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. DudeManGuy
    Sep 3, 2013
    10
    One of my favorite games of all time is even better on PC. The Dx11 stuff is kinda of a bummer, although you can still get good FPS if you get the settings right. Luckily, Nvidia's geforce experience will set the optimal settings for you now, so download that if you haven't.
  2. 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
  3. Dethstar
    Oct 4, 2014
    2
    Terrible field of view which has not been upgraded from the console made it unplayable for me. I game on a PC because I cannot stand to play any game with a perspective that feels like I am trying to watch the action through a slot designed to post mail through.

    Clearly a lot of effort went into this but they failed to deal with the most important issue rendering all the effort    Terrible field of view which has not been upgraded from the console made it unplayable for me. I game on a PC because I cannot stand to play any game with a perspective that feels like I am trying to watch the action through a slot designed to post mail through.

    Clearly a lot of effort went into this but they failed to deal with the most important issue rendering all the effort ultimately pointless. I don't buy games on a PC to be experience games with limitations imposed by console hardware.

    Apart from that I found the combat very dull indeed. I know these games are all very much reskins of the same thing when it comes to combat but this compares very badly even with similar games such as Shadows of Mordor which has far more immersive combat despite essentially being a similar console trype RPG lite formula.

    Extremely poor and a good example of why PCs are currently coming back into vogue. Got this for 5 Euros in a Steam sale or I wouldn't have bothered and it wasn't even worth that.

    Very cinematic and probably more aimed at real batman fans. Some good voice over work, character development and the usual upgrades on console graphics but still a poor port as it was ultimately unplayable for me.    … Expand
  4. 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..
  5. hit925
    Jan 1, 2012
    4
    I was waiting for this game for so long after enjoying Arkham Asylum on my PC. What a mess that was released though. The game would be great if I can play it "the way it was meant to be played" For once, I want to buy a game without the need for endless patches just to fix problems that shouldn't exist in the first place.
  6. 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
  7. birdman3
    Jan 22, 2013
    8
    The game played fine on my rig- no issues. The game is just as great as Arkham Asylum except it has a deeper storyline, more characters, and (most importantly) better boss battles. I saw the boss fights as a true weakness in the first one, and this has been remedied. Batman has a few new moves this time around as well, which is also a welcome feature. For me, the biggest downside was theThe game played fine on my rig- no issues. The game is just as great as Arkham Asylum except it has a deeper storyline, more characters, and (most importantly) better boss battles. I saw the boss fights as a true weakness in the first one, and this has been remedied. Batman has a few new moves this time around as well, which is also a welcome feature. For me, the biggest downside was the Riddler trophies. This time around, there are twice as many. Which means they are everywhere. Which means I spent hours hunting down every one of them... with no reward. I guess I should be okay with my own self-satisfaction. Other than that, the game is a worthy sequel to an amazing game.… Expand
  8. 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
  9. WestLil0
    Aug 13, 2014
    8
    Much, Much better story line and great side missions, compared to Arkham Asylum. Got rid of the crazy WASD movements required in Asylum when battling some of the big bosses on a PC. This version is a un-sophisticated imitation of Assassin's Creed, so it does have an interesting aspect and since it takes place throughout all of the city (instead of the previous one which was just in anMuch, Much better story line and great side missions, compared to Arkham Asylum. Got rid of the crazy WASD movements required in Asylum when battling some of the big bosses on a PC. This version is a un-sophisticated imitation of Assassin's Creed, so it does have an interesting aspect and since it takes place throughout all of the city (instead of the previous one which was just in an asylum) it makes it much more enjoyable. Still, I wouldn't pay $60 full price, anything under $30 is worth the game-to-value ratio.… Expand
  10. Jodeth
    Aug 13, 2014
    9
    Great story. Detailed characters. Outstanding voice acting. Beautiful graphics even on DX9. Don't bother with DX11 as it will lag you to death, not worth the minor graphic improvements. The game will lag/hiccup anyway when gliding around the city, so try your best to ignore it cause the rest of the game is GREAT. Smooth fighting and counter-attack animations. PhysX is a nice luxury forGreat story. Detailed characters. Outstanding voice acting. Beautiful graphics even on DX9. Don't bother with DX11 as it will lag you to death, not worth the minor graphic improvements. The game will lag/hiccup anyway when gliding around the city, so try your best to ignore it cause the rest of the game is GREAT. Smooth fighting and counter-attack animations. PhysX is a nice luxury for capable PCs. The only reason I'm not giving it a solid 10 is because of the random hiccups. I recommend it over any console version… Expand
  11. 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
  12. 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...
  13. ADHGO
    Apr 22, 2015
    10
    No Doubt, this is the best batman game ever, awesome graphics and physics, with great story
    i finished it 3 times, you can feel batman while playing, even cat woman is great,
  14. 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
  15. Marick
    Jul 28, 2015
    10
    Is one of the best superhero game .
  16. KAOS661
    Sep 4, 2014
    9
    "Arkham City" is great,period. This game really managed to deliver although "Arkham Asylum" was a tough one to follow. They did it again with this one. A really enjoyable game that will satisfy you both as a Batman fan and as a gamer.
  17. PrincessRose
    Aug 23, 2020
    4
    I find this game boring and over rated. I don't like the movement and no idea what Iam doing most of the time.
  18. geoffrey_weng
    Nov 10, 2015
    4
    League of Legends is better . . . . . .. ..

