It is a great game, but not perfect by any means. The combat is obviously the best part, with so much going on but always an absolute joy to play. The story and graphics are all good, as well as the detective elements. The only problems are, first the load times. Any time you retry or load a new area it can take up to 30 seconds just to load up. It can get frustrating when you play on hard and must redo some parts to have to wait so long to load up. The biggest and most notable problem is the platforming. So many times I would look at a ledge or something I had just grappled to it and would not let me for some reason and I would spam the R1 button, because that is your best bet of getting anywhere, and it would spin me around and grapple something not even on the screen. It can be very frustrating. Also I would be standing next to a wall or ledge and it would not let me hang on it or grab on to it for no reason. They could have done a better job with that but great with EVERYTHING else besides a few minor errors and one major one.....great job rocksteady… Expand

ok , well i have been playing since midnight eastern time and let me start off by saying WOW. i am feeling like i am in an open world interactive batman comic/cartoon. it is that good. the details are top notch, everything from catwoman's hips to the dive bombing/thrust kicking villains. the graphics are beautiful, and there has been very little frame rate issues whatsoever. the controls familiar to asylum's mechanics, but more precise counters and great takedown sequences. the game starts off in a way which was very creative, and the story has been steady since pressing start. playing as catwoman is not only a great addition but the way she is seamlessly running parallel to the story, while taking turns from batman to catwoman. the upgrade/skill point is based on combat combo's and tech which gain batman his exp, doing other actions also will give some xp but combat being points plentiful. then can upgrade armor, techniques etc, categories ranging from gadgets to combat, and even catwoman has a small "tree" to upgrade. the villains are not the smartest bunch but instead of feeling like the a.i is pathetic, i feel like there is no match for batman while im playing him. so they give me feelings of being a bad a** who's moves got moves rather than the feeling of just going through the motions. that wasnt/isnt a easy task. i am one w/ batman. and my weapons are not over powered, if anything they are designed for 2 primary reasons. # 1 stunning / confusing the villain or # 2 used to solve puzzles(riddles) , break through walls and create diversions etc. they do not kill. batman has use his muscle to put enemies on the ground. and my fav is the "DIVE BOMB" lol, coasting around finding villains and pressing the right trigger to dive into a mob never gets old. the campaign isnt long if you go from a to b. but solving all the riddles as well as side quests tacks on many hours, fun hours. and im not usually a big fan w/ a ton of side quests but there are exceptions and its usually when i dont want a game to end, batman is an exception. i dont want the game to finish, and thats what tells me that im playing something special. batman has alot to offer. and it offers them on a silver platter. the only faults ive found is the main villains, in my opinion they did not get enough screentime, they just seemed to be an after thought rather than challenging foes. dont get me wrong, the details and voice acting of the joker, penguin etc were top notch but i just wished their presence made a bigger impact , cameo's is a word that describes my feelings on certain villains. and not knowing how many more batmans are to come, just wished that i had more interaction w/ them in this game because this is the one which is truely as close to a superhero to video game translation ive seen to date, and ive been playing games since commodore 64,lol..
i took a break to share my thoughts as the game is paused in the background and its been about 13 hours of gaming so far and i cant wait to pick the controller back up.
i must be honest before i go. i had no true desire for this game. almost switched my pre-order to something else. i must say that i would have made a mistake if i did because this is everything i want in a game and more, this is by far oe of the best games i have played in a while. ive played just about everything, check my psn if you wish. this is one which i will replay and one which i wont want to let go of. i dont think a perfect 10 exists but i have to grade a game which is pretty close. i would rate a 9.5 but considering the games that get scores that high and falling way short in comparison well hey im giving it a 10. the music hits all the right notes , the graphics are sweet and the story is one to enjoy. ultimately this game hits all the right notes and is very worthy of goty contention.

if you a fan of batman or a fan of getting your monies worth in a game, then this is for you.
if only rocksteady could call clark kent and have him sign a contract to jump in a phone booth and fly to our consoles. that would be nice...… Expand

If you love Batman, you're gonna love this game. If you don't love Batman, then you'll enjoy the game too, as it doesn't go over the head of a casual fan's head with the story. Simply put BUY THIS GAME!

great game have a amazing history and a great open world to explore, batman have more moves, and a lot of side quests to spend time, a lot of time, dont miss the chance to play this game.

Excellent game, great open world, 40 hours of great gameplay, addictive. Another masterpiece in the franchise to top an already fantastic first game. A masterpiece.

One of the greatest games of all time. Rocksteady has not only one-upped Arkham Asylum, they obliterated it. The story is excellent and starts off with an extremely intense arrest. The voice acting is absolutely flawless for the most part. Kevin Conroy knocked it out of the park as Batman (as always), this is easily one of his best performances. Mark Hamill was fantastic as Joker, and Corey Burton was amazing as Strange. Tara had some big shoes to fill by playing Harley Quinn, but she did it, and boy was she good. The weakest voice in the game is the Penguin's. It's not terrible, but it doesn't match the rest of the game's quality voices. Nolan North is very talented, but someone like Ray Winstone would have been better. The gameplay is amazing and extremely fine-tuned, the story is interesting and engaging, the dialogue is insanely awesome and there's just so much content in the game! A definite 10/10 from me.… Expand

This game has it ALL. You can't just play this game through...you have to play AT it in chunks and bits for WEEKS. Oh, and lookie lookie at this "big WEENIE's score of the game, mac7421" gave it a 4, and gave Gears III a "2" and Mass Effect a "3"...but guess what mac7421 gave a PERFECT 10 for ??? Duke Nukem Forever!! bwahahahahahah I'm crapin' my pants!! bwahahahahahaah His AVERAGE score he gives Triple A games is a "4.7" What a punk, it would have been lower but Duke and Dead Island really pulled it up! Batman is polished, fun, plenty to do, outstanding story, lots of drama...and I don't like superhero games. Pick one up today because they are not going to drop in price for awhile, like Black Ops took a while. And go punk mac7421 because he's a jerk.… Expand

Batman: Arkham City surprises me, I expected a very good and enjoyable games but instead I faced perfection. I love the game, by far the best game of the year yet.

As a huge fan of Batman I am just happy and proud to say that Batman: Arkham City is one of the if not the best best super hero and comic book game of all time. Arkham Asylum itself was a great game but Arkham City just almost surpasses it in every way. Instead of an island we have a whole large city to explore and there is so much stuff to do that once you get yourself into this amazing Batman universe you will not want to escape. This game just makes you feel like you are Batman. They also bring in alot of villians from the Batman universe all the classic villians like Two-face, Joker, Penguin among others are all here that is just pure nostalgia for long time Batman fans like myself. The main mission itself is very long and enthralling and will easily take you around 20 to 25 hours and it is just totally awesome with so many areas that you to stealth and even fight your way through in this game, some sections of the game where you have to put your fun gadgets to good use. And perhaps the biggest improvement in this game is the boss battles instead of mostly having thug battles, this game actually provides good, well designed and fun boss battles all of which are very unique and entertaining in their own. The Story despite being a little confusing and complex at times fits the batman universe and once you beat a mission you will just keep coming back for more as this game just sucks you in its universe. But thats not all there is to it, the game has even more and better challenges than its predecessor, the ability to play as Catwoman and Robin via DLCs, other side missions within the game and even the riddler challenges and trophies are funner to do this time around. The only drawback is that in order to understand the Catwoman's part of the story and get all the riddler's challenges done in the game you have to buy her DLC from the get go which may prevent some players from experiencing the whole game if they cannot afford it. Completing the game 100% will take you more than 40 hours which gives this game a very long lasting appeal along with its already high replay value. The music and voice acting are just excellent, the music always suites the environment and builds the feel of the game and all the actors provide excellent voice overs for all the characters with ofcourse Mark Hamill stealing the show as Joker. The graphics are also awesome, the characters models are well detailed and the environments are just excellent the game itself provides a really great comic book feel. In the end Batman Arkham City is a great achievement on the part of Rocksteady Studios and arguably the greatest superhero and comic book game of all time and a potential contender for the Game of the Year 2011. I am proud to be a Batman fan.… Expand

