This game is pretty much exactly like the last game but with crappy new gadgets, it's harder to get around and they rip you off before you even open the box. They cut out an important part of the game (all of catwoman's story) and put an online pass to download in the game, this was never mentioned in any of the trailers or magazine articles. they did so people would buy it new but they didn't that not everyone has access to x-box live, and to top that off the pre-order bonus where you can play as robin is also dlc even though that was never mentioned, the videogame industry should not be aloud to gyp it's customers like this.… Expand

The controls for this game are very good, the Graphics are very good, the Voice acting is VERY good, Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy lead the voice acting on this game, and the other voice acting is very good as well, next of all the sound effects are very good, plus there is a ton of stuff to do in game, you got your main quests, side missions, and tons of Riddler trophies to collect, if anyone gives this game a score below an 8 they are obviously looking for attention or trolling.… Expand

It's better than it's predecessor in every way. And if you played the first you k ow that is no easy task. Quite simply, Arkham City is one of the best games this generation. And I'm far from an avid Batman fan. I never read the comics and only enjoyed two of the movies. Sandbox style is similar to Assissans Creed and Infamous. Both those games are great, but Arkham City has even more polish. Consider all that with an excellent story and top notch voice acting, you have one very special game.… Expand

Batman: Arkham City is easily the best game of 2011 thus far, and a contender for the greatest game of the generation. Unmissable for fans of Batman and essentially everyone else. Those who claim the open world is too small should consider that every square centimetre of Arkham City is memorable and packed with hundreds of mini-puzzles and a dozen deep side-missions. The attention to detail is incredible, and each and every villain is effortlessly compelling despite their impressive numbers. Multiple playable characters, a tonne of combat and predator challenges (along with 400 Riddler puzzles hidden in the campaign), and a fantastic, thrilling story will keep me coming back to Arkham City for years.… Expand

This is the perfect game. You have classic beat em' up batman style with an "Open World" style game including side missions and minigames. To those complaining about the movement if you had taken the time to master the movement and do the AR trainings you would not be so disappointed.

I had a lot of fun with this game. The reason I am giving it a 6 out of 10 is because I am getting really tired of game developers charging money for DLC content that should have been a part of the original game. I'm not paying for the Nightwing Bundle Pack - that should have been part of the game. Same thing with the upcoming Robin Bundle Pack. ALL of these should have been part of the game we're paying $60 for. Arkham City was a decent game - but the developers are getting way too greedy. Waaaay too greedy. People need to start pushing back against these developers who hold back content and then release it as DLC less than two weeks after the game comes out. Ridiculous.… Expand

An immediate GOTY contender and the best open world action game since Red Dead, Rocksteady game's Batman: Arkham City sees Arkham Asylum's already perfect mechanics and expands upon them while keeping the same polish seen in 2009's surprise hit. Don't listen the review on here saying the voice acting is bad. That rules out the fact he's played the game right there. The scripting and voice acting is amongst the best the in the business and the freeflow combat system is better than ever. When you're gliding through Gotham, go ahead and watch the snow realistically hit Batmans suit. The city is lavishly detailed and the new gliding/ batclaw mechanics make for one of the best modes of transportation seen in a game ever. The score is pitch perfect and the amount of content stuffed into Arkham City it's staggering. GOTY contender? I think so. Where will Rocksteady go from here?… Expand

Sweet, improves on most everything from the first game. There is so much to do if you choose. Game play is smooth voice acting is great and the presentation is awesome.

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

I really like the direction that they went with this game. I mean it looks and feels just like the original. The only problem with it is there really is nothing new here. The playing field just got larger, there are more weapons, more bosses, more Riddler trophies. The game just got bigger. That is really my only gripe with the game though

I love this game it's,so well done it should be the blueprint for all superhero games. The graphics are amazing, and using all the Bat-gadgets rocks!

In the end, Rocksteady did it again with the release of Arkham City. The game is beautifully impressive and the shift to the open world gameplay really makes a big difference as players can now explore and enjoy the dark streets of Gotham City. Despite the easy boss fights, the game is still phenomenal and simply the greatest Batman adventure you can imagine.

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

I don't quite understand all the 10/10 reviews. Asylum as a good combination of free roam and directed gameplay. Objectives were clear, as was the story. City is a sandbox game, with a story that is confusing from the get go, and I have no investment in. I've played 3 hours of the game, and I'm selling it off tomorrow. I don't see any point to playing this. It's just he Asylum gameplay with a sandbox thrown on to it. Woo friggen hoo. You might as well go play Just Cause 2.… Expand

Batman Arkham city is a very good game and has alot of great side missions and collectibles that will keep you busy for day's.my only complaint has to be the games end which like the first batman game was kinda lame and didn't make me feel like there was enough thought put into the closing of a great story.but this is a great game none the less.

Game of the year for me, as with all games a few problems occur but ill get to them. Overall this game is very linear and simple except for the riddler challenges but it is very simple to play. This is what makes it great. Amazing graphics and physics, brilliant story and pacing and the best combat in a game yet. It is a thouroughly enjoying game and is definatly worth getting. All you have to do is defeat penguin and the fun really does begin.… Expand

Worth every penny. Some guys are going to give this game a low review just because they don't want to see the score too high, DON"T BELIEVE THEIR GARBAGE! This game is a 10 and then some. If you loved Arkham Asylum this is a must play, PERIOD!

It is really sad to see people bringing down a meta rating just out of spite. This game is extremely well done. I would give it a 9.5 but that isn't an option so I am going with 10 to try to make up for some of the unreasonable ratings it has received. A zero, really? One poster mentioned that it wasn't a challenge, that isn't a fair statement, there are a few tough side missions but this game isn't about difficulty. I beat Dark Souls in a couple days because I love "a challenge" with Arkham City I love the masterfully crafted world which you transverse. I have never been a huge comic book fan but this game makes Batman a living character in a living world. He navigates around the environment as you imagine he might if he were real. The villains, although not a challenge, are still fun mini puzzles that are a blast to see in action. They actually have the personalities like you would expect from the characters you have heard about since childhood. That isn't even to touch on the sheer amount of recorded voice content the player can overhear while traversing the area. These conversations let the player see how the various villians are interacting with each other. Rocksteady studios actually makes you feel like Batman in a living city and they do it with flair and subtle, clever invention. On top of all that the game is huge; especially if you take into account all the side missions, Riddler trophies and of course the challenge arenas. I have never written a review on this site before but I would like to start so that companies that put blood, sweat, and tears into extremely polished content such as this game, can get the lip service they truly deserve.… Expand

After reading every negative review for this game I realized there was really one one problem with this game... It has everything. (Not a problem for most) People complain "Oh the maps are too big" or "Its 3rd person I can't see half the screen.) And the worst comment I read was the voice acting is bad! Really!! Really!!! This has some of the best artwork, voice acting and game play around. I know haters are going to hate but if you want a great Batman game that is on par or better than Arkham City...CHECK THIS GAME OUT!… Expand

