Batman: Arkham City

 PlayStation 3
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3542 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,153 out of 3542
  2. Mixed: 236 out of 3542
  3. Negative: 153 out of 3542
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  1. CrazyYan
    Dec 8, 2011
    10
    A perfect game in every way !! A must for every true gamer out there. Huge open world, awesome side missions, sexy Cat women playable character, superb story mode, hours and hours solving riddles and finding trophies... Big Bad Super villains, what else can i say ... ? I've been playing video games since the Atari 2600 and the Coleco box were born and i've never seen anything like it !!!A perfect game in every way !! A must for every true gamer out there. Huge open world, awesome side missions, sexy Cat women playable character, superb story mode, hours and hours solving riddles and finding trophies... Big Bad Super villains, what else can i say ... ? I've been playing video games since the Atari 2600 and the Coleco box were born and i've never seen anything like it !!! Many hidden hints teasing about an upcoming sequel too... THIS IS the Game of the year 2011 !!!… Expand
  2. WanyaRolf
    Dec 7, 2011
    10
    ATTENTION USERS! BEWARE! I just found two reviews posted in my name that I did not wrote. One of them, I haven't even played the game. Don't know how it happened, if someone hacked my account or my informations were given away. Anyway, check your reviews and ratings, see if everything is right. (sorry to do this as a review, but it was the only way I found). Batman is a superb game, by the way.
  3. colorblindyoshi
    Dec 6, 2011
    10
    this game is very, very, good. no denying that. you could release this game in 12 years and it'd still be good. however, there is something missing from this game. it feels perfectly formed, large, never boring, and the gameplay is as good as asylum.

    however, following up asylum is a hard, hard task. the original was nigh on perfect, having great progression, great scenes, set pieces, and    this game is very, very, good. no denying that. you could release this game in 12 years and it'd still be good. however, there is something missing from this game. it feels perfectly formed, large, never boring, and the gameplay is as good as asylum.

    however, following up asylum is a hard, hard task. the original was nigh on perfect, having great progression, great scenes, set pieces, and a sense that where you went next was up to you, but that following the story is the best option.

    city is like this, but the ridiculous scale that it is on dampens things a bit. there is little feeling of enclosure, no fear, no sense of danger, and following the story seems less meaningful, even if it is a well thought out one. it has no wow factor anymore either. the items you had at the end of asylum are still here, and there is little new, aside from the ridiculous scale of the game.

    there is also no real incentive to come back. you play it and it is hard to persuade yourself to turn it back on. i have found this with other people, who simply have no desire to find out what happens next. some games like zelda, uncharted and arkham asylum did, but for some reason, this just doesn't.

    not to say its a bad game. not whatsoever. but i would reccomend arkham asylum over it. its not a dissapointment, but unlike arkham asylum, something feels missing. and that is the most depressing sensation you can have in a videogame.    … Expand
  4. KLary
    Dec 5, 2011
    8
    An excellent sequel to Arkham Asylum. All the fun from the first game is still here, with more objectives and a longer campaign. The inclusion of Catwoman was a nice touch, and adding Robin and Nightwing as DLC was great. The free roaming environment was nice, but a lot of travelling between objectives. Overall, a great game worth the money.
  5. KgnDavel
    Dec 1, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Best game I've ever played, best superhero game ever and most dramatic game in a wile. Because of jokers death. Why did they do it why. I hate them but still love this game. Best game ever. BUY IT, NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!… Expand
  6. swift1
    Nov 30, 2011
    10
    This game is probably one of the best, if not the best, third person narrative out there. Move aside among thieves, I have played through the game on three occasions already and the ending still wows me. Everything from the story to the graphics to the gameplay is done to near perfection aside from a few pop-in textures and gliches. Im giving Arkham city an enthusiastic 10 out of 10.
  7. HornetBurrito
    Nov 30, 2011
    10
    Best single player game I have ever played. I LOVED IT! I would prefer the combat challenges to be a bit more difficult but all in all, very few flaws in this game..
  8. Jetman2021
    Nov 29, 2011
    9
    After two years, the highly rated Batman: Arkham Aslyum gets a follow-up in the form of Arkham City. I thought the first game was great in that it represented the property magnificently, but my biggest flaw with Arkham Asylum was that it ended too soon, even with extras such as challenge maps and Riddler trophies. With that said how does Arkham City stack up?

