Batman: Arkham City

 PC
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3012 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,637 out of 3012
  2. Mixed: 260 out of 3012
  3. Negative: 115 out of 3012
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  1. krehfeld2
    Nov 23, 2011
    6
    This release was rushed, and DX11 Support and tesselation options are horrible. I am an avid, and dedicated PC gamer, and this release is why PC gaming is on the decline in popularity and quality. I truly cant wait for the day to pay 49.99USS for a game and it actualy works, and is fully optimized from launch.
  2. slippery
    Dec 3, 2012
    7
    When I first started playing the game, I had a much harder time "getting into it" than I did with Arkham Asylum. In Arkham Asylum, it's very clear from the beginning what's going on: Joker has seized control of the Asylum. But in Arkham City ... who is this guy Strange? Why does he know who Batman is? Why was Batman put in Arkham City? What's wrong with Joker? Certainly this is aWhen I first started playing the game, I had a much harder time "getting into it" than I did with Arkham Asylum. In Arkham Asylum, it's very clear from the beginning what's going on: Joker has seized control of the Asylum. But in Arkham City ... who is this guy Strange? Why does he know who Batman is? Why was Batman put in Arkham City? What's wrong with Joker? Certainly this is a mystery (and continuation of Arkham Asylum) and I suppose part of the game is the unraveling of the plot. However, at first I had a hard time getting into it. The first "mission", freeing the hostages, was quite difficult compared with AA.

    Now, as I got INTO the game, I REALLY started to enjoy it. BUT, there were just too many characters, too many subplots. It got confusing after awhile. As well, I ignored the Riddler trophies at first because I had NO clue how to unlock them. A little help, an optional tutorial, would have been good. As it was, it got to the end of the story before I really got into picking up the trophies, and then what was left? HUNDREDS of freakin' trophies. Now this might have been a LOT more fun if I had done it here and there throughout the game.

    As it was, in large part because there was no hint as to how to unlock the trophies, or how to go about the buttons, etc., no clues suggesting that some of these would unlock be available to unlock AFTER gaining certain gadgets, I'm left with one long repetitive puzzle game at the end.

    Granted, I enjoy some of the puzzles. But the controls are just TOO imprecise to do some of the tricks well. I'm not a guy who likes to play the same little jump over and over until I get it. It would be nice if a few of these puzzles required a little more brains and a little less timing and button mashing ... especially when Batman's flying and grappling is often very difficult to control. Or maybe I'm just too old for this game.

    This game has a lot of fun and good elements to it, but overall, I ended my time in Arkham City feeling frustrated.    … Expand
  3. davenbettridge
    Dec 8, 2011
    7
    Arkham City is a fun and a worth while single player game but is not the masterpiece many claim. I enjoyed the open world of Arkham city and found gliding and fighting around at my own leisure fun for a time. The environmental graphics are good, batman also looks good with a great animating cape. The story has a few moments but did not surprise me at all and ends up being completelyArkham City is a fun and a worth while single player game but is not the masterpiece many claim. I enjoyed the open world of Arkham city and found gliding and fighting around at my own leisure fun for a time. The environmental graphics are good, batman also looks good with a great animating cape. The story has a few moments but did not surprise me at all and ends up being completely unbelievable even for a cartoon which is unacceptable for a claimed 'masterpiece'. The combat is good and feels unique (much improved from Arkham Asylum being more fluid and giving the player more options in combat). Most of the Batman franchise is over used in the game with too many villains that are just there for the sake of it without much use or need. unfortunately as its a franchise Batman will never really learn any real lessons about crime or criminals and there never will be an end to Batman's troubles, batman is never going to die which destroys any suspense of danger, he will never totally defeat his enemies either, Joker will always come back again and again and again which does water down any story's significance. Recommened.… Expand
  4. lucidanarchy
    Jul 30, 2012
    7
    This was a really cool game and thoroughly enjoyed it. I do wish there was a bigger area to play in to take down the everyday villain as well as driving the batmobile itself.
  5. MadclownJack
    Dec 9, 2011
    7
    So far I've not had any bugs, crashes or any other negative game play crippling faults. But aside from the game, and the revised graphics (not too revised, but still) and the switching between characters (who, I should mention don't differ much), the game play is pretty linear, which is not so different from the first part. Granted, there are some side missions and other stuff to do in theSo far I've not had any bugs, crashes or any other negative game play crippling faults. But aside from the game, and the revised graphics (not too revised, but still) and the switching between characters (who, I should mention don't differ much), the game play is pretty linear, which is not so different from the first part. Granted, there are some side missions and other stuff to do in the city. But in my opinion, beating up henchmen or saving the occasional "political prisoner" (ironically, by beating up henchmen) does have it's limit of being fun. It gets tedious, very fast. Those familiar with the first installment will rejoice in the knowledge that most of the key elements that made it so great, are present here also. The only twist is, there's not much else that's new. You can grapple and glide, and grapple and glide for as long as your heart desires. Though i wish the grappling and gliding was less constricting, like it is in Just Cause 2. In short, Arkham City is a game that follows the footsteps of the original very closely (sometimes too closely), is rich in story and cameos, but leaves much more to be desired in terms of content and gameplay.… Expand
  6. beergogglesftw
    Nov 22, 2011
    7
    I took off 1 point for the fact it was ported over with terrible optimizations. DX11 barely adds anything but a 75% fps drop. 1 more point was off for their crumby DLC overload. You are not buying a complete game here by any means. 1 more point off for using too much DRM... I bought this game through Steam (Only $40) so add one more form of DRM to SecureROM and GFWL and who knows whatI took off 1 point for the fact it was ported over with terrible optimizations. DX11 barely adds anything but a 75% fps drop. 1 more point was off for their crumby DLC overload. You are not buying a complete game here by any means. 1 more point off for using too much DRM... I bought this game through Steam (Only $40) so add one more form of DRM to SecureROM and GFWL and who knows what else.