Arkham City is better than its predecessor in every way, and that says a lot. How is it better you ask? In Arkham City, there is more to do. Instead of just main story missions there are also side missions, collectibles, and Riddler Challenges that expand upon the Arkham Asylum's Riddler Trophies. The game also adds about twice as many of Batman's foes as the original did. Each character, also has their own unique storyline and are woven into the overarching storyline seamlessly. The story is also improved over the original's by staying more true to the comics, and less true to the freelance writing that was in Asylum. The gameplay has also had minor tweaks added that improve gameplay. A couple of those improvements are: the dive bomb (used to gain speed while gliding), using the grapnel in combat and in flight, and having more quick-use commands to use in the game. There are more gadgets that have made it into the game, and that is a welcome surprise. The game is better than the original in every way, and their are few games on the market that are better. Batman: Arkham City is one of the best games of all-time and it is the best Batman game ever made. A game for the ages!!… Expand

This game is the coolest looking game which I have ever seen!!!!! Everything which a good gamer wants in a video game it has it. I can proudly say that Rocksteady has done a great job. Definitely Action / Adventure Game of The Year.

Great story, amazing acting and graphics but the game gets extremely repetitive which was a real turn off for me. IMO it's kind of overrated. It's fun at first, I enjoyed the campaign a lot but after that, it's nothing new.

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

If you like Batman, or have even heard of him, prepare yourself for an epic adventure. Right off the bat (no pun intended) you'll be scrambling around the vast world that rocksteady has created. One of your first undertakings should be to immediately do the first 3 AR training. This will unlock the grapple boost which makes traveling the city 200% easier and much more enjoyable. With this new ability the world opens up to exploration, my advice would be to become acquainted with the controls and world, grab a couple trophies, swoop down on unsuspecting thugs and try out those new finishing move. After doing so you'll find yourself becoming the Batman you always wanted to be. Next step dive head first into the story which will keep you on the edge of the seat for the entire ride. If you spine doesn't begin to shiver at the end credits then your soul must have left your body a long time ago. Thank you Rocksteady for the GOTY… Expand

What a game!! The main storyline will keep you occupied for a good while and is very entertaining + all the side missions, riddler trophies etc will keep you playing for a long time. Graphics a great and so is the game play (most important) 10 out of 10!!!!

Let me reiterate what has been said many times in these reviews, this game gets it. The only reason someone might not like this game is if they are A. Not a Batman fan or B. Are contrarian by nature. The game has a flow unlike most games of the genre. There's a sense that the environment around you is alive. Chatter for enemies on multiple radio bands liven things and drop clues as to your best way of attacking the next objective. It reminds me a lot of Spiderman 2. There may be an issue with the combat being just a bit to easy, but you're effing Batman, and layin the smack down on thugs shouldn't be hard in the first place. Anyway, well worth your time and money, even amongst all of the stellar games coming out.… Expand

This game is without doubt the BEST GAME of any superhero that has come out in the story (leaving aside that most Batman games are brilliant) has it all and does not hurt anything.

Excellent atmosphere, excellent graphics for "this" generation, incredible music and addictive gameplay. A game that you MUST HAVE!

There are many reasons why I consider Arkham City to be a bad game. Reason number #1. It's too silly. I'm sure Rocksteady's version of Batman was trying to come across dark and gritty, but everything from the buildings to the henchmen and their conversations that you overhear as you make your way across the rooftops come across childish and just plain stupid. I have no problem suspending my disbelief, but come on, I'm an adult. Reason #2 The 2 and a half button combat stinks. It's a watered down version for the casual gamer attempt at Assassin's Creed style combat and it fails miserably. I don't find the combat fun at all, it feels like a chore. Reason #3 The story is a mess. I'm 5-6 hours in and I have no idea what's going on, nor do I care. Reason # 4. Catwoman? Do I seriously have to play as Catwoman? and if I do then please make her put her stupid goggles on instead of resting them on her forehead. Reason # 5 Horrible voice acting and one liners. I get it, it's Batman, there's some camp involved, but there's a limit to how much crap voice acting I can take. Reason #5 The worst enemy AI ever. Here I am swinging allover the place and the enemies don't see me? All they have to do is look up. I thought that they would improve on that, but they kept it just as stupid as it was in Arkham Asylum. I traded in Dark Sould for this crap and it was the worst decision I've made all year. This game is all flash and no substance. The fact that it's critically acclaimed further proves my point that good reviews can be bought and that reviewers all follow the trends of a good review. No company wants to be the only one scoring this game a 7.5-8 when every one else is scoring it 9 and above...I have no choice but to see this game through since I bought it, but out of all the games I've played this year, Batman Arkham City has made me roll my eyes and daydream while playing the most.… Expand

Don't listen to the negativity that has taken over the userboard, this game is better than its predecessor and more. Moving away from the repetitive nature of the Asylum, we are now brought into a full blown 100% open world that endulges the senses upon starting the game. The game is at beautiful as it sounds, controls are smooth and follow the same formula as it did originally. In fact, linking combos and stunning enemies is easier than before. I see that user reviews contain the same thing over and over " It is repetitive and the voice acting is bad.." Blah blah we get the point. however what they are failing to see is that the game itself is gorgeous, voice acting is astounding beyond words, and the story is better compared to what other video games have tried to offer. I also see a lot of reviewers saying that They have to play as Catwoman. First off, it is downloadable. Secondly she is in the story of Batman, and goes way back to the origins. I think we as gamers, should take the time and collectively give Rock Steady a round of applause for an absolutely great game!… 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 things 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

I had a lot of time on my hands when Arkham Asylum came out, so I nailed it with 1000 gamer points and was in the top 100 on the leaderboards for all combat challenges. So I think over-exposure dulled the anticipation for Arkham City, though tit would just be an extension/upgrade
Dead wrong. Everyfacet is improved. The craft, care and creativity that have gone into it make it shine on every level. Combat is better (even the thuds of impact are more satisfying), the swooping and gliding add new aspects, story is great, stealth improved and there's loads of bonus content to keep you going for weeks. A triumph… Expand

This game is a serious contender for game of the year, its combination of AMAZING graphics, voice acting, gameplay and story is enough to captivate anybody for its 20 -25 hour campaign. Mark Hamill as always delivers a performance worthy of an award, as does Nolan North as the penguin. I particularly found myself addicted to the Riddler challenges, Rocksteady has outdone themeselves with the creation of best licensed game of all time, here's hoping that they may top it in the future.… Expand

Rocksteady, yet again gives you another chance to put yourself in the boots of an unforgiving anti-criminal detective in a world so terrorising and vast, it will leave you overwhelmed and speachless. Be the goddamn Batman.

