Batman Arkham City

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In Batman: Arkham City, Gotham's criminals are confined to a massive new prison overseen by classic villains. As Batman, players navigate this open world, using an array of gadgets and abilities to uncover the plot and battle foes. Featuring a deep, engaging story and diverse gameplay, Arkham City offers a thrilling Batman experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 21,325 reviews

story3,156 positive mentions

grinding137 negative mentions

story
7,098 mentions
44 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story of "Batman: Arkham City" is widely praised for its depth and complexity, featuring a rich narrative that intertwines multiple iconic villains, including the Joker, Hugo Strange, and others, creating a compelling and immersive experience. Players appreciate the engaging plot twists and character development, although some critiques mention that the story can feel convoluted at times, particularly with the inclusion of numerous side missions that may detract from the main narrative flow. Overall, it is considered one of the best stories in the Arkham series, effectively building on the foundation laid by "Arkham Asylum."
- “The storyline is compelling and rich, filled with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat.”
- “The story is very suspenseful and hard to predict, and very fun to watch unravel.”
- “The story is amazing and honestly a lot of fun.”
- “It's a shame the main story is so short.”
- “The ending of each main and side mission was flat and disappointing to me.”
- “The story feels very unfocused and is kind of a mess.”
gameplay
2,352 mentions
49 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Batman: Arkham City" is widely praised for its fluid combat mechanics, engaging stealth elements, and the seamless integration of exploration within an expansive open world. Players appreciate the variety of gadgets and abilities available, which enhance both combat and puzzle-solving experiences, making the gameplay feel dynamic and rewarding. While some critiques mention repetitiveness and minor control issues, the overall consensus is that the game successfully builds upon its predecessor, "Arkham Asylum," offering a richer and more immersive experience.
- “The gameplay mechanics are refined and incredibly satisfying.”
- “The combat mechanics are fun and the missions and story are engaging.”
- “Batman: Arkham City is a fantastic game that showcases the dark and brooding world of Gotham City with exceptional gameplay, a captivating storyline, and stunning visuals.”
- “Gameplay is ass.”
- “The gameplay had so many options that it got in its own way.”
- “The gameplay is boring and repetitive; if this game didn't have the combat system it had, I would altogether abandon it.”
graphics
1,354 mentions
58 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Batman: Arkham City" are widely praised for their impressive quality, especially considering the game's 2011 release. Many reviewers note that the visuals still hold up well today, with detailed character models and atmospheric environments that effectively capture the dark essence of Gotham City. While some users mention minor performance issues and visual bugs, the overall consensus is that the game's art direction and graphical fidelity remain a standout feature, making it a visually engaging experience even years after its launch.
- “The visuals and atmosphere are stunning, creating a dark and gritty Gotham that immerses you in the narrative.”
- “The graphics are highly improved and hold up pretty well, but its performance issues were a bother from some weird visual bugs to stutters.”
- “The graphics are outstanding, with detailed character models, atmospheric lighting, and impressive visual effects.”
- “The graphics are poor quality textures with poor graphics for the year of the game.”
- “The graphics suck; if you don't have a beefy computer, it's very laggy.”
- “The textures in the map are meh for a 2011 game, but luckily, there are many graphics mods you can download from NexusMods to make the game more visually appealing.”
atmosphere
377 mentions
61 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Batman: Arkham City" is widely praised for its dark, gritty depiction of Gotham, effectively immersing players in a richly detailed and expansive open world. While many reviewers note that the atmosphere may not reach the haunting intensity of its predecessor, "Arkham Asylum," it still delivers a compelling and engaging experience through its stunning visuals, atmospheric sound design, and a sense of constant threat from the city's criminal elements. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a significant strength, contributing to its status as one of the best in the series.
- “The visuals and atmosphere are stunning, creating a dark and gritty Gotham that immerses you in the narrative.”
- “Batman: Arkham City is a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling and gameplay evolution.”
- “The atmosphere is outstanding; it really makes you feel like you're in the Batman universe.”
- “The atmosphere may be compromised due to having an open world instead of an enclosed and familiar asylum environment.”
- “The atmosphere is worse than Asylum, gameplay worse than Knight.”