Rocksteady has set an amazing example to all other Developers out there, and has shown how sequels SHOULD be made. Unlike other game sequels, Rocksteady has made a huge brand new game with a VAST variety of improvements and things to do. This is the first game that I've paid 60 dollars for, and actually felt like I was getting 60 dollars worth of gameplay. I've been so tired of all these other sequels that the developers put no love into, as they are just trying to get your money by adding in a few small tweaks and one or two new features. and thankfully this is NOT the case with Arkham City. If you look at the people who've put low ratings on the game, you can tell they didn't know what they were talking about (or they just didn't know how to play, and sadly, those people just don't like to read tutorials). Arkham City not only improves the combat and makes it even more amazing, it also adds in a good deal of side stories as well as a huge amount of Collectables to grab (and somehow, it manages to stay fun and not get dull). And of course, the main storyline takes awhile to beat and it has a pretty decent story with it. There's just a lot more to do with Arkham City than Arkham Asylum.. and while Asylum was a great game, this still somehow manages to be even better. So if you haven't played it, then trust me.. go buy it and you will thank me later.… Expand

This game is absolutely incredible. It is better than the best. The detail and level of immersion is beyond any game I've seen in years and the story is fantastic, voice acting is the best I've ever seen, character detail, map detail and placement of items and quests, it is all 125% perfect.

I have put Rocksteady on my A list. I never heard of them before, but they are the best of the best.

I just cannot express how much fun this game is, and that is something that is lacking in so many other games. It isn't just about the graphics (which are superb) or the attention to detail... this game is FUN!

Thank you for bringing this game to market. I will willingly hand over my money if you continue to make games like this, great story, NOT dumbed down to the Lowest Common Denominator, plenty of game time, original ideas and fight mechanics, it is just a freaking joy to experience this game.

Thank You!

Playing this game feels like there is at least one company (besides Valve) that gives a crap what the fans think.

I'm gushing, gushing, but this game... you just have to play it to believe how good it is.… Expand

A short review. This is my Game of the year. Compared to Arkham Asylum they've managed to make a great game better. And I'm not even a Batman fan (I enjoy the movies, that's about it). Here Rocksteady have managed to capture a dark, comic book style video game in exceptional style. I think I ran in to ONE single annoying part, where at one place in the game you're supposed to break "something" (not going to spoil anything) and you have to hit it three times instead of just one which in that case is just stupid. Then I once ran in to something of an invisible wall (fell down a roof in a stupid manner). And that's pretty much it when it comes to flaws. Maybe there are a bit too many Riddler challenges and that the ones where you just pick up a trophy feel a bit unessecary but those are quite few (and the challenges based on movement isn't really that fun). Instead Riddler trophies are aquired in really various ways, some harder than other. Oh, and not to forget one thing I acctually hate about the game: throwing a certain something with the short commando is R2+L2 but it almost never works. But you need to do it if you want every Riddler challenge. Only 3 times though, so once you've done it you won't do it ever again. Anyway, terrific games. Great story, great characters, superb side missions that are more like mini stories rather than just time consuming side quests that add nothing or little to the game itself. Instead all the side quests adds a wonderful depth to game and the Batman universe in large. This is soon getting a third replay.… Expand

A stunning achievement. The Dark Knight has already Risen with the release of Arkham City. Gonna be hard for Christopher Nolan to top this....seriously. Rocksteady Games has delivered on all the promise of to come in Arkham Asylum and released a stellar game stocked full of hours upon hours of gameplay, secrets, unlockables, and godlike awesomeness. If you loved Batman: The Animated Series like I did, then welcome to gaming nirvana. A beautifully rendered world created specifically for Batman (ahem, and *Catwoman*) to prowl and terrorize the weak and evil criminals of Gotham (err Arkham?). Batman is a walking Weapon of Mass Destruction in this game, it's utterly insane how awesome it is to kick ass with the Bat. And Catwoman is rendered PERFECTLY. Playing with her with put a smile on your face EVERY SINGLE TIME. It's heavenly. While the game has a few flaws, the lack of Two-Face who disappears after an awesome intro until the end of the game, NO BATMOBILE (this disappointed me the most because the open world set up literally invites this idea to be in the game, come on Rocksteady add the Batmobile PLEASE!!!), and some minor hiccups along the way that I won't spoil. But the game is still gorgeous, remarkable, brilliant, stunning, and glorious. Every gamer owes it to themselves to play it.… Expand

Following the in the footsteps of Arkham Asylum was going to be a tall order as nobody expected Batman's PS3 debut to turn out as amazing as it ended up yet somehow Rocksteady have managed to improve on the original and deliver another awesome outing as The Dark Knight. The story takes place 18 months since the events of Arkham Asylum and wow has there been changes in Gotham City. In the heart of Batman's home lies Arkham City a mega-prison which has built to serve as a home to violent thugs and ofcourse infamous supervillains. And on the topic of villains, you'll find yourself coming across quite a few along the way. Right from the very off infact, and the beginning of Arkahm City is fantastic and draws you in straight away. You begin as Bruce Wayne you are are captured and taken to Dr. Hugo Strange who aware of Bats' dual identity and has assumed control of Arkham City and intends to unveil new plands for Arkham City before the night is done... and the game unfolds from their, formidable foe Joker returns and once more is integral to the story as he is apparently carrying a potentially fatal disease. Along the way the you encounter villains such as Two-Face, Catwoman, the Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Ra's al Ghul, Talia Al Ghul and some more surprises along the way. It's bigger, braver and better! In terms of gameplay the games system returns with some minor tweaks including now being able to fight two people at the same time as well as being capable of countering two also. Some will complain about it being reptitive and they may have a point but its great fun and highly satisfying wooping some ass! And, following suit like the previous outing there is an upgrade system which enables you to enhance your moves as well as unlock new combo's and weapons along the way that will come in handy in your quest throughout the story, the boss bottles were the only slight disappointment I had with Arkham Asylum but i'm pleased to say that there has been a general improvement on that front, its hardly hardcore and it 's far from the most challenging although i'm sure on harder difficulties the game will provide more difficult advisories however the bosses do deliver some tremendous thrills in what is just an all round stunning package. A new addition is the side missions which adds more game time. Its straighforward in the sense that if once you conclude a mission in a particular part of a campaign the chances are whatever villain's area you happen to find yourself in there will be a side missions of some sort setting you an assignment, its a clever idea and a great addition. The setting is where this game comes alive. Arkham Asylum feels limited compared to Arkham City its so open and there are many area's to explore, it really does blow you away how much Rocksteady have bettered the original in terms of how bigger they have made Batman. Visually its awesome, not the best but nonetheless its still one of the finest looking console games particuarly when you take the environment into consideration it helps generate a dark, gloomy atmopshere as you swing throughout Arkham City. The voice overs are once again sensational. Mark Hamill is outstanding oncemore as The Joker although Corey Burton delivers a brilliant portrayal as Hugo Strange while Kevin Smith is ever dependable as the Dark Knight himself and Castle's very own Stana Katic voices Talia al Ghul. With DLC on the way allowing you to play as the boy wonder, Robin and Catwoman, it only enhances the all round package on offer here and I can assure you that this game is unmissable! On top of that you will find yourself coming back to play the campaign. While Arkham City doesn't quite bring the shocks that its predacessor did the replay value doesn't deminish and to round it off there's the Riddlers trophy's for you to find as well as those sidemissions and the DLC in the coming months. Taking everything Arkham City offers into consideration you really do have to take your hat off to Rocksteady as they deliver not only deliver one of the best games relased this year but also one of the best games ever to grace the PS3, it takes everything that was good about Arkham Asylum and makes it great, pure and simple, the only frustration I had with the game was how quickly I was able to finish the campaign, i'd probably say it ranged from somewhere between 6-8 hours however the frustration is from the fact I just want to keep playing, which is testimony to Rocksteady. For me this game had everything, it just thrives on the anticipation and blows you away with what it brings to the table. You owe it to yourself to sample being Batman because its rather awesome from a superb start to a shock ending which leaves things wide open in terms of where Rocksteady decides to take the series and one things for sure based on Arkham City, the Dark Knight's future is in great hands. An essential purchase and a game you simply must buy!… Expand

this game is a testament to batman fans from all around the world with great voice acting,excellent graphics capturing the look and feel of batman and with great gameplay.

