Batman Arkham City
Rocksteady
2011
It’s that time again Batmen and Batgirls to don your cape, affix your masks and fasten your utility belts because “Batman: Arkham City is finally” here. Rocksteady’s follow up to the critically acclaimed “Arkham Asylum” is one of the most eagerly anticipated games in recent memory precisely because “Arkham Asylum” was not just the best Batman game ever created it was the best Superhero game ever created period. Let me re-assure you nervous fanboys that Rocksteady have produced a game that is superior to “Asylum” in almost every way. This is the closest thing any of us are ever going to get to being the caped crusader, that is, assuming there are no “Kick Ass” style nut-jobs out there. And if there are...go get ‘em Tiger!
One of the first things you’ll notice as you take those first tentative glides around “Arkham City” is the scale of the map. Let’s get this straight, it’s not as much of a sprawling Metropolis as some of the marketing might have you believe, but it’s certainly a step up from the tight, twisty corridors of Asylum. You sure as hell won’t get lost, unless you’re a moron, but you will feel things have certainly opened up. Rocksteady have done an amazing job creating a dark, twisted and sombre environment for your Caped Crusader to glide, grapple and fight crime in. Like all the best renderings of Gotham, the city feels like a character in itself, ready to betray Batman at every turn. “Arkham City” is full of fiendish characters, with almost every major enemy from Batman’s rouges gallery accounted for so fans are sure to have a whale of a time hunting them down. You will be disappointed if you’re a mad Clayface fanatic (although I can’t imagine why you would be) and Scarecrow is notable by his absence but we can’t have everything now can we? The story-line is very strong and contains several genuinely shocking twists. A great thing about these games is that the developers and writers are extremely respectful to Batman’s history and seem proud to display it in the extensive character bios you unlock along the way. The story feels natural and organic to the Batman canon and isn’t coming at you out of left field. At the same time, perhaps more importantly than that, the game adds plenty of new perspectives and plots to that history as well and isn’t afraid to put its own spin on things. There are a few shaky plot points here and there that seem as though they were stuck in the script to serve only as boss battles but this is forgivable when you consider the story as a whole. Why you end up fighting Solomon Grundy I still haven’t the foggiest of ideas. The fact that you most likely will find yourself breaking away from the main story in order to complete one of the many side missions can sometimes make the game feel a little disjointed. Stick with it though and you will find a story that is both engaging and captivating.
The voice acting is near impeccable, with almost every actor turning in a stellar performance. Kevin Conroy’s brooding Dark Knight is cool and understated, while Mark (don’t call me Skywalker) Hamil threatens to steal the show once more as the brilliantly deranged Joker. The most affecting performance comes from Futurama mainstay Maurice LaMarche, who adds an air of sadness and melancholia to the often one-dimensional Mr Freeze. It’s not overstating it to say that the games rendering of Freeze is probably the best I have ever seen. There are a few clunky lines, delivered mainly by ancillary characters and the wonkiest English accent since Dick Van Dyke, delivered by Nolan North’s Penguin. But with the rest of the cast in such sparkling form this is easy to forgive. Seriously do some American’s still think we say “Loife” instead of life? Beggars belief it really does!
