring no matter what you are doing.
Also you get side missions and you also have to collect The Riddler trophies in each level. Of course being that, The trophies have achievements and your goal is to collect them all in order to surprise The Riddler himself and stop him. But mostly if you collect all the trophies required in each level. Then you get to go to the bonus level with Riddler included in it. How fun is that! Also this game has great new free flowing combat that Batman can use and can attack his enemies more faster. Sometimes you can use weapons and gadgets to sometimes dodge an attack and you will have to stop the enemies that are after you. Plus Batman can kick, Punch, Or take down an enemy with one attack. This is what you should do in the game if there is more then one enemy after you and you must stun them. Plus Robin and Catwoman and Nightwing can do the same attacks as well if you do it correctly in order to block their attacks.
But this game does have playable characters. There is Catwomen, Nightwing, Robin, And of course the caped crusader Batman, You can easily play as one of them and as you navigate your character through certain levels. You are sure to have a fun time in beating the enemies or attacking them. But mostly what you can also do is you can beat your enemy and take them down with one attack and that's how it works well.
There are certain boss fights here. But you get a lot since this game does have so many. You have to fight Solomon Grundy and must take him down. And then when the Penguin comes after you. Then you must also avoid his attacks and take him down. But also the same with Ras Al Ghul and of course Clayface. Each boss fight will be difficult so it will be harder to beat them in time.
Also this game does have new enemies including Harley Quinn, The Joker, The Penguin, Mr Freeze, Clayface, And of course Solomon Grundy. This game introduces you to many new enemies that you have not seen before and really i gotta say. This is just amazing since we never saw them before for quite a while.
Also this game does have amazing voice talents and voicing. Mark Hamill voices The Joker very nicely and who can expect this. Mark Hamill is just amazing at his voicing as The Joker in the game and it just makes him more creepy. Also Nolan North as The Penguin is just awesome. He does a great job voicing The Penguin and his talent is awesome. And also more.
Also the graphics and also they look more realistic. And also the characters look good here too as well.
A great game by Rocksteady. You should get this, The best game of 2011 ever.
- haxleyandrew
- Feb 8, 2012
- Permalink
I enjoyed the sequel to the great Batman game Arkham Asylum. I will say I prefer Asylum to this one a bit, but that is mainly due to a couple of factors I will go into later. It is not to far behind as I gave that one and this one both tens. This one has a part of Gotham City being blocked off from the rest of the city and being essentially a holding area for many of Gotham's more undesirable citizens i.e. the criminals. Hugo Strange is behind this insane effort and Bruce Wayne becomes one of the latest inmates. Well Penguin gets his hands on Bruce, but Bruce proves to be a much more physical and tough rich boy than the Penguin was expecting and Wayne soon finds his way to a rooftop where he is sent his bat suit and he now stands as Batman over the bleak city. He must traverse this city full of his most deadly foes such as Two-Face, Penguin, Mr. Freeze and of course the Joker. He must find out what Hugo Strange is planning as he most certainly has an agenda, however things become complicated when Batman's greatest nemesis injects Batman with his own blood because the Joker has contracted something thanks to the Titan formula he used in the previous game. So Batman must find a cure for himself while trying to figure out Strange's plan. The game plays a lot like the first game as the fighting and such is nearly identical. It just occurs over a much greater area this time. The story is top notch and once again Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as the Joker are great. It amazes me how well both do with their characters. The main problems I have with this one is the Riddler puzzles are very tough in this one, whereas in the previous game I found all but five without any assistance here I was just to overwhelmed with the amount of riddles laid out before me. Also, the difficulty was very high in this one once the sniper rifles came into play. Trying to get into the theater was an incredible nightmare, I had less trouble with the final foe. Finally, I was expecting to be able to play the game as Catwoman, however, you apparently have to be online to download her and her stories which means to bad for those of us who do not have an internet connection. The boss battles are improved though and overall the game was grand fun with a strangely somber ending, one thinks to themselves that what happens should not be sad, but one still feels a bit bad. At least I did. Here is hoping for a part three that incorporates all of Gotham and lets you drive the Batmobile.
Until about three years ago, I had never owned any game console that weren't manufactured by Nintendo, or any PC that could play high fidelity video games, so it's been a fascinating experience going back and trying out all of these games from more than ten years ago that I'd heard of but never seen played or tried for myself.
