I liked Rocksteady's Arkham Asylum but I didn't love it. Their combination of stealth and action perfectly captured the sensation of what I assume it would be like to be the Dark Knight and the script by Paul Dini wasn't too shabby. My main criticisms were the gauntlet of boss battles that seemed to be woven in just for something to do (the Killer Croc one was anti-climactic to say the least), the overuse of "Detective Vision" (a required game play mechanic that rendered the beautiful Gothic settings of the game in a digital x-ray aesthetic), and some frustrating level triggers (the end fight against the Joker totally screwed with me and my health bar because I didn't gauge the rhythm of the fight correctly).
That said, Arkham City improves on many of these criticisms. The level design has obviously been opened up from the transition from the asylum to the city and this quality was most enjoyable. The sandbox of Arkham City is extremely rewarding. You can take on side missions, leap into assaults in progress, or use an upgraded grappling hook to fly around the city without landing on a surface. Sure, the gauntlet of boss fights is still there, but the writing tightens up the rationale for this (although, the finale felt forced). While we miss out on the Scarecrow's memorable psychological battle maps, we do get some comparable sequences that I do not wish to spoil. Finally, the designers have modified "Detective Vision" so that the player does not feel compelled to overuse it (the use of map objectives is the key here!). It's a great looking game and one of the first that I did not feel compelled to rush through. I wanted to savor the flavor of Arkham City and the side missions and accomplishments really nurture that desire.
That said, the game does still have a few problems. First off, the writing has some glaring leaps of logic. The inciting incident is that Bruce Wayne is kidnapped by Doctor Strange, the warden for Arkham City, because Wayne has been speaking out against the city. Ok, I'm sure a well-coordinated effort could result in the kidnapping of Bruce Wayne. Perhaps a poisoned dart while he is visiting the grave site of his parents? Or a bait and switch when it comes to his car service? I can buy that Wayne would be kidnapped but the game presents it as follows: Strange attacks Wayne in the midst of a press conference and drags him inside. Wouldn't the entire city turn on Strange for this? That would be comparable to George W. Bush using the promise of an apology to lure Michael Moore to Gitmo. It's so public and over the top that it would completely undercut the antagonist's plan.
Secondly, there are some game design issues here. First, there is a sequence in which you need a electrically charged Batarang. This is an available upgrade that is accessible via the game's XP system, but it's rare for something to be both required and optional. Yes, there is a way in which to MacGyver your way out of it (you can make your own by flying one through an electrical current, which I only discovered after breaking down and reading a walkthrough), but this is where the option of "hints" can be obnoxious. In more circumstances, the option makes the game too easily. In this circumstance, it's nearly impossible to finish a sequence without it.
Another game design issue comes with the Catwoman DLC. The XP system links Batman and Catwoman. You earn the bulk of your XP as Batman and you can apply those points to Catwoman. Given this set up, I applied my points to Batman, as Catwoman is introduced and then quickly forgotten about in the plot. Now that I've finished the Batman narrative sequence, I am unable to complete Catwoman's final boss fight because she's incredibly weak. Couple this weakness with a design that RESPAWNS gun toting baddies (this never happens in stealth sequences in the game!) and I quickly felt the urge to throw my controller through my television.
In order to remedy this Catwoman issue, I discovered a final game design issue: Game Plus Mode. Game Plus Mode is designed for the player to keep all of their gadgets and upgrades as they replay the game, this time with more difficult baddies. That's all fine and good...if you can make it to your suit (which contains the aforementioned gadgets and upgrades). I got rocked so quickly in the prison sequences that I once again felt that urge to throw my controller. There is one final issue worth noting, and I'm not sure if it is an issue or just one for me considering my Catwoman/Game Plus Mode issues. Essentially, I completed the main story while running on the assumption that I could return to the the city afterwards. This, at least at this point in my game play purgatory (I wonder if it changes if you complete the Catwoman missions), does not appear to be the case. My two game play tips? Upgrade Catwoman
Still, despite these very real flaws, Arkham City is one of the best games of the year, secondly only (at this point of the year) to Portal 2 (2011).
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