    Pros: -Visual-wise, Audio    After two years, the highly rated Batman: Arkham Aslyum gets a follow-up in the form of Arkham City. I thought the first game was great in that it represented the property magnificently, but my biggest flaw with Arkham Asylum was that it ended too soon, even with extras such as challenge maps and Riddler trophies. With that said how does Arkham City stack up?

    Pros:
    -Visual-wise, Audio Wise, and Story wise this game is outstanding. Pointing out a flaw in the technical aspect of this game would be like pointing what is wrong with DaVinci's artwork. You may have criticisms but you can't deny that real love went into it.
    -You're the Goddamn Batman: I already felted like Batman in AA, but in AC I feel even more like him down to the gadgets, fighting style, and overall badass-ness.
    -Once the main storyline is done, there is a pretty good amount of content to go back to.
    -Casual and Hardcore Batman fans will be drooling over how much mythos is in this game.
    -Catwoman is hot and fun to play as.

    Cons:
    -Those Catwoman stages are short.
    -Side Missions include other Batman Villains, but they're wasted. So many great opportunities to enhance the games longevity are subjected to really anti-climatic boss battles.
    -The problems that I felt with AA resonate in AC. Riddler trophies, while have more substance this time, still feel like a chore leading up to nothing. Challenge Maps while fun, still get tiring after awhile and don't feel worth it. Once everything is done, you don't feel compelled to come back.

    Overall, Arkham City is an experience that EVERYONE Batman fan or not should play. This game improves on the first one in so many ways that it makes the first one sort of obsolete. However, once again AC has the same problem that AA suffered and that is the lasting factor. It truly is one of the best games ever...but unfortunately some things can't last forever.    … Expand
  9. jackmcready
    Nov 29, 2011
    10
    A short review. This is my Game of the year. Compared to Arkham Asylum they've managed to make a great game better. And I'm not even a Batman fan (I enjoy the movies, that's about it). Here Rocksteady have managed to capture a dark, comic book style video game in exceptional style. I think I ran in to ONE single annoying part, where at one place in the game you're supposed to breakA short review. This is my Game of the year. Compared to Arkham Asylum they've managed to make a great game better. And I'm not even a Batman fan (I enjoy the movies, that's about it). Here Rocksteady have managed to capture a dark, comic book style video game in exceptional style. I think I ran in to ONE single annoying part, where at one place in the game you're supposed to break "something" (not going to spoil anything) and you have to hit it three times instead of just one which in that case is just stupid. Then I once ran in to something of an invisible wall (fell down a roof in a stupid manner). And that's pretty much it when it comes to flaws. Maybe there are a bit too many Riddler challenges and that the ones where you just pick up a trophy feel a bit unessecary but those are quite few (and the challenges based on movement isn't really that fun). Instead Riddler trophies are aquired in really various ways, some harder than other. Oh, and not to forget one thing I acctually hate about the game: throwing a certain something with the short commando is R2+L2 but it almost never works. But you need to do it if you want every Riddler challenge. Only 3 times though, so once you've done it you won't do it ever again. Anyway, terrific games. Great story, great characters, superb side missions that are more like mini stories rather than just time consuming side quests that add nothing or little to the game itself. Instead all the side quests adds a wonderful depth to game and the Batman universe in large. This is soon getting a third replay.… Expand
  10. TappajaHauki
    Nov 28, 2011
    10
    Batman Arkam City is said to be one of the best games of the year but is that true? Let's find out. Batman Arkham City is an action game made by Rocksteady. The story is about Batman, who has to save Gotham from Hugo Strange, whose got a '' super prison '' in his control. It's a good story but i think some of the boss fights are useless, because most of them could haveBatman Arkam City is said to be one of the best games of the year but is that true? Let's find out. Batman Arkham City is an action game made by Rocksteady. The story is about Batman, who has to save Gotham from Hugo Strange, whose got a '' super prison '' in his control. It's a good story but i think some of the boss fights are useless, because most of them could have gotten they'r own game. The gameplay is almost the same that it was in Arkham Asylym (which is not a bad thing) but it's improved. The game focuses on two main things: stealth and fighting. Stealth is very well done. It reminds me of Splinter Cell: Conviction and it's very good in that game. Fighting uses a mechanic called free flow. The fighting for me is the funniest thing to do in this game. It's just really fun to smack somebody in the face and then just kick some other guy and so on. You can also play as Catwoman which is fun and you can download Nightwing and Robin dlc packs. There's also a lot of side mission, challenge maps, riddles and trophies to find so there's a lot to do after you've finished the story. Graphics are also very good in this game. It has the same art style that Arkham Asylum had but the graphics are improved. There might be couple of texture bugs but they are so small that they don't ruin the game. So now we can clearly say that Arkham City is a great game. and one of the best games that I've ever played. Now go buy this game!