Batman: Arkham City came out right at that sweet spot for open world gaming, when open world game design was actually an artistic endeavor that actually sought to enhance the story the videogame was trying to tell, and not an endless checklist of mindless boxes to tick off and things to collect and busywork.
There are just so many things I appreciate about the way this game was designed. The open world is not vast in scope, one that will take you hours upon hours just to run from one end of it to the other, and I see that as a good thing. The world is compact, well designed, and emanates the strong theme of Gotham's decay, and I really wish far more games today would stop making endless world maps across vast landscapes and focus on making more tightly designed world maps more densely packed.
I also appreciate how the side missions in this game all feel like their own complete stories that intersect well with the main story. I've played through a dozen other massive open world games that contain seemingly hundreds of side missions, like Skyrim and RDR2 and Ghosts of Tsushima, and some of those side missions can be very neat and worthwhile, but the vast majority of them feel identical to one another, you talk to a person, you go to a location, you get a thing, and you go back and talk to the person, you get reward, rinse repeat. There's very few stories or side missions I can recall clearly in any of those games even minutes after finishing them. However, after finishing Arkham City earlier today, I can still clearly remember where I started, where I finished, many of the characters I met along the way, what their stories were, and what the conclusions to those stories were, because each side mission I partook in consisted of characters that actually felt like full characters and not forgettable throwaway checklists handed out by forgettable throwaway NPCs.
What's more, I also find myself wishing more games took the right lessons from this era in terms of length. Arkham City is one of the only open world games I've played that feels like it is the exact length that it needs to be, that doesn't drag on excessively. I don't understand why developers like Ubisoft have decided that all open world games need to be more than 100 hours long and filled to the brim with hundreds upon hundreds of boxes to tick off, things to climb, enemy bases to clear out, repetitive random events, and random mindless collectibles.
On the note of collectibles, even the thing I've disliked most about open world games, which would be an endless list of hundreds of collectibles, doesn't feel completely worthless and out of place in Arkham City. Many of these Riddler trophies were quite fun to collect, as the challenges to collect them weren't excessively repetitive and quite often I actually felt rewarded when I figured out the puzzle.
One last note, I wanted to mention the stealth action in this game, which is something that just never felt rewarding in other open world games I've played. Other stealth action games that obviously ripped straight from this game's playbook all missed two key aspects that made clearing out a room full of badguys without getting caught so rewarding in this game: consequences and escalation. When you get caught in stealth mode in other open world games, like Ghosts of Tsushima, you can just run away from the camp and sneak in from another angle like nothing happened, or you can just fight everybody in the camp off singlehandedly with no real consequences. In this game, if you're caught in room full of armed thugs, you will die incredible quickly, but you still have the chance to repel away or drop a smoke pellet and get away as quick as you can by the skin of your teeth, but if you do, the enemies will be incredible jumpy and start firing into random spaces, and they'll learn from previous tactics they've seen you use forcing you to switch up how to take them out. If they find a body next to a ledge they'll start checking over ledges, or in the vents, or in the rafters, or wherever else you take them out from. It's a way to force you to switch up your tactics and use all of your tools effectively in a way that feels organic.
It's been really neat going back and playing all of these games I didn't get to try out in high school, and getting to see how games have evolved over time, and some of the things that have been lost or forgotten along the way. Arkham City is a prime example of excellent open world use and design, and I really wish that future developers had learned the right lessons from games like this. Bigger isn't always better. I'd highly prefer far more games try to make effective use of smaller maps like this. Definitely recommended to other patient gamers like me who didn't get a chance to play it when it came out.
Batman: Arkham City came out right at that sweet spot for open world gaming, when open world game design was actually an artistic endeavor that actually sought to enhance the story the videogame was trying to tell, and not an endless checklist of mindless boxes to tick off and things to collect and busywork.
There are just so many things I appreciate about the way this game was designed. The open world is not vast in scope, one that will take you hours upon hours just to run from one end of it to the other, and I see that as a good thing. The world is compact, well designed, and emanates the strong theme of Gotham's decay, and I really wish far more games today would stop making endless world maps across vast landscapes and focus on making more tightly designed world maps more densely packed.