i just bought the game today played it for over 2 hours its so much fun. the graphics look amazing. they look fantastic. real awesome job, the cast does well with the voice overs, as for the story i didn't swell on it alot. i just began but it looks interesting, also there are many cool add-ons, upgrades for the batsuit, action moves, the riddler mazes and stuff. its just a huge blockbuster game that will keep me busy for a long time. i am also looking forward to playing as robin, catwoman and i can't wait to get the many different batsuits. MUST BUY! 10/10… Expand

The best superhero game ever. One of the best games of all time. This title excels it's predecessor and pushes the boundaries even further for the genre. The story has been slightly improved, with several stories tied at once, making the game feel huge, the combat is even better than Arkham Asylum and has the best combat system ever. The stealth is still very solid, with occasional twists making it harder and more interesting. All the supervillians tied in the game and the game's events fit in perfectly with the story. A flawless masterpiece.… Expand

This game just stole my vote for GOTY. From its suspenseful storytelling, to its GORGEOUS open-world, to the many secrets and easter eggs (not to mention disturbing inmates) within this city, this game has astounding replay value. The gameplay and voice acting are particularly noteworthy. Rocksteady has set such a high bar for themselves. This is one game you shouldnt miss out on!

As a huge fan of Batman, what can I say?This game is INCREDIBLE! Being the Dark Knight and doing some pretty awesome detective work is always fun. I wouldnâ

They say "Don't believe the hype" ... well... you better believe the hype! Sometimes you feel the love people put in something they craft. Uncharted, Mass Effect and also Batman. These developers know there stuff and that shows. This game is a showcase for a lot of developers out there.. This is what a good is all about! Great graphics, good gameplay, a lot of content, puzzles, story, action, and YOU are the batman.… Expand

This is a very good game. If you liked Arkham Asylum you will like Arkham City. It has a lot of the features Arkham Asylum had, but has a lot of extra features as well. If you did not like Arkham Asylum then you might not like Arkham City because it does not change enough of the formula to have completely different game mechanics. I loved it though. Graphics are great and so is the Gameplay.

I have always loved Batman and this game was the bomb. The combat system amazing, the detective mode also amazing, and theres a lot of side quests so if you get tired of the campaign you can just start playing that. I also loved the new gagets in this game but I'm not going to name any though for spoilers. Over all this game deserves a 10/10 review. Peace out y'all and stop haten and trollen.

Batman: Arkham City? The game of the year! Everything is just right because of the atmosphere, extent and variety forth. My fear that Arkham City could part the fate of the typical sequels , have been smashed at the begin very fast and runs even more after the end, because the side missions are providing to more fun.

Going into to playing Batman: Arkham City, I thought there was no way it could top Rocksteadyâ

Just an amazing game. Rocksteady took what already worked well in Arkham Asylum and just immensely improved on it. Arkham City contains a perfect ammount of stealth, combat, and free roam to make it an amazing game. GOTY for me.

Amazing game! One of the best games I've ever played. I love it and I'm not even a big comic book series fan. If you like the new Dark Knight movies then you'll love this.

Pre-orders have fallen by the wayside this year, cancelled due to one thing or another. BAC remained. Please be good, please be good. The is possibly the best game I have played, bar none. Such an improvement on the original in every way. This is how sequels should be done. It's got everything about the original that was great and then some.

Detective mode has been improved to the degree that you cannot play the whole game with it switched on. This is due to the lack of compass in the open areas in DM along with the fact that you do not want to miss a moment of this fantastic looking city. I cannot remember seeing detail such as what is displayed in BAC.

This must have been a labour of love. To produce a game of this standard is incredible.… Expand

Put simply, this game is FREAKING AMAZING! I loved Arkham Asylum and this game definitely did not disappointed. In my opinion this game is basically flawless for two reasons: 1. They did not try to fix something that wasn't broken when transferring the gameplay from Arkham Asylum to Arkham City. 2. There is SO much depth to it, when you are not gliding around Arkham city grappling from building to building, you are engaging in insanely satisfying hand to hand combat, or even solving the hundreds of Riddler challenges that are available. That is assuming you don't spend your time reading all the character bios that the team at Rocksteady have written from scratch! I have only just begun to scratch the surface of this amazing game but I will leave with these words. DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND BUY THIS GAME!… Expand

I am about 10% through this amazing game; it's probably the best game I've ever played even though my tendency is toward RPGs. The things I like about it so far are: the free roam exploration, fine tuned controls, stunning graphics on 1080p, no set path (you can stop the main quest and continue with something else and then get back to it), dexterity and cerebral required puzzles, all the fighting you have to do (I'm surprised about this because as an RPG'er not an action-gamer I liked that they have made the controls easy to use and understand during combat and dextrous rigor required to get through some puzzles) and I could continue but it's hard to explain this game unless you have already bought this game and have "flown around" a little bit; but even you avoided all of the side quests and stayed on the main path you would probably know what I mean that there's so much to do and so little time in which to do it in. However throughout the game I felt this sense of urgency, like you would during a Batman movie when he has go get to something but something more immediate comes up for him to handle. The side quests are innumerable and of varying types. I don't sense anything contrived about it, you the human behind the controller is earning everything he or she gets in this game. You can turn hinting on and off, I turned it off after a while so I could figure out what to do on my own for a sense of real accomplishment. Even if you're not a Batman fan (who's not?), this will either turn you into one or you'll enjoy being a human dressed up as a bat. I am awaiting on Skyrim to arrive on 11-11, this incredible game will fill the time nicely.… Expand

Amazing game. You really get the essence of a sand-box title with this one. The environment is much larger than Askham Asylum. Traveling is a little easier with the flying TYGER helicopters roaming the city. AI is similar to the previous title, if anything. Voice overs for ever character are spot on. Controls are familiar if you've played Arkham Asylum before. Just recently finished the game and the storyline is well built. Most notable thin I loved about this game, the process of achieving 100% in Normal mode. While there are the options of playing through Hard mode and various challenges they give you. Finishing normal mode and getting 100% is very enjoyable. There's a wide range of villains and their designs are very twisted. With so much to do, you won't regret picking this one up. Not a perfect game but the flaws are minimal, if even visible.… Expand

Any creative venture is subjective. It's an average score of both the love and passion the creator of said piece brings as well as how the audience reacts to it.

In Rocksteady's case it must be said they've achieved a product whose gameplay, presentation, story, and overall enjoyment is at the highest possible level of quality in video gaming today. It's a reminder of how rare it is to play a game that is well conceived and well executed from the top down. It oozes refinement and consideration at EVERY turn.

I spent the better part of two hours attempting to subjugate a series of five guards armed with guns without being spotted. It had NOTHING to do with the main story and was in but a small defined space in this expansive open environment and I had an absolute blast doing it. The variety, scope, and depth of the gameplay is staggering it really borders on overwhelming. For a developer to not sit on their highly deserved laurels and instead push their craft past the bounds of the "standard," "expected," or "mundane" must really be applauded.