- “While unnecessary to progress in the story, these tidbits add to the atmosphere and are a welcome refresher to the Batman/DC universe which I have not been a part of for many years.”
music
351 mentions
58 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional impact of the gameplay. The soundtrack is described as one of the best in the series, featuring a mix of haunting orchestral pieces and intense battle themes that perfectly complement the dark tone of the game. Overall, the music is considered a standout element, contributing significantly to the immersive experience of being in the Batman universe.
- “The soundtrack perfectly complements the dark and atmospheric tone of the game, further immersing you in Batman's world.”
- “The music sets the tone perfectly, making you feel like the Dark Knight himself.”
- “From heart-pounding battle themes to melancholic ambient tunes, the music elevates the overall experience, immersing you further into Batman's world.”
- “Only gripe I have with the game is that after the museum, the overworld music stops playing :(”
- “The sound design and the voice acting is superb, my only complaint is that background music (that makes you feel like Batman) will stop playing after you've finished the main story campaign.”
- “The soundtrack itself isn't particularly listening material on its own, but absolutely sets the tone while in-game.”
optimization
212 mentions
45 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback from users. While some players report smooth performance and excellent graphics, others experience frequent stuttering, crashes, and issues related to controller compatibility, particularly on PC. Overall, the game is considered well-optimized for various systems, but performance inconsistencies and technical glitches remain a concern for many players.
- “One of the best games with a nice story and great optimization.”
- “Very well made and well optimized game, almost 0 bugs and the story is also great, 100% worth it, I recommend it to anyone looking to buy an action story game.”
- “Great game, incredibly well optimized and I can play it smoothly on my 16-year-old gaming laptop!”
- “The only thing this game lacks is optimization; it suffers from frequent stutterings and slowdowns.”
- “Glitches, bugs, and performance problems abound, making it feel like the game was rushed out the door before it was ready for prime time.”
- “The optimization for flying, running, and jumping from building to building in the city is a joke; even with my GTX 1070, my frames dipped from 60 to 30 at times, and even lowering the game's detail levels to low didn't fix the frame drops.”
grinding
191 mentions
2 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
72 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the process of collecting Riddler trophies and completing challenges to be excessively tedious and time-consuming. While some players enjoyed the challenge and found it compelling, others felt that the sheer volume of collectibles and repetitive tasks detracted from the overall experience, making it feel like a grind rather than an enjoyable pursuit. Overall, players suggest that achieving 100% completion may require a significant time investment, often described as needing "a second life" for grinding.
- “100%'ing the game is not tedious but compelling.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “You’ll need a second life for grinding!”
- “The achievements for this game are possibly the most tedious and agonizing thing I have ever endured.”
- “The only gripe I had with the game is that some achievements were very tedious and uninspiring to get.”
- “There are over 400 trophies to collect, challenges to complete, and riddles to solve across Arkham City, while you’re free to ignore them, they still feel really excessive to have this many collectibles throughout the game.”
replayability
184 mentions
41 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, with numerous side missions, collectibles, and challenges that encourage exploration and mastery of its mechanics. Players can enjoy different playstyles through various characters, including Batman, Catwoman, Robin, and Nightwing, and the inclusion of a New Game+ mode further enhances the experience. While some critiques mention limited replay value for certain aspects, the overall consensus highlights a wealth of content that keeps players engaged long after completing the main story.
- “The open-world design encourages exploration, with numerous side missions and secrets to uncover, ensuring replayability.”
- “With its wealth of content and replayability, this is an experience that will stay with you long after you've put down the controller.”
- “Arkham City offers plenty of replay value, with numerous side missions, collectibles, and challenges to keep players entertained even after completing the main story.”
- “These challenges are a horrible way to add replay value to this game.”
- “Overall a solid game, but lacks any replay value outside of the fun combat.”
- “The only replay value this game has is playing new game plus, having all of your character progress transfer to a new save of much higher difficulty.”
stability
138 mentions
23 % positive mentions
4 % neutral mentions
73 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting smooth performance on platforms like Linux and Steam Deck, while others encounter frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that can disrupt gameplay. Some users have experienced game freezes, particularly during cutscenes, and issues with save files becoming unplayable. Overall, while the game is praised for its engaging story and gameplay, the presence of technical issues can detract from the experience for some players.
- “Legendary game that runs great on Steam Deck.”
- “I had no glitches or bugs during my playtime.”
- “This game is nothing short of a masterpiece and runs great on PC!”