    I'm sure in time, DX11 will be better optimized, and maybe even a GOTY edition will be released next year that contains all the DLC (making it a complete game). But in its current form, it does not have those things.

    At its core though, its a great game. Console port? Sure, I don't care. I use an Xbox360 controller on PC for these games anyway. Money is in developing consoles games, its not practical to sink so much money into PC games as if its will show consoles sales figures. Sure, the PC is capable of better, but thats just graphics and there's much more to this game than just graphics.    … Expand
  7. hallowedguide
    Dec 23, 2011
    7
    Freshly finished this game and having played the first i cant really say it lived up to my expectations.
    being a huge physx fan i must say one of the greater dissapointments was the lack of environment featuring said physx. the previous batman made heavy use of tearable cloth, papers, leaves, clothing etc however if i recall correctly there wasnt even a single piece of environment that    Freshly finished this game and having played the first i cant really say it lived up to my expectations.
    being a huge physx fan i must say one of the greater dissapointments was the lack of environment featuring said physx. the previous batman made heavy use of tearable cloth, papers, leaves, clothing etc however if i recall correctly there wasnt even a single piece of environment that could be demolished except board but that was a cheesy half life style break. the cloth physx was dedicated about 2 rugs and some paper.
    the whole game was in my eyes too short following the main story. not really any attraction to do side stuff. a labouring jourey across the map to punch 4 guys and hide a nurse isnt what i would call entertainment. the story relies heavily on the thrills of "woahhh im actually meeting mr freeze and clayface" etc rather than an actually thrilling storyline. what they did in one building (essentially) they could not repeat in an entire city. alright game but not fun enough.    … Expand
  8. Teyas
    Jan 26, 2012
    7
    I bought this game in high anticipation from the Arkham Asylum, and got very annoyed that it got pushed back by a month, but hey, the wait was worth it (ish) as I think the gameplay and story was excellent, very engaging and it does carry on from Arkham Asylum, but you do not have to have played Arkham Asylum to understand what's going on. The gameplay also was very similar to ArkhamI bought this game in high anticipation from the Arkham Asylum, and got very annoyed that it got pushed back by a month, but hey, the wait was worth it (ish) as I think the gameplay and story was excellent, very engaging and it does carry on from Arkham Asylum, but you do not have to have played Arkham Asylum to understand what's going on. The gameplay also was very similar to Arkham Asylum, the usual, hit with left mouse click, reversal with right click at the right time, etc. There are more tools and toys to play around with, which makes the game have a slight versatility to the game. I had to stop and think 1 or 2 times to figure out what to do, which is far from a bad thing. Now, my favourite addition, Playing Catwoman, She is a great addition to the game and i found playing her more fun than playing Batman, and I liked that they had different storylines but cleverly entwined at parts with the main storyline to make sense. As for technical problems, I had none at all. I have a laptop that is 1-2 years old that has 4GB RAM and a Nvidia Geforce 240M with 1GB memory. And everything ran smoothly on all settings medium, and the graphics where still very, very impressive. I did not get the game through Steam, but I did not have one single problem or hitch with installing or registering it. And as for the Bugs, I found none, except his cloak went weird a couple of times that is it.