It's just an absolutely magnificent game.… Expand

From time to time a good game comes along with such a unique world, such fantastic characters, and such fantastic gameplay. Batman: Arkham City is one of those games and it is simply a treat to play. The actual city Batman inhabits is very diverse and it's a testament to how much detail Rocksteady studios puts into an environment. Now, the graphics are spectacular, but they are a slight difference from Arkham Asylum. However, the former game had more time for polish, so it's allowed. Now, Batman is Batman, Joker is Joker, and if you aren't familiar with the characters, just listening to them will give you a window into their psychs. There are plenty of side missions to keep your attention after the 8-10 hour campaign. Some are very interesting if you are into the batman mythos, while some may fly over your head. Gameplay is very unique to the Arkham city experience and it's very satisfying to go into a room full of henchmen and just come out on top as THE Batman. There are some faults with the game which range from story wise to just the smallest of details, but all in all it is an extraordinary game (more so if you are into DC Comics and all things Batman) and should at least be tried by anyone who owns a gaming console. You may just be pleasantly surprised.… Expand

Batman began as a comic, and as time and technology progressed he moved forward, to television, then movies and now finally games. And for the first time, fans of the hero get to actually feel like Batman in Gotham. With the side missions and dizzying cast of characters, anyone who doesn't think this game deserves the best rating you can give is wrong, period.

As a huge Batman fan, it's possible to say I am a little biased into liking this game more than I should, but it should help to know the only reason I am a Batman fan is Batman: Arkham Asylum. Before that game I had a lingering curiosity for Batman comics and like everyone else enjoyed the old movies as a kid and now greatly enjoy the Chris Nolan Batman movies.

After Arkham Asyulm I was hooked. So when Arkham City was announced, there was very little to keep me from squealing like a school girl. The few weeks before it's release the sinking feeling crept into me, what if its not good? What if it contains a similar lack luster ending? Well now that it here and I have played it for a week I can safely say, This is single handedly the best game I have played all year and a glorious follow up to 2009's Arkham Asylum.

Every aspect has been improved upon. Combat now flawlessly incorporates gadgets and new combo moves while feeling as fluid as ever. The player starts with just about every gadget from the first game and is able to upgrade them throughout. By the end, every gadget has multiple functions and juggling which way to tackle a new objective or puzzle is dependent on your knowledge of your equipment.

Stealth action is back and can now be even more challenging than the extreme challenge maps from the first game without feeling frustrating. A player could get through the entire game relying on tactics from the first game, but new gadgets and moves make combat and stealth much more exciting and diverse.

While the story missions are the primary draw and are given a great deal of effort and detail, its the side missions that really shine. Anyone who blows through the main game and skips the side missions are really missing out. They encompass everything from investigating a serial killer, to tracking an assassin, and working with former enemies. Fans of the comics will get the most out of these missions as they contain debuts of lesser known Batman villains. But non-comic readers will also enjoy these as they may also contain hints about possible sequels.

On to the story. While the side missions tend to focus on one Bat-villain each, the story is packed so full of foes you would think they would be stepping on each others toes. But each villain has a purpose. Some might find these cameos not as fleshed out as they should be. A few well known villains are given very little screen time, But I think each character is handled expertly. Only being involved in the story in a natural way, never feeling jammed in or forced.

What really pulls it all together is the voice acting. As usual Mark Hamill's Joker steals the show. But other voice actors from the Animated Series make their way in. Kevin Conroy continues to prove that he is the greatest actor to don the cape and cowl. Even the original Mr. Freeze voice actor returns adding a chilling calmness to my personal favorite villain in the game. The 5000 character limit isn't enough to go into detail about how great every character featured in the game is, but if there is one more worth mentioning it is the Riddler. After his defeat in Arkham Asylum Edward Nigma is back with a vendetta against the Bat. He now less resembles Jim Carrey's Riddler from the movies and is more reminiscent of Jigsaw.

The first game contained Riddler trophies and riddles adding up to a whoping 240 collectibles. Well Rocksteady upped the ante with a staggering 460 trophies, riddles, and breakable objects. And each trophy is no easy snatch-and-grab affair. They are all part of some puzzle that needs to be solved before claiming your prize. Each trophy I came across felt like a portal puzzle only instead of only orange or blue, I had a utility belt full of possible solutions. Not to take into account that I may not have acquired the necessary gadget to solve the puzzle.

The climax of the game is where words cease to be able to convey its quality. If the ending was the first games greatest shortcoming, then the ending is the sequel's crowning achievement. It would be unfair for me to try to explain, as words fall short of how to describe the final minutes before the credits roll. So I won't, but I urge every single person who calls themselves a gamer or a Batman fan to play this game.

So far Batman: Arkham City is easily my top choice for game of the year. It encompasses the best aspects of every other GOTY contenders. Portal 2's puzzles, Uncharted 3's action adventure and great story telling, L.A. Noire's character detail and voice performance all while tying it up in a neat Batman bow. Don't mistake my meaning for this being some kind of Frankenstein monster of gaming. These are just the best aspects of the great games this year, just all done in one game.… Collapse

Batman is easily the coolest superhero and definitely my favourite but all the games featuring superhero always manage to be a huge letdown until UK based Rocksteady studios released Batman Arkham Asylum and if you haven't played asylum you should but you don't need to have played Arkham Asylum to fully enjoy Arkham City the grimy gritty horrible location being Arkham City is fantastic I love the idea. The story of Arkham City is great but could have been better it only needed a few more villains in it Firefly flying about committing arson for example I love the free roam of the game but wanted more, and I only hope that Rocksteady release some campaign DLC and not just the challenge maps and predator maps I only hope at least. maybe some more catwoman episodes or some robin episodes instead of just challenge maps. All in all Batman Arkham City is amazing all the best things about asylum with plenty of new aspects the new gadgets are good but could have been better the fighting is brilliant I would have liked to play the whole campaign as Robin though but alas I have plenty of challenge maps and The Riddler campaign which are just linked challenge rooms but offer a nice change of pace. New Game + is brilliant if only the original had it too. Final Thought buy this game if A) Your a Batman Fan, B) You like stealth based free roam beat-em-up or C) If you want to play a truly brilliant game that is a game changer.… Expand

Simply put, Batman: Arkham City is awesome.

Not only a spectacular follow up to its predecessor but Rocksteady raises the bar again for what we all should expect from a super hero game.

From using real deductive reasoning to solve riddles to perfectly timed critical hits that clobber you enemies, this game will keep you on your toes for hours on end and allow you to feel like the Dark Knight has indeed returned.

If you like Batman, you must play this, if you like a good TPS(third person shooter), play this, if you own a current gen consul you need to play Arkham City!… Expand

Probably one of the best games I've ever played. The controls work perfectly, with most abilities being simple, yet complex at the same time. Combat works perfectly after a bit of practice and gliding through the city never touching the ground is an amazing experience. Gameplay balances out perfectly between variation based combat, stealth and exploration. There is so much bonus content from Riddler trophies, side missions and the new challenge mode. Catwoman offers a nice distraction during the story but is not 100% vital to the experience.

The voice acting is of course amazing with the biggest examples being Batman (Kevin Conroy) and the Joker (Mark Hamill). The rest of the cast do pretty good as well like veteran Tara Strong as Harley Quinn. The story may seem a little TOO big at times but every twist and turn feel real in the universe. The ending alone was worth every penny I spent on this game. Fair warning that you may not understand character relationships and back stories if you're not a Batman fan.

The graphics, while not mind blowing, look good and fit with the tone of the game, having both gritty and bright characters and locations. The music is epic and goes well with what goes on during gameplay. The amount of banter and dialogue recorded for this game is insane. Every group of criminals you come across, every hostage you rescue and every guard you chat with ALL have original dialogue.

Overall Batman: Arkham City is amazing and 100% recommended for fans of Batman or action/adventure games.
9.8/10 or 10/10 for Metacritic.… Expand

Batman: Arkham City does an amazing job of letting the player feel like they are the Dark Knight himself. The world is expansive, the combat mechanics are sublime and the sheer amount of content is mind boggling. All packaged in with one of the best sound design and score I've heard in any entertainment genre and you have a fully realized game of the year contender. Rocksteady has made a brilliantly satisfying game and I can't wait to see what they do next.… Expand

When I got this game my expentation were skyhigh, and I did NOT get dissapointed.
I loved and still love Arhkam Asylum. It had amazing graphics, amazing combat, brilliant voice actors and so on. What Rocksteady did is that they took all that and made it even better.
The combat in Arhkam City is absolutely fantastic, it's so smooth and looks amazing. The stealth is the same. It so much fun switching from combat to stealth.
The voice actors are brilliant, they did an amazing job. The story is also great.