So, where do i start...? i confuse now. because there are no any negative thing in this game.. simply just PERFECT.. :) Rock studio did a very amazing job in this Arkham Asylum's sequel. The Storyline really straightly taken from the comics so not only it would satisfy all Batman die hard fans but it also could make non-comic fans interested to follow the story because of the easy to understand story -telling style and the AWESOME yeah i say it once again AWESOME acting voice from all the cast (esp: Mark Hamil as Joker and Kevin Conroy as Batman). a lot of improvements are here and there in this game such as more famous Batman villain like Two-Face, Penguin, Mr. Freeze, etc. and for the first time since Arkham Asylum, two former Bruce Wayne's love interest make debut their debut in this game: Selena Kyle (Catwoman) and Vicky Vale. besides the main mission, u also can play a ton of side mission which available during the game (by meeting someone, a police call or a civilian who needs help). the environment and the view of Gotham City in this game are much.. much bigger, badder, better (oops i borrowed the WWE 12 tagline LOL... :D) the only minor negative thing in this game is the fighting system.. is not that bad but, it can make your hand a little stiff after the fight is over.. o yeah one more the graphic is so detail so it would make you feel that you're a Batman and you're really in Gotham City.. Overall this is the must-play-game for this Holiday season.. :)… Expand

This is one of those games where the developer took a big risk that could have gone horribly wrong and ended up going almost perfectly. Its not easy to expand what was a fairly linear start to the series and open it out into a huge open world, but Arkham City's upgrade into the big city from the confined space of the Asylum couldn't have gone better. The entire landscape feels detailed from the rooftops to the floor, and the end result is that you feel like your Batman as he should be, not locked up on an island but swinging and gliding through a whole city.

Anyone who has played Arkham Asylum will be familiar with the gameplay, you have your quick paced hand to hand combat to take down unarmed guards, your slower stealth parts to take down armed guards, platforming to get around the landscape and a bit of puzzle solving. All strung together with beautiful pacing that keeps you from getting bored or feeling like your sick of any one part of the game. Add on the incredible boss fights that pit Batman with nothing but his mobility, his gadgets and his wits, against opponents who are bigger/stronger/more well equipped than you are. But as should be expected, Rocksteady updated the gameplay with new gadgets, new abilities and new enemies to renew the gameplay and once again make you feel like the Batman. Not just because your playing as Batman and swinging down from pillars to string up bad guys, but because the entire time your being made aware of the fact that you are the one enemy everyone is united against, and everyone everywhere is learning and developing to try and get the better of you.

In terms of presentation the game hasn't missed a beat since the last. The voice acting is superb, the city is expansive and detailed, the graphics are brilliant.. Its a lesson in how to present your game to the player and make them feel immersed in the experience.

As for the story, once again Rocksteady is proving what separates its Batman series from every other super hero game out there, and to be honest most other games out there. Anyone with a vague knowledge of the Batman universe will instantly click with what is going on but even if you haven't there is plenty of information given as to the situation you find yourself in. You start out having been arrested as Bruce Wayne by the current man in charge of Arkham City, Hugo Strange, the man who has discovered that Bruce Wayne is Batman. From there you desperately try to figure out what Strange has planned, the mysterious "Protocol 10". Soon enough however Batman is put onto a search with much more on the line.

Not only the best licensed game ever made, one of the best sequels ever made too. An epic story, a detailed city, well paced gameplay that constantly makes you feel like you are the Dark Knight himself. Not just a game for Batman fans but a must buy for any gamer.… Expand

Long story short, Batman is the perfect universe for a video game. In the hands of the right developer, in this case Rocksteady, that universe becomes a wholly engrossing experience in which you truly feel like you've become the protagonist. Very few games can pull that off. Not just a game for Batman or comic fans but for anyone. A self-respecting gamer would be unwise to not pick this game up.… Expand

Batman: Arkham City is definitely one of the best video games of all time even after many years will not be forgotten because the company has created this game with much love and passion.Thumbs up Rocksteady!!!!

Arkham City's chaotic gates are open, and Batman's here to close them. From a start to finish amazing story, engaging side missions, free roam, an addictive combat system, an arsenal of meaningful high-tech gadgets and a whole gang of iconic villains waiting to be put to justice; Arkham City has it all. For a superhero game to truly be a superhero game though you need to know the character-- you need to be the character. In Batman: Arkham city, you are the Dark Knight.… Expand

One of the best games of the year. The environment is completely immersive - you get lost in the city. The story is worth watching (one of VERY few games that I feel this way about) and the boss battles are fun. Add to this the challenge maps, and you have a game that you really want to play.

If i could give this game more than ten i would. First let me state the positives of the game......everything. That is the cold hard truth, i can't find a problem with the game. Great graphics, fun and easy combat, some of the best voice acting ever, and the simple feeling that you are the Batman. This is simply one of my favorite games i have ever played and it already has a special place in my heart. BUY IT!… Expand

To rate this as a "game" would be an injustice to both Batman and Rocksteady, rather, I must rate this as an experience. I'm afraid most of this article will be just a bunch of redundancy and repeats of what has already been said but I'm going to say it all anyways. To start off, Arkham City has a beautiful control set that anyone already familiar with Arkham Asylum will immediately sink into. Yes, some of you may say "its only two buttons!" well..its not. Yes, you punch with X and you counter with Y but a player of skill can make this game as complicated as he wants to by implementing gadgets. If you prefer to keep it simple, then please, enjoy the two button attack set. Now, the gadgets I did find a little annoying at times when I needed to use them RIGHT AWAY, but hotkeys are provided when the gadgets are most crucial to make this possible. There are some other common complaints that I want to address: a) "This game is too easy!", I found the game a trifle challenging actually, especially when I was expected to take upwards of 8-15 men armed with assault rifles down stealthily in a tiny room. If you feel the game is too easy, then turn up the difficulty. If its still to easy then go buy a batsuit and become Batman, perhaps that will be a challenge for you. b) "Rocksteady screwed us over! You have to buy the game to play as catwoman!" So what? I think if I were a game developer I would do this too. You have no rights to bonuses supplied by the developer if you didn't purchase this from the developer. I am all for buying games secondhand but I think that game developers have every right to combat this in any way possible. As for those of you that are without xbox live I am terribly sorry but what is Rocksteady to do? c) "Navigating in the game is too hard!" See the big bat symbol in the sky? Yeah, follow it...

Now to get to the part where I just get down on my knees and praise this game for what it is. OH MY MERCIFUL GOD the voice acting is -amazing-. For any one who has loved Batman since 90s, you will find yourself full of nostalgia as you hear the age-old voices of Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy. There are some new voices as well for other characters but they are done incredibly well. The story is also incredible. At first it felt a little bit under-developed in comparison to that of Arkham Asylum but once I got towards the second half everything started to really dramatize and then I allowed myself to be completely swept away into it. PAY ATTENTION, because I did not and I found I was kicking myself when it all wrapped up. Treat this game more like an M. Night Shyamalan film (one of his good ones) and expect the unexpected. I think another paragraph has to be devoted to just the fan-service this game has to offer. Although the main storyline only includes around 5 or so villains, the side stories and challenges offer plenty of nostalgia for anyone who wants to see some old faces. I do truly enjoy how they changed some of the characters to fit this realistic tone. Two-Face took on a very Dark Knight-like visual, and Mr. Freeze got an update too, to name a couple. To sum up, this game is absolutely incredible. And any small gripe I have with it is easily smashed by its incredibleness (is that a word?). The graphics are amazing, especially for such a large game. The voice acting is top-notch, the combat is engaging, the story is ZOMFG...the game just plain ranks with the best of the best.