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    gr.
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    .... . . . .. . . .. . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . .. .uj jh jhj iou
  19. Skitzofreniq
    Dec 16, 2015
    10
    Most of the people giving this masterpiece a negative score aren't really judging the game itself. It's laughable really. "Boo-hoo the game erases save-games" "Boo-hoo they delayed the pc version"

    This is how you make a Batman game. I have no complaints about it. It's the perfect superhero game with a lot of boss fights, riddles, ass-kicking, etc. I played it when it just came out on    Most of the people giving this masterpiece a negative score aren't really judging the game itself. It's laughable really. "Boo-hoo the game erases save-games" "Boo-hoo they delayed the pc version"

    This is how you make a Batman game. I have no complaints about it. It's the perfect superhero game with a lot of boss fights, riddles, ass-kicking, etc.

    I played it when it just came out on xbox360. Couple years later I finished Arkham Knight on PS4 and something told me it lacked more than City, so I played it again but now on PC and boy, how right I was. This game has a lot more boss fights, different missions and overall better story. Not saying Arkham Knight was bad, but IMO Arkham City > Arkham Asylum > Arkham Knight.    … Expand
  20. WalkingMoore
    Jan 7, 2018
    9
    Even before the release of Batman: Arkham city, Warner Bros. interactive entertainment inc. raspiarili it so that be healthy and everyone, even the one that has a job and personal life gamer, began to tear off leaves from the calendar counting the days before the release of the next series about the secretive and merciful flying mouse, which even the most dangerous attackers leaves alive.Even before the release of Batman: Arkham city, Warner Bros. interactive entertainment inc. raspiarili it so that be healthy and everyone, even the one that has a job and personal life gamer, began to tear off leaves from the calendar counting the days before the release of the next series about the secretive and merciful flying mouse, which even the most dangerous attackers leaves alive. Well, how could they not be touched?

    The surrounding world is perfectly drawn, although, as the saying goes, "in a family is not without a freak," some buildings turned out to be a little blurry, but it's difficult to notice, and why do they even look at them? The costumes of super-heroes are truly inspiring and the desire to admire every bend. Each pixel is detailed in detail, and besides, the costumes tear, scratch, get dirty, it all looks very impressive and remains until the end of the game as battle scars reminiscent of battles with opponents. The only thing I could **** with - this is how stretched the body of Batman, when you activate the cable.