Something that blew my mind is how much effort Rocksteady put into each side mission (and there are a **** of sidemission). Each sidemission has it's own little story with an exciting ending.
I also love the amount of riddles in this game. 400 riddles! There will be 440 if you have the Catwoman code. That brings me to the next thing.
Catwoman. It works perfectly to play as her, she focuses more on stealth rather than combat but she works great with combat also.
I can't really think of anything bad with this game.
Go get it, NOW!… Expand

Arkham City is a fantastic successor to Asylum. It surpasses the game in almost every way, with a deep world and atmosphere, varied and interesting characters, and an outstanding story. Boss fights are more varied and more fun (except they were a little too easy) and combat was immensely satisfying. The story and side missions will take a while to finish. Even just gliding around the city is addicting. Arkham City is an amazing game that ranks as one of the top games this generation.… Expand

This game is absolutly stunning, technically excelent (amazing graphics!), and very funny.
The gameplay is OK, controls easy to handle (even with a lot of movements!). The History is good (maybe some details makes it no-perfect) and the music are great too. One of the best games in this generation

Batman: Arkham City is the first game I ever owned that featured Batman... or any other superhero for that matter. And may I say this... the game is absolutely phenomenal. Combat gameplay is smooth and slick, the simplicity of the controls is balanced by the hordes of enemies that you have to face, and the feeling of kicking the ass of a horde of enemies outnumbering you 10 to 1 in a minute is oh so satisfying. Movement is just about top notch. Batman in flight controls how I wanted and expected him to control (and remember, this is my first Batman game ever). Then the graphics... the graphics of Arkham City are superb. This game has very detailed textures and excellent lighting and shading. I think it has the best graphics of any game released year-to-date. Sound is equally as superb. As for replay value... New Game + and all the collectibles will keep me going for a long time. If you like action games, you owe it to yourself to at least try this one out.… Expand

Really good game. Not a perfect 10 for sure. It is a step better than arkam asylum by the fact you can go any where do anything. The only knock is the fact you got to fly around a huge section in the middle of the world that you cant access until later in the game constantly. I love batman and the world but how is the metacritic score higher than a MASS EFFECT 2? or in my opinion a top 3 contender for game of the year for true gamers "DARK SOULS"? Reminds me of the DARK KNIGHT movie that got some of the highest ratings I have ever seen and was not that good of a movie. I THINK PEOPLE JUST FREAK FOR THE BAT.… Expand

I liked Arkham Asylum, but this just puts it to shame. The last Arkham got off to an incredible start and stayed strong until the last couple hours. This game however blows the lid off the awesome jar from start to finish. It deserves every bit of this 10 and the only even slight gripe I have is I wish 2 face would be in it more, but when I'm complaining about something like that among all this badassery, I know it's a GOTY candidate. The pacing is pitch perfect, the side missions are incredible and do their villains justice, and the story takes you to places that even Batman hasn't been to before. Rocksteady improved the traversal to feel less stiff and made the boss encounters much more epic. Gotham is not some lifeless open world for you to travel from A to B. Every inch of this map is packed with content from side missions, to riddler trophies, to groups of thugs. If you're a Batman fan and haven't played both Arkham games, then you are not a Batman fan. If you aren't, you don't have to be to enjoy a great game. This is what licensed games should be and what I hope they become. It captures everything this character has ever been; combatant, detective, ninja, flyboy, and savior.… Expand

Batman Arkham City is everything it should have been and better. In 2009 Rocksteady set an amazing bar for action games and arguably set the highest bar ever for superhero adaptations to games. Arkham City builds on the success of Arkham Asylum and againsets a bar that is higher than almost every action game to date. Arkham City has an expansive world that allows for plenty of side missions and an array of collectibles and secrets, the map is not too big but it's not too small either so arguably rocksteady have created a fantastic world to explore intricitly detailed and never dull. The presentaton and graphics in this game are fantastic some of the best seen, however occasionallycan be quite jaggedy here and there.

The sound and voice acting in the game is impecceble, with the likes Mark Hamil reprising his role as the fantastically interpreted Joker. Although the Joker is certainly the stand out act the Dark knight himself and other voice acting within the game from various charaters more then meets it's intended target. Pros: Expansive Enviroment, Intricitely designed, new gadgets add variety, catwoman sections add further depth and variety, hand to hand combat mechanics unrivalled by any other game on the market, excellent voice acting and story telling mehtods

Cons: Sometime getting around Arkham City can be a clunky, dull affair, Occasional Grpahical issues but not that noticable, Feels like some of the villans characters within the game were under developed

Presentation: 10
Graphics: 9
Sound: 10
Gameplay: 9
Lasting appeal: 9… Expand

I just beat it today and was absolutely amazed by the graphics, sound, gameplay, and DEPTH this game had. Including the Catwoman's DLC there are a total of 440 Riddler secrets which will keep you busy for a while not to mention about 12 side missions to complete as well. If you've played Arkham Asylum you will find everything about this game familiar but greatly added upon in every way. Definitely the best 60 bucks I've spent on a video game all year!! Can't recommend this enough!… Expand

This has to be the very best game I have ever played. The combat feels amazing. The stealth sections rival the greatness that is Metal Gear Solid. This game also features a shocking story with a brilliant climax that took me completely by surprise. The voice acting, especially by Mark Hamill is as good as it gets. The graphics and detail in this game are beyond most games of this generation. Is this game of the year ? Yes. Is this a perfect game? Probably.… Expand

This game is a must have for whoever owns a console. This games beginning to the end is really engaging and it really outdoes itself in every aspect of gaming from puzzles,combat,replayability and fun factor. The camera really focuses on what you character does every step of the way and doesnt get you sidetracked or lost. The controls are set correctly like its predecessor which if you havent played you must pick it it before you get this one. The amount of bosses you fight in this game outdoes the first game. The side missions are fun to do before or after you beat the game. My complaints have to be the pass in order to play catwoman and her involvement in the campaign. Like the robin and nightwing challenge modes. I think it would have been cool if they had there own campaign seperate from batman and meet up with him in certain areas to get gadgets or clues from him to strengthen the storyline. But this game rocks and it exceeded my expectaions and deserves to be Game of the year.… Expand

Bigger and better than Arkham Asylum, Arkham City once again brings you the ultimate Batman experience. And I HATE DC Comics, and I'm not a very big fan of the Bat, but I LOVE this game. The 3D is really cool, if you have it. This game is worth every penny!

I have too much to say about this game, and it's not even because I'm a huge Batman fan. This game makes me believe the characters are real and inspires me in different ways. It is enormously addicting.