    Story: 9.5
    Gameplay: 10
    Graphics: 9.5
    Final score: 9.5 '' Great ''    … Expand
  11. L4DLegend91
    Nov 28, 2011
    9
    Being one of the more anticipated games of the year definitely put a lot of pressure on the creators of the game, but they deliver big time. While I enjoyed Arkham Asylum, I didn't think it was the game that most were telling me it was. It was a very simplistic beat em up kind of game for me, though I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Arkham City on the other hand changed everything for me. IBeing one of the more anticipated games of the year definitely put a lot of pressure on the creators of the game, but they deliver big time. While I enjoyed Arkham Asylum, I didn't think it was the game that most were telling me it was. It was a very simplistic beat em up kind of game for me, though I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Arkham City on the other hand changed everything for me. I love the idea of being able to go from place to place within the city, though it gets kind of annoying to handle side missions while already on a main mission. Other than that, this game packs a lot of action, memorable enemies and just loads of content that should keep everyone busy for a little while with it.… Expand
  12. IronGuy410
    Nov 27, 2011
    10
    Batman: Arkham City is an absolute masterpiece. The graphics are incredible, with every square inch of the world looking detailed, dark and moody, and the characters big, well animated and very realistic. The sound design is some of the best in any medium, with perfect voice acting for every character, great sound effects, and a soundtrack that is at once haunting, dark, and sad and at theBatman: Arkham City is an absolute masterpiece. The graphics are incredible, with every square inch of the world looking detailed, dark and moody, and the characters big, well animated and very realistic. The sound design is some of the best in any medium, with perfect voice acting for every character, great sound effects, and a soundtrack that is at once haunting, dark, and sad and at the same time heroic and hopeful. Gameplay-wise, the game hits a perfect balance between hand to hand action and stealth, with varied enemy types and situations that not only constantly keep the game interesting, but also make you change up your strategy to overcome the many challenges you face as the Caped Crusader. But the real reason why this game is such a triumph is its story, which starts off exciting and then ratchets up the tension to such heights that you will not want to put down the controller until the credits roll. It is also a very dark, incredibly emotional story, filled with many characteristic moments for its hero and his villains, and one scene in particular that will definitely bring a tear to your eye. Every friendship, alliance, rivalry and hatred is handled perfectly and, combined with the gameplay and the side missions, this is the game that will truly make you feel like you are The Dark Knight in all his glory. Overall, Arkham City is a game that everyone should own. The gameplay is exciting and well-paced, the presentation is top notch and the story offers more fan service, thrills, action and emotion than any other work of art released in a long time in any medium. This is truly the definitive superhero experience.… Expand
  13. ZenRobot
    Nov 27, 2011
    10
    Having now played my 3 most anticipated games of the year (Zelda, Uncharted 3, and Batman) I can say with full confidence that this one was the best. This was the one which matched and exceeded my expectations. This was the game most eager to please, and by far the most successful. Where other games became bogged down by their attempts at epicness (Uncharted), pacing (Zelda), or spottyHaving now played my 3 most anticipated games of the year (Zelda, Uncharted 3, and Batman) I can say with full confidence that this one was the best. This was the one which matched and exceeded my expectations. This was the game most eager to please, and by far the most successful. Where other games became bogged down by their attempts at epicness (Uncharted), pacing (Zelda), or spotty controls (Uncharted, Zelda), Batman excels with it's developers deft touch; light enough not to be obtrusive, and heavy enough to keep things moving in the right direction. Skyward Sword is one giant fetch quest. Arkham City makes those fetch quests optional, and guess what: they're way more fun because of that. Rocksteady empowers the player and finds ways for them to succeed, not ways to slow them down or annoy them.… Expand