I also appreciate how the side missions in this game all feel like their own complete stories that intersect well with the main story. I've played through a dozen other massive open world games that contain seemingly hundreds of side missions, like Skyrim and RDR2 and Ghosts of Tsushima, and some of those side missions can be very neat and worthwhile, but the vast majority of them feel identical to one another, you talk to a person, you go to a location, you get a thing, and you go back and talk to the person, you get reward, rinse repeat. There's very few stories or side missions I can recall clearly in any of those games even minutes after finishing them. However, after finishing Arkham City earlier today, I can still clearly remember where I started, where I finished, many of the characters I met along the way, what their stories were, and what the conclusions to those stories were, because each side mission I partook in consisted of characters that actually felt like full characters and not forgettable throwaway checklists handed out by forgettable throwaway NPCs.
What's more, I also find myself wishing more games took the right lessons from this era in terms of length. Arkham City is one of the only open world games I've played that feels like it is the exact length that it needs to be, that doesn't drag on excessively. I don't understand why developers like Ubisoft have decided that all open world games need to be more than 100 hours long and filled to the brim with hundreds upon hundreds of boxes to tick off, things to climb, enemy bases to clear out, repetitive random events, and random mindless collectibles.
On the note of collectibles, even the thing I've disliked most about open world games, which would be an endless list of hundreds of collectibles, doesn't feel completely worthless and out of place in Arkham City. Many of these Riddler trophies were quite fun to collect, as the challenges to collect them weren't excessively repetitive and quite often I actually felt rewarded when I figured out the puzzle.
One last note, I wanted to mention the stealth action in this game, which is something that just never felt rewarding in other open world games I've played. Other stealth action games that obviously ripped straight from this game's playbook all missed two key aspects that made clearing out a room full of badguys without getting caught so rewarding in this game: consequences and escalation. When you get caught in stealth mode in other open world games, like Ghosts of Tsushima, you can just run away from the camp and sneak in from another angle like nothing happened, or you can just fight everybody in the camp off singlehandedly with no real consequences. In this game, if you're caught in room full of armed thugs, you will die incredible quickly, but you still have the chance to repel away or drop a smoke pellet and get away as quick as you can by the skin of your teeth, but if you do, the enemies will be incredible jumpy and start firing into random spaces, and they'll learn from previous tactics they've seen you use forcing you to switch up how to take them out. If they find a body next to a ledge they'll start checking over ledges, or in the vents, or in the rafters, or wherever else you take them out from. It's a way to force you to switch up your tactics and use all of your tools effectively in a way that feels organic.
It's been really neat going back and playing all of these games I didn't get to try out in high school, and getting to see how games have evolved over time, and some of the things that have been lost or forgotten along the way. Arkham City is a prime example of excellent open world use and design, and I really wish that future developers had learned the right lessons from games like this. Bigger isn't always better. I'd highly prefer far more games try to make effective use of smaller maps like this. Definitely recommended to other patient gamers like me who didn't get a chance to play it when it came out.
- bulgerpaul
- Dec 2, 2021
- Permalink
Oh my god! I mean, OH MY GOD! I have never played a Batman game this extraordinary, this dark, this big before. It has everything you could ever want in a Batman game. It gets better & better every time I play it. Just like the Dark Knight trilogy the first & last games were fun but the second is the definitive Batman game ever. Period. I will never stop playing it. It gets even better if you're a hardcore Batman fan like me. Why are you wasting your time reading this? Go to your local video game store & buy the game. Now damn it! NOW! The voice acting is great; thank you Kevin Conroy & Mark Hamil, the story is interesting, the atmosphere is heavy & Gothic. The game really lets you soak up everything that is Batman. All in all, buy it now!
I'm Batman!
I'm Batman!
- xodanielcasterox
- Feb 23, 2014
- Permalink
Where to start? This game re-invented what it would actually feel like to be the batman. After arkham asylum came out I was amazed at rocksteadys ability to make a match if not trump its predecessor with arkham City. The scale of this game is huge,( not as huge as Arkham Knight but still huge ) the storyline is so intriguing and complex it weaves its way into your brain like a centipede. But the thing that won me over and made this game was its boss fights. No other game has built scenes up and then make you control your character and beat the main oppressor like this one has. Mark Hamil really shines as the clown prince of crime and delivers a sinister, terrifying version of a batman favorite, the joker. But maybe just as good was the voice talent of batman, Kevin Conroy who also voices batman in 'the animated series' and the 'justice league'. I think this game really delves into the relationship of batman and the joker, and how there really can't be one without the other. The ending had me speechless and amazed and the final line delivered by Conroy is ironic and brilliant. With the addition of the amazing boss fight with Mr Freeze this game is nothing short of perfect and a personal favorite of many superhero fans. It deserves a 10.