Batman: Arkham City is an absolute masterpiece. The graphics are incredible, with every square inch of the world looking detailed, dark and moody, and the characters big, well animated and very realistic. The sound design is some of the best in any medium, with perfect voice acting for every character, great sound effects, and a soundtrack that is at once haunting, dark, and sad and at the same time heroic and hopeful. Gameplay-wise, the game hits a perfect balance between hand to hand action and stealth, with varied enemy types and situations that not only constantly keep the game interesting, but also make you change up your strategy to overcome the many challenges you face as the Caped Crusader. But the real reason why this game is such a triumph is its story, which starts off exciting and then ratchets up the tension to such heights that you will not want to put down the controller until the credits roll. It is also a very dark, incredibly emotional story, filled with many characteristic moments for its hero and his villains, and one scene in particular that will definitely bring a tear to your eye. Every friendship, alliance, rivalry and hatred is handled perfectly and, combined with the gameplay and the side missions, this is the game that will truly make you feel like you are The Dark Knight in all his glory. Overall, Arkham City is a game that everyone should own. The gameplay is exciting and well-paced, the presentation is top notch and the story offers more fan service, thrills, action and emotion than any other work of art released in a long time in any medium. This is truly the definitive superhero experience.… Expand

Having now played my 3 most anticipated games of the year (Zelda, Uncharted 3, and Batman) I can say with full confidence that this one was the best. This was the one which matched and exceeded my expectations. This was the game most eager to please, and by far the most successful. Where other games became bogged down by their attempts at epicness (Uncharted), pacing (Zelda), or spotty controls (Uncharted, Zelda), Batman excels with it's developers deft touch; light enough not to be obtrusive, and heavy enough to keep things moving in the right direction. Skyward Sword is one giant fetch quest. Arkham City makes those fetch quests optional, and guess what: they're way more fun because of that. Rocksteady empowers the player and finds ways for them to succeed, not ways to slow them down or annoy them.… Expand

After spending roughly 40 hours completing everything (as Batman) and getting the platinum trophy, I can say that this is a worthy follow up to Arkham Asylum but some things about this game felt "too much". Rocksteady perfectly captured what I'd always imagined it would be like to be Batman in an open city. Being a sequel, it lacks the freshness of Arkham Asylum but they did a lot of work under the hood. The game environments are bigger (but do suffer from noticeable screen tearing and longer loading times), the voicework and music are fantastic and there's tons of new moves/gadgets to use. With all of that said, it seems like many things were added to this game without much consideration. Even as an experienced Arkham Asylum player, it took me quite a while to get adjusted to all the mechanics of this game. The new moves and gadgets aren't as fluid in combat as those in the last game were and I frequently found myself doing things that were downright clumsy. And with so many enemies on screen during combat, it's very easy to get blindsided which can be frustrating. You'll still spend a lot of time in Detective Mode but at least they've fixed it so that it's informative without providing any explicit answers. The solo campaign falls a bit short compared to the first game and some of the additional content feels tacked on (saving political prisoners and destroying TITAN containers to name a few). Catwoman is playable and has her own episodes (included with new copies, otherwise it'll cost you $10) which play a very small part. Her character and moves are captured well but she's simply not as fun to use as Batman though it is a nice change of pace. Again, let me say that this is a great follow-up but feels a bit messy and convoluted at times. And although it is a must play game, in my honest opinion, Arkham Asylum was simply a better experience from start to finish.… Expand

I`ve been waiting for this game very long. I hoped that this will be awesome, and it was. I though that they can`t improve anything after the Arkham Asylum, but Rocksteady showed us that they can suprise us. New gadgets, very interesting story line and side mission make this game awesome. From my view this game could be a bit longer ( i mean the main plot ) but this is just a small minus in whole part. This is game which you have to buy and play.… Expand

i played Batman Arkham Asylum and it was a great game for me. i didn't hear anything about a new batman but when i saw the good reviews from the new batman i had to give it a try. And now playing it, it can't be any better for me.

Arkham City is a bigger and better game than its already excellent predecessor. game does not have disadvantages, though no one is THIS CARD! but all the other delights of the game covering all flaws! BEST GAME OF THE YEAR!

This game is a wonderful experience. The only downside I found was the lack of the much lauded multiplayer I had heard about for months. Other than that, it's as good as it gets. The best part is easily the amazing gameplay. To take the gameplay I loved so much in Arkham Asylum and open up the world into a full scale city. It's just an amazing idea. This is my favorite game in years.

Well i am a big batman fan and trust me if you are also then this game is a treat for you. Each and every thing of this game is par excellence and by far this package is simply awesome. From compelling story to great visuals,outstanding voice over and soundtracks,and amazing gameplay makes this the best superhero game. It also surpasses arkham asylum in many ways.Rocksteady nailed every aspects of the game and the lasting appeal of the game is worth your money 40 hours of gameplay makes this a worthy package. So guys what are you waiting for grab this masterpiece for amazing holidays.… Expand

this game has everything from story, graphics and gameplay it simply excellent

great game have a amazing history and a great open world to explore, batman have more moves, and a lot of side quests to spend time, a lot of time, dont miss the chance to play this game. Many games get scores of 10/10 because gamers simply love them. This game is one of the very few that earns its 10s by the sheer quality and perfection of its design. This game is not only a 10/10 because of the fun factor. Its a 10/10 in nearly every single area of design. It ends up to be a game that simply everyone should play. Not only gamers, most of whom will love, it, but NON-GAMERS as well, to show the 'normal people' just how amazing games can be. As for game designers, and industry people, this is a masterclass in game design. Arkham City is a well balanced, well paced, brilliantly realised masterpiece. It brings atmosphere, character, story, cinema, action, MORALITY and gameplay into a near perfect recipe. It takes a great first game and makes it better. It makes a game that looks GREAT and plays PERFECTLY across all platforms. Its not finally perfect in every single detail, but so what! Games are the result of extremely complex processes of co-operative labour. It's totally shameful that a game this good, could presently stand with 42 green and 11 red user scores. As if there were a genuine 20% of players who found THIS GAME 'bad'! Nonsense, these are TROLLS. I'm going to rewrite a long review for this masterpiece of a game when I have the time. Right now, more important is something I realised: the metacritic user review system is itself fatally flawed. Reviewers in here should not be able to spam accounts and hide behind anonymous user names. It's not acceptable for industry people to dump zeros on rival studios. If they even try they should be exposed (and slapped about). Designers giving their own games 10/10 is fine, so long as they name themselves and give reasons, and are limited to ONE account (not multiple spam accounts). You are allowed to love your own labour, but not cheat by inventing 10 user names to distort the facts. Other users should know when a game designer has written a review so they can safely ignore the review if its not convincing enough. It's totally putrid that a few agents deliberate spoiling could create the false impression that this game is merely good, rather than the stand-out great it is. How metacritic finally cleans up the user review process is their problem, but one they better solve soon, because its getting WORSE. One key is to strip away user anonymity. I have nothing to hide, and no secret aggenda with this or any review. if anyone has any problems with this review or any others, you can address the author directly: . I will respond to replies and don't mind a bit of heated disagreement. If you have a strong case I may concede and change my scores if you can make a strong enough case to convince me. Also useful if you are an industry employer looking to hire someone with my obviously superior discrimination. I am not posting this 10/10 and running away to giggle and hide. I stand by it, and look forward to argue it with anyone who has a serious REASON to… Expand

has a great story, keeps the same combat for Arkham Asylum with some new things added to it it like multiple simultaneous counter attacks. the addition of side missions keeps you playing and the side missions are surprisingly entertaining making you want to do them.

This game is without a doubt one of the greatest games to come out this year, decade, and even within the history of video games. This milestone that the developers at Rocksteady have accomplished is the best by far of any a video game has tried to reach. Not only for Batman fans but gamers alike, have been shocked by the immense and deep storyline, game play, and graphics to die for. This game definitely showed that video games can be fun sit down and enjoy for more than 5 hours unlike most games with an unbearable waste of time campaign. Every thought that went inside of creating this monumental game was unmatched and so unparalleled, that most of these game companies and developers should play this game and take some major notes on how a video game should be.… Expand

This game is awesome. Even moreso than its predecessor and numerous Batman films before this (not comparing this to the comics), it represents the Batman and all the villains featured here amazingly, perfectly. It starts off brilliantly and, without going into detail, has a bittersweet ending.

With that said, the amount of time it took to complete the game was much less than Batman: Arkham Asylum. The story felt somewhat shorter but I assumed that was because I skipped virtually all of the side-missions; I wanted to keep going in this engaging, awesome story.

I really hope this becomes an ongoing series, introducing more villains and places.… Expand

Incredible game. Story seemed a bit weak early on, but it seems that was only the case because it wasn't clear what was actually happening. I thought it concluded brilliantly. Gameplay was fun as always; I particularly loved flying around the open city.

My only gripe was how frustrating it was to systematically destroy a predator scenario, then feel like an idiot for not being able to find my way out of the room! A little better direction would have been appreciated, but maybe that's just me.