    Now, we come to the criticisms, It was very, very short, i installed it one evening and the started playing it that evening and I realised by 10-11pm with an hour break, that i nearly had completed it already, So I went to sleep and woke up, 2 more hours and there, the main story was finished, just like that. I was bitterly disappointed as I was having so much fun, and they do leave you with stuff to do after but nothing major or compelling.

    The game didn't make me think enough, it was very easy to work things out, and if you dont figure it out for a while, the game gives you "hints", but they aren't small "hints", they SHOW you HOW to do it with a small video clip, I personally don't like that, you should HAVE to work it out, it's really not that mind-taxing. And there is no really hard bosses, like in Arkham Asylum, the Scarecrow encounters where not hard to work out but to execute was a bit of trial and error and it wasnt quick and easy. The side-quests/missions, they were boring, very simple. Go here, destroy this, go here, get that. Very monotonous and I'd rather of had them spend their time enhancing and lengthening the main storyline instead of messing about with pathetic side quests.

    Overall, a very good game, and my main criticism is that it is very short, Arkham Asylum, i got 24hours Play Time from that and that was with mostly the main storyline, with Arkham City, I got a mere 10 hours before I had "other modes" and "challenge maps". But a very good game nonetheless and a 7/10 from me.    … Expand
  9. sanchokobe
    Aug 11, 2012
    7
    The game itself is damn near perfect. An improvement in every way over Arkham Asylum, which was also damn near perfect in its own right. However, I must dock three points from the PC version. One point is for the SecuROM DRM, and the other two are for Games for Windows LIVE. Why two points for that? Because you are required to sign in to it, otherwise you aren't allowed to save yourThe game itself is damn near perfect. An improvement in every way over Arkham Asylum, which was also damn near perfect in its own right. However, I must dock three points from the PC version. One point is for the SecuROM DRM, and the other two are for Games for Windows LIVE. Why two points for that? Because you are required to sign in to it, otherwise you aren't allowed to save your game. This means there is essentially two different brands of DRM in this game, PLUS you must have an active internet connection to play this offline single player game. That is absolutely disgusting. Shame on you, Warner Bros.… Expand
  10. amycus89
    Jul 21, 2012
    7
    The game itself was superb. Amazing in every way. Absolute perfection.

    So why am I just giving it a 7/10? Because of the atrocious DRM. Aside from using both securom and GFWL, there is both an activation AND revoke limit: http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showpost.php?p=29769271&postcount=9