  14. Commen0136
    Nov 26, 2011
    10
    Arkham City isn't only fun but has a beautiful story, awesome characters and an interesting environment to explore. Unlike its predecessor, this game gives you much more to do after beating the main story. I really have nothing to say, I gave it a 10 and its perfect for me.
  15. ranker48
    Nov 25, 2011
    10
    If you haven't bought this game yet, then something is wrong with you. It has something for everyone. For Uncharted 3 fans, it has great voice acting. For Skyrim fans, it has an amazing open-ended world. For Zelda fans, it has neat Riddle puzzles. For Saints Row the Third fans, it has great looking animations and a lot of sex appeal. For Assassin's Creed fans, it has a lot of sweetIf you haven't bought this game yet, then something is wrong with you. It has something for everyone. For Uncharted 3 fans, it has great voice acting. For Skyrim fans, it has an amazing open-ended world. For Zelda fans, it has neat Riddle puzzles. For Saints Row the Third fans, it has great looking animations and a lot of sex appeal. For Assassin's Creed fans, it has a lot of sweet cutscenes.… Expand
  16. Fascade518
    Nov 25, 2011
    10
    Totally awesome to a point of where the use of the old cliche' : "Two Thumbs Up" is relatively old and outdated. Batman is back big time....due my time constraints...the one hour I have played it so far has me so hooked that I am going to have to use my sick/personal time to WANT to finish this one. So far, the return of Hugo Strange, The Penguin, Catwoman, and Two-Face...are highlyTotally awesome to a point of where the use of the old cliche' : "Two Thumbs Up" is relatively old and outdated. Batman is back big time....due my time constraints...the one hour I have played it so far has me so hooked that I am going to have to use my sick/personal time to WANT to finish this one. So far, the return of Hugo Strange, The Penguin, Catwoman, and Two-Face...are highly almost realistically polished characters...this truly is a work of art....get it!… Expand
  17. TheateraNerd
    Nov 25, 2011
    10
    A lovely line up of great bosses. Great free roaming capabilities. More moves characters. And simply this is the vest superhero game ever created and it makes me feel like im actually batman which is exactly what its supposed to do!
  18. Aayush773
    Nov 25, 2011
    10
    Not only is this one of the best games of the year, but one of the greatest games of all time and outperforms its predecessor in every way and no other game or movie makes you feel like the dark knight other than this one.
  19. Trevs698
    Nov 25, 2011
    9
    After playing Arkham Asylum a couple years ago I thought to myself that it couldn't get better than this...and to my surprise it did. Arkham City not only improved upon the gameplay, but also told a much more involving story and gave more stuff to do. Not only was the combat way more improved, but now you got a greater percentage of villians to fight and an entire barricaded city to fullyAfter playing Arkham Asylum a couple years ago I thought to myself that it couldn't get better than this...and to my surprise it did. Arkham City not only improved upon the gameplay, but also told a much more involving story and gave more stuff to do. Not only was the combat way more improved, but now you got a greater percentage of villians to fight and an entire barricaded city to fully explore. The riddler trophies also add more to the gameplay, and the inclusion of hostages to capture from him after collecting a certain number of trophies adds to the fun.