Outstanding. Will play through again.… Expand

It is AMAZING, SPECTACULAR, ADICTIVE, the best game of superheroes and the best game of this generation.
And serious candidate of GOTY. Im very happy for this game, thank you Rocksteady.

Believe the hype - so much depth and polish and hours and hours of adventure to be had. This really steps up from where they were with the last game, and expands the Batman universe - Just a brilliant, brilliant game.

Loved this game but the side mission structure was weird where not all of them were available by the time I beat it. And I took it slow and did a LOT of side stuff before playing story missions. Wish that was different, but all around an amazing game.

Rocksteady sets the bar high for video games this year and possibly the next 3 years until the new generation of consoles come to light. This game is a masterpiece in both story and design. The Batman mythos engulfs this game with such effort and such passion that it suceeds in almost every aspect to it's previous iteration, Arkham Asylum. Content that will keep you playing this game for months if not years, the lasting appeal of this game knows no bounds. Rivalling only Uncharted 3 in score, a deserving and renowned 10/10 .… Expand

Batman Arkham City is a game that has to be experienced. It has a mind blowing ending and an incredible combat engine. Did I mention that it also has some of the finest graphics in gaming and one of the most detailed open worlds ever? Yeah. Get it NOW!

I'm not sure what crazy drug Dragonslayer007 is on. Graphics are fantastic. I think where the series has always lacked is in Boss Battles. They're always far too predictable and no where near rewarding enough, especially for how well written the characters and story are. I say leave it to Metal Gear Solid. Other than that, it is a magnificent game, worthy of all the praise it has received. Graphics- 9.5

Sound- 9.5

Story- 8

Gameplay- 9

Replayability- 8.5

8.9/10 (but let's round it up to 9 to reward Rocksteady's effort)… Expand

This game is one of my favorite games of all time. I enjoyed the gameplay, though it gets a bit repetitive at times. Voice acting is exceptional and the open-world setup is a nice move on Rocksteady's part.

If you're looking for a good buy this holiday season, this game is great (as well as Uncharted 3!) and should definitely be on your list.

This game is phenomenal. It has amazing visuals, amazing story, amazing gameplay, and a mind-boggling story. Stop reading reviews and just buy this game!

Who in the living hell gives this game a 0/10????????? LOL at this site. This is by far the best licensed game ever and one of the very best action games out there.

This game has Game of the year all over it. In fact, do some research and you will find that Rocksteady packages the game with a little bit of coke to make the game extremely addictive.

the Batman series was dead but thanks to batman arkham assylum resurrected the Batman franchise. and this game is still better than arkham assylum I recommend this game stunning graphics and good gameplay.

I been playing this game since the day it released and Rocksteady Studios has made the best superhero game or maybe one of the best games I ever played. But it is a little bit overrated in Metacritic for the critic scores. I recommend you go buy this game right away.

Simply stunning. An absolute joy to play, for Batman fans this is akin to porn. This took everything that was good about Arkham Asylum and improved upon it. Well done Rocksteady.

Very fun and addictive game. Enjoyed every minute of it! Really liked the new features (New game + mainly) which adds just that much more to an excellent game!

Batman Arkham city, for me, is the best game of the year. The key selling point for me is that you are Batman, the world's greatest detective, the caped crusader. The feeling of being him is perfect and a key part of that is Arkham City itself. Dripping in detail, no it's not the biggest of open worlds but every inch seems painsatkingly hand-crafted. Even down to the location of the next main story mission. The bat signal appears in the sky, not only for mindless fanservice but it marks your next main story mission. Rocksteady seem like they're masters of integrating game mechanics into the Batman world and making it feel completely authentic. Even on par with Bioshock by telling a story through the enviornment. It does feel a bit overwhelming when you're first thrown in to the mega-prison itself, but when you get over that obstacle its amazing. Gameplay hasn't changed mush since Arkham Asylum with the brilliant freeflow system. Some critics that said the combat system isn't deep enough and if they didn't like it they won't like this one. But for me the simplicity is key to the feeling of being Batman that it's as simle of a press of a button to take out an enemy. The detective scanning system, however, seems a bit gimmicky and tagged-on. The main story, once you get into it, is amazing and engaging and boss battles are largely improved from AA and feel fun and especially the MR. Freeze battle which tests your skills as Batman. But side missions are also amazing, spanning several hours each, and pack alot of (rather obscure) batman characters into it. I've spent several hours just gliding around the city and exploring it getting riddler trophies determined to unlock the next hostage and saving them and once you save them and hear the next rally of utter disbelief from the Riddler you feel like Batman once again. Catwoman (if you have the dlc) adds another dimension and view on Arkham City, she has her own agenda and motives. She's quicker, faster and alot of fun. You get a choice later on, as Catwoman, and I urge you to take the 'wrong' decision. The ending and beginning of the game are the most gripping and best begginings and endings I have ever experienced and are clear WOW moments. So, overall, Batman Arkham City is THE Batman game and builds on all the foundations that Arkham Asylum built, but is bigger, bolder and better. For me, this is the most confident game/sequel of the year. Bravo Rocksteady.… Expand

simply put if this does not win GOY then all that means is Skyrim ended up being far better than anyone expected it to be. Arkham City is one of the best games i have ever played. MUST BUY!!!!

this is a great game.the story is nicely told with interesting characters from batman unvierse showing up.the voice acting is spectacular like uncharted 3.this game also looks beautiful with huge amount of detail and street lights reflecting off of the wet ground.it's a sweet sight on a console.the combat is as good as it gets on ANY console ,and the predator challenge mixes up the gameplay and save it from being repetitive.the enemy is very intelligent and during the predator challenges they shoot the gargoyles if the spot u on one.it's an awesome game in everyday.… Expand

This is hands down the greatest comic book game ever made. exceptional graphics and story coupled with engaging and challenging gameplay. I'm Batman :)

With a stunning opening, deep storyline, intense action, impeccable detail and memorable ending, this is a very beautiful and well done game. It's is everything people hoped it would be, as it massively improves on Arkham Asylum while keeping its core gameplay and engines. Not only is the story mode a blast, the challenge maps will keep you busy for months after completing the story (you'll probably end up playing through it at least three times). Although the story had some plot holes towards the end, it kept me guessing because of all the wonderfully crafted twists that it pulls off. The story is a little on the short side, but it's a compelling roller coaster ride that will keep you hooked until the shocking ending. Not only is this a must have for batman fans, it is a must have for any gamer.… Expand

this game is unimaginably great! i bought it and since never let go of it . from the great graphics to the unreal game-play this game got's it all. I've finished the game, 100% completed and the game only gets better with the new dlc package. it has all the elements of a award winning game. after reading this you should really consider this game may just be the best game you will ever play.