The game benefits from having essentially the same mechanics as the first game –showcased most impressively in the amazing freeflow combat system - (X= Strike, O= Stun, Y= Counter) with a few notable additions. Counters are made easier and cooler by the fact that you can now counter multiple enemies simultaneously. You can also use your Batclaw to pull an enemy into a Bat-clothesline which is by far and away one of the coolest moves I’ve ever seen in any game. In an age where developers are constantly adjusting gameplay mechanics in an ill advised bid to evolve them, it is refreshing to see Rocksteady take this “If it aint broke, don’t fix it” approach. Especially if that approach allows you to kick 7 shades of shit out of 30 guys, counter their moves and thus really feel like the ultimate badass. Old gadgets such as the Explosive Gel and the Baterang make a return alongside a few new ones such as Freeze Spray and Smoke Pellets. Gliding is also made much more fun with the addition of dive bombing and pulling up, which is not only unassailably cool, but also serves to make the Dark Knight much easier to control mid-flight. The ability to grapple onto buildings mid-flight is also an advantage as it makes transportation across the map much quicker and easier
Riddler trophies and challenges make a return but are more varied this time. You will still find yourself traipsing around in search of those little green question marks but they are much more of a challenge to find and obtain. Accumulating these trophies will unlock amazing concept art, 3D character models and Challenge maps so it doesn’t feel like such a chore this time around. I am also informed they are needed to access a showdown with the Riddler later in the game so get hunting!! There are also random assaults, training challenges and a particularly twisted game of cat and mouse with Victor Zasz to complete, so there is no excuse for Batman to sit on his arse. Put the boy to work, that’s what I say!
Before you even start the game I implore everyone reading this to download the free Catwoman DLC pack which allows you to play as Selena Kyle herself. Her missions are not completely independent and are instead woven into the fabric of the story. Rocksteady have made sure to make playing as Catwoman a unique experience and have equipped her with her own fighting style and gadgetry. Tripping someone over with her whip has to be one of the most satisfying and hilarious moves you can pull off. She climbs up buildings and has the ability to crawl upside down on the ceiling. This really isn’t half-arsed. The developers have really put a lot of care and attention into Catwoman and the game is richer as a result. She is so good I almost wish she had her own game!
Verdict: What can I say folks!? This game is amazing! Rocksteady have taken a winning formula and built on it magnificently. The story is strong, it looks fantastic and there is plenty to get your teeth into. The voice acting is stellar, its missions are various and its sheer scale is pretty impressive. This is a true Batman experience for fans and newcomers alike. It is loyal to Batman’s history and doesn’t patronize while at the same time offering plenty of thrills if you want to ignore the back stories and just kick some villainous arse! Quite simply one of my favourite games of the year!
Score: 10/10
BadIdeaDan, for mlm.
It’s that time again Batmen and Batgirls to don your cape, affix your masks and fasten your utility belts because “Batman: Arkham City is finally” here. Rocksteady’s follow up to the critically acclaimed “Arkham Asylum” is one of the most eagerly anticipated games in recent memory precisely because “Arkham Asylum” was not just the best Batman game ever created it was the best Superhero game ever created period. Let me re-assure you nervous fanboys that Rocksteady have produced a game that is superior to “Asylum” in almost every way. This is the closest thing any of us are ever going to get to being the caped crusader, that is, assuming there are no “Kick Ass” style nut-jobs out there. And if there are...go get ‘em Tiger!
One of the first things you’ll notice as you take those first tentative glides around “Arkham City” is the scale of the map. Let’s get this straight, it’s not as much of a sprawling Metropolis as some of the marketing might have you believe, but it’s certainly a step up from the tight, twisty corridors of Asylum. You sure as hell won’t get lost, unless you’re a moron, but you will feel things have certainly opened up. Rocksteady have done an amazing job creating a dark, twisted and sombre environment for your Caped Crusader to glide, grapple and fight crime in. Like all the best renderings of Gotham, the city feels like a character in itself, ready to betray Batman at every turn. “Arkham City” is full of fiendish characters, with almost every major enemy from Batman’s rouges gallery accounted for so fans are sure to have a whale of a time hunting them down. You will be disappointed if you’re a mad Clayface fanatic (although I can’t imagine why you would be) and Scarecrow is notable by his absence but we can’t have everything now can we? The story-line is very strong and contains several genuinely shocking twists. A great thing about these games is that the developers and writers are extremely respectful to Batman’s history and seem proud to display it in the extensive character bios you unlock along the way. The story feels natural and organic to the Batman canon and isn’t coming at you out of left field. At the same time, perhaps more importantly than that, the game adds plenty of new perspectives and plots to that history as well and isn’t afraid to put its own spin on things. There are a few shaky plot points here and there that seem as though they were stuck in the script to serve only as boss battles but this is forgivable when you consider the story as a whole. Why you end up fighting Solomon Grundy I still haven’t the foggiest of ideas. The fact that you most likely will find yourself breaking away from the main story in order to complete one of the many side missions can sometimes make the game feel a little disjointed. Stick with it though and you will find a story that is both engaging and captivating.