    Which you probably will use up sooner or later, because that's just how good the game itself is.
  11. Dyskresiac
    Dec 5, 2011
    7
    People need to calm down. A 0 score based off graphics for a decent looking game? Skyrim looks worse, did you rate that a 0? Likewise, the 10's are a bit much. Was Arkham City a good game? Yes. I enjoyed it. GOTY? I honestly cannot see that argument. Aside from being a larger sandbox, it actually was much more empty than its predecessor. The highs weren't as high, but the lowsPeople need to calm down. A 0 score based off graphics for a decent looking game? Skyrim looks worse, did you rate that a 0? Likewise, the 10's are a bit much. Was Arkham City a good game? Yes. I enjoyed it. GOTY? I honestly cannot see that argument. Aside from being a larger sandbox, it actually was much more empty than its predecessor. The highs weren't as high, but the lows weren't as low. There were no scenes or fights that you'll remember a few months from now (unlike the Scarecrow scenes from AA.) But you won't be groaning every time you had to fight the same enemies.... AGAIN (unlike all the Bane-wannabes in AA.) While it started out strong, it felt incredibly rushed at the later 1/3, making the environment incredibly hostile to any exploration. It felt like an MMO, simply telling me to run to talk to/fight the next NPC and come back. Ultimately, I'd give the first 2/3 of the game a 8 or 9 out of 10, and the later third a 5/10. Thus, the 7.… Expand
  12. Mashley
    Nov 28, 2011
    7
    Lemme start by saying this a fantastic game, honestly if it wasn't for the stupid BS with the PC version I would give a 9 or 10. Great story, great action, great stealth, great graphics, just generally fantastic. But they delayed the PC version for over a month for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON. That's just shocking to be honest. And then when it is released it is full of issues, much touted dx11Lemme start by saying this a fantastic game, honestly if it wasn't for the stupid BS with the PC version I would give a 9 or 10. Great story, great action, great stealth, great graphics, just generally fantastic. But they delayed the PC version for over a month for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON. That's just shocking to be honest. And then when it is released it is full of issues, much touted dx11 support is completely broken, amongst a plethora of other issues, like CTDs and stutterry cutscenes. Honestly, this is a great game and besides the issues I would definitely reccomend it, but I just can't accept the stupid stuff WB pulled on us.… Expand
  13. ineffable
    Dec 5, 2011
    6
    Did you play Arkham Asylum? Ok, good. That means you've played this as well. There are no big changes to gameplay, no big changes to design. That's not a terrible thing, but it's not a good thing either - you can still have fun bashing henchman's skulls. The problem is that it's all the same henchman - same body on every one, one of 2 voice actors for them all. Details, details, I know,Did you play Arkham Asylum? Ok, good. That means you've played this as well. There are no big changes to gameplay, no big changes to design. That's not a terrible thing, but it's not a good thing either - you can still have fun bashing henchman's skulls. The problem is that it's all the same henchman - same body on every one, one of 2 voice actors for them all. Details, details, I know, but it's still annoying. Did every supervillain in Gotham pool their resources so they could clone a retarded henchman 20,000 times? But back to the good. A solid cast of villains including the Joker, Ra's Al Gul, Hugo Strange, etc, makes for a fun time. Though it does come at the expense of shortchanging almost every villain in the game. We could have seen more Joker, more Mr Freeze... hell, even more Penguin (and I am not a Penguin fan). The addition of Catwoman as a playable character is a nice touch - but I felt a little cheated when she had such a small amount of game time dedicated to her - she's more fun to play as than batman in some ways. This game seems to suffer from the devs trying to cram too much in without refining what was already there. Combat, level design, gadgets, puzzles, dialogue, all these things could have used some fine-tuning (or, in some cases, deletion - having to do an aerial attack for enemies with shields, or having to use the remote controlled batarang for ANY REASON WHATSOEVER, are examples of some of the bad design choices). This game is a case of trying to juggle to many knives and then doing a poor job of dodging them as they fall. It's oddly beautiful in a way, but you probably don't want to see it again.… Expand
  14. Insanityof-Dave
    Dec 21, 2011
    5
    The game itself is fantasic. Great cut scenes, voice acting is off the charts even gameplay is smooth and enjoyable. BUT its once again a console port making it terrible controls. You cannot rebind keys and you must exit the game just to change the graphics. Im tried of paying good money for games when the publishers rather spend all thier time on consoles bugs. Also is you buy it in theThe game itself is fantasic. Great cut scenes, voice acting is off the charts even gameplay is smooth and enjoyable. BUT its once again a console port making it terrible controls. You cannot rebind keys and you must exit the game just to change the graphics. Im tried of paying good money for games when the publishers rather spend all thier time on consoles bugs. Also is you buy it in the shops you must load with DVD to play. "seriouly we are well past that people!"… Expand
  15. r00t61
    Dec 26, 2011
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There really needs to be two different subscores for the PC version of AC. One for the game/story, and one for technical support.

