The Essential Guide to Batman: Arkham City

What is Batman: Arkham City?

Batman: Arkham City is an acclaimed action-adventure game developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Released in 2011 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, it is the sequel to 2009’s Batman: Arkham Asylum.

Set one year after Arkham Asylum, Arkham City depicts a walled-off district of Gotham City that houses imprisoned supervillains. After Batman is trapped inside Arkham City, he must uncover conspiracies orchestrated by sinister figures like Professor Hugo Strange all while confronting iconic foes such as The Joker, Two-Face, and The Penguin.

Blending melee combat, predator stealth, and investigative exploration, Arkham City expanded the acclaimed Batman gameplay of its predecessor into a sprawling open-world.

Arkham City Setting and Premise

In the year following the events of Arkham Asylum, Mayor Quincy Sharp converts a section of Gotham into the heavily guarded mega-prison known as Arkham City. Overseen by psychiatrist Professor Hugo Strange, Arkham City houses hundreds of Gotham’s most dangerous criminals.

Batman becomes trapped in Arkham City after being imprisoned by Hugo Strange. Inside the prison walls, Batman navigates a society of deadly supervillains while uncovering the truth behind Arkham City and taking down key rogues like Two-Face along the way.

The situation escalates when Batman discovers that the unstable Joker is dying from a fatal disease, prompting a climactic struggle between good and evil.

Main Story and Characters

The main storyline of Arkham City follows Batman’s quest to:

• Take down Hugo Strange and reveal the secrets of Arkham City
• Investigate “Protocol 10” and stop it
• Save Gotham from destruction
• Confront Joker and stop his destructive schemes
• Ultimately defeat Hugo Strange and uncover the truth

Key characters include:

• Batman – playable protagonist and superhero
• Joker – Batman’s arch nemesis who is secretly dying
• Catwoman – antihero who teams up with Batman
• Hugo Strange – the mastermind behind Arkham City
• Two-Face, Penguin, Riddler – major supervillains

The story features epic confrontations with iconic rogues gallery villains as Batman fights to save Gotham City against all odds.

Gameplay and Core Mechanics

Arkham City expands on the acclaimed gameplay systems of Arkham Asylum:

• Freeflow Combat – Fluid hand-to-hand fighting using counters, strikes, stuns, and combos.
• Predator Mode – Stealthily infiltrating rooms and picking off armed thugs one by one.
• Exploration – Gliding around buildings, grappling up structures, and traveling across the open world.
• Detective Mode – Switch visor modes to analyze clues, see enemy paths, detect hazards, and more.
• Leveling Up – Acquire XP from quests to upgrade Batman’s gadgets, combat, stealth, and health.
• Gear – Unlock powerful new Batsuit upgrades, tools, and combat abilities.

This provides an exceptional blend of combat, stealth, exploration, and investigative gameplay worthy of the Dark Knight.

Side Missions

In addition to the main story, Arkham City is packed with engaging side missions that involve iconic rogues gallery villains, allies, and mysteries including:

• Taking down Two-Face before he executes Catwoman
• Aiding Bane destroy Titan formula supplies
• Tracking a mysterious serial killer as Victor Zsasz
• Investigating the Identity Thief victims
• Finding lore items for Calendar Man
• Diffusing bombs planted by The Riddler

Completing side missions earns additional XP to upgrade Batman’s abilities and gear over time.

Areas and Environments

Batman explores a sprawling open world comprising different districts and interior locations including:

• Amusement Mile – Joker’s territory housing the Steel Mill, Monarch Theater, and ships.
• Park Row – Contains the Solomon Wayne Courthouse, Cape Carmine, and Riddler’s Orphanage.
• The Bowery – Home to the Cyrus Pinkney Institute, the old GCPD building, and Joker’s Funland.
• Museum – Houses Cobblepot’s Natural History Museum and Wonder City exhibits.
• Subway – An underground rail system with four active subway lines to travel quickly.
• Wonder City – Subterranean ruins containing ancient technologies.

This provides diverse urban and interior environments to traverse and explore as Batman.

Critical Reception and Reviews

Batman: Arkham City received widespread critical acclaim upon release, holding a 94/100 Metascore based on 65 critic reviews.