    The game process is diverse, in one word there is where to unfold. 2 types of quests: Additional and story. With the plot I think everything is clear, additional quests are diverse and in some way difficult, each side quest of which we only have to do 12 completely different things, there will not be silly assignments like "Go, kill, report" or "Find, steal , bring it, "somewhere we have to find evidence, where we'll have time to reach the phone and answer the call or save the person. Batman has a bunch of devices that break open locks, deafen opponents, block weapons, hide our hero from watchful eyes and do everything that would be as confusing as possible to get out of any existing situation with insignificant losses. The most effective in this game is of course the combat system, unique in its kind, everything from counter-attacks to silent murders and dropping opponents from the roof is envisaged, I think it's not worth writing about it in detail, it will just take a lot of time. In Batman: Arkham city, of course, it's not bypassed stealth and not just stealth, but quality stealth, the enemies react to every rustle, even when squatting you can not be completely sure of your invisibility, and snipers calculate you once or twice after the slightest wrong movement . this is not Elite sniper v2. Despite this, the game is played quite easily and quickly, which is more likely a minus than plus, I would like a long storyline and more additional quests.

    1.5 years after the events in Arkham Asylum, the former psychiatric hospital superintendent becomes the mayor of Gotham, buys out the slums and builds a prison there, with Dr. Hugo Streij as its head, and employs the elite division of the Tiger mercenaries as guardians, after which "Tiger" catch Bruce Wayne as well known to us as Batman and betray Hugo Streiju, then from prison, Arkham city Wayne steals another "navel of the earth" with a deviation of the brain Penguin. The game has two possible ends, which depend on the decision you made in one mission. Further I will not tell what would not spoil the impression of the game.

    We will be given a chance to play a company for Batman and a Woman for a cat, and in the DLC there will appear characters Robin and Nightwing for which it will be possible to play in the test mode stuffing muzzles not to righteous bandyugans, recedivists and drunkards. In the plot itself, such faces as Joker, Two-faced, Penguin, Rottenhead, Ridler, Mr. Freese, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, Scarecrow, Bain, Ra's al Gul, Salamon Grandi, Deedshot, Maxi Zeus, Black Mask, Hash, Quincy Shar who is the corrupt mayor of Gotham, Tilia al Ghul is the girl of Batman and the daughter of Ra's al Ghoul, the butler and loyal friend of Batman Alfred Penniworth, Jack Ryder is the reporter whom we rescue from the clutches of Dadshot, Vicky Vale, the reporter whom we also save .

    Nobody expected, but the atmosphere was just magnificent, we completely immersed in the criminal world of the city Arkham city, if you look well, you can find information about each character, building, prison area, and the dark tones in which the graphics are executed gives the final touch to the sense of danger and the inevitability of the fall of the city. Soundtracks are very nice and this game is one of the few in which I did not turn off the sound.

    Simply a great game, the best time to spend in anticipation of hot novelties, Rocksteady Studios took up the game, the films and cartoons which have grown generations and exceeded all expectations. It's time to set the ratings: Gameplay 9.5 / 10 -0.5 for a short duration, graphics 9/10 -1 for the blur of some buildings and animation with a hook, Atmosphere 1010, The plot is 10/10 because it's not predictable, and already the end ... uhhh. Despite the schedule, I put this game deserved 10/10, because in my opinion - this is the best game about super-heroes.    … Expand
  21. uaandrei
    Mar 22, 2020
    9
    Awesome campaign, loved the game. Especially the ending... it was unexpected.
  22. POstAL_QueeN
    Nov 23, 2018
    1
    Абсолютно не понравилось с первых минут прохождения. В сразу предупреждаю, что я считаю свое мнение объективным, читающие эту рецензию могут подумать иначе - это их право. Но не надо забывать, что данная рецензия - это моё мнение.

    Считаю ли я данную игру переоцененной, да конечно и довольно сильно. У меня нет какой-то личной неприязни к Бэтмену или героям и злодеям DC (Робин, Джокер,    Абсолютно не понравилось с первых минут прохождения. В сразу предупреждаю, что я считаю свое мнение объективным, читающие эту рецензию могут подумать иначе - это их право. Но не надо забывать, что данная рецензия - это моё мнение.