    The game/story, I'd give a 7/10, for reasons that I'll get into shortly. The technical support probably deserves a 3. The PC version was delayed a good month, only to release with completely broken DX11 support. A later patch purported to correct the deficiencies, but the frame rate hit is still massive. On my rig (2600k, GTX570), I would get a solid 60 fps at 1920x1200, Medium FXAA on DX9. On DX11, the max frame rate is still 60 fps, but there are often dips to 1 or 0 fps that are quite annoying. It's too bad, since the DX11 effects - particularly the tessellation - are quite nice, and improve upon the otherwise flat, lifeless textures so endemic to the Unreal engine that powers this game. AC is also infected with Microsoft's GFWL, which is one of the worst things ever to grace the gaming world. SecuROM is also present and seemingly designed only to punish the honest paying customer. The bastardized console interface is painfully obvious - even the main menu screen says "Press Start," and you cannot change video settings or rebind keys without first completely closing the game executable. I suppose it is what it is, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

    If you can get over all that, AC is pretty much AA, with some extra refined bits. There are more gadgets, more combat and predator moves, more complex Riddler trophy challenges, and a sandbox/open-world feel to the main game, which includes side quests that you can undertake at your leisure. The story is typical for something based on comic books - which is to say, it's pretty damn stupid. It suffers from retread-itis - almost every popular villain in the Batman rogue gallery is crammed into the plot, usually for no good reason (much like Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire novel series, which just took the famous characters in Star Wars and recycled their dialogue from the films). I would have much preferred the writing team to create a new villain, but I suppose that'd hurt the cost/benefit analysis. The plot has all your typical gaping holes; in the interest of time and space I'll not list them save one - in real life, if a criminal was indeed deemed legally insane, he'd be locked up in a padded cell and pumped full of anti-psychotics, leaving him drooling in his straitjacket. He wouldn't have time to cook up a complex scheme and employ and arm hundreds of henchmen. Most of the criminals in the Batman world aren't insane, either, by any legal definition, with perhaps the exception of Zsaz. They're simply sociopaths with antisocial personality disorders. They'd go to a normal prison and probably end up getting shivved to death. This would relieve Batman of the painful "choice" to never kill, and instead see his nemeses continue to escape from prison and harm innocent people. But I digress. The dialogue in AC is pretty bland, it generally consists of the villain talking about how tough he is, and Batman responding with a pithy quote. Catwoman especially utters a series of silly one-liners that makes the Arnold Schwarzenegger version of Mr. Freeze and his "Ice to see you!" sound educated by comparison, and takes the edge off of what is ostensibly supposed to be a "mature" "graphic novel"-type story. But to be fair, nobody ever claimed that Batman was Shakespeare. And the silly story didn't stop me one iota from beating the living daylights out of the goons, and enjoying every minute of it.

    I also greatly appreciated the expanded Riddler challenges and trophies; the designers went out of their way to create some really tough, mind-bending ones, especially the ones that involved dive-bombing and bouncing off of walls. With 400 trophies/riddles to solve, obsessive-compulsive types will have something to keep them up at night. The boss fights (there are a bunch of them) aren't nearly as fun, but oh well. They do break up the monotony of having to constantly engage in combat and/or predation. I was hoping to see the ability to drive a vehicle make its way into the game - be it Batwing, Batmobile, Batcycle, Batskiboat, or other - but no such luck. Maybe the third time will be the charm.    … Expand
  16. colin_jack
    Dec 27, 2011
    7
    Brillitant game with excellent graphics and a superb storyline. My only criticism is its not as big as I'd have liked and I would have liked so I don't see myself coming back to it in the future unless they release some good DLC (the Robin/Nightwing content was beyond poor).
  17. Pwnznewbz
    Dec 6, 2011
    5
    This is the first time that I am writing a recommendation to say not to buy the game. Based on critic reviews, you would think this would be a contender for GOTY. However, the PC version of this game is so plagued with bugs that playing through the entire game in 1 shot is completely impossible without a little extra file patching (from modders) on your part. I probably spent more timeThis is the first time that I am writing a recommendation to say not to buy the game. Based on critic reviews, you would think this would be a contender for GOTY. However, the PC version of this game is so plagued with bugs that playing through the entire game in 1 shot is completely impossible without a little extra file patching (from modders) on your part. I probably spent more time working on fixes than I actually have playing the game. Even once you get the game working and beat it, you will have to replace all of your switched files back and forth to work towards achievements.