Why are you still reading this? Go out and buy this game. And if you can, get the collector's edition, its definitely worth the extra 30 bucks.… Expand

While Asylum was one of the best games I have played, Arkham City doesn't live up to it unfortunately. The sandbox element doesn't feel very good. The grapling hook doesn't work half the time, the fights are quite silly and not very challenging. The best part about the game is the voice acting and story. And that are the two aspects I care the least about in games. I want fun gameplay, and this one just doesn't cut it unfortunately.… Expand

Batman: Arkham City is exactly what a sequel should be; it expands on the fantastic story and formula that the original game created. You start off with nearly all of your gadgets from Arkham Asylum; none of the cliche "oops you lost all of your gear you already earned" that was popularized in games like the first two Metroid Prime games (not implying that those we bad games, it's just as an example here). No Batman:AC only builds on the foundation that was set before it. More great bat-gear, more bad guys, more riddles, more free flow combat moves, more challenges, basically more of everything that made the first game great and memorable. The voice acting is top notch (though I can say the dialogue itself is a little bit generic superhero speak, we get it Batman "today is a bad day to mess with you"), the visuals stand out more (just watch the details like how snowflakes fall on the dark knight's cape), and the map of Arkham City is much larger and dense to explore than back on Arkham Island.

All that being said, I did feel that the main story line was a little shorter than I expected, if only by an hour or two. Maybe it's just because I ran through it so fast knowing that was a new game plus mode waiting on me. Or maybe it was because the story line was just something I had to continue despite all the enticing distractions like the character side quests or Riddler trophies. Or maybe even it was that the learning curve is much smaller than it was in Arkham Asylum since I've already saved the day (night) with Batman once before. Whatever the reason, the result of this story line left me a bit taken back and certainly wanting to find out more of what happens after this long long night. Hopefully there will some expanding on the story line in the future with DLC or even a third game in the years to come. Regardless, what matters most is this: if you enjoyed Arkham Asylum, or if you've ever wanted to know what it would be like to be Batman, this is the best interpretation you will ever get. Do yourself a favor and pick up this game, you won't regret it.… Expand

I cant understand how rocksteady did this perfect jewels, graphics (details), animation, storyLine, enigma's (perfect bonus)... why this guys haven't more games... I become fanatic for movies and games of batman thanks to Arkham asylum and city.. full.

Simple After another swallow gameplay Great combat system again The story is pretty good But the villains.. The story of them seems thin Guess just the beginning:) Is not as good as the last one However, it was because the last one was so GREAT! It's just like MW->MW2 Anyway, this is just a great game If I could, I would give Arkham Asylum a 12 And this one a 11! Final word Rocksteady ROCK!!!!!!!!!!… Expand

Pretty much a huge step up from what they've done in Arkham Asylum. Not to say that the previous wasn't good, but they've pretty much taken the weaknesses in Arkham Asylum and made it a heck of a lot better. Combat is the same, but they've added a couple of new gadgets and abilities here and there. Graphics are stunning for a console game, and the story picks up right where it left off. So many things to do in this game. With all the Riddler goodies, side missions, and whatnot, there's a ton of replay value in this game. Definitely recommend buying.… Expand

First of all, this is an excellent game of the highest quality. There is tons to explore and do, a great many surprises, and all of it good fun. Playing as batman gives you all the best elements of being James Bond, a ninja, Sherlock Holmes, and a vampire. There is much to be praised, and yet by now most if not all of that has been covered elsewhere, so I'll just note that I agree with pretty much all of the positive reviews.

I do have one rather huge objection to this game though. They somehow got it pushed through with a "teen" rating, and yet as a parent I feel strongly that it really should have been given a "Mature" rating. Particularly as when playing as the Catwoman, you find yourself constantly fending off gangs of thugs while they basically threaten to gang rape you. (They constantly taunt you along the lines of "I'm gonna make you purr for me kitten" and "let's see what's underneath that cat suit.") As she fights on through the story she begins to look bruised, filthy, cut up, and her cat suit has indeed become quite tattered. (Not in a clearly provocative way, but I still found it potentially disturbing for younger players given the context with the thugs.) I think every female character in the game gets called a **** more than once along the way, mostly by the various thugs who talk about putting them in their place. Overall I was surprised by how strong the tone of sexism was expressed. You also see cops get executed while begging for help. There is probably some other stuff too, as the game is nothing if not extremely violent, but Batman's "one rule" of not actually killing anybody (he just beats them all unconscious) keeps the bloodshed down. I'm not sure what sets the line between teen and mature, but it bothers me that many parents will buy this game for their 13 year old boys on the basis of the game's stellar ratings, without understanding what the ratings board is condoning for their children. And it bothers me that Rocksteady was not more responsible in the first place with either toning that mature content down a bit or not seeking a teen rating. And on that basis I have to give the game an 6.… Expand

This game feels more like DLC then a new game. They also managed to cram every villain possible into this and it really clutters up the story. Also, like all negative reviews I give...no element of multiplayer in 2011? Come on..so much opportunity with this, batman and robin co-op or a batman vs villain mode. It's really amazing that after paying a monthly subscription to use your consoles online service the only thing you can do with it in most cases is just buy more dlc for the game.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gather 'round, children, and I'll tell you a story. A story of Best Buy, a stroke of luck, and a caped crusader. It was a dark and stormy night. A young MrMayge awaited his parents ruling on the content of a certain Battlefield game. As lightning crashed, his father emerged from the next room, shaking his head. It was at this time that MrMayge started on his quest for a game to satisfy him until the newest Halo or Alan Wake episode.
As he was browsing through GameStop, he happened to glance at a demo of Batman: Arkham City. He looked through his old Official Xbox Magazines and GameInformers and consumed all of the information he could about this odd game. Then, two weeks before it's release, MrMayge was the proud holder of a pre-order receipt for Batman.

I got home and started playing Batman, and was at first overwhelmed by the freedom and scope usually only seen in games like Grand Theft Auto.
I was also intrigued by the game's unique story. Involving the main villains Joker, Mister Freeze, Poison Ivy, and The Riddler. Basically, the Joker tricks Batman into helping him survive the TITAN toxin he injected himself with in the first game.
There are also side missions, like a mysterious hooded man who you sometimes find watching you, and when you approach him he says random things like, "Are you the one the prophets foretold of?" and dissapears. Another side mission involves a deranged serial killer who calls you whenever he's about to take a victim.
The combat is also superb. Attacking is as easy as pressing "X" and pointing Batman (or Catwoman, Nightwing, or Robin) in the right direction. Doing cool counter-attacks is as easy as hitting "Y" when prompted. You'd think such a simplistic combat system would seem repetitive, but after seeing my 10,000th kick in the teeth, I'm still not bored of the face-bashing.
I would've waited until I finished the game to do this review, but after seeing not one, but DOZENS of people give it less than what it deserves (a 10), I had to even the score.… Expand

I. love. batman! This game combines some of the best and in depth elements of all great action-adventure game and blends it into a gaming masterpiece. It filters out the crap and leaves the audience fufilled making the world a better place. Truly desreves a 10!