    Adding to the greatness was the reprising roles of Kevin conroy as the voice of Batman and Mark Hamill as the voice of The Joker. Both truly added to their characters and pulled it off quite well which was satisfying indeed. The inclusion of more villians to tackle this time as well was cool too. From Mr Freeze to The Penguin you got almost every villian Batman has ever faught in this game for him to take on. I really found myself impressed seeing all of the characters all in one game and involved in a rather interesting story.

    With all the good I have one minor issue and that is the inclusion of Catwoman. She is neat to play as but in my view it just feels as if she was just thrown into the story because she just didn't really add much to it. She was a good diversion from playing as Batman but in all honesty she just was not needed. Aside of that this game is truly a must buy and really should be experienced by anyone who loves well developed action games.... even if you aren't much of a Batman fan like I am    … Expand
  20. McAdooZ
    Nov 24, 2011
    10
    Arkham City is truly a superb game, for both normal gamers and die hard comic fans. The game has fluid gameplay with an excellent combat system that can be as deep as you want to take it, and moving around the map is a breeze once you obtain certain upgrades. The graphics are beautiful and the voice acting is top notch, as Batman and his rogues gallery are all brought to life in satisfyingArkham City is truly a superb game, for both normal gamers and die hard comic fans. The game has fluid gameplay with an excellent combat system that can be as deep as you want to take it, and moving around the map is a breeze once you obtain certain upgrades. The graphics are beautiful and the voice acting is top notch, as Batman and his rogues gallery are all brought to life in satisfying fashion, and the story is one of the best Batman tales you'll find. There is a lot of fan service to comic readers that makes the experience that much richer for them, but doesn't drag down the game for anyone who is unfamiliar with Batman lore. There are an incredible number of villains that make an appearance, but the story plays out in a way that none of them are present just for the sake of throwing them in. Just when you think you've encountered everything Arkham City has to offer, you find another hidden portion that blows your mind. Arkham City is by far the best game to come out this year, and is a must play for everyone, whether or not you played Arkham Asylum.… Expand
  21. Xenugears
    Nov 23, 2011
    9
    Aesthetic perfection. The balled-like flow to combat is as enjoyable as ever. I still prefer Arkham Asylum (it was my GOTY) because the game world was big enough to explore but small and contained enough to allow the story to be more focused. While City is technically bigger it feels unfocused and strangely small. If you're going to do a open world game then do it right and make Batman:Aesthetic perfection. The balled-like flow to combat is as enjoyable as ever. I still prefer Arkham Asylum (it was my GOTY) because the game world was big enough to explore but small and contained enough to allow the story to be more focused. While City is technically bigger it feels unfocused and strangely small. If you're going to do a open world game then do it right and make Batman: Gotham City.… Expand
  22. JimmyoftheDead
    Nov 23, 2011
    9
    "Perfect" is as close to a description as your going to get with this game, though it isn't quite that, but going any lower can't be done with this game. Arkham Asylum was one of my favorite games, giving me the power of batman with all his gadgets, strength, smarts, and more importantly his morals. Arkham City follows on every aspect in that and adds much more. I loved it from start to"Perfect" is as close to a description as your going to get with this game, though it isn't quite that, but going any lower can't be done with this game. Arkham Asylum was one of my favorite games, giving me the power of batman with all his gadgets, strength, smarts, and more importantly his morals. Arkham City follows on every aspect in that and adds much more. I loved it from start to finish, but there were times where i felt that it could have done more with the villains. There were plenty of them, ranging from the well known Gotham faces such as Joker and Penguin, to the almost unknown Mad Hatter and Dead Shot. It's the many cameos that ruin it though, very few get any real time on screen and when they do its rarely a memorable moment. You will smile, cringe, or chuckle at them being there, but something new will appear and will move on. But that is my only problem with this game, there is nothing else i don't like. The combat is fast, powerful, and makes you feel like the Dark Knight is in control. The visuals of this game are awe-inspiring, sometimes its enough to make you just wana stop and look at it for a moment. Voice acting is a major step up this time, which every person in the game giving it a Oscar worthy sound. Mark Hamill steals the show as Joker, who is having problems after the first game, and Nolan North as Penguin is just as good to. The open world of Arkham City is a true open world experience as well, with the intensive being Riddler placing over 400+ trophies for you to find. Sadly Scarecrow does not make a return, and while those shoes...if he had any, are hard to fill, Riddler himself makes an appearance that is as memorable as any in the game. The story is vast and worth every minute of your time, but cameos are many and never given much time. Even Robin has one, but like the rest is only brief and just there to make you smile. Batman: Arkham City is worth you time and money though, be it if your a comic book lover, action game lover, or just someone who wants a great game for Christmas, you can't go wrong with this.… Expand
