Batman: Arkham City Impressions

If you look at the blog for, oh, say, a week, you might notice that there haven't been too many posts. If you happen to look back to the 18th, you may also notice that a certain game was released on that day. Now, I don't want to say Batman: Arkham City has actually taken up all of our free time in the past week, with us playing until 5 in the morning on some days, but....No, wait, that is exactly what I wanted to say. The game is fantastic. Go buy it right now. Right now. Go.


What, you want more? Ok, but this is seriously cutting into my playtime here.

"Why are they not playing right now, Quinn?"

So perhaps a quick story summary is in order. [Slight Spoilers] The story follows some plot lines established in Arkham Asylum, with Warden Sharp becoming mayor and the Joker dying from his Titan overdose. I won't get too deep into story, because each new twist the story takes introduces new gameplay elements and great villain moments. Suffice it to say that somewhat-obscure Batman villain Doctor Hugo Strange manipulates Mayor Sharp into walling off part of Gotham to hold the city's criminal and crazy element. As events develop, we find that Strange's plan may be a tad bit more devious than originally thought. It's up to the World's Greatest Detective to find out what Strange's plan is before he falls victim to the perils of Arkham City. [End Spoilers]

Our main villain, seen here making it hard to take him seriously.

The gameplay hasn't changed much since the first game, which is fantastic. The first game's handling was near perfect, and the additions to Arkham City, while seemingly slight, only enhance the original formula. The fighting is even more fluid, with the addition of multiple-enemy counters, armored and shielded enemies, and the gadget quickfire mechanic making the fights more tactically challenging. Rocksteady also added a variety of new takedown methods and different counters such as the blade counter and shield counter, constantly keeping you on your toes, even in simple fights. 

I could go on and on about how much I love the fighting system. Rocksteady was able to create a system where button mashing will get you through, but technique and finesse is greatly rewarded. People willing to spend a little time experimenting and honing their skills will find the system both deep and deeply satisfying. The game is constantly upping the difficulty of enemies, so you will always feel challenged, but it is never cheap. 

The game world is highly detailed and is packed with references to Batman lore for those willing to look. The city is full of homages to the comics from the obvious, such as Crime Alley, to the obscure, such as the Olympus Lounge. The city is quintessentially Gotham in look and feel. You can really tell this was made by Batman fans for Batman fans.

The Riddler challenges are back, and in force. There is nearly twice as many here as in Arkham Asylum, and  they are all worthy of the Riddler name. The hard part is not finding them, oh no. Riddler informants scattered throughout the game will gladly give up their locations. Almost every trophy has a little trick to figure out in order to get them. That feeling of satisfaction that you get from figuring out a particularly difficult Riddler trophy or riddle might keep you looking for them for hours on end. Hours.

"Don't you ever SLEEP, Dark Knight?"

The boss fights are perhaps the biggest fix from the original game. In Arkham Asylum, many were upset that the boss fights were just more henchmen with the villain in the background, cheering them on. Not this time. If I had to guess, I would have to say that Rocksteady's mission statement for this game was, "Every villain in Batman's rogue's gallery will get intimately acquainted with his fist."  There is a certain satisfaction in beating down a big bad that has been taunting you for a few hours that never gets old. I won't spoil the fun for anyone, but trust me, Batman gets some hands on time with the characters that you love to hate.

I don't know what else to say. If you are a Batman fan, you should already have this. If you've never played the first game, then SLAP. GO PLAY THE FIRST ONE NOW, THEN IMMEDIATELY GET THIS ONE, YOU SICK SICK PERSON. If you're not a Batman fan, or are ambivalent towards the character, then congratulations on not existing. 


In all seriousness, buy this game. It's not just a good Batman game, it's a good game, period. Ok, time to go back to playing. Batman, final thoughts?

"I just got done cleaning off the blood of the last person who didn't get Arkham City...."

Well said Batman. Well said.