Batman: Arkham City - Game of the Year Edition

Fantastic game. Arguably my favorite of the Batman Arkham games. Much larger environment than the first game and the combat has gotten an excellent makeover from the first game.

So what can i say about the sequel to one of the best games ever.... that it should also be in everyones top ten. To save up space though i just put the arkham series as a franchise in my top ten as one... cause honestly i couldnt pick one above the other. Sure this game and arkham knight add more gadgets, more enemies and more moves... but i kindy love the simplicity of the first game. So yes... there are more moves and gadgets in this game... and thankfully they start you off with all of the moves from the last one you just gotta upgrade to get the rest. And it is a fun journey to get them. You will not just be dealing with joker this time around. The main story takes you on a journey where you meet plenty of batmans enemies along the way to help along the main story. There is also plenty collectibles, puzzles and riddles along the way... and as the map is much bigger there are way more of them. They also add little parts where you play as catwoman to... and those arereally fun. So all in all if you liked the first game... and how cant you... you will love the second game just as much.

yours truly god gamer

9.2/10 - Story and environment is great. Interacting with and being able to take down multiple villains while there is still the overarching story is quite cool. Game itself looks really good, holds up decent in 2024 (year I perfect gamed it). The large map with multiple sectors with the open world side quests has got to be the best part of the entire game no doubt.

Riddler's Revenge gets a 0/10. After doing the 'Revenge' with each character, having to do the boring ass 'CAMPAIGNS' and its modifiers felt lazy and tedious to do (and I had to complete all of them for Perfect Game). It was just repeated maps with some random BS to annoy you just that little bit more. Would've been happier if they only had Revenge and left out Campaigns.

this game has arguably the best STORY out of any superhero game, the side quest, the final boss , everything is PERFECT

Yeah it's pretty good. love the Jonkler he's the best character. Man really sucked.

This game set the standard of direct video game sequels by which all are measured. It felt like the natural progression of events since Arkham Asylum, and the gameplay and world were greatly improved upon, and the story wasn't bad either. Was it as good as Arkham Asylum's? Of course not, but it was way better than anyone ever expected it to be. It was still pretty good. If you liked Arkham Asylum, you'll love Arkham City. If you haven't played Arkham Asylum, maybe pick that one up first.

This is a masterpiece, the best in the trilogy, story is almost Nolan level. If this isn't in my top 3, then IDK what is.

I was impressed how much of an upgrade this game is from the original. It really upped its game. My main gripe in Asylum was the lack of enemy variety and super repetetive boss fights. This game completely fixes that. It makes great use of Batman's rogue's gallery, and the boss fights have a lot of variety. Honestly I wasn't expecting it to be quite so good. I may try for the rest of the Riddler trophies, but I haven't decided yet.

was a pretty smooth experience with a gamepad, a bit more variety of tools and combos, and also the catwoman side of the story made the game goated. 9/10

A very good game. Makes you really feel like batman. Combat mechanics world class. Boss fights are amazing

this game is the best in the series, no negatives to this game, unless we are talking about the Riddler trophes

Batman: Arkham City is a game that effortlessly stands the test of time, even in 2024. From its gameplay mechanics to its visual design, it delivers an experience that is as exhilarating today as it was upon release.

Gameplay Mechanics
The combat system is where this game truly shines. Every punch, counter, and gadget strike lands with a visceral impact that makes you feel like you're right there in the action. When Batman's iron fists connect with a criminal's face, you almost feel bad for the guy on the receiving end (but not really). The Freeflow Combat system is fluid and intuitive, ensuring every fight feels like a cinematic brawl straight out of a comic book.

Graphics and Visuals
Even by modern standards, the graphics hold up remarkably well. The dark, gritty atmosphere of Arkham City immerses you in Gotham's bleak underbelly, while the character models still look fantastic. Let’s not dance around it: the female character models are total eye candy. Whether it’s Catwoman’s sleek agility or Talia al Ghul’s striking elegance, the attention to detail (wink) is a refreshing change in an era that sometimes forgets that artistic freedom makes the best designs.

Storyline and Cutscenes
The storyline and cutscenes in Arkham City are nothing short of phenomenal, surpassing even the best Batman movies. The narrative weaves together an intense and emotional journey that explores the depths of Batman's character and his rogues' gallery. The voice acting by Kevin Conroy (Batman) and Mark Hamill (Joker) brings unparalleled depth, making every interaction feel gripping and meaningful. Whether it's the Joker's chaotic schemes, Mr. Freeze's tragic quest, or the ultimate showdown that ends with the Joker's shocking death, the story hits emotional beats that no live-action Batman film has managed to achieve.