  23. Mensrea
    Nov 22, 2011
    10
    Arkham Asylum was a bold statement: Yes a superhero game can be superb. Arkham City is an ever bolder statement: Yes a superhero game can be a masterpiece in every sense of the word. It is like walking through a batman fans greatest fantasy with the loads of easter eggs and batman lore. As a game itself though, it's sheer brilliance. Combat adds just enough to the already brilliant systemArkham Asylum was a bold statement: Yes a superhero game can be superb. Arkham City is an ever bolder statement: Yes a superhero game can be a masterpiece in every sense of the word. It is like walking through a batman fans greatest fantasy with the loads of easter eggs and batman lore. As a game itself though, it's sheer brilliance. Combat adds just enough to the already brilliant system to make it feel fresh, gliding through the city is one of the more thrilling things you will do this year on a video game system, and the story is well fleshed out and keeps you on the edge of your seat. There is only one reason I can think of not giving this brilliant game a perfect score: Pop in. The game runs rampant with it. It's a real shame too, because the game is gorgeous and feels like your playing in batman's world for real. If the pop in was just a little bit less prominent, it would be a ten, but sadly it is not.… Expand
  24. Bobleonard
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    I've been a fan of Batman since I was a little kid. I've read/own all of his comics and I absolutely adored Batman Arkham Ayslum. I actually felt like batman in Arkham Asylum. But in Arkham City, you BECOME batman. The second you step out into the streets of Gotham, you're completely taken aback with the sheer scope and beauty of the city. Sirens, helicopters and innocent cries for helpI've been a fan of Batman since I was a little kid. I've read/own all of his comics and I absolutely adored Batman Arkham Ayslum. I actually felt like batman in Arkham Asylum. But in Arkham City, you BECOME batman. The second you step out into the streets of Gotham, you're completely taken aback with the sheer scope and beauty of the city. Sirens, helicopters and innocent cries for help fill the night sky as you leap from building to building and use your grappel gun to fly through it all, while little snowflakes hit your cape. The perfection of Arkham City is in the details. There's just no question about it. Just being able to fight against batman's most dangerous enemies and interact with them as well is any fanboy's dream. The developers and Rocksteady studios put so much love and care into this game that it even it you're not an avid batman fan, you owe it to yourself to go to your local video game store and buy this game..no questions asked. This game is not so much a game, as it is an EXPERIENCE. That's the end of the review for me, now I'm gonna go replay the game literally for the 11th time. Cheers! :D… Expand
  25. Wildface
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    This is in my opinion, game of the year. I've played the biggest hits this year and this game is the only one that completely blew me away. The story, the graphics, and the gameplay were all fantastic. There are so many things to do in Arkham City. The main story with a ton of unlockables and side quests with challenge modes that are pretty fun when you just want to enjoy the "free flowThis is in my opinion, game of the year. I've played the biggest hits this year and this game is the only one that completely blew me away. The story, the graphics, and the gameplay were all fantastic. There are so many things to do in Arkham City. The main story with a ton of unlockables and side quests with challenge modes that are pretty fun when you just want to enjoy the "free flow combat". Anyone who enjoyed the first game, should pick this one up.… Expand
  26. USG
    Nov 21, 2011
    9
    Arkham City is a stellar game that improves on Arkham Asylum featuring a fantastic open world and familiar, great voice acting by much of the cast from Batman: The Animated Series (notably Mark Hamill as the Joker). The scenery is fantastic and gliding between missions is an enjoyable experience. The gameplay is extremely smooth and complimented with competent difficulty settings andArkham City is a stellar game that improves on Arkham Asylum featuring a fantastic open world and familiar, great voice acting by much of the cast from Batman: The Animated Series (notably Mark Hamill as the Joker). The scenery is fantastic and gliding between missions is an enjoyable experience. The gameplay is extremely smooth and complimented with competent difficulty settings and various missions. Unfortunately, the story mode could be longer considering its engagement (and, of course, the entire game is single player). There are not enough side-missions to keep a player around long once the game is finished. Gathering Riddler trophies can become an unpleasurable task at the end of the game preventing some players to keep at it. Downloadable content keeps the player active for longer, but not too long. By the time the story is finished along with all side-missions and gadget upgrades, there is not much motivation to continue in the city. Otherwise, anybody who has an interest for Batman would find this game great, with dialog from the characters to models.… Expand