Okay, no. I didn't think Arkham Asylum was all that amazing. You've probably all read my review of that and those that are in the habit of flipping out over the opinions of others have no doubt done so already, so for all the rest of you...
I absolutely loved Arkham City.
So what did it do better than Asylum, oh, basically everything, in short. While I never really thought the endless corridors of the titular asylum were anything to write home about - atmospheric, certainly, but not very memorable - the dilapidated mega prison of Arkham City is so much bigger, yet so much more of it is memorable, interesting, and gorgeous. The soundtrack certainly adds to this (also way better than Asylum in my opinion), but at the same time, it manages to not be an open world that feels too tediously big, or so small that it might as well not be there at all, and gliding high over the place makes you feel like Batman more than ever before, and if anyone else would like to tell me how much of a cliché it is to say that about these games anymore, you're very welcome to come back once you've found a better way of saying it, Shakespeare.
The other problem open worlds tend to have often - needless padding full of nebulous stuff to collect...well, we'll get to that later. Nevertheless, the presentation is amazing, and the voice acting that was the high point of Arkham Asylum for me is back and better than ever. Kevin Conroy, Tara Strong (unfortunately replacing Arleen Sorkin but she's great too), Wally Wingert, Grey DeLisle, Nolan North, Corey Burton, and of course Mark Hamill, they, and every other voice actor are all amazing throughout.
The plot this time around is also so much more involving, with a building mystery in the background while Batman is forced to search for the cure to a poison slowly killing him, instead of an overly typical boring prison break plot like in the first game, everything feels so much more high-stakes this time around, and that ending is just...haunting. It does suffer from a few noticeable plot holes, mostly relating to how Hugo Strange has apparently been crowned emperor of the universe if he can seriously swing this whole "Arkham City" business past Gotham's board of directors, and how exactly a majority of the villains' various plans are expected to work, but it's still so much more kinetic and enjoyable than it was in Arkham Asylum.
And the gameplay that I massively enjoyed for a few hours in Asylum, but then got rather bored of, has been massively improved too, with a much wider variety of enemies as I remembered, and a bigger load of gadgets to mess around with in stealth sequences, and the bosses have had a much-needed hike in quality too.
Aside from the aforementioned plot holes, there are a few niggling issues. For one, Warner Bros. cut Catwoman's parts of the game out for anyone who didn't want to buy the game new when it came out, or otherwise buy the DLC pack. They were part of the game that had either been intended as part of the full experience, or mandated to be there so that Warner Bros. could have something to dangle over players' heads to get them to spend more money, and either way it sucks. A lot of the side quests seem to end really anti-climatically, and as for the open world bloating, well...let's just say the Riddler is back with a vengeance in this game, although the result of finishing all his challenges is much more satisfying this time.
But overall, this is exactly how great I remembered the Arkham games being, and, in my opinion (can't make that clear enough), leagues better than Arkham Asylum.
- TheCorniestLemur
- Sep 6, 2020
- Permalink
- Littlebitsofgaming
- Dec 25, 2011
- Permalink
The first time i played Batman Arkham Asylum i could not wait for the sequel. And after playing Batman Arkham City, i can safely say that it is the best superhero game ever. The plot is perfect, the scenery is perfect, the game play is perfect. You could tell that the creators improved on the detective aspect of the game massively. (Meaning that you don't have to spend as much time in detective mode.) The characters are well introduced and every character has a vital part to play in the plot. The voices for the characters were well suited (Mark Hamill giving another astounding performance as the joker.) But i have to say, the thing i loved most about the game was the additional things, the side missions were great and the Riddler trophies, though challenging, were fun to do. I recommend this game to anyone who either enjoys Batman or a quality game.
- Thisguy622
- Nov 4, 2011
- Permalink