    Считаю ли я данную игру переоцененной, да конечно и довольно сильно. У меня нет какой-то личной неприязни к Бэтмену или героям и злодеям DC (Робин, Джокер, Пугало и так далее), наоборот. Мрачность, всегда заставляла меня искренне любить их. Чего стоит фильм Тима Бертона - "Бэтмен", где джокера исполнил Джек Николсон, один из моих любимых и вообще величайших актеров, в пример можно привести хотя бы "Пролетая над гнездом кукушки", и этого достаточно. Разумеется трилогия Нолана, хоть "Бэтмен: Начало" я считаю абсолютным провалом, но два последующих вытянули абсолютно все, да ещё и с запасом. Про игру Хита Леджера даже нечего говорить, кроме того, что она была великолепной. Можно заметить, что я говорил только про злодеев, и это верно. Они действительно запоминающиеся личности. А вот что касательно самого Бэтмена, то тут все легче. Нам всегда был интересен сам Бэтмен, а ни тот кто скрывается за маской, то есть Брюс Уэйн. Когда Бэтмен появлялся на экране - мы ликовали, он исчезал - мы погружались в линейный просмотр (линейность не значит плохо в данном контексте). Но следует же и про игру поговорить, а говорить собственно нечего.

    Каким бы ни был Бэтмен, он довольно глубокий персонаж, со своими особенностями и личными качествами. Я хочу сказать, что он глубокий в плане коммуникации, это можно заметить даже в фильмах. У него есть чувства и он способен взаимодействовать с окружающими, может быть иногда это парочка фраз, но говорит она о многом. Точную задачу разработчиков игры я не знаю, но делать то что они сделали - это абсурд. Опять же, тут я полностью объективен. У игры нет сюжета, абсолютно ни какого. Тут всплывает, то что я говорил выше. Бэтмен не должен быть куклой, он достоин большего. Поймите меня правильно, мне хватило часа, чтобы понять все отвращение данной игры. Если описывать в двух словах, то - это файтинг-слэшер какой-то. Цель - мочилово, да возможно способов много, но цель - мочилово. Понимаете, вся подача и завязка утонули в этом самом мочилове. Я читал какой-то отзыв. Там говорилось о разнообразии персонажей. По сути, если извлечь истину то разработчики разнообразили игру персонажами, чтобы не скучно было. Но я скажу, что этого мало, надо проработать персонажа и создать индивидуальность, кстати она в этой игре полностью отсутствует.

    1/10 Лично мое мнение, судить вам. Но я считаю это глупостью не видеть очевидного. Игра не может покрыть какой-то там хорошей боевкой всю историю Бэтмена и вообще DC. Для меня это полный провал.    … Expand
  23. tommydlbass
    Aug 16, 2020
    9
    Best game of the trilogy and the one that I remember I like more. The story it's still good and the gameplay was improved.
  24. Fixil_CZ
    Sep 18, 2021
    8
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  25. MaxieZeus
    Sep 6, 2022
    10
    This game is an example of how to top a masterpiece. Almost everything in this game is an improvement from the first one. Undoubtedly the best superhero game, could even be the best game of all time.
  26. 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
  27. kman5473
    Jan 13, 2017
    10
    The definitive game of the Arkham series. Everything from the gadgets, to the missions, to the expansive free roaming city, to challenges, and the plot all work precisely together to make a game that is unquestionably solid through and through. I think maybe my only complaint is just the fact that the riddler campaign that is part of the DLC is so huge I don't know if I'll ever put in theThe definitive game of the Arkham series. Everything from the gadgets, to the missions, to the expansive free roaming city, to challenges, and the plot all work precisely together to make a game that is unquestionably solid through and through. I think maybe my only complaint is just the fact that the riddler campaign that is part of the DLC is so huge I don't know if I'll ever put in the time needed to collect every riddler trophy and finish it 100% -- but that just goes to show you the developers' dedication to making this batman game as massive as possible.… Expand
  28. BasilZero
    Dec 26, 2015
    10
    Game: Batman Arkham City GOTY
    Genre: Action
    Developer: Rocksteady System: Steam (PC) Total Score: 95/100 Value Score: 9.5/10 • Story: 10/10 • Characters: 10/10 • GamePlay: 10/10 • Graphics: 9/10 • Sound: 10/10 • Music: 8/10 • Length: 8/10 • Replay Value: 10/10 • Player Value: 10/10 Pros +Play as Batman, Catwoman and Robin throughout the different game modes (Robin in    Game: Batman Arkham City GOTY
    Genre: Action
    Developer: Rocksteady
    System: Steam (PC)
    Total Score: 95/100
    Value Score: 9.5/10