    The game was released a month later so that dx11 worked. Good news! It still doesn't. Additionally, the game only runs in 32bit. If your game launches, it will crash often for no reason. You have to go through drms, including GFWL. I've complained enough about GFWL in other recommendations, but it doesn't add value to this game in any way. Technically speaking, this game is ****

    As for the actual game play, the game play is pretty much the exact same as arkham asylum. I wasn't looking for much to be new here since it is the sequel, but I was looking for something more fun. The boss fights aren't as exciting as Batman: AA. There was only 1 that I found even slightly fun (Clayface). The one shining addition to the game play was the Catwoman story. While she plays similarly to Batman, she has a unique role and style. In fact, she has an alternate game ending, so if you do play it, see if you can find it.

    I don't know if I'm more upset that this game was a complete waste of money and time or that even now, I really hope that the developer patches this game with fixes so that it can become a good game like Batman AA. I had high hopes for this game as a GOTY contender and now am riddled with disappointment.

    Oh, 1 more bit. The same voice actors from the animated series and Batman AA return. That is a small bright spot in an otherwise dark void of horribleness."    … Expand
  18. ciuchina82
    Nov 22, 2011
    5
    I warmly suggest you to play Batman AC on console (xbox360 or ps3). Sadly, the PC version is very buggy: poor graphics quality, flat textures, ridiculous dx11 effects, controls irresponsiveness and 'consolized' interface. This will widely ruin your gaming experience on PC. That's a shame, because this game was a true masterpiece on console.
  19. TitaniumDragon
    Jan 19, 2012
    6
    A very mediocre sequel to a great game, Arkham City only improved upon the formula in one way - it made combat better.

    The problem? The main campaign was not only short but the setup of the city had you hunting down far too many sidequests and joker trophies. This game is a great example of why sandbox games are bad - the story is far more engaging if you just play it straight through,    A very mediocre sequel to a great game, Arkham City only improved upon the formula in one way - it made combat better.

    The problem? The main campaign was not only short but the setup of the city had you hunting down far too many sidequests and joker trophies. This game is a great example of why sandbox games are bad - the story is far more engaging if you just play it straight through, but the structure encourages you to faff around, making the game less fun. And if you don't faff around, the game is very short, with fewer areas than Arkham Asylum, and many of them are less interesting.

    The only real highlights of the game lie in combat, particularly the fights with Mr. Freeze, Ras, and Clayface. Many bosses, such as the Penguin, Two-Face, and Strange, are just boring and samey, and there are a number of things which seem like they will be boss-fights but instead are incredibly anti-climatic - several of the sidequests just end in "make a note on the bat computer about someone, but don't actually fight them". Worse, several enemies are alluded to who appear nowhere in the game, even though they are outright stated to be in Arkham City.

    A mediocre game overall, and a major step backwards from Arkham Asylum. These games do far better as more linear ones.    … Expand
  20. Longshanks1979
    Jul 30, 2014
    7
    Less is more when it comes to the Batman games. The game plays very similarly to Arkham Asylum and that's no bad thing. However the changes made are in many cases to the detriment of the game. In AA you start with only a few gadgets and slowly build them up. In AC you have all the original's gizmos and accumulate even more. The thing is, you end up with so much stuff that you barely useLess is more when it comes to the Batman games. The game plays very similarly to Arkham Asylum and that's no bad thing. However the changes made are in many cases to the detriment of the game. In AA you start with only a few gadgets and slowly build them up. In AC you have all the original's gizmos and accumulate even more. The thing is, you end up with so much stuff that you barely use some of the items at all. A similar thing happens with the combat, there are so many tricks and combos that some of the terrific flow that developed with the first game gets lost as you become spoiled for choice and the new stuff isn't integrated as well as the original moves. The open world of Arkham City is not as good as the more focused world of Arkham Asylum. It just means you have to grapple that much further between missions. I think this is still a good game but with Asylum Rocksteady made an almost perfect superhero game while Arkham City feels a bit overblown… Expand
  21. screenjab
    Dec 31, 2011
    7
    Redundant game-play layered onto some pretty graphics, BAC caters to the lowest common denominator of simpletons in their teenage years. Punch, punch, walk-around, punch, walk-around, punch, repeat..
  22. Veezara
    Jan 3, 2012
    6
    On the whole, I like this game. The combat is very fluid and manages to be fun, even if it is just mashing two buttons. Even though the game is basically "Press X for Batman", it's still a great game. My only disappointment with the actual game was the fact that you can't repair Batman's damaged suit. The reason I rated it only slightly better than average, however, was the fact that thisOn the whole, I like this game. The combat is very fluid and manages to be fun, even if it is just mashing two buttons. Even though the game is basically "Press X for Batman", it's still a great game. My only disappointment with the actual game was the fact that you can't repair Batman's damaged suit. The reason I rated it only slightly better than average, however, was the fact that this game is a truly terrible port. Firstly, you can't change the resolution. I couldn't believe it when I saw the settings menu. How long has this feature been in video games? Secondly, the controls. When you view them for the first time, you see an xbox controller. That's the first warning. The game lets you use special moves after you hit enough people without breaking the rhythm, and one of them is bound to Y. You have to press that in the middle of combat, and it's bound to Y. Shift, , and c aren't bound to anything, and q is bound to the same function as m3. When designing the control scheme for the PC, they just looked at the top row and gave the keys functions from left to right. And the real kicker? You can't rebind the controls in-game. Nothing can excuse that.… Expand
  23. RudeVader
    Dec 24, 2012
    5
    To keep it simple, I would suggest you think twice about buying the PC version of this game. You literally could buy this game and never get it to work or be able to load saved progress simply due to the draconian security used to protect against piracy. If not for the pc version, you would not see so many negative reviews as the game in on par with AA for its fun factor. A simple searchTo keep it simple, I would suggest you think twice about buying the PC version of this game. You literally could buy this game and never get it to work or be able to load saved progress simply due to the draconian security used to protect against piracy. If not for the pc version, you would not see so many negative reviews as the game in on par with AA for its fun factor. A simple search on the web for windows live sign in assistant not installing will give you one of the many reasons why so many PC users are no happy with their experience with this game.