  27. xyntek
    Nov 21, 2011
    9
    Perfect. I love it. And for those who are saying about sneaking, go and see Batman series or read the comics. The core of Batman is sneaking. If you want to go in and beat everyone, keep playing MW3. This game is awesome, I really love it. The only thing I hate is that the combat system sometimes gets repetitive, as the Riedler missions. Also I hate that you can't use the Batmobile or Batwing
  28. Poopman157
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    Rocksteady games proved that it was possible to make a good Batman game-a really good Batman game, in 2009 with Batman: Arkham Asylum. Was it possible, though, to make a Batman game that could (gasp) garner Game of the Year status? The answer is, yes, sweet lord yes. The beginning of the game reveals a pretty big twist. Hugo Strange, the big bad guy, knows Batman's identity. He quicklyRocksteady games proved that it was possible to make a good Batman game-a really good Batman game, in 2009 with Batman: Arkham Asylum. Was it possible, though, to make a Batman game that could (gasp) garner Game of the Year status? The answer is, yes, sweet lord yes. The beginning of the game reveals a pretty big twist. Hugo Strange, the big bad guy, knows Batman's identity. He quickly throws Bruce Wayne in the sprawling mega-prison Arkham City, and the player says goodbye to life for a few months. A huge amount of villains appear right at the start. Black Mask, The Penguin (voiced by Nolan "I'm in everything" North), Catwoman, and Two-Face, Harley Quinn, and the Joker all appear in the first half-hour. Just like in the previous installment, the animated show's actors voice their respective characters. Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, there all here. This is, by the way, Hamill's last performance as The Joker. And oh, what a glorious finale he had. The greatest character by far, though, is the city itself. So many secrets are hidden in this gothic wonderland that you'll be in your underwear lying in the dark with controller in hand for months. I know I have. The story is the best though, and it plays like a graphic novel. Every situation has you saying "Wow, that's my new favorite part." Your favorite part will undoubtedly be the ending though, it's got to be one of the greatest endings in video game history. plot twist after plot twist after plot twist pile up and you'll be in awe at the last, say, ten minutes. This is not just a great Batman game, it's a great Batman experience.… Expand
  29. MovieScouse007
    Nov 21, 2011
    8
    I am only 8 hours into "Batman: Arkham Asylum" but I've played enough of the game to get a feel for the overall gameplay and controls. Firstly I believe it's an excellent game. There is a joy in diving off a building then firing your grappling gun and hooking to another building's roof at the last minute, to swoop up and start the process all over again, rendering walking and runningI am only 8 hours into "Batman: Arkham Asylum" but I've played enough of the game to get a feel for the overall gameplay and controls. Firstly I believe it's an excellent game. There is a joy in diving off a building then firing your grappling gun and hooking to another building's roof at the last minute, to swoop up and start the process all over again, rendering walking and running redundant. The combat is well judged, not relying on button-bashing like Tekken or Street Fighter. The radar and way-point markers are good, I love the mist-ridden bat symbols that guide you to a way-point or an objective. The chance to play an additional character, as I enjoyed doing in L.A. Noire, again proves to be fun, especially when she is in the sexy figure of Catwoman, and with Nightwing to come...… Expand
  30. iBash
    Nov 21, 2011
    9
    Arkham City is a very well example of how a sequel should be, but it's not perfect. I thought the story was rather weak and even though the "frame plot" is supposed to be about Hugo Strange, there's a weird focus on the Joker AGAIN, which wasn't really necessary if you ask me. But a lot of other characters from the Batman franchise have been included, maybe even too many as a few of themArkham City is a very well example of how a sequel should be, but it's not perfect. I thought the story was rather weak and even though the "frame plot" is supposed to be about Hugo Strange, there's a weird focus on the Joker AGAIN, which wasn't really necessary if you ask me. But a lot of other characters from the Batman franchise have been included, maybe even too many as a few of them don't have much more than a cameo, Robin for instance. He's playable in some DLC challenge Maps, fine, but was that really worth bothering implementing him? In the story mode, he just appears once in a cutscene.

