Holy inverted joysticks!! Batman: Arkham City Review

Before you even say it, I'm well aware I'm reviewing a game that's been out now for the better part of seven months. My Xbox time is essentially limited at the moment to late night Saturday hangover-recovery sessions, so I've been working my way incrementally through Rocksteady's solid follow-up to the 2009 breakout smash, Batman: Arkham City. I also wanted to make sure I'd found all the collectibles and seen everything there was to see in the title before I gave it a proper review. After spending most of my St. Patrick's Day evening nursing one hell of a headache with Brownie Batter ice cream and everyone's favorite mild-mannered playboy gone rogue, I feel like now's the time to weigh in on a title that was on everyone's short list for Game of the Year in 2011.

Since it's been out so long and many folks who are interested in playing the game have probably already had the chance, I'll spare the reader most of the set-up. The long and short of it is, you begin the game as Bruce Wayne in the clutches of Dr. Hugo Strange, who reveals he knows you're Batman. He releases you into the depths of Arkham City, a new compound built adjacent to Gotham where crooks and supervillains are given free reign to act as dastardly as they want. Strange has something special planned for Batman, though, which is revealed throughout the course of the title.

STORY

Arkham City had some big shoes to fill. Arkham Asylum played out like a fantastic iteration in the comic series' storied lore. There was a focused confrontation with the Joker evident from pressing start, and while a similar showdown seems inevitable in Arkham City, along the way you're forced to do a few confusing things.

The narrative thread holding episodes with the Penguin, Mr. Freeze and Ra's Al-Ghul all make sense in the loosest sense of the word for the in-game narrative. There are some fantastic set pieces throughout the game that rival many of the twists that unfolded during Arkham Asylum. However, by attempting to cram in as many supervillains as possible based on the game's lofty premise (how did all the noteworthy portions of Gotham, including where Bruce's parents were shot, find themselves enclosed in Arkham City? That was convenient!), the narrative loses some of its focus and conflicts are always downplayed and unsatisfying (except your bout with the Joker at the end of the game, but to avoid spoilers - yes, even I must conform to the don't give away the ending rule seven months later - I'm leaving that part out of this discussion). The deaths of several principal characters in the game, then, fall flat.

The problem may be with the series' robust Gotham Stories and taped interviews, which return in Arkham City. The most compelling parts of the narrative in this game feel contained within text and audio, as opposed to playing out before your very eyes as they did in Arkham Asylum. All the same, the quibbles above are minor annoyances when you look at how Rocksteady weaved a cogent, compelling narrative that never slacks off. From start to credits, Arkham City will arrest your attention, bat-nerd or layperson alike.

GAMEPLAY

The much lauded move to open-world gameplay in Arkham City is indeed one of the most commendable accomplishments by Rocksteady. The game world always has a new twist or challenge down the numerous alleyways in Arkham. You won't find yourself wishing there were more things to do. 400 Riddler challenges, extensive side missions and playable chapters as Catwoman keep the title interesting into the 40+ hour range. And, if you enjoyed the game the first time around, the New Game+ option gives the ability to start over with all of your gadgets and upgrades unlocked against beefier enemies.

Combat was one of the shining points of Arkham Asylum, and the sequel delivers once again in spades. The developers added the ability to use gadgets in combat, which can make for some pretty interesting encounters. The first time I pulled a thug in with my Batclaw and slammed him to the ground in glorious slow motion brought a shout of joy to my lips that is normally reserved for discoveries of Twilight Zone marathons on late-night television. The combos available, and the satisfying sound effects and physics to nailing a perfect freeflow sequence, will still paste your face with a smile. The addition of more combat challenges and the Riddler campaigns (sequences of challenges with tweaks to scoring and how to complete the challenges) add shelf life to a game that is already more robust than 99% of what you will play this year.

Stealth is still a big aspect of Arkham City, despite the move to more wide-open environs. You will find armed thugs taking out your traditional hiding places much earlier in Arkham City, forcing you to play the game in ways that may be uncomfortable if you're familiar with the first title in the series coming in.

DIFFICULTY

Having not had the chance to complete New Game+ yet, I can't speak to the difficulty of that title. What I can say is that Arkham City, the first time through, isn't all that difficult. Where it does get tricky, the game will often come in and hold your hand, telling you what you need to do to move forward. It's a theory of game development that encourages some experimentation in the way you play the title and keeps the action moving swiftly, but at the same time those looking for a unique challenge will likely not be bothered too much with Arkham City. I died frequently only during a few fights, and even then it was due more to my stupidity than to game design.

PRESENTATION

From the pained steps of Batman after being infected with Titan to tossing insults at baddies like Harley Quinn and the Penguin, this game never stops delivering on its premise of making you feel like the Caped Crusader. Using gadgets and ingenuity to defeat large groups of enemies, pulling off dizzying combos, and searching crime scenes for traces to lead you to your next objective — it all feels like part of Batman's universe.

This includes the sections of the game where you play as Ms. Selina Kyle. The version in Arkham City, like those of all the villains, is somewhere between the dark animated series version of the characters with a sense of magical realism, to the gritty Gotham envisioned by Christopher Nolan in the current film series. Catwoman is sleek, sexy and showing quite a bit of cleavage. She's also faster in combat than Batman, and her method of getting around town has a unique feel. I remember first reading about the opportunity to play as Catwoman in previews of the game last summer, and I'd be lying if I didn't say I was a tad skeptical. But Catwoman's sequences have a narrative of their own that make sense in the timeline of the game proper. Rocksteady knocked it out of the park on this point, as well.

OVERALL

Arkham City is an experience not to be missed by fans the comics, video games and just any consumer who wants to see a well put-together entertainment package. The story, though at times rather disjointed and running the risk of being bogged down in exposition, ends with one of the most important events in Batman lore. As the final credits roll, you'll wonder if what you just saw will change Batman's story forever. It'll make you think, and really appreciate what a wonderful job Rocksteady did once again bringing the Batman experience to our fingertips.

Score: 5/5 stars