    When a game is reviewed, it's not reviewed based just on how well it plays or its cool graphics, but on the whole experience the user had with the game.

    If you have a choice, go with the console version.    … Expand
  24. doomgamer
    Apr 30, 2013
    5
    Mediocre at best. Dialogue is plain cheesy and lame, world is small and bland, story is as predictable as that of an average badly done superhero comic and they still left Batman with a frozen mouth whenever he talks in-game. plus the fighting is just plain boring to watch as compared to even a game like Amazing Spiderman that has more spectacular fighting styles.
    If you're a huge Batman    Mediocre at best. Dialogue is plain cheesy and lame, world is small and bland, story is as predictable as that of an average badly done superhero comic and they still left Batman with a frozen mouth whenever he talks in-game. plus the fighting is just plain boring to watch as compared to even a game like Amazing Spiderman that has more spectacular fighting styles.
    If you're a huge Batman fan, you'll enjoy this wonderful lackluster game that is at least still better than most other superhero games. If not, stay clear.    … Expand
  25. tmgius
    Apr 28, 2013
    5
    Technically excellent and with a very rich and entertaining game play, Batman: Arkham City has a weak and predictable plot with poor character development (could say misogynist...). I expected an epic tale for this legend, and not the recurring Batman-Captures-Joker-Joker-Escapes-PIM-PAM-PUM thing...
  26. psylife
    Dec 16, 2015
    5
    The game could have been really good if it was a more focused experience. 5 hours into it I was still trying to remember what gadget and what button does what. The game seem to assume that the player is very familiar with what the various gadget's do. What should have been a very pleasant and fun experience turned out to be quite frustrating. The combat is fun yet repetitive, idem for theThe game could have been really good if it was a more focused experience. 5 hours into it I was still trying to remember what gadget and what button does what. The game seem to assume that the player is very familiar with what the various gadget's do. What should have been a very pleasant and fun experience turned out to be quite frustrating. The combat is fun yet repetitive, idem for the stealth sessions. This game is particularly frustrating, because it can be easily turned into a great little game by simplifying the controls. Why does the electric gadget has three different modes of use? WHY? The developers need to understand that Batman is a casual game and the added complexity does not any depth, rather frustration. Under that thick layer of BS, it is clear that there is a beautiful, fun and rewarding batman experience. A lack of vision and talent turned it into a mess. Wasted potential.… Expand
  27. T-Opel
    Sep 4, 2022
    5
    Not recommended unless you are a huge Batman fan. The action gameplay is ok, but nothing spectacular. The story, the level design, the side missions, and all of the optional content are all really bad IMO. I was stuck multiple times because the game requires you to backtrack through a specific path without letting you know clearly enough. The side missions were very basic and required aNot recommended unless you are a huge Batman fan. The action gameplay is ok, but nothing spectacular. The story, the level design, the side missions, and all of the optional content are all really bad IMO. I was stuck multiple times because the game requires you to backtrack through a specific path without letting you know clearly enough. The side missions were very basic and required a lot of running around - these might be a bit more enjoyable if you actually know the characters from the universe. And there is a lot of "content" that involves collecting hundreds of random items spread around the map.… Expand
  28. Messerschmitt
    Sep 9, 2015
    7
    A good game but a bit disapointing especially in terms of the plot, pacing and the atmophere. Also i don't think that open world did a good thing for this game - Arkham Asylum was great Arkham City only good
  29. Aquazi
    Mar 14, 2013
    7
    The Arkham formula was cool and fresh in Arkham Asylum. But in Arkham City everything was just bigger, most dispersive, with a very weak plot and the gameplay was the same, attack-attack-dodge-attack-jump on gargoyle-attack-attack.

