Batman: Arkham City
Platforms: Xbox 360/PS3
Publisher/Developer: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment/Rocksteady Studios
Genre: Action/adventure
Price: $59.99
Release Date: Available now
The skinny: There’s a certain magic one feels when watching Christopher Nolan’s “Batman” films. So true to the source material yet tremendously entertaining to non-fans, the first two movies were beloved by just about everyone who watched them. And yet, that magical feeling of watching the Caped Crusader dole out justice on the streets of Gotham is nothing compared to taking on his mantle yourself.
In 2009’s Batman: Arkham Asylum, players were given that opportunity, as Bruce Wayne was tasked with bringing an island filled with the criminally insane under control. He returns in this year’s Batman: Arkham City. No longer confined to an island, Gotham’s worst inhabitants now have free rein within a large chunk of the city that’s been walled off by a mysterious, malevolent psychologist named Dr. Strange. Calling it Arkham City, Strange tosses not only Batman’s worst foes behind the walls, but Bruce Wayne himself. To what end? That’s for the Dark Knight to find out.
Gameplay: Arkham City is a third-person action game that plays a lot like its predecessor, albeit massively refined and polished. Batman is still able to take on a dozen enemies at once, countering their attacks with well-timed strikes or simply pummeling them into oblivion, but there’s now much more than the excellent combat system.
The biggest change for this year’s installment is the level of freedom players have in exploring the game’s map. Within the first 10 minutes, Batman is able to access about 80 percent of the city, latching onto rooftops and gliding from building to building before diving down to the streets to teach local thugs some dang respect. These streets are filled with secrets, hidden trophies placed by the Riddler and subtle nods to familiar characters like Poison Ivy and Two-Face.
Even though much of your time playing Arkham City will be spent traversing the streets, Batman somehow finds a way to make commuting fun, with smooth, intuitive controls that do precisely what you want, when you want.
Seeing the sights: Batman’s quest to uncover Dr. Strange’s plot will bring players face to face with plenty of familiar characters and locales, ripped right from the comic books. Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge and Gotham’s courthouse (where Harvey Dent caught a beaker of acid in the face) are recreated faithfully and lined with nods to fans, right down to the newspapers hanging on the walls.
The interiors are only topped by the city itself, with its gorgeously dingy alleyways and skylines. Nolan’s movies have a tough time making you feel the grit of Gotham, but in Arkham City, you’re living it. You’re choking on the fumes from the chemical plant and your hands are filthy with scum from the city’s sewers. It’s only masterful art design that could make you feel this way playing a game.
The bottom line: Batman: Arkham City is as close to perfect as games get. From the remarkable cityscape to the twisting story to the flawless combat engine, one struggles to find fault. Think you have to wait until next summer for Batman’s grand return? Think again.
Our Rating: 10/10
Recommended if you like: Batman
Platforms: Xbox 360/PS3
Publisher/Developer: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment/Rocksteady Studios
Genre: Action/adventure
Price: $59.99
Release Date: Available now
The skinny: There’s a certain magic one feels when watching Christopher Nolan’s “Batman” films. So true to the source material yet tremendously entertaining to non-fans, the first two movies were beloved by just about everyone who watched them. And yet, that magical feeling of watching the Caped Crusader dole out justice on the streets of Gotham is nothing compared to taking on his mantle yourself.
In 2009’s Batman: Arkham Asylum, players were given that opportunity, as Bruce Wayne was tasked with bringing an island filled with the criminally insane under control. He returns in this year’s Batman: Arkham City. No longer confined to an island, Gotham’s worst inhabitants now have free rein within a large chunk of the city that’s been walled off by a mysterious, malevolent psychologist named Dr. Strange. Calling it Arkham City, Strange tosses not only Batman’s worst foes behind the walls, but Bruce Wayne himself. To what end? That’s for the Dark Knight to find out.
Gameplay: Arkham City is a third-person action game that plays a lot like its predecessor, albeit massively refined and polished. Batman is still able to take on a dozen enemies at once, countering their attacks with well-timed strikes or simply pummeling them into oblivion, but there’s now much more than the excellent combat system.
The biggest change for this year’s installment is the level of freedom players have in exploring the game’s map. Within the first 10 minutes, Batman is able to access about 80 percent of the city, latching onto rooftops and gliding from building to building before diving down to the streets to teach local thugs some dang respect. These streets are filled with secrets, hidden trophies placed by the Riddler and subtle nods to familiar characters like Poison Ivy and Two-Face.
Even though much of your time playing Arkham City will be spent traversing the streets, Batman somehow finds a way to make commuting fun, with smooth, intuitive controls that do precisely what you want, when you want.
Seeing the sights: Batman’s quest to uncover Dr. Strange’s plot will bring players face to face with plenty of familiar characters and locales, ripped right from the comic books. Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge and Gotham’s courthouse (where Harvey Dent caught a beaker of acid in the face) are recreated faithfully and lined with nods to fans, right down to the newspapers hanging on the walls.
The interiors are only topped by the city itself, with its gorgeously dingy alleyways and skylines. Nolan’s movies have a tough time making you feel the grit of Gotham, but in Arkham City, you’re living it. You’re choking on the fumes from the chemical plant and your hands are filthy with scum from the city’s sewers. It’s only masterful art design that could make you feel this way playing a game.
The bottom line: Batman: Arkham City is as close to perfect as games get. From the remarkable cityscape to the twisting story to the flawless combat engine, one struggles to find fault. Think you have to wait until next summer for Batman’s grand return? Think again.
Our Rating: 10/10
Recommended if you like: Batman