Un gros 10/10. un jeux complet. tous est a point: les graphique, la jouabilité,la durée de vie...ect. Un achat pour tout les gamer qui se respecte.

Batman: Arkham City is everything I hoped it would be. The combat is fast and fun, navigating what used to be the heart of Gotham is a breeze, the story is interesting, but best of all, you feel like batman. The satisfaction of silently taking out a group of six or seven armed thugs one by one is unrivaled by any other game i've played. Perhaps my favorite part of the game is the incredible number of side missions and collectibles. Do you want to help Bane destroy the TITAN containers scattered across the city? Do you want to investigate the assassinations of seemingly random prisoners? Or do you want to finish the main story and put a stop to Joker's plans? The choice is yours, because you're Batman. And Batman can do whatever he wants… Expand

This game is a joke, I can complete it within 10 minutes and the story line isn't even that good. If you want to play a game for BEGINNGERS and KIDS play this game, but for SERIOUS GAMERS this isn't even worth the time. Don't waste the time on it unless you're either a kid or a beginner to gaming.

Arkham City is simply STUNNING. Expectations were high for this follow up to the critically acclaimed arkham asylum. Rocksteady have gone above expectations with a fantastic campaign that is varied in it's elements, an amazing open world in which to explore and a fantastic free flowing battle system. The game builds on everything that made the 1st game successful and added more. Playing as Catwoman for example is a fantastic change up from playing as the Dark knight as she has fantastic combat differences. I won't go on but here are my scores for the things I've taken into consideration.

Graphics: 9
Gameplay:9
Longevity: 9
Presentation:9

Overall: 9… Expand

This would have made a great expansion to the first game. Not much new in the mechanics, but a lot of great content. After completing the main story line, I find that I am only 48% finished the game. There are many, many side missions to keep you busy.

The voice acting is phenomenal, Joker especially. The rendering looks good and game play only stuttered a few times.

All combines for an immersive and enjoyable 30 or so hours..… Expand

So, I loved "Batman: Arkham Asylum." I went into "Batman: Arkham Asylum" expecting a piece of overrated franchise nonsense, and I still loved it. It had a refreshing, if unoriginal, mix of Zelda, God of War, and the stealth of early Metal Gear Solid without any of the talking heads. But "Batman: Arkham Asylum" adds nothing new and plenty wrong. Quantity does not trump quality, and the city of Hugo Strange seems to agree with me. There's too much nonsense and none of the intrigue. Instead of my expected "game of the year," I've got an overstuffed sandbox full of pointless side missions and two dimensional villains. Seriously, is there some rule in the batman universe that every sequel has to include twice as many villains and less character development for each? Unfulfilled story aside, the gameplay is solid, if you like this sort of thing. One button attack, another to counter, a few gadgets to flesh out the hordes of villains you'll be fighting on your way to the next actual challenge, and plenty of animations to make you at least feel like you're doing more than mashing buttons. The riddler challenges are less riddles and more fetch quests. The world is bigger, though not in actual "dungeons" (or "things not on the overworld map.") Let's face it - this is the assassin's creed of batman. I liked the second assassins creed, but "AC Brotherhood" made me feel how bloated the world really was. Is there more content in "Arkham City" than its predecessor? Not really. But there's more level grinding, empty sandbox environments, and character cut-outs. So it's bigger. It's certainly not better. If you wanted a bloated, dull version of Arkham Asylum, here you go. Good riddance.… Expand

It's a solid game, but don't expect anything groundbreaking compared to the first game. The game area is much bigger, and listening to the radio chatter is amusing and keeps the city feeling alive. Side missions are well done, but the Riddler section of the game is grossly overdone. I seriously wonder how much time they spent on literally dumping huge amounts of Riddler items all over the city, as opposed to spending it on more real game content. The voice acting needs no comment. The combat is still very fun and robust, but feels too similar to AA. Bosses remain disappointing.… Expand

Take everything that was great about the first game and make it even better by adding either more of it or a more polished version of it. This is not a game only for Batman fans, it's a game for video game fans plain and simple.

What's not to love about this game? It's Batman meets Assassin's Creed. A huge improvement over the last game, and the last game was pretty good. My only complaint is that I wish they let you explore the sandbox environment a little more before pushing certain elements of the main storyline. If you like Batman, video games and fun, buy this game.

I find the negative reviews of this game amusing. The game is absolutely excellent. The voice acting is on par with the first game. The gadgets are better than the first. The story is quite intriguing (which was the big thing I was worried about going in - Batman:AA had a great story and I was worried about "sequel story syndrome" of making a cheesy story just to sell a new game). There are definite 'holy crap' moments in the plot (no spoilers here) where you are left asking- "did that just happen?' The story is great because it appeals to a wide audience while at the same time including many easter eggs for comic junkies like myself. I keep reading the description that this game is now a "sandbox" game. That isn't any more true than the first game- sandbox games (like GTA for example) have a 'go anywhere, do anything' mantra. While the open world of Batman:AC is much larger than the Asylum, you still are bound by definitely rules- you can't swim, you can't kill the cops, etc - therefore, NOT A SANDBOX GAME. I've read that the transportation in the game is tedious, which couldn't be further from the truth- I can get across the map in about a minute (those who can't just don't know the tools available to them). Ok, now that I've defended the game against the negative reviews, here are a list of positives-

-Story on par with the first game (arguably better)
-Great gadgets and fighting gameplay
-Pretty graphics with great ambiance and light contrast to create the proper dark Gotham city feel
-Enjoyable side missions
-Unlike the first game, there is a reason to solve all of the Riddler puzzles (doing so advances your pursuit of one of the major side missions)
-Aside from the story mode, the addictive challenge mode is back - and even more fun with Catwoman, Nightwing, and Robin, each of whom have unique fighting abilities and styles (they're not just 'skins' over the Batman fighting model)

All I can say is- buy this game- for what it is, there is really nothing better in the genre, period.… Expand

While Asylum was one of the best games I have played, Arkham City doesn't live up to it unfortunately. The sandbox element doesn't feel very good. The grapling hook doesn't work half the time, the fights are quite silly and not very challenging. The best part about the game is the voice acting and story. And that are the two aspects I care the least about in games. I want fun gameplay, and this one just doesn't cut it unfortunately… Expand

I believe the only reason I kept playing this game is because it is Batman. If this was a title other then the famous name, the ratings would be much lower. It is your typical x button mash game, has terrible camera angles and the story line lasted me one night. There is absolutely no punching someone in the face unless you want to alert the other 15 guys in the room that you are there. Apparently Batman packs grenade punches that awaken the dead, lets not even get into how you have to kill "the stun gun guy", "the riot shield guy" and "the knife guy" all completely different ways. I found myself saying "my god this game is ridiculous" about 25 times. On a positive note, if you can get by all the defects this game has, it is fairly deep and will keep you playing with side missions. Just don't expect the main storyline to wow you. Definitely a rental game.… Expand

Huge city with lots of guys whose asses you get to beat. Looks great, controls feel great. Def one of the better games I have played in awhile. That being said it is pretty similar to Arkham Asylum....but then again it is a sequel so I dont expect them to reinvent the wheel. All in all..worth buying. ITs pretty fun!

