Batman Arkham City

JBLivin

Batman Arkham City Kicks off to a Great Start

Batman Arkham City. Prepare yourself for an explosion of awesomeness few video games could ever hope to achieve. Batman Arkham City is an amazing game and if you don’t own it yet, it’s time you changed that . It is, in my opinion, the best super hero game I’ve ever played. Here are my top 6 reasons why you should get your hands on your own copy of Batman Arkham City.

 Batman Arkham City: Open World

The problem many open-world games have is that they are open but very empty. Empty as in, where are all the people? Why does everything look the same? Did someone lather on a coat of vaseline that’s preventing me from seeing the detail of this supposed sprawling metropolis? Never fear. Batman Arkham City’s graphics are spectacular. The level of detail of the city is perfect. You’ll experience the grim, gritty, slum-filled, and organic city as you traverse through the alleys and atop the sleek roofs as you maneuver to your next objection or stalk unsuspecting prey. The city is dark and in disrepair, and the atmosphere bears down on you as you creep through the shadows.

Batman Arkham City Trailer

JBLivin

Batman Arkham City: Villains

The villains. In Batman Arkham City, you’ll fight most of the best-known villains trying to take down Bats as you do your best to foil their plans and defeat them. Villains such as Two Face, Poison Ivy, Penguin, Mr. Freeze, and a spectacular performance by Mark Hamill as the Joker. Absolutely perfect, he just nails the erratic, bizarre, abstract entity that is the Joker. If you have a favorite Batman villain, chances are you’ll run into him or her at some point. As such, these villains are often the bosses batman must overcome and it is a thrill this time around as the bosses require more thought and strategy to overcome. For example, when combating Mr. Freeze, you’ll have to use different tactics each time around as he won’t fall for the same trick twice.

Batman Arkham City: Catwoman

Play as Catwoman. Catwoman is sensational in this game. Arkham City just nails the Catwoman persona. Her movement animation is flawless and really gives the player this sense of what it would be like to be Catwoman. Her combat moves in particular are especially fun and dynamic. The acrobatics alone are enough to make you grin and feel like you can take on anyone as she wraps around enemies, jumps over them, and flips just out of reach before kicking a bad guy in the face. And I’m sure most guys will agree she ain’t bad to look at. And get this. Batman may be the star, but I may actually be even better fighting bad guys with Catwoman. The lady has skills.

Batman Arkham City Gameplay Featuring Cat Woman

Batman Arkham City: Combat

Combat in Batman Arkham City is smooth and tight. The animations are pristine and flow in a way that’s hard to describe with words. It looks natural, and yet all the more brutal in its execution. You’ll use primarily two buttons to do most of the work, a fast attack and a flashy power attack. Besides that you’ll also be dodging and counter attacking foes in a way that really lays the smack down in a satisfying way. Players will have to resist the urge to cringe as Batman slams a bad guy’s head with an elbow or knee.

JBLivin

Batman Arkham City: Gadgets 

The gadget. Batman doesn't have any superpowers so he has to make due with this smarts, resources, fear, and insane gadgets to get around and help him fight if need be. The level designs will have players utilizing their gadgets and items in unique and creative ways they may not think of at first. And that’s one of the best parts of the game. This is just as much of a      beat-em-up as it is a mystery-solver and a puzzle-solver.

Batman Arkham City: Riddler Challenges

Riddler Challenges. The Riddler Challenges in Batman Arkham City are fun and challenging. It’s addictive and you’ll be playing this game for hours just trying to complete them all. In a game that is already 10-14 hours, the extra side missions and Riddler Challenges easily add about another 5-6 hours of gameplay, making this game well worth the purchase price. Anyone else sick of good games that are about 4 hours long? Or even shorter?

Batman Arkham City Gameplay

Batman Arkham City: Perfect Game?

A few minor flaws: I do have a few gripes with the game, but they are relatively minor. Although there are so many villains in Arkham City, some can feel a bit shallow and rushed. But hey, even having said that, I still wouldn’t want to play Arkham City any other way. But I should mention some of you may feel there are a few too many enemies to contend with and that they could be flushed out a little bit. A new villain or two would have been fun and seemed like a missed opportunity to add a few fun twists here and there.

JBLivin

Batman Arkham City: Final Verdict

The final verdict of Batman Arkham City is a 9 out of 10 and would have been a perfect score were it not for the minor grievances I stated above and a second act that is kind of slow compared to the first and third. Besides that, Arkham City is a near perfect open-world video game and easily contends with and holds it own against other open world games like Red Dead Redemption and Skyrim. Go out and buy   Batman Arkham City.

Similar Reviews

Skyrim
Red Dead Redemption