Game Review: Batman - Arkham City

Note: This review is spoiler free, and was done on the 360 version of the game.

I've just sat down with the new game for more than a few hours this afternoon, and I think I'm at the point now where I've reached the meat of the game, and can make an informed review. First, though, I should talk about the first Batman game made by the same game studio.

When they released their last Batman game two years ago, I didn't exactly run out to buy it. Superhero games usually end up lukewarm for me. They might play alright for awhile, but they wear out their welcome quickly.

Thus, I ended up purchasing my copy of the game much later, during a Steam holiday sale (of course), when I figured I could waste some money on a game that might not be any good. I was wrong. The game was stunning, and was a clear winner. I greatly enjoyed the abilities the developers, Rocksteady, gave Batman in the game. The game mode that stood out for me was the so-called 'Predator' mode, where Batman would enter an enclosed space where enemies are looking for him. As Batman, your job was to pick them off, one by one. You could hide under grates, pop up, and punch them out. You could hide on top of gargoyles, lean upside down like a bat, and string them up. You could drop on top of them. You could use some of your explosive gel to blow up a weak spot in a wall and take some of them out.

As each enemy was knocked out, the remaining men would start to get nervous, wondering where the heck you'd come from next. Using your 'detective vision,' you could see their heart rates begin to go up. All the while, their boss, the Joker (Mark Hamill, AKA Luke Skywalker), or Harley Quinn would ridicule them, exhorting them to catch you. The lines were quite humorous, and added a lot of fun to game.

What was amazing to me about the game was that although there was a lot of violence, they were able to keep the entire story within the bounds of cartoon ethics. Nobody dies, they're just knocked out. Batman never kills anybody. Nobody ever curses. Yet the quality of the game is so high, it would simply take away from the game if any of the characters did.

This is all to say that if you haven't played Arkham Asylum yet, you should go out and get a copy right now. I'm waiting...good! Now that you've played Arkham Asylum, you'll have a fairly good idea of where the series is going next.

Don't worry, however, if you haven't played the first game. Like any good Batman adventure, what's happened before doesn't really matter. He'll fight against the same unkillable bad guys, and they'll constantly try to kill him with their usual Rube Goldberg plots, without ever succeeding. This might seem like it might make the game rather trite, but it turns out it's anything but.

Online Pass

This game is following the unfortunate tendency of other recent games of implementing a so-called online pass. This forces people buying used copies to obtain an extra pass to unlock content that already exists in the game (although given the way this pass is implemented, it was hard to tell if the content was actually on the disk, or in the 200 MB package I was forced to download after entering the code I had). Usually, the company claims that the extra content isn't necessary for full enjoyment of the game. I happen to disagree with this view point, highly. It's plainly a money grab, pure and simple.

Additionally, be aware that a supposedly small percentage of people who bought the game are having problems either redeeming these codes or have the code not printed on their insert at all. If this has happened to you, details on contacting WB games to get this resolved is located here.

In the case of Batman - Arkham City, the on-line pass unlocks the Catwoman levels in the game. The claim is that since you can only play her for only about 10% of the game, she isn't essential to the game's story.

From what I've seen so far in game, that claim is baloney. The Catwoman missions are interspersed with the main Batman story line, and they add a lot to the story. In fact, the game opener happens to be a Catwoman mission (though it's short, it's interesting). Ripping them out of the game is a travesty. I've had almost more fun playing around with Catwoman than I have with Batman, simply because her moves and capabilities are fresh completely different (as well as motivations).

If you want to play this game, you really need to do it with the Catwoman missions. As such, I can't recommend that you buy this game used. Wait for the game to sell for cheap on Steam or Amazon. Eventually one of these sellers is going to be selling a discounted copy (possibly sooner than you might think). Waiting a few months to buy this game is a much better option than buying it stripped of some of its content.

Alternatively, buy the game used at Gamestop, which is supposedly putting unlock codes into its used games (the code is printed on your receipt).

The Starting Plot

In the interests of staying spoiler free, I won't describe the first mission too much, except to say that you begin with Catwoman. Mrrrrow! She's looking quite fine, and has the moves to go with the attitude. Her free form attack style works much like Batman's, the 'X' button doing a normal attack, and the 'Y' button performing a counter. The 'B' button can be used to deploy her whip to lash out and distract them, much like Batman's cape. She fights a little dirtier than Batman does, as her gloves have nasty claws.