    Very repetitive game, It was sure good, but I found myself pretty bored a lot of times. I hope in the next Arkham game we will see a gameplay evolution    The Arkham formula was cool and fresh in Arkham Asylum. But in Arkham City everything was just bigger, most dispersive, with a very weak plot and the gameplay was the same, attack-attack-dodge-attack-jump on gargoyle-attack-attack.

    Very repetitive game, It was sure good, but I found myself pretty bored a lot of times. I hope in the next Arkham game we will see a gameplay evolution because I cannot stand another X-X-gargoyle jump-X-X-dodge all the time.    … Expand
  30. sft
    Sep 8, 2014
    7
    Oh boy, not quite such a wonder

    Arkham Asylum was a groundbreaking game for me. I loved the atmosphere, the varied and highly imaginative gameplay, the problem solving, and the superbly animated and free-flowing combat. It was engrossing, compelling, and had a far better storyline than most games. ARKHAM CITY promised more of the same and I looked forward to it immensely. Well it    Oh boy, not quite such a wonder

    Arkham Asylum was a groundbreaking game for me. I loved the atmosphere, the varied and highly imaginative gameplay, the problem solving, and the superbly animated and free-flowing combat. It was engrossing, compelling, and had a far better storyline than most games. ARKHAM CITY promised more of the same and I looked forward to it immensely. Well it delivered in some respects but disappointed in many. The overarching fault with CITY is that Rocksteady have crammed too much into one game. It’s the game equivalent of bloatware. Combat is less fluent due to too many new moves, some of which you are forced to use. The short, somewhat underwhelming main story is interrupted too often by side missions and the ridiculously numerous riddler challenges and trophies. And the open world structure, coupled with the often intrusive side missions, diminish the sense of urgency in the narrative. There are also too many villains jammed into one story. It may seem odd to criticise something for doing too much but sometimes less really is more. On the plus side you get to play as Catwoman and Robin as well as Batman (in the GOTY edition) and some of the enhancements do improve gameplay. In conclusion, CITY is a good game and is fun to play, but it’s not as impressive as Rocksteady’s admirable original. Oh, and good luck trying to get at all 440 Riddler trophies!    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PC Game of 2011
15
#15 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
3
#3 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Computer Games Online RO
    Mar 5, 2012
    92
    Though the ending is surprising, in a way, the story isn't the main focus of Batman: Arkham City. Exploring and adventuring come first, you have so much to do that you that the hours just slip by you. Yes, the boss fights are probably too easy, the narrative too short, the framerate goes down on occasion and not all the players will appreciate searching through every nook and cranny to find trophies. But it's all up to you and Arkham City offers a variety that not a lot of new games have nowadays.
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  2. PC Master (Greece)
    Mar 1, 2012
    92
    The developers should be proud for Arkham City and its precise portrayal of Gotham's mood- at least accordingly to recent films and comic books. A gothic atmosphere is undoubtedly dominant, as the majestic architecture of neoclassical buildings shadows the industrialization and the bright lights of a contemporary metropolis.
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  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 20, 2012
    90
    It's hard to create an extraordinary game but to recognize it is quite simple. Arkham City with its cinematic appearance towers high above the rest with its production values. [Dec 2011]
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