This is how you make a sequel to the best game of the decade. Everything that made Arkham Asylum great has made its way to Arkham City. Everything's been expanded upon: The combat system and the opponents are better and more varied than ever, as are the environments. The boss fights are top notch and have also seen considerable improvement over the original. Few games offer experiences as satisfying as disassembling an opponent's machine gun, doing the knife dodge takedown or diving from a skyscraper and pulling up at the last minute. The Catwoman side character is well done, and I hope to see much more of that in the third installment of the series.… Expand

Taking the Arkham Asylum formula and putting it in an open world setting works. The complex yet accessible combat is as good as ever, traveling around the city, especially as Batman, is a treat, and the ability to complete side missions to take a break from the main story is a nice touch. One of the biggest flaws though for me was that there was just too much stuff to do. Yes. This is a positive negative but I was just overwhelmed with all the riddles, trophies, side missions, main story, and challenges to accomplish and it sometimes felt like a never ending chore. At one point I had to make a conscious decision to just stick with the story so I would feel like I was making some sort of progress. But really when I get to be a super badass Batman to do all these "chores" I can't complain too much. This game is great and a must buy. It might be a challenge to achieve 100% completion but I think Rocksteady had that in mind when creating it. It will be a challenge I will be happy to suit up for days to come.… Expand

Arkham City is a fun game, undoubtedly, but they must have spread some serious love and $$ around to get all those 10/10 reviews. Read those reviews for what's good about it. Here's what's not:

1) It's short, for one thing. Yes, there are a bunch of optional side-quests, but I've completed at least half of them plus the main story, and I can't possibly have put more than 10 hours in. (The advertised 25 hours just for the main story is totally laughable.) I would guess that it would take maybe another 5 hours at most to complete all of the side-quests. The rest of the supposed 40 hours of gameplay must be just hunting for Riddler trophies, which is sort of interesting, but isn't real content.

2) It's small. The open world thing is cool and all, but the prison/city feels very small. You can easily get from one end to the other in 3 minutes. Part of that is that travelling by grappling-hook + glider wing is very fast, but part is that the area is just small. There are 5-6 large internal areas that you have to work your way through, but that's not any more than were in Arkham Asylum. The asylum actually felt bigger to me simply because it took longer to get around and seemed to have more secret nooks and crannies.

3) The plot makes no sense. The ending, particularly, is full of head scratchers. There's a big 'reveal' with flashbacks and ominous music and everything, but I couldn't even figure out what the reveal meant. It really does make no sense. The first game had a very cohesive and interesting plot. This game seems to at first, but just doesn't pull it all together.

4) It's misogynistic. As you swing around the city, you are constantly overhearing conversations of inmates. Every few minutes, you hear one that has rape fantasies about Catwoman and/or Harley Quinn. The word **** seems to be used with particular frequency. There's even a scene where Batman grabs Harley by the throat, grins maliciously, then throws her to the ground. I wouldn't have as much a problem with this except for two things: 1) this is a rated T game, from a comic book/cartoon franchise, guaranteed to appeal to 10 year olds. 2) There's no push-back by any of the good guys. Batman never condemns the misogyny. At the very least, you could have Catwoman say something like "I'm not a **** I'm a kitty" as she clocks some dude with her high-heels. Or Oracle could say something like "Those guys in there sound like real ladies-men." But that doesn't happen.

I honestly think that Arkham Asylum was a far better game: more content, more interesting environments, better story.… Expand

Remember when a sequel was supposed to innovate? I loved Arkham Asylum, and although the sandbox feel in City is nice, I don't feel, with the other games out there (Skyrim), that I need to play through this. A longer production time and more innovation would have been nice.

I loved Batman Arkham Asylum, but my only problem with the game was the story was just to short, and I'm afraid to say that Arkham City is exactly the same. With the game being bigger the story is a little longer but not as long as I would of liked. Side Missions are great fun and are a welcome distraction to the main story, Catwoman's story blends nicely into the game making it seamless, sometimes DLC can be a little cut and paste and doesn't make much sense. I would highly recommend this game to anyone who loved Arkham Asylum and players new to the franchise.... Good work Rocksteady when's the next one :-)… Expand

I have just played a complete playthrough of this game, it took 6 minutes for me, a serious gamer to complete. If you want a game that is for BEGINNERS and KIDS, then waste your momney on this, if however, you are a serious gamer like me buy a game like big rigs otrr, bf3 or skyrim

I don't often dish out praise like this, but this game is phenomenal. Everything that was good about Arkham Asylum is back and, somehow, even better. Like it's predecessor, AC's core gameplay balances combat, stealth, exploration, and detective skills perfectly. In addition, Arkham City offers a lot of cool new gadgets, tougher enemies, and a way bigger sandbox to play in. I've been playing this game for over a month, and I'm still enjoying it (an extreme rarity, due in part to the lack of original ideas new games offer, and in part to my own short attention span). I'm actually finding it hard to find anything to complain about. The only thing that comes to mind is that Rocksteady may have gone a bit overboard on the Riddler challenges this time (440?!), as I'm still not done finding them all. I do wish that the refresh rate on the smoke pellet was a bit quicker, and that it had it's own quick-button combination (when under fire, you can simply hit Y, but when facing any other enemies you have to manually select it and hit LT+RB to drop it). Other reviews I've read have complained about the boss battles being too easy, but I actually had a tough time with both Mr. Freeze and Two-Face (for the latter, the endlessly spawning henchmen is a bit of a cop-out, Rocksteady). Other than that, it would have been nice to free-roam as Robin or Nightwing, but this is not a big deal.