Playing as Batman
Walking around as Batman, with his broad shoulders, powerful presence, and unwavering masculinity, is a stark reminder of what a true hero embodies. To quote the meme "got to hit the gym" let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to be as built as the Dark Knight?

Timeless Appeal
What truly sets Arkham City apart is its ability to balance all these elements seamlessly. Whether it’s the thrill of taking down thugs, solving Riddler’s intricate puzzles, or just grappling across the city skyline, every aspect of the game feels meticulously crafted.

Reviewed for Steam Deck

Stability: 10/10

Gameplay: 10/10

Playtime/Replayability: 8/10

Story/World: 10/10

Audio/Visual: 8/10

Overall: 10/10

Liked it very much. The predecessor was slightly better in an atmospheric kinda way, but in this you are able to spice things up with playing Catwomen and Robin. Riddlers riddles were awesome!

At first I felt overwhelmed by the game, but after playing mission after mission it all started to come together. A great story, the ability to play other characters and even my arch enemies having depth of character, the many gadgets to master and fluid gameplay mechanics made this so much fun.

I really need Arkham City (the intense, open-world setting where Batman fights villains across Gotham’s walled-off district) by the end of the day before I even ask for it. It was nice to be honest with Batman (Gotham’s iconic hero, battling to keep his city safe from criminals) and the Joker (his ultimate nemesis, a chaotic force who’s always stirring up trouble), and I think I’ve been vigilant with them for a solid number of years. I’ve been feeling a little stronger now, vigilantly working with heroes (just like Batman does with his allies), going to Gotham (the dangerous and gritty city that Batman dedicates himself to protecting). 🦇🎸❤️

Goodbye to the people who hate my vigilante work (vigilantes are those who take justice into their own hands, much like Batman). I love being a crime-fighting professional (much like Batman, who devotes himself to stopping crime in Gotham) and working alongside my Robin (Robin is Batman’s loyal sidekick, often helping him take on Gotham’s worst villains). I hope you have an amazing night tonight (nighttime is when Batman usually operates under the cover of darkness), and thanks again.

I look like batarangs (batarangs are Batman’s signature throwing weapons, shaped like bats)—just look like batarangs, just look like batarangs, just a few inches. 🖤💙😊💜😀💖🖤💙 A few allies in my circle (Batman has allies like Commissioner Gordon, Oracle, and Catwoman who assist him in his mission to protect Gotham) 🖤💙😊, and I have to wait ✋️❤️ to get the rest at the same time and get the money 💰🤑💸❤️. I have to go out and pay 🖤😊💙 for my Gotham birthday (imagine celebrating a birthday in Gotham—gritty and atmospheric, just like the game!), so I’ll have a nice time ⏲️😊🖤💙 with birthday cake for the next few days.

We’ve had the right to be mean to me, and the only benefits I get are prioritized mission declines (in the game, missions often pop up, and Batman has to prioritize which ones to tackle first). I have no idea what to pay with the WayneTech deposit (WayneTech is Batman’s high-tech company, providing gadgets like the Batsuit, Batmobile, and more), or if it's just a bit frightening for the next mission cycle (missions in Arkham City keep coming, so it’s like a never-ending cycle of battling crime).

Last night, I woke up this morning to find out they had told us about the fire training in Arkham today (fire and chaos are constant themes in Arkham, and emergency drills would be critical). I hope you have an amazing night and find a good way to fight now (fighting is central to Batman’s mission, and the game is all about combat mastery). Too much adrenaline (the game is packed with intense action, giving players an adrenaline rush), but I’d love to see you again in the morning. I’m sure you can handle it before it’s too late.

A bit more than my current Gotham situation (the game sets players in the heart of Gotham, dealing with endless crime), one of the three of us missions is the next day, and we are covered for any potential rushes or heists we may be part of as a team (Batman often has to anticipate heists or rush to missions with allies). We’ve had a few allies involved, and I’ll be okay with the JLA team leader (JLA or Justice League of America is a team Batman joins to fight larger threats alongside other heroes like Superman). 😊😀🖤💙😉

A pretty nice sequel. I really like the league of assassins but the overall gameplay was not so much to my liking. It was just plainly nice. The story and the charaters like Mr. Freeze, Solomon Grundy and Clayface are pretty cool, but the Riddler extent and the randomisation of the side quest was pretty anoying, even though i really liked the riddler collis, but over 400 is just too much. A pretty nice sequel. I can recommend it

Great game. If you like Arkham Asylum then probably you would love this game as well.