The voice acting is near impeccable, with almost every actor turning in a stellar performance. Kevin Conroy’s brooding Dark Knight is cool and understated, while Mark (don’t call me Skywalker) Hamil threatens to steal the show once more as the brilliantly deranged Joker. The most affecting performance comes from Futurama mainstay Maurice LaMarche, who adds an air of sadness and melancholia to the often one-dimensional Mr Freeze. It’s not overstating it to say that the games rendering of Freeze is probably the best I have ever seen. There are a few clunky lines, delivered mainly by ancillary characters and the wonkiest English accent since Dick Van Dyke, delivered by Nolan North’s Penguin. But with the rest of the cast in such sparkling form this is easy to forgive. Seriously do some American’s still think we say “Loife” instead of life? Beggars belief it really does!
The game benefits from having essentially the same mechanics as the first game –showcased most impressively in the amazing freeflow combat system - (X= Strike, O= Stun, Y= Counter) with a few notable additions. Counters are made easier and cooler by the fact that you can now counter multiple enemies simultaneously. You can also use your Batclaw to pull an enemy into a Bat-clothesline which is by far and away one of the coolest moves I’ve ever seen in any game. In an age where developers are constantly adjusting gameplay mechanics in an ill advised bid to evolve them, it is refreshing to see Rocksteady take this “If it aint broke, don’t fix it” approach. Especially if that approach allows you to kick 7 shades of shit out of 30 guys, counter their moves and thus really feel like the ultimate badass. Old gadgets such as the Explosive Gel and the Baterang make a return alongside a few new ones such as Freeze Spray and Smoke Pellets. Gliding is also made much more fun with the addition of dive bombing and pulling up, which is not only unassailably cool, but also serves to make the Dark Knight much easier to control mid-flight. The ability to grapple onto buildings mid-flight is also an advantage as it makes transportation across the map much quicker and easier
Riddler trophies and challenges make a return but are more varied this time. You will still find yourself traipsing around in search of those little green question marks but they are much more of a challenge to find and obtain. Accumulating these trophies will unlock amazing concept art, 3D character models and Challenge maps so it doesn’t feel like such a chore this time around. I am also informed they are needed to access a showdown with the Riddler later in the game so get hunting!! There are also random assaults, training challenges and a particularly twisted game of cat and mouse with Victor Zasz to complete, so there is no excuse for Batman to sit on his arse. Put the boy to work, that’s what I say!
Before you even start the game I implore everyone reading this to download the free Catwoman DLC pack which allows you to play as Selena Kyle herself. Her missions are not completely independent and are instead woven into the fabric of the story. Rocksteady have made sure to make playing as Catwoman a unique experience and have equipped her with her own fighting style and gadgetry. Tripping someone over with her whip has to be one of the most satisfying and hilarious moves you can pull off. She climbs up buildings and has the ability to crawl upside down on the ceiling. This really isn’t half-arsed. The developers have really put a lot of care and attention into Catwoman and the game is richer as a result. She is so good I almost wish she had her own game!
Verdict: What can I say folks!? This game is amazing! Rocksteady have taken a winning formula and built on it magnificently. The story is strong, it looks fantastic and there is plenty to get your teeth into. The voice acting is stellar, its missions are various and its sheer scale is pretty impressive. This is a true Batman experience for fans and newcomers alike. It is loyal to Batman’s history and doesn’t patronize while at the same time offering plenty of thrills if you want to ignore the back stories and just kick some villainous arse! Quite simply one of my favourite games of the year!
Score: 10/10
BadIdeaDan, for mlm.