Reviewers praised the expanded open world, excellent combat and predator gameplay, dark story, wealth of content, and faithfulness to the spirit of Batman. It was hailed as one of the best superhero games ever made.

Some of the acclaim includes:

• “Sets a new standard for superhero action” – IGN (10/10)
• “The new gold standard for superhero games” – Game Informer (9.5/10)
• “Breathtaking vision of Batman striking fear into heart of crime” – Polygon (10/10)

Arkham City delivered a masterful interactive experience definitive of the Dark Knight.

Impact on Batman Games

As the critically-acclaimed sequel to Arkham Asylum, Arkham City established core pillars of combat, stealth, detective work, and exploration that developer Rocksteady Studios would build upon with Arkham Origins and Arkham Knight, cementing the Arkham series as one of the most revered superhero game franchises.

Its approach to capturing the essence of Batman in an open-world setting with fluid gameplay and a dark narrative tonally influenced numerous superhero games after. Arkham City proved how phenomenal video game adaptations of comic book icons can be when crafted with care, ambition, and passion.

Tips and Strategies for New Players

For newcomers to Arkham City, here are some helpful tips to start your journey as Batman:

• Make acquiring new gadgets early on like the Line Launcher a priority
• Scout vantage points using Detective Mode before entering new areas
• Use silent takedowns and inverted takedowns to avoid alerting groups
• Combine gadgets for tactical advantages like freeze grenades with explosive gel
• Upgrade armor first to withstand more damage in battle
• Learn quick strike and counter timings through Arkham City’s combat challenges
• Solve Riddler challenges to unlock key story revelations

Take time practicing Batman’s combat and stealth capabilities in the early game. Knowledge and preparation are your greatest tools.

  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Story and Setting:

1. What’s the plot of Arkham City?

Batman is trapped in Arkham City, a fortified mega-prison housing Gotham’s most notorious criminals. He must unravel a sinister plot orchestrated by Hugo Strange, confront multiple villains like Two-Face and The Penguin, and escape with his life.

2. Can I explore Arkham City freely?

Absolutely! Arkham City is an open-world environment you can explore at your own pace. Investigate side quests, uncover secrets, collect Riddler trophies, and engage in random encounters with enemies or civilians.

3. Who are the main villains in the game?

Hugo Strange serves as the primary antagonist, manipulating events from the shadows. However, you’ll face a rogues’ gallery of villains throughout the story, including Two-Face, The Penguin, The Riddler, Joker, Poison Ivy, and even Clayface.

Gameplay and Mechanics:

4. What combat styles does Batman have?

Batman is a versatile fighter, specializing in hand-to-hand combat, stealth takedowns, and ranged attacks with gadgets. You can seamlessly switch between styles for creative and fluid combat.

5. How does the Predator mode work?

Utilize stealth, gadgets like smoke bombs and Batarangs, and environmental takedowns to silently eliminate enemies one by one. Mastering Predator mode rewards strategic thinking and patience.

6. What gadgets does Batman have access to?

He utilizes a diverse arsenal, including the iconic Batarang, grappling hook, smoke bombs, explosive gel, remote control Batarangs, and more. You can upgrade these gadgets throughout the game for enhanced functionalities.

Technical and Other:

7. What platforms is Arkham City available on?

You can play Arkham City on PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

8. Does it have any DLC?

Yes, several story expansions and challenge maps are available as DLC, including ‘Harley Quinn’s Revenge,’ ‘Catwoman’s Revenge,’ and ‘The Riddler’s Revenge.’

9. Do I need to play previous Batman games to understand Arkham City?

While playing Arkham Asylum can provide some backstory and references, it’s not essential. Arkham City stands as a standalone story that newcomers can fully enjoy.

Bonus Tips:

• Pay attention to Riddler’s taunts and riddles for hidden secrets and trophies.
• Experiment with different combat styles and gadgets to find the best approach for each encounter.
• Don’t be afraid to retry challenging segments – mastering combat and puzzles is part of the thrill!

I hope these FAQs provide a helpful starting point for your Arkham City adventures! Feel free to ask if you have any further questions.

.