There's great improvement in story and combat. Side missions can be challenging for some, you may need to be more creative or get help on the internet.

Other then main story, Riddler campaign and challenge part is almost same for all characters, which is quite repetitive and frustrating.

4/5

Such a fun game, Batman has always been one of my favorites I love the story line and re-visiting the characters is the best!!

Combat (read: Batman) is somehow even more sluggish than in its predecessor, and combat decisions made by our Dark Knight are often somehow even more questionable than before, but with the combined might of the new aerial and grappling hook maneuvers, combined with new fighting options, DAMN does it feel better than ever to be Batman!

The best Batman game I've ever played (I haven't played Arkham Knight yet.). gameplay, story, and character is so good and memorable!!.

I'm gonna say even after years after its release, Batman Arkham City's graphics still hold up well, the detailed, environments and character models are still outstanding for 2011 game. Especially the voice acting of Kevin Conroy (Batman), Mark Hamill (Joker), and so on. The soundtrack are superb for dark atmosphere of Arkham city, I even sometimes wait for the menu theme to finish because how dramatic the music is.. The annoying side for me is the Ridder challenge, find all the trophies, have to fly through the whole city half circle shape from Steel Mill to Penguin's hide out over and over again due to can't fly through militarise area (Wonder Tower surface). That's my biggest issue, but at the end of the day if you feel fun vibe like I do after finishing the game 100% then you should play it.

Score: 9.5/10 - MUST play for Batman and action gamer fans, rich of story telling,combat, and exploration.

The graphic is suck, but I love it

gameplay, graphics, and open world of knight is best but city has the better story and bosses

somehow, this game improves on EVERYTHING than the last game. genuinely a work of art. absolute cinema.

No better way to experience this than at 4K/60.

Forgot just how great a game this one was. A++

when I was a little boy, I used to play this game, but that's time I was broken poor, no money to buy this game.

Until now, I grow up, I have ability to buy a Alienware Maximum option, I play for the missed childhood, I am crying.

This game is the dream of little boy, being a super hero, save the world!!

a really good plot and story batman really gets tested mentally and physically in this game arkham city is just stunning

Good game, awesome story and fight combat

Feels pretty polished compared to the earlier game in the series, the gameplay is smoother and the story is more compelling IMO. The cutscene to gameplay transitions is so smooth that I don't even notice it. I just wish that I could play as Catwoman more in the main story.

Update. Finished game and Harley Revenge dlc. The game ok. The build up and cutscenes are fantastic and some cool level designs. The ending of each main and side mission was flat and dissapointing to me. Also played catwoman vs two-face. Everything in this game feels rushed as I was fighting minions 80 percent of the game. A lot of big named villians just die in this one and it still feels flat to me. Joker was easily the best part of the game.
I love catwoman combos, everything else was not great. I beat Origins several times and I dont want to play city again. I also beat this game faster than all the other Arkham games. The main story is like 6 levels. I just perfer Origin. I will say the interview tapes you unlock are amazing. The writing of the entire franchise is fantastic.

So far its decent. After playing Origins, this feels worse. City has a much much better story but it feels much slower. Average beat em up with simple puzzles here and thee. The cutscenes are great. As much as I love the Arkham series, this one is just decent so far.

heh... i totally haven't played this game for 4 hours in a row without moving an inch of my body... anyways this is the HANDS DOWN BEST game i've ever played. if your on a mac, or on a pc, whatever the fuck you're on, buy this game RIGHT NOW!

The game is quite fun, its right there is not so much diffrence in gameplay between it and the previous one but I personally find it better by miles. and for a bonus they added new characters like catwoman who is a lot smoother but riskier than batman. it well deserved the game of the year award and I highley recommend it

A great continuation of a previous game. They took the best from the last game and extend it.

Title: Great Game

Review: Batman: Arkham City with graphic mods is visually impressive for a 2012 game. The combat mechanics are fun and the missions and story are engaging.

