Back in ’09, you would have heard me say that Arkham Asylum was quite possibly the best video game based on a comic book character that had ever been made, despite my distaste for the game’s ending. As Rocksteady’s sophomore foray into the Caped Crusader’s story, Arkham City features a semi-sandbox environment with more easter eggs, riddles, jokes, TITAN, and gadgets than you could toss a batarang at. But did it live up to its predecessor?

Please note that this review may contain some spoilers, but we’ll try not to give much away!

The Good:

Without a cowl
What’s a Batman story without some Bruce Wayne tossed in? The introductory sequence of the game has the player enacting one of the many “escape” sequences that Batman has become so recognized for. Tied to a chair and unsure of where he is, Bruce (the player) must struggle to free himself in order to uncover the mysteries of Arkham City.

This was one of my few complaints about the last game, which has most certainly been rectified. All that I wanted was to walk around in Wayne Manor as Bruce, give Alfred a high-five, and check out the Batcave. I’ll definitely take what I can get, though!

Rogues Gallery
Joker, Riddler, Penguin, Two-Face, Mad-Hatter, Mr.Freeze, Solomon Grundy, Deadshot, Zsasz, Ra’s Al Ghul, Harley Quinn, Calendar Man, and more?! If you have a favorite Batman villain, they’re probably in this game. Perhaps it’s only an easter egg or a subtle nod – but they’re there.

Freeflow Combat & Stealth
Pretty much the same thing that we saw in Arkham Asylum, with a few tweaks. The “upgraded” combat system features more gadgets, counter-attacks, environmental effects, and general maneuverability than its previous rendition.

Stealth definitely plays a large role in the game as well. You can absolutely run into a room & take out everyone, being as loud as you’d please. Or you can sneak about the room to take out the would-be-attackers one by one. There are benefits to both methods. Rocksteady doesn’t really force you into one style of gameplay, but certainly places an emphasis on the importance of stealth. You aren’t a man of steel, after all.

Gadgets
At one point, Alfred literally suggests that Batman may want to consider a larger utility belt. You have smoke grenades, explosive gel, batarangs, remote batarangs, sonic batarangs, the Batclaw – and that’s just to start! One of my complaints with sequels of other games that you unlock new gear in, is having that gear taken away from you right at the start of the game. God of War is a horrid example of this trap which Batman gracefully avoids. Almost everything you had in Arkham Asylum (except for damage reduction upgrades) is at your disposal in Arkham City. There are a few exceptions, naturally – but when you’re limited to the few pouches you’ve got on your utility belt, you can’t be expected to bring the entire armory with you.

The Bad:

Note: I had to dig pretty hard into what I could possibly find wrong with this game, in order make the following points.

Graphics
Many would argue that a game about Batman isn’t really meant to be pretty. That it’s supposed to be raw & gritty. I certainly agree. However, I feel that the graphics could have used a little more fine-tuning, as there are a few hiccups here & there. With that being said, the pre-rendered cutscenes are beautiful!

The Joker’s at it again
Surprise, surprise. When you uncover the overarching story, you’ll learn that the joker has (unsurprisingly) hatched a plan the likes of which Batman & co. will need to thwart. It could be argued that Hugo Strange or Ra’s Al Ghul are Arkham City’s true villains, despite their lack of direct interaction with the B-man for more than half of the game.

Hamill’s “Last” Hurrah?
While I would absolutely love to see Mr. Hamill continue his legacy, I’m a tad disappointed at the “send off” they gave him. It almost feels like something of a cop-out, but a very ballsy move at that. It certainly paves the way for other villains to appear in future games, as hinted at during side-quests/missions.

An interesting tidbit: despite his earlier claims that this would be his last time voicing The Joker, Hamill stated that he’d happily make an exception if DC decides to animate one of their classic stories, The Killing Joke.

Arkham City is, without a doubt in my mind, the greatest Batman experience that a video game could possibly offer (to date). If you’ve played Arkham Asylum, or are looking for a new way to enjoy Batman, Arkham City is definitely for you. Fans of the comics will absolutely love all of the easter eggs and other general nods that Rocksteady & DC throws your way. As comic fan, and video game fan, I really don’t think I could ask for much more.

Tweet