Next, we move on to seeing what's going on with Batman. Or, in this case, Bruce Wayne. Apparently, for whatever reason, perhaps due to what happened in the previous game, Arkham Asylum is no longer working out. Instead, they've decided to implement a new plan, called 'Arham City,' where all the reprobates will be segregated and cut off from the rest of the population. Effectively, what this means is that a section of Gotham city has been fortified and turned into a gigantic super prison.

Somehow, Hugo Strange is in charge of this gigantic prison city-state. When Bruce Wayne holds a protest against the prison outside the gates, Hugo's security forces show up and arrest Bruce. They force him into the prison/city through a series of misadventures that force Bruce to beat up several bad guys.

Eventually, he's inside the city, and gets a convenient air drop of all the equipment he needs including his Batman suit and his awesome grappling hook, which you can use to navigate the 'city' at will. It makes you wonder why he doesn't just grapple his way out of the prison, but perhaps his goal was to get inside in the first place.

You're then effectively thrown into the mix, told to go investigate what's going on at the courthouse. You're free to roam the city at will, except for a restricted area, which presumably opens up later in the game. Eventually, you get involved with the Joker. Rumor has it he's not feeling so well, and Harley's trying to cheer him up. In the mean time, Catwoman is off planning some heist, and tries to recruit Poison Ivy, who isn't really in the mood due to events from the previous game.

The City

 Decay wrought by the criminal denizens is rampant everywhere, with graffiti and crumbling structures prevalent. Various districts are setup that belong to criminal organizations, like the Joker's little amusement park area, wherein he and Harley have random spiels over loudspeakers about recruitment drives.

The place is rather oppressive. Hugo Strange randomly announces to the world that getting too close to the outside barrier would be a rather lethal proposition. Helicopters patrol the skies. They put their spotlight on Batman when they spot him, remarking on his activities. If Batman is aggressive towards them, they actively shoot at him (a word to the wise - this is a very quick way to die).

Atmosphere is key in these types of games, and Rocksteady easily pulls off this dystopian dump. Like Bioshock, this game has a lot of character.

Side Quests

While wandering around the city, random side quests can pop up. Maybe you'll be helping out random political prisoners who are being molested by the criminal element inside the city. Perhaps you'll be tracking down the oodles of Riddler puzzles scattered throughout (and I do mean oodles). Or maybe you'll be answering telephones, triangulating the signal and trying to catch the serial killer making the calls.


There are also virtual reality training exercises you can try your skills out on, which consist of trying to glide and dive batman through a serious of hoops overlaid on the city environs. The easier exercises serve to help you figure out how to use Batman's abilities efficiently, which makes sense. However, the later exercises are an exercise in pure masochism. Don't attempt them unless you're willing to bang your head against a door several times. It seriously took me over twenty tries to successfully complete just one of these challenges. A conveniently placed fence or ceiling joist is always exactly where you don't want it to be, and maddeningly Batman will roost on a nearby object much more often than he'll continue the glide like you need him to do. Additionally, it usually takes at least a few grappling hook jumps to get back up to the starting point so you can give it another go, which can get tedious rather quickly. After hearing the computer say that you've failed the fifteenth time in the row, you'll be very pleased that you have taken your Valium.

A note on the Riddler trophies - if you spot one but can't figure out how the heck to get it, if you go into detective mode (left bumper), then hold down left bumper, it will record where that trophy is located on your map so you can go back and get it later. Unlike in the previous game, there don't appear to be maps you can find which reveal the location of all Riddler trophies in an area.

Batman and his Gadgets


If you're wondering if Batman plays any differently than in the previous game, you may be reassured or disappointed. He doesn't play any differently (I was reassured). All the gadgets you know and love from the previous game make an appearance here as well (grapple, explosive gel, remote batarang, etc.), though you have access to them at the beginning of the game (no need to unlock them). There are also new additions to his arsenal, such as an electric charge gun, which can be used to energize engines as well as stun baddies.

Combat is as fluid as ever, with the Bat flying from one bad guy to the other swiftly and assuredly. Nothing is more satisfying than racking up a 31x combo without breaking your stride. The game rewards you for being methodical instead of being a button masher, as pausing between each hit can help you to land the next one properly, as well as give you a chance for a critical hit or a counter. Also note that if two bad guys signal that they can be countered, clicking on the counter button (Y) will automatically counter both of them simultaneously.