I recommend Arkham City for anyone who likes action-adventure games, stealth-based combat games, or games based on comic books. If you enjoyed Arkham Asylum, you will absolutely love Arkham City. If you never played AA, you missed out on an awesome game, but AC is great place to jump back in. The only question now is where will Rocksteady take Batman next...?… Expand

Just completed 100% the game and Riddler challenges and WOW.. Such a fantastic game! Easily as good as Arkham Asylum if not better. I kinda thought there was less stealth and gadget progression this time around, seemed to be a tad more fighting, but honestly the quotas between stealth, combat, exploration and puzzle solving were about the same. Wished the main story and side missions had been a bit longer too. Some of the side story villain missions seemed to cut a bit short. Also I have to say how unhappy I am with the Catwoman content unlock pass. I think that really wasn't necessary and it annoyed me a lot that I couldn't share the full content of this game with family members, or that in the future if my profile ever becomes compromised, I may not be able to access the Catwoman content at all. At the very least a PC style revoke tool should have been implemented so that we can move the content to different profiles and xboxs if we encounter problems. And don't believe it doesn't happen, my brother lost his profile to hackers and lost all of his GS and purchased DLC. But apart from that I thoroughly I enjoyed this game and would recommend it to any gamer, even if they aren't a Bats fan. Fantastic game. Congrats to the developers.… Expand

There aren't too many words to say about this game apart from, BUY THIS GAME!!! THE GREATEST BATMAN GAME EVER MADE!!! Just you wait till next summer, we might just have the greatest Batman movie ever made, the way things are shaping up anyway!!!

That's why writing reviews on day one is pointless. People who give a 10 have barley played it so first impression is the review you will read. A bad review is either a troll (if instant review) or will get loads of "thumbs down" on his comment because he won't give a "green" coloured review. Truth is the game is OK not bad and by no means great! It's literally the same as AA (no I'm not saying its an expansion pack "rip off") it's literally the same game but the Map is now bigger. Story was boring tbh as it didn't grab my attention like AA did. Yes there's lots of side missions but they also get boring and fast too. The story was an easy 7 hours without speed rushing. I do feel the release videos by the dev's were way over there head, I would be proud of making a bigger scale game too. But don't believe the hype. Good game but sadley not THAT much off an improvement. My opinion anyway.… Expand

This was a fun, single player game that retained all the best from Arkham Asylum and added a few new tricks!. This game sports a much bigger world to explore and a great environment that make the game seem endless. The riddler trophies are much harder to acquire and there are no riddler maps (you interrogate informants instead). If you are an achievement hunter, you will be in for the long haul!! There are 440 riddler trophies/challenges in the game to complete plus over 150 riddler challenges that stand alone outside the game. Further, to get 100% complete you must play through the game twice and complete all the side missions (some of which are incredibly annoying to find). For all casual gamers and fans of the batman comics this is a must play! Numerous villains, catwoman, and robin all make appearances in the game!… Expand

This game is one or maybe the best game for this generation that I've played.

Why? Easy answer, I can´t stop playing and playing and playing again. The most games that I've played on this generation, are worst or better, but I can play for more than 1 o 2 hours.

I can´t leave my pad playing batman. The graphics, the voices, the sound, the story, the alternative missions, all the entire game its really nice.

You can´t get bored because all of the missions and alternative missions are spectacular, not like other games that are silly alternative missions.

Playing this game, you are Batman, you can fell yourself as Batman!.… Collapse

Without a doubt the most entertaining and rewarding game I have ever played. For a comicbook and videogame nerd, this game hit all the right marks and left me wanting more.

Like the Uncharted series, these games aren't just video games, they're almost interactive films, with fantastic voice acting, graphics and an engaging story. I find the direction they have gone with the depiction of Batman in these games to be even grittier and perhaps more mentally unstable than the Christopher Nolan films, which are well known for their dark approach to the dark knight. The single player campaign is well paced with the catwoman missions and interesting side missions and when the game comes to an end you will have also collected a number of collectibles and arena missions that can be attempted with batman and also catwoman and robin depending on what DLC you have. Which leads me to the negatives, apart from the short single player and the surprisingly small city, the catwoman and robin DLC not being included on the disc is just a huge annoyance and it is becoming ridiculous, although I know its not the fault of the developer. At the end of the game, a hardcore mode is unlocked, however i didn't particularly want to play it again, as the gameplay can become somewhat repetitive at the end and as the game is story driven and once all of the secrets have been told they don't have the same impact. The arena mode was a nice time waster, but overall i felt that i'd payed £40 for a very enjoyable but very short adventure. For this reason i just couldn't stretch to giving the game a 9 and i'll award it a very high 8/10… Expand

I love this game! I can't even begin to think of how much time I have put into Arkham City already, and there is plenty more to do! The open environment, great storyline, rich content. This game has it all, and is so much fun. The only gripe I have is that if I am downloading something and start this game, when the download is finished in the background, you will get bounced back to the main menu. Other than that it rocks! Possibly Game of the Year in my book.… Expand

Batman Arkham City doesn't just do Batman justice, it does him perfection. From the incredible story, to the fully realized open world of Arkham City, Batman has never looked nor played so well, and this game truly shows it. Rocksteady Studios has once again outdone themselves, best they move on to Superman now.

It's Batman. In Gotham City (At least a large part of it) And it has Mark Hamill's swan song (seemingly) of the Clown Prince of Crime. If you love video games, if you love comic video games, and most of all, if you love the goddam batman, than I don't need to explain why this game is so damn good, just see for yourself. BUY IT.

There is so much to love about this game -- the damn shame is those things are rendered moot by the game's enormous flaws, namely the brutal combat system (unintuitive, user-unfriendly, Guitar Hero-type button-mashing nonsense) and the absolute lack of logic within tasks, which leaves you going to Google every six seconds to see where the hell you're supposed to look for something. This is a game celebrated for the centerpiece combat engine, yet I was constantly getting my ass kicked on "easy." Once the story was over, this went into cold storage, never to be played again. Mark Hammill's voiceover work as the Joker, however, is almost worth the price of admission.… Expand

Arkham Asylum was a class game and a truely wonderful experience, however Arkham City, whilst good, just never hits those heights. The first bugbare is the rather hard to swallow plot and introduction - without adding spoilers lets just say you have to suspend your belief a fair bit to swallow it. Then there's the sandbox element of the game - it works to a certain degree, but you never have to walk around the streets of AC and you can quite easily miss a lot of content by rushing through the game - which wouldn't be so bad if the game didn't make you want to progress far and fast so that you can obtain upgrades and complete the puzzles which are lying around. As an overall experience it just doesn't flow that well, and no sooner have you got into it than it;s ended. But it's still good, the combat flows well and moving around AC is a blast. However, another gripe is the DLC setup of the game - I'm looking at certain buildings and listening to various conversations they strongly hint at other villains which I should be encountering.....which I don't - again it pushes you on to get further and before you know it it's all over. Which wouldn't be so bad if the game hadn't thrown absolutely everything at you in terms of enemies and gadgets in the first 10 minutes. It really is a very oddly paced game and one that just doesn't work that well as a full package. Yes it's fun, yes it's worth playing, but no it's not a classic, no it's not as good as the original, and no it's not very memorable.… Expand

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.… Expand

"Arkham Asylum" is as close to to a masterpiece as video-games get for me, and this isn't. The atmospheres are nearly identical, and there's not much new to do. Occasionally very fun (the flying sequence), but disappointing.