Thanks to Cynic 0055 for his excellent walkthrough/100%achievement; it helped a lot. The challenges and campaign get pretty tedious, so I couldn't get 100%, but I'm satisfied with my progress.

Playing New Game+ with tougher enemies and all gadgets was a blast, and skipping the Riddler trophies made it smoother.

Conclusion: Batman: Arkham City is a fantastic game worth playing, especially with the graphical enhancements. Despite some tough challenges, it's a highly enjoyable experience.

Cynic 0055
Mods used to play

I've beat this masterpiece over 10 times. The best comic book game of all time. Undisputed Game Of The Year 2011. Just a 10/10 a f-ing masterpiece.

personally this is one of the best games i have ever played, Arkham Asylum and Knight are close seconds, i love the story, the characters, the bosses, i love Arkham City as a location, truly one of the best.

Good game. very interesting combat that makes batman feel like batman

Probably one of the greatest video game sequels ever made, Arkham City expands on basically everything its predecessor did just two short years beforehand. This is Rocksteady in its prime

Possibly the Greatest Super Hero Video Game of all time, this is the "Empire Strikes Back" Of the Arkham Series, I Love this game, I love all the DLC and it Still holds up. really good combat, and really good traversal compared to "Arkham Asylum". It's definitely worth your time.

Greatest game of all time?

Or is that just nostalgia talking?

Later impressions

Why it stands out:

So it is actually any good or am I just biased?

My criticisms of Batman Arkham City:

Conclusion/Final thoughts:

The mainline story can be finished in 2-4 days, but there is so much to do in terms of side missions that you always have something to come back to. The mainline story is probably 35% of what is in this game

A huge improvement over Arkham Asylum, but the story is a downgrade in my opinion.

you want to know something funny? even after everything you have done, i still would have saved you is the pillar of my sanity

Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition is a must-play for fans of superhero games and open-world adventures. With its stunning Gotham City setting, engaging combat system, and intriguing story, it offers an unforgettable experience. The Game of the Year edition includes additional content, making it even more value for money. Don't miss out on this masterpiece!

This is a really great game, with surprisingly good graphics for the time. I like asylum's story a little better, but mechanics and looks wise this one is more advanced. There is something about the stealth and combat of the arkham games that is continuously satisfying and fun. I would highly recommend this game and the other arkham games.

The greatest superhero game of all time! Amazing gameplay, amazing story, amazing soundtrack, amazing graphics!

Giving the game a 10/10!

Batman: Arkham City

This is a solid sequel to Asylum, there's a lot more gadgets/puzzles/places to explore now that that the game is opened up to the city. Unfortunately I do like asylum more as a game.

With so many gadgets, they changed the controls for the worse in my opinion. Before you could simply press Q to quickfire gadgets, but in the new system you have to double-tap whatever number the gadget is bound to instead. This becomes really awkward to do in boss fights where timing is everything. A prime example is the Clayface encounter where you have to use WASD & Space/Left click for the fight, but also double-tap 5 for parts of it. Try doing that yourself, it's very awkward to do without 3 arms.

It's also very hit & miss with the boss fights. Some of the fights are great like the ra's al ghul fight, but some completely fail to fix the issue that Asylum created (the joker ghost train fight being a key example). Those fights aren't challenging, they're just annoying because of the millions of enemies constantly being thrown at you, and the bosses themselves are a joke in comparison. Speaking of enemy types, a bunch more were introduced in this game, but I feel like they're also just an annoyance as you have to press specific buttons to break their guard. It just interrupts the flow of combat and doesn't feel good at all.

Playing as Catwoman is a great idea, but they never went anywhere with it. All the sections just feel like filler content, and this is heavily showcased during the Two-Face fight. He's a boss & key character but in the fight he's just like a normal enemy, even Penguin put up more of a fight in the 1v1. Great concept that really just fell flat on its face.

Overall it's a good game, but I don't agree with people saying this is miles ahead of Asylum in terms of quality. A lot of steps forward sure, but also a lot of steps backwards.

Score - 7/10

Loved the first and second batman Arkham game I recommend this game as of 2024 there's little you can do with this game but lots because of the mods and textures mods I don't normally mess around with the mods in the Arkham games but I love to get a hold of the remastered redux mod for both Arkham games

Played this game on ps4 before and now playing it on pc, its an amazing fantastic game and probably the second best arkham game, the story and moments are top tier and overall its an incredible game with impressive graphics too.