Predator mode is much the same as in the previous game, where you can take down the enemies in a myriad of fun and interesting ways. In addition to the take down methods from the previous game (such as dive bombing or stringing them up from above or surprising them from below a grate), they've added a dual take down which is super useful when there are two goons standing right next to each other. Let's just say they like using their heads.

The grappling hook makes a return appearance, and is you main method for navigating around the city. Additionally, an upgrade to the grapple can be obtained by completing the basic VR training courses, which I highly recommend you do. Using the upgraded grapple can allow you to speed up how fast the grapple pulls you through the air, as well as slingshot you over the top of the object you're grappling, which allows you to immediately go into a drift with your cape. With this gadget you can cover large areas of ground quickly, and it's absolutely essential when tracking down ringing phones.

More often than not, stealth is key, as Batman can't take too many hits before going down. When entering a new area, make sure you take out the resident baddies before you setup shop.


Catwoman and her Gadgets

Her combat style is similar to Batman's, and is just as useful. I didn't have any problems getting used to it. She just looks cuter while making it look easy.

Unlike Batman, she doesn't have a cape or a grappling hook, so her method of getting around the city is quite different. What she does have is a whip, and she uses it to her advantage, swinging off objects  around the city. Most of the time, however, she'll be bouncing up the side of buildings like a cat on steroids. Don't be afraid to step off a ledge with Catwoman, as she takes no falling damage, so there's no danger of dying in that way. The game is remarkably forgiving with long falls, including long falls into water (which simply resets you on the nearest dry surface)..


Catwoman also has a few other gadgets she uses - bolas and caltrops. Caltrops can be used to trip up enemies attempting to rush her to give her more time to deal with them. The bolas act much like Batman's batarang, allowing her to trip up enemies at range. She can quick fire them much like Batman does with his gadgets.

Predator mode with Catwoman feels a lot different than with Batman. Unlike Batman, you won't find yourself hiding on top of gargoyles. Instead, you'll be clinging to steel catwalk ceilings. You can use this ability to get the drop on enemies below or above. Additionally, you have the ability to pounce from the ground up to a catwalk and cling to it, then swing to the catwalk using your whip. This is a super useful ability either when trying to evade bad guys or to setup a trap.

She's a lot of fun to play, and I wish I could spend more time with her. Perhaps we'll eventually see a worthwhile Catwoman game in the future? I'd totally buy it...

Voices


 The voice work in this game deserves special attention. As I mentioned earlier, Hamill does an excellent job as the Joker, as always. It's a shame he was type cast as Luke Skywalker, because I think he would have done an excellent job as the Joker on film. Also, this is apparently going to be his last  outing as the Joker, so you won't want to miss it!

Sadly, the voice of Harley Quinn from the previous game did not return, but the fortunately the new voice actor did an excellent job. I didn't even notice the difference while playing.

Also, we have Kevin Conroy returning as the voice of Batman. I'm so used to having his voice behind Batman that any other voice actor just sounds odd. They made an excellent choice here.

Graphics

This game uses the Unreal engine, which I believe the previous game did also. The game itself is pretty gorgeous, the dystopian city rendered in painstaking detail. Be aware that the city itself is pretty dark, befitting the grim environment Batman finds himself in.

I didn't notice any texture issues, or slowdowns while playing the game or while navigating the city. The game runs as smooth as silk, and is a pleasure to play.

Note that the PC version of the game is supposed to have even better graphics/textures. I personally think the graphics on the 360 for this game are good enough, and there's probably no reason to wait just for better graphics unless you can't stand the fact that there may be other people out there who have better graphics than you do.

Overall Score: 9.5/10

The game play remains the same for the most part, but what they added around the game play really enhances the game versus the old Batman. They effectively retained the parts of the old game that were the most fun, then built up more content and a larger supporting cast to make it really shine. The old adage 'don't fix what isn't broken' definitely holds true here, and they really took it to heart.

Catwoman was a great idea, and added a lot to the game. Hopefully we'll see more of her in the future.

I couldn't give the game a perfect score, due to some frustrating parts of the game. Did there REALLY have to be a fence in that spot when doing the advanced VR training? Really?

If there ever was a licensed video game done right, this is it. I wonder if we'll ever see a superhero game in the future that can measure up to the quality bar this game has set. If the past is any measuring stick, Rocksteady is up to the task.