    • Story: 10/10
    • Characters: 10/10
    • GamePlay: 10/10
    • Graphics: 9/10
    • Sound: 10/10
    • Music: 8/10
    • Length: 8/10
    • Replay Value: 10/10
    • Player Value: 10/10

    Pros
    +Play as Batman, Catwoman and Robin throughout the different game modes (Robin in the DLC)
    +Open world mechanics allow you to travel all over Arkham City to do side quests
    +Gain experience from defeating enemies and finishing the story and side quests to level up all sorts of stats, abilities, etc making the game have a RPG feel to it
    +The soundtrack has improved and is a lot more memorable than the first game
    +The addition of the DLC storyline and Catwoman's side story makes the game's length a lot more than the first game
    +Costumes are unlocked and can be used once the game is finished
    +New Game+ mode which brings forth a higher difficulty rating but lets you keep items and upgrades you had gives high replay value to the game
    +There are challenge maps which can be unlocked throughout the game

    Cons
    -Some key characters from the first game do not show up or have very little presence in this game    … Expand
  29. DarKMaTTeR
    Aug 6, 2014
    9
    Much like its predecessor, Arkham City's production quality is stellar in every regard. This is the kind of game that makes it all seem so easy. The only way it could be better is by taking on more genres.

    This game might not be for everyone, but it certainly is for most people. If you can appreciate a beat 'em up game with simple controls, this game will give you the most polished game    Much like its predecessor, Arkham City's production quality is stellar in every regard. This is the kind of game that makes it all seem so easy. The only way it could be better is by taking on more genres.

    This game might not be for everyone, but it certainly is for most people. If you can appreciate a beat 'em up game with simple controls, this game will give you the most polished game experience there is. This game effortlessly captures the holy grail of games: something that is easy to pick up, gradual in its refinement and hard to master.

    Technically, this game deserves a 10/10. The only reason I don't do that is because I've seen better in Arkham Asylum. I'm splitting hairs here, but the combat system in Batman:AC feels slightly less in your control than in Batman:AA.    … Expand
  30. cerberusd
    Mar 20, 2014
    10
    Arkham City is a curious piece of work. It stands at the junction of linear campaign and sandbox, comicbook and mature fiction, button smasher and stealth game. It is for this reason that I think it's extremely difficult to judge the real value of this game from a design perspective. It really didn't fit into any category we had at the time when it came out. And it's not a surprise to sayArkham City is a curious piece of work. It stands at the junction of linear campaign and sandbox, comicbook and mature fiction, button smasher and stealth game. It is for this reason that I think it's extremely difficult to judge the real value of this game from a design perspective. It really didn't fit into any category we had at the time when it came out. And it's not a surprise to say that 2 years after its release, no game has really succeeded it yet. It's a strange, unique game, to say the least. Arkham City contains the DNA of its predecessor, Arkham Asylum, but at the same time, the other half of its DNA is that of a sandbox game, a la GTA. In hindsight, the linear campaign portion was lackluster, but it was what we were all looking forward to, so it was necessary. Also sandbox technology at the time was not complete enough to carry a game on its own. But even then, what ended up happening was that although the sandbox elements were often overshadowed by the linear campaign, what really elevated this game to one of the absolute greatest games of all time was its sandbox design. So, Arkham City does suffer from a mild identity crisis. But in the moments where it decides it wants to be a full fledged sandbox game, it really shines, as the only well crafted non-fps action sandbox game ever made. Rocksteady's stated goal for the Arkham trilogy was to take the foundations of Arkham Asylum and expand it in scope and detail with each iteration. They showed with Arkham City that they are more than capable of doing that. Expect Arkham Knight to blow your expectations out of the water, as this next iteration of the Arkham sandbox should have a good chance of surpassing Skyrim and GTA V.… 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

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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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