Arkham City is big to explore, the side missions are awesome, main quests will take about 15 hours, and then there are Riddler Trophies, Challenge Maps and New Game+. The story is fantastic and surprising as it rolls, and many of Batman's comic books characters are at least mentioned. Graphics are good, not one of the bests around, but still stunning. Gameplay is not perfect, and you certainly will take time to know what you are supposed to do, but this is definetively a great game.
Gameplay:7/10
Graphics:9/10
Story:10/10
Lifetime: 10/10
OVERALL: 9/10… Expand

Batman AC is one of the best games I've played this year. Im about 50% of the way through the story and have loved every minute so far. There is tonnes to do in AC if you fancy a break from the main story. With over 400 collectibles numerous side missions and the Riddlers Revenge missions you get a lot of play for your money.

"Batman: Arkham City" is an amazing game that is just flat-out fun and interesting, most definately one of the best games of 2011. Arkham City is bigger and better than Arkham Asylum. The graphics and voicework is amazing and top-notch, Arkham City feels alive and breathing, you have so much exploration and so much to do in Arkham City that you will be long entertained. The plot is pretty awesome too as the plot is now much more than just trying to stop the Joker from escaping. The gameplay is perfect as always with the combat staying the same, I love Arkham City's combat controls as it makes combat intuitive and fun. There are many riddler challenges all accross the map and it is very addicting to do them. Arkham City is a mega-hit game that doesn't fail to entertain. The only flaw I see with Arkham City is that one too many villains were in the story and so some villains did not get as much spotlight as they should have but this is a tiny flaw compared to the rest of the game, nothing to damamge the experience. Overal, Arkham City is a great game that is absolutely worth playing, possibly the Game of 2011. If you like Arkham Asylum then you will definately love Arkham City. Breakdown for "Batman: Arkham City": Presentation: 9.8, Graphics: 10, Sound: 10, Playability: 10, Lasting Appeal: 9.7, Verdict: 9.8 out of 10 "Amazing"… Expand

Batman: Arkham City is an incredible gaming experience, and is undoubtedly one of the best games of this generation. Rocksteady Studios has took everything good about Batman: Arkham Asylum, and made it even better - an expanded combat system, larger environment, deeper plot and characters, new gadgets, and a lot more replay value. Additionally, there were some niggling factors in Arkham Asylum, such as repetitive boss battles and unchallenging Riddler Trophies, which have all been massively improve upon in the sequel. It's clear Rocksteady has made great strides to make each boss battle feel unique and interesting. From a technical perspective, Rocksteady is literally pushing Unreal Engine 3 to its limits with Arkham City, and the result is beautiful visuals, fluid animations, and high-detailed character models. I'll be honest, Batman: Arkham City features some of the most incredible art I've ever seen in a game, with Arkham City designed as a dense, macabre and unholy prison - roads and streets are filled with burnt-out cars and trucks, while bags of waste have formed in alleyways. I could go on about just how fantastic Batman: Arkham City, but it's a game that really does have to be experienced by anyone who plays games - not just a Batman fan. It is a monumental feat in game design, and could very well be the first game in a long-time that I can honestly is absolutely perfect.… Expand

I won't go over all the thecnical aspects of the game or how fun it is cause it's all been said already. I will just say one thing tho : don't beleive all the hype, it's a good game, but not the best you've ever played

There are few sequels that manage to make their predecessors irrelevant the way that Batman: Arkham City has done. Batman: Arkham City is to the comic console game what The Dark Knight was to the comic movie. I

rkham 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!

Definitely a candidate for GOTY, adds to the amazing story and action from the first game, does justice to all the characters and has a great ending.

Recommened for all, but get and play Arkham Asylum first!

Didn't really see what the big deal was with Arkham Asylum. Great game, but overrated IMO. Arkham City came along and BLEW my expectations away. Don't listen to the haters, this game is just flat-out awesome.

My anticipation for this game was through the roof and when the first cutscene rolled and I beat people up as catwoman I knew this game was great. Playing as batman, it's not like being batman at all, you are batman. That's what makes this game worth a 10.

This game is too good. This is potentially the best game of the year so far. There is no reason not to get it. The only flaw this game has is that it ends.

From the get go, the action starts off very quickly. Within the first hour, you encounter many fan favorite villains and missions send you around the very gothic looking streets (and rooftops) of Arkham City. The main campaign lacks the race against time feel of the first game, but thats only because there is so much to do and get distracted by. The upgrades and gadgets make you feel more powerful than ever. The catwoman section play very well and are a welcome break from playing as Bats. What really sets this appart from its predeccessor are the side missions, which feel much more like side stories, as they have you hunting down gotham criminals in episodic installments. Visuals and combat haven't changed much, but the map size and the amount of on screen enemies are very impressive. With improved boss battles, more villains and a longer campaign, this is a fantastic sequel that should not be missed.… Expand

Surpassing it's predecessor (Batman: Arkham Asylum) in every way, Arkham City is not only the best comic book-based video game ever made, but it is one of the best games of this console generation. Yes, that is a hefty statement to make, considering this puts it in the league of juggernauts such as Grand Theft Auto IV, Red Dead Redemption, and Fallout 3, but this praise is more than well deserved. From a visual aspect, the recreation of a gritty, dark, and depressing section of Gotham is a dream finally realized in amazing fashion. The quality of the environment, the detail of your surroundings, and the ability to finally take Batman out into a more open world than ever before all come to fruition. While the gameplay is not truly innovative, and does nothing radical that Asylum before hadn't already done, the controls feel polished, the mechanics solid, and the execution of the controls in game is very satisfying. Leaping from enemy to enemy, brawling your way through endless waves of varied enemy types, and delivering bone-crushing finishing blows is yet another satisfying part of the game's overall perfection.

The story and voice acting, not to be overshadowed by the visual and gameplay aspects, are really what sells the game for me. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill ARE the voice of Batman and Joker, respectively. They embody the characters and bring them to life in a story that is full of suspense, a few surprise twists, and an ending that will leave you feeling as if you had watched a dramatic tale come to it's close, all while playing a video game. One issue I would like to address is one that has been brought up in several of the negative reviews. Concerning Catwoman and her inclusion/absence from the game. YES she is included as a downloadable content add-on, but NO she is not a crucial part of the games story. If you buy the game new, you will get her, free of charge. If you buy the game used, and which to play as her, you will have to pay $10 to download her. Her part in the game is short, with 4 very quick chapters to play through. Only one of the chapters significantly adds to the story, but that addition comes in the form of a "choice" that is presented to the players that has to be made the right way in order for the story to proceed, so it's not a choice at all. The story can be played without her, as all of the depth to the story she brings come in the form of the cut-scenes she is in, which are not a part of her DLC.

Overall, visually, gameplay-wise, and story-wise, Arkham City stands out as the best game released so far this year, and one of the best released in the last decade. A clear contender for Game of the Year, and well deserving of all it's accolades, it has surpassed all other licensed games before it, and will stand as a testament to what a truly perfect game can be.… Expand

This game is worth retail price. Story is amazing. The only problem with this game is that it has too many gadgets and upgrades. A minor defect is learning the combos but you can not blame the game if you can't handle awesomeness that is way above average.