Console: Xbox 360/ PlayStation 3/ PC / Wii U* (*2012 release)
Players: Single Player
Release Date: 21st October 2011
Developers: Rocksteady Studios
Publishers: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Action Adventure
The sequel to the critically acclaimed award winning Batman Arkham Asylum is only a few weeks away and we’re all getting a little angsty as the release date looms over head! In 2009 Rocksteady Studios released Asylum into super hero saturated market, our first thoughts seemed muddied by previous DC and Marvel based games (who could ever forget Superman on the N64? *shudders*) so when did finally manage to sit down with the game, we were along with the rest of the world never so happy to be wrong!
Plot
Nearly a year after the events of Arkham Asylum, history is on the verge of repeating itself as chaos threatens to bring down Gotham City. Former warden of the Asylum, Quincy Sharp has claimed the credit for stopping the Joker in the Asylum and used his newfound glory and respect to rise to the power of Mayor. One of his first acts is to turn the slums of Gotham into a city within the metropolis, a living city for the dangerous, criminal and insane. Some of the most brutal criminals in Gotham are held within the walls of the city which allows near absolute freedom on the provision that the prisoners do not attempt to escape!
Two-Face, incarcerated within Arkham City decides that he needs to make a name for himself inside the walls and so plans a public execution of Catwoman, this coupled with the diabolical aims of Hugo Strange the new warden of the City forces Batman and Robin to enter Arkham City and prevent whatever disaster seeks to destroy Gotham City.
Gameplay
We’re looking at the same style of play, as Batman you will traverse the streets and rooftops of Arkham City with one main mission to complete and plenty of villains to beat up. Aside from the main plot of the game Rocksteady have announced that there is an additional 15 hours of gameplay in the side missions add that to the main plot and you’ve got yourself 40 hours of gameplay alone!
Rocksteady don’t seem to have made too many changes to the system of play, relying heavily on the success of the Arkham Asylum controls… All of our favourite gadgets are making a comeback some have even been given an upgrade including: the Remote Batarang which has now been given a brake and boost, the grappling gun can now be used while gliding and they’ve even thrown a new Bat toy into the arsenal… smoke pellets which can be used to daze and confuse enemies.
Combat has been given an upgrade or to put it best a slight tweak, allowing for more fluid strikes and counters to make kicking the crap out of hostiles that bit more enjoyable. Detective mode has gotten a big change, realising how much easier it made Arkham Asylum, developers have downplayed the navigational side of it and instead focused on its use in examining forensic evidence and locating enemies.
On top of all that our favourite anti-hero Catwoman will receive her side mission allowing you to follow the feline thief as she scouts out the City for valuables and technology managing to find herself in the middle of a few skirmishes herself but nothing she and her whip can’t handle!
Special Edition & Soundtrack
We’re all kinds of excited for the Collector’s Edition of Arkham City and just because it is pegged to be one of the most reasonably priced out there on the market but because of what the whole package contains:
Custom Batman statue by Kotobukiya
Art book
Batman: Gotham Knight movie
Early access to skins and Iceberg Lounge Challenge map
Batman: Arkham City the album
The album has some serious tracks in it including ‘Mercenary’ by Panic at the Disco! ‘Oh Stranger’ by The Raveonettes and ‘Deranged’ by Coheed and the Cambria just to name a few! It’s a jam-packed album and will be available through digital download for anyone lucky enough to get their paws on the Collector’s Edition. Now we mentioned the reasonable price and with the game pegged at around €44.99 (online retailer!) the collector’s edition has been marked at around the €79.99 mark and at that price you can’t say it isn’t a bargain!
Batman: Arkham City is due for release 21st October.