- “Game freezes upon loading cutscenes showing nothing but a black screen; when this happens, the currently selected save file is bricked (as it will load you back into the black screen / frozen state).”
- “Glitches, bugs, and performance problems abound, making it feel like the game was rushed out the door before it was ready for prime time.”
- “Overall it is a great game with great content, but unable to play due to all the bugs and glitches.”
humor
131 mentions
97 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players appreciating the witty dialogue, particularly between Batman and the Joker, as well as the comedic interactions among enemies. Many found the absurdity of the situations, such as Batman's serious missions juxtaposed with silly side quests, to be particularly funny, while the game's various glitches and animations added to the humor. Overall, the blend of dark themes with lighthearted moments creates a unique comedic tone that resonates well with players.
- “This game is so funny because you have one main life or death mission and then a bunch of stupid side missions during which you just ignore the fact that your main mission is very much a matter of life and death.”
- “Humor is sprinkled throughout, providing welcome moments of levity amidst the darkness.”
- “The conversations between the inmates as they stand around, bored, waiting for something to happen are hilarious and change to reflect the story progression.”
- “Also a good game because there isn't a Lego Robin doing stupid stuff that is supposed to be funny.”
- “What I see is mediocre, Batman is stupid like hell, Joker and Harley are not funny, rather irritating and annoying.”
- “Me: 'No... not funny, or interesting for that matter... stop talking.'”
emotional
74 mentions
95 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with many players expressing deep connections to the narrative and characters, particularly Batman and the Joker. The rich storytelling, impactful character arcs, and powerful voice acting contribute to a profound emotional experience, often evoking tears and a sense of nostalgia for fans of the franchise. The game's orchestral soundtrack further enhances these moments, making it a standout emotional journey in the gaming landscape.
- “The narrative is rich and emotionally charged, exploring Batman's psyche while introducing iconic villains, including the mysterious Arkham Knight.”
- “The powerful orchestral arrangements enhance the emotional impact of key moments, intensifying the overall cinematic experience.”
- “The story is deep, touching, and will leave you craving for more after it is done with you.”
- “Add a boring story to that and you have a pretty garbage and extremely overrated video game.”
- “Not as good as the first one in the series (Arkham Asylum), too many unnecessary distractions and game elements, kinda boring story, but still a decent game.”
- “- DLC level recycling and boring story.”
character development
63 mentions
51 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
Character development in Arkham City is widely praised for its depth and emotional weight, enhancing the overall narrative experience. The game features exceptional character designs that capture the essence of iconic figures from Batman's universe, complemented by stellar voice acting. While most characters are well-developed, some critiques mention a lack of depth for certain villains, though the engaging story and side missions provide additional character insights.
- “The character development is top-notch, adding emotional weight to the overall story.”
- “The writing and character development in Arkham City are superb, making every interaction, every villain, and every twist in the story utterly engaging.”
- “The voice acting is incredible, the character designs are excellent, and the story clumps them all together in a fun (but incredibly dense) plot.”
- “This can't make up for the super shallow story and that it's missing any character development or depth though.”
- “For me, the vapid plot and a complete lack of character development for any of the villains beyond 'they're bad guys because they do bad guy things' (the notable exception being Mr. Freeze, kind of) was a major detraction.”
- “But only because such things as 'narrative flow' and 'character development' had to go in exchange for cramming in as many characters and elements as possible.”
monetization
7 mentions
29 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
57 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for feeling like a cash grab, with players noting issues such as NPCs not spawning and a lack of quality features, which detracts from the experience. While some games offer rewards without microtransactions, the overall sentiment reflects frustration with deceptive advertising and the prevalence of microtransactions in the industry. In contrast, the Arkham series is praised for providing a comprehensive experience without the sting of additional costs.
- “It asks you to loop the 20-hour game for well beyond its run time, and does so by offering rewards instead of microtransactions.”
- “The gameplay and atmosphere are good enough for any fan to let them carry the story, and a plethora of challenges, extras, and DLC are bundled into this GOTY version without the sting of microtransactions, giving Arkham fans a feast of bat-content.”
- “Arkham City is a classic that respects Batman fans, while the Suicide Squad game feels like a cash grab that disrespects the Arkham legacy.”
- “There is a lot of deceptive advertising in the gaming industry today, but this is taking things too far.”
- “I hate the era of microtransactions.”