Batman Arkham Asylum raised the bar of how good licensed games need to be. Does Arkham City raise the bar even more? No. Is it worse? Yes and no. The gameplay is now better. Boss battles aren't repeatitive recycled '' Fight againts a big guy with the same method multitiple times in the game '' and are actually quite fun. You have bigger enviroment, with even more side missions and riddles to solve. Catwoman is a nice addition too, even though I would have appericiated, if she would have had more own missions to do. Why I said yes to is the game worse than Arkham Asylum then? It doesn't have as good Batman feeling as Arkham Asylum had. Joker isin't saying his funny dialogue much, unlike in Arkham Asylum and Riddler doesn't even react anymore, which makes solving the riddles feel less fun. The ending also felt a little lame, it didn't feel like the game is going to end at all. It has pretty good twist at least, but I wouldn't say the ending was very good. There isin't also any '' wtf lol wut '' moments, unlike in Arkham Asylum, which is a shame. The game is still great and I recommend you to buy it. Wait, you aren't fan of Batman? Don't worry! You don't need to be Batman fan in order to enjoy this game!… Expand

Batman: Arkham City coming to consoles to reaffirm its position as the best game inspired by superheroes. The Rocksteady managed to repeat the feat of the previous game and expanded universe character even more. With a fantastic plot that surprising since the first scene, the title still offers subtitles in Portuguese, and hours of operation in a city full of mysteries, villains and things to discover.… Expand

Arkham Asylum was pretty much one of the best superhero games I have ever played and is up there with Spiderman 2 and Infamous 2 and Rocksteady has outdone themselves again with City. Going for a more open world exploration, you are Batman who is stuck in a city full of thugs and prisoners of different source. That in itself is awesome enough but what surprised me is how City uses Asylum's already brilliant gameplay mechanics and made it work in the open world without being stale in itself. The story itself, though a bit bloated because of the countless villains in it, it does an awesome job making the bloatedness engaging and at times provocative. If you love Asylum, you will love City and if you love Batman in general, why do you even want to miss this?… Expand

what a game!..this is everything a sequel should be, it is truly magnificent..this game will keep you coming back to play it one more time even after the story is finished there is still so much more to complete, thats a sign of a great game.This has got to be GOTY..graphics are awesome , voice acting is awesome, game play is awesome. story is awesome..I read that this game is what it means to be Batman, and thats so true..go buy it!… Expand

SO this is how Super Hero game get made. Rocksteady does it again and even better this time around! Love everything about this game and if you liked the first one there is just more batman here to love.. not to mention the catwoman missions. also robin and nightwing depending on what copy you bought but all available as DLC. At first I was a bit taken aback at how small the open world of Arkham City is compared to other open worlds, even it's predecessor. But once you start playing you realize it is bigger than the map shows. Lots of interiors to explore and all the space inside and out is so jam packed with stuff to do that it becomes a lot bigger. Quite the opposite of something like Just Cause 2 where there is largely dead space on a huge map, This is a smaller map with TONS of things to do. Then add in the challenge maps and you have one hefty game. The characters are great and so is the story. This is a must buy for any fan of Batman, the series or open world adventure games.… Expand

The best Batman Game ever made.I got the goty edition on ps3 but played Arkham city when it first came out on xbox 360.so I got the goty edition for my ps3 and this is still the most amazing game ever made.the story and graphics are superb and the gameplay is just amazing.you must play this game.

I rarely write reviews but i have been playing arkham city for about ten days now and seriously this game is a masterpeice i cant beleive you can sink so many hours into this brawler!!

my actual score is a 9.8 given a 10 would be sth from the mgs series of ff 7,9 this goes straight in to my top 10 list of all time with the likes of only demon or dark souls from this generation.

the amount of content on this disc is incredible yet the level of polish is extraordinary i would give this game a perfect ten if the story was more coherent and the graphics weren t built on unreal engine dont get me wrong the game looks terrific i m just not a fan of this engines graphics (personal opinion) the story is good but i feel arkham asylum did it better it was simply put more focused.

The combat, the challenges, Side missions, ARKHAM CITY all that a perfect ten for me this actually deserves a collectors edition!!… Expand

Arkham City is truly a superb game, for both normal gamers and die hard comic fans. The game has fluid gameplay with an excellent combat system that can be as deep as you want to take it, and moving around the map is a breeze once you obtain certain upgrades. The graphics are beautiful and the voice acting is top notch, as Batman and his rogues gallery are all brought to life in satisfying fashion, and the story is one of the best Batman tales you'll find. There is a lot of fan service to comic readers that makes the experience that much richer for them, but doesn't drag down the game for anyone who is unfamiliar with Batman lore. There are an incredible number of villains that make an appearance, but the story plays out in a way that none of them are present just for the sake of throwing them in. Just when you think you've encountered everything Arkham City has to offer, you find another hidden portion that blows your mind. Arkham City is by far the best game to come out this year, and is a must play for everyone, whether or not you played Arkham Asylum.… Expand

"Perfect" is as close to a description as your going to get with this game, though it isn't quite that, but going any lower can't be done with this game. Arkham Asylum was one of my favorite games, giving me the power of batman with all his gadgets, strength, smarts, and more importantly his morals. Arkham City follows on every aspect in that and adds much more. I loved it from start to finish, but there were times where i felt that it could have done more with the villains. There were plenty of them, ranging from the well known Gotham faces such as Joker and Penguin, to the almost unknown Mad Hatter and Dead Shot. It's the many cameos that ruin it though, very few get any real time on screen and when they do its rarely a memorable moment. You will smile, cringe, or chuckle at them being there, but something new will appear and will move on. But that is my only problem with this game, there is nothing else i don't like. The combat is fast, powerful, and makes you feel like the Dark Knight is in control. The visuals of this game are awe-inspiring, sometimes its enough to make you just wana stop and look at it for a moment. Voice acting is a major step up this time, which every person in the game giving it a Oscar worthy sound. Mark Hamill steals the show as Joker, who is having problems after the first game, and Nolan North as Penguin is just as good to. The open world of Arkham City is a true open world experience as well, with the intensive being Riddler placing over 400+ trophies for you to find. Sadly Scarecrow does not make a return, and while those shoes...if he had any, are hard to fill, Riddler himself makes an appearance that is as memorable as any in the game. The story is vast and worth every minute of your time, but cameos are many and never given much time. Even Robin has one, but like the rest is only brief and just there to make you smile. Batman: Arkham City is worth you time and money though, be it if your a comic book lover, action game lover, or just someone who wants a great game for Christmas, you can't go wrong with this.… Expand

When people thought Rocksteady have reached their peak with Arkham Asylum, it was pleasent to see that Arkham City managed to be as good, and even better then it's predecessor. The core mechanics of the game are nearly identical to Arkham Asylum's, but the new huge city and the veriety of new villians and superheroes create a bigger impact that makes Arkham City more exciting. Truthfuly, the game is massive, and you can spend dozens of hours just gathering the Riddler's trophys and solving his puzzles, but the game also boasts many fantastic side missions that are heavily relying on the main story. Since the game is based on a comic series, it was much easier to connect between different characters to create new side storys. The game also genuianly makes you feel like you are Batman. You get all the possible gadgets, and you can pull off amazing stunts. I can also mention the accurate voice acting and incredible soundtrack, or perhaps the top notch graphics, but the thing that makes this game outshine most action games nowadays is the flow. The game let's you move at your own speed and move from mission to mission fluidly and comfortably. That gives the game a flare that only a great sandbox game can deliever, but it also has the qualities that most sandbox games don't reach. Rocksteady have trully pulled off something magnificent with Arkham City.Hell, Even non-fans of Batman will appreciate this game, because it manages to do so much and do it the best way it can.… Expand

Arkham City is a stellar game that improves on Arkham Asylum featuring a fantastic open world and familiar, great voice acting by much of the cast from Batman: The Animated Series (notably Mark Hamill as the Joker). The scenery is fantastic and gliding between missions is an enjoyable experience. The gameplay is extremely smooth and complimented with competent difficulty settings and various missions. Unfortunately, the story mode could be longer considering its engagement (and, of course, the entire game is single player). There are not enough side-missions to keep a player around long once the game is finished. Gathering Riddler trophies can become an unpleasurable task at the end of the game preventing some players to keep at it. Downloadable content keeps the player active for longer, but not too long. By the time the story is finished along with all side-missions and gadget upgrades, there is not much motivation to continue in the city. Otherwise, anybody who has an interest for Batman would find this game great, with dialog from the characters to models.… Expand

A must buy for gamers. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------… Expand

ATTENTION USERS! BEWARE! I just found two reviews posted in my name that I did not wrote. One of them, I haven't even played the game. Don't know how it happened, if someone hacked my account or my informations were given away. Anyway, check your reviews and ratings, see if everything is right. (sorry to do this as a review, but it was the only way I found). Batman is a superb game, by the way.

Arkham City isn't only fun but has a beautiful story, awesome characters and an interesting environment to explore. Unlike its predecessor, this game gives you much more to do after beating the main story. I really have nothing to say, I gave it a 10 and its perfect for me.