Genre: Action-Adventure
Year: 2011
Developed by: Rocksteady Studios
Published by: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PS3, XBOX 360, PC, Wii U, OS X, PS4, XBOX One, Switch
#86
Feeling Like: I am the (K)night
Batman is the coolest superhero. For myself, it’s not particularly close. During the pandemic, I decided to binge through as many graphic novels as I could and that only furthered my desire for more Batman content. My thirst was hardly quenched, and reading many of the storylines where the big budget movies picked from was a delight. I’ve heard that Court of Owls will be the focus of the next Batman game, but Knightfall / Knightquest / Knightsend would be far better material in my opinion. Either way, the caped crusader is the best. How many properties can match his level of quality when it comes to TV (The Animated Series, Batman Beyond), movies (1989, Mask of the Phantasm, Dark Knight, The Batman), graphic novels (White Knight, Long Halloween) and video games (Arkham City, Arkham Asylum)? I legitimately can’t think of any. Is this like an EGOT for fictional characters?
Arkham City is right up there with any open world game, any super hero game, any third party action game. It is that good, and very likely better than Arkham Asylum. You won’t see that one for a while, largely for the originality and because I generally prefer a linear experience compared to an open world one. Hey, what can I say? I like good pacing.
I will say, there is something to launching myself up a building with a grappling hook, then gliding your way across the entire map without touching down. The city is filled with obstacles, both from above and below so it’s not as if it’s a friendly flight above the rooftops. There’s a constant sense of danger, but still plenty of opportunities to perch, plan and brood. I don’t think there’s a single moment where you don’t feel like the most badass vigilante to ever grace Gotham’s streets.
One aspect I will gladly concede is superior to Arkham Asylum are the boss fights. They’re bigger and better in nearly every regard, but Mr. Freeze is the one everybody remembers. And for good reason. It’s one of the few encounters I can think of where you can’t repeat your attacks. If you sneak up on him, he’ll negate you trying the next time. Swooping from the air, or using your gadgets will work…but again, only once. He adapts and calls you out on being repetitive. It’s a brilliant mechanic and forces you to employ every tool at your disposal. Going toe to toe with a frigid terminator in a lab where you constantly have to vary your approach was thrilling and easily the best part of the game.
Well, ok, aside from Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy returning to voice the Joker and Batman, respectively. Can you possibly think of two voice actors with more iconic roles? I can hear each of them right now in my head, reprising their timeless performances from the Animated Series, they are truly brilliant. Hamill’s Joker is delightfully twisted, and competing with a roster that includes Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix, Hamill’s voice stands alone. Knowing we’ll never hear Kevin Conroy again as Bruce Wayne/Batman is about as big a shock for the series as possible. Rest in peace, you hot chocolatey voiced superstar. Watching the behind the scenes video is a treat.
Joker isn’t the only villain who gets his licks in, Clayface and the Riddler feature prominently. I didn’t go for all the secret Riddler collectibles because I’m not a masochist, but his smug attitude and theatrical deliveries made me smile nonetheless. What is a Batman adventure without the disgusting, macabre, delirious, maniac villains, after all?
There’s really nothing to not love here. It still looks amazing 12 years later. The rain soaked surfaces, the smoke that Batman disperses, the spotlights in the sky, the reflections on your armor are all perfect. No rust on this ride. We’ve already gone over the sounds, and the gameplay is equally good. I’m not adept at stealth by any means, but Rocksteady gave me enough powers and a playground to employ them in to do it at my own pace and feel comfortable doing so. There really is nothing like picking off a crowd of goons one by one with subterfuge, confusion and fear as my weapons.
The general concept of the superhero is a tad ridiculous. I’m going through the Watchmen mini-series, an amazing sequel and one of the few pieces of entertainment to properly deconstruct the notion of why somebody would want to put on a mask. Who are the types of people that truly believe in this kind of justice? It goes well beyond seeing trained martial arts specialists in sleek costumes punching out bad guys. Batman: Arkham City doesn’t quite go that far, but I don’t believe it intended to. You get thrown into a city of madness and they do dive into what Batman’s mere presence has on the crime he’s trying to stop. You get the dance of wits between two of the most iconic characters in fiction and every move heightens an already detailed, imaginative world. You’re under constant threat, but Batman has to stand above and alone to save the innocent. It may not be the most realistic fantasy, but what else could you possibly want in a Batman game?
The 500 