How do you improve an already amazing game formula? All things considered, Rocksteady Games has succeeded with the arrival of Batman Arkham City. Arkham’s story picks up a couple of months after the Batman Asylum plot closes. Gotham City’s now-leader Quincy Sharp has relocated Gotham’s thieves to a locked-down region within the heart of the city…currently Arkham City, run by Dr. Hugo Strange. Clearly this stands out enough to be noticed and of course Batman must investigate what goes on within its walls.
With an already stellar battle setting, there is little change within the battlefields of Arkham City. As Batman, you can fight and counter well with various techniques. You fight with a button, you fight back with a substitute. Depending on how the player levels up, Batman’s traps and gadgets can essentially beat mentally dead hooligans with ease. There’s nothing better than coming to the end of a battle to witness the ultimate punch to the jaw that only Batman can deliver. On the other hand, not all enemies are idiots. Some come equipped for the fight with electric stagger bars, convincing protection, firepower, and some staggering numbers. One of my favorite battle techniques is hanging from statues and dropping the hammer upside down on unsuspecting opponents. I’m also a huge fan of sneaking under vents, then climbing up to take out a villain…and then going back undercover. Gradually, no doubt one by one, the horrible guys start to get apprehensive and realize they’re in for a beating; It won’t be long before they find the Bat!
An alternate perspective that emerged within the game was boss battles. While the Penguin and his shark coliseum was extraordinary (uniquely similar to the boss fight with the ocean creature in Resident Evil 4); you never really knew when the shark was ready to jump out of the submerged water to give you a beating. In hindsight, it’s the fight with Mr. Freeze that steals the show. You need to use your wits as much as possible to survive this fight. The brawl arena offered the ideal mix of key components to use stealth and wilderness territory to come out on top. I also appeared in this battle because of his emulation scene. In general, I have had a soft spot for Mr. Freeze, as deep down, I accept that he is a genuine man who is simply fighting for the woman he adores. It was honestly a poignant minute in a game bent on violence and extreme judgment.
One component of the Batman series that provides special proof is the Riddler’s puzzles to be solved. I started this game with the assumption that I would finish every one of Riddler’s 400 trials. After all, that didn’t last long. I would have had to spend a lot of time on Google to solve some of these puzzles, which I decided to give up. After playing for the first time, having the opportunity to play the New Game Plus option, I abandoned a large part of these missions. The New Game Plus option is a fun opportunity to use your new abilities, gadgets, and skill to take on an ever-increasing number of enemies that offer a more difficult test.
In all, Batman Arkham City offers additional modes to test the player’s merit (ie defeating waves of adversaries, carrying out a stealth mission, etc.). In reality, the fundamental appeal of these tests is to improve Batman’s skills, to become a significantly stronger protagonist.
In essence, the only complaint I have about Arkham City is the Catwoman missions. Basically, I didn’t enjoy playing as Catwoman. I just felt so comfortable being Batman, I just didn’t want to play an alternate character.
Overall, Batman Arkham City is one of the best sequels I’ve played in recent years. Investigation is paramount, leveling up becomes addictive, and you can never help but smile (in an evil way) when dealing with the Joker. Actually, this video game has one of the most amazing opening scenes that emphasize yours, the Joker. It’s an epic start to a glorious company. So, take the night and clear out the slime within Gotham City.