    The Catwoman parts are pretty good, she plays different, but not too different from Bats. Could've gotten more content than the very few and short missions she has.

    Technically, the game looks, sounds and plays fantastically. One complaint would be that the combat can be very annoying and tedious before you "buy" certain battle upgrades with your XP. I invested in gadgets and such first and thus, didn't enjoy the fights until later in the game, so do yourself a favor and get the combat upgrades first.

    Another thing that disappointed me were the stealth sections. I really loved those in the prequel, but this time, they feel weak, also few and far between. The challenges are much, much easier this time, which is not a good thing, most of them, at least, but when you've done them all, if you want to "complete" everything, the game forces you to beat all of them again with some extra conditions and always three of them in a row. This is kind of lazy and reeks of filler content this game didn't even need.

    No, it didn't. Even though the story is kind of short, there's so much good side mission stuff, you'll be busy for hours.

    It's also remarkable how well the controls work. It's not like it's dumbed down, but everything feels natural and fluently. The new power dive plummet to gain or lose height takes a while to get used to but once you have the hang of it, you'll fly around Arkham City like you were born for it. I also love the grappling hook, it's really fun to use both in and outside.

    Personally, I thought the open world concept wasn't as good as the island from the first game, but it makes up for the less interesting design (it's still great!) by letting you fly and zip all over the place which is very fun and wouldn't have been possible with a gameworld like the one in Arkham Asylum.

    Overall, this game game is great. Some aspects could've been better, but nothing really worth whining about. 9/10    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PS3 Game of 2011
5
#5 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2011
1
#1 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 42 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 42
  3. Negative: 0 out of 42
  1. Official PlayStation Magazine Benelux
    Dec 29, 2011
    89
    Arkham City is the best reflection of the Batman-comic books ever. Not because of the sheer amount of famous enemies that challenge our hero, but thanks to the amazing atmosphere that oozes from every pore of this remarkable action game. [Nov 2011, p.70]
  2. Gamer Limit
    Nov 29, 2011
    95
    All in all, outside of a few minor issues, I couldn't ask for a better Batman experience. If Arkham City was a graphic novel, it would be considered a classic.
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  3. Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)
    Nov 18, 2011
    100
    Arkham City should be celebrated as a shining achievement for the action-adventure genre for its masterful execution. [Holiday 2011, p.70]
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