Arkham City itself is like a wonderful portrait brought to Life, a shadowy kingdom oozing corruption and crime. Neon lit billboards and vibrant building complexes draw the eye like grand focal points; the streets are littered with blackness and grime.
The citywide prison serves as a representation of impoverishment grown widespread, sequestered away from the upper class in a cold, menacing world to let its criminal inhabitants run loose. A playplace for hoodlums, a sort of purgatory intended to punish but instead starves, feeding off of their violent, capricious energy while they desperately fight for survival.
In the middle of it all stands the iconic Batman, caught between two ticking clocks counting down to certain doom, one involving the mysterious Dr. Strange's diabolical plot, the other his own confrontation with mortality, sickeningly devised by his arch nemesis, the Joker. It's a ridiculous and borderline asinine plot (not to mention its sexist portrayals of beloved female characters), which nonetheless oozes charm and hearkens back to old-school comic book escapism.
The in-game map is littered with objectives to complete, most of the side content considerably bold in their encapsulation of civic duty. Murder, disappearances, haunting figures, and yes, riddles; the dark knight is swamped with work to be done during this endless winter evening. Or rather, you, the player are swamped, with numerous responsibilities, all while under the constant threat of impending catastrophe.
Much talk of the entire Arkham franchise eventually devolves into applauding how each entry “makes you feel like Batman,” which is certainly true. But aside from the always-satisfying, balletic combat, with its ever-increasing challenge throughout the linear narrative, and the gadgetry, and Kevin Conroy's legendary performance, and the vast array of characters and references, hidden or otherwise; aside from these cleverly devised elements, it is the game's demanding strain of responsibility which most captures the impression of playing the Bat. And, alongside the genuinely wondrous artistic detail placed into every fabric of the world's gothic composition, it is through this dedicated design towards duty-driven storytelling which allows Arkham City to inspire awe at nearly every turn.
The citywide prison serves as a representation of impoverishment grown widespread, sequestered away from the upper class in a cold, menacing world to let its criminal inhabitants run loose. A playplace for hoodlums, a sort of purgatory intended to punish but instead starves, feeding off of their violent, capricious energy while they desperately fight for survival.
In the middle of it all stands the iconic Batman, caught between two ticking clocks counting down to certain doom, one involving the mysterious Dr. Strange's diabolical plot, the other his own confrontation with mortality, sickeningly devised by his arch nemesis, the Joker. It's a ridiculous and borderline asinine plot (not to mention its sexist portrayals of beloved female characters), which nonetheless oozes charm and hearkens back to old-school comic book escapism.
The in-game map is littered with objectives to complete, most of the side content considerably bold in their encapsulation of civic duty. Murder, disappearances, haunting figures, and yes, riddles; the dark knight is swamped with work to be done during this endless winter evening. Or rather, you, the player are swamped, with numerous responsibilities, all while under the constant threat of impending catastrophe.
Much talk of the entire Arkham franchise eventually devolves into applauding how each entry “makes you feel like Batman,” which is certainly true. But aside from the always-satisfying, balletic combat, with its ever-increasing challenge throughout the linear narrative, and the gadgetry, and Kevin Conroy's legendary performance, and the vast array of characters and references, hidden or otherwise; aside from these cleverly devised elements, it is the game's demanding strain of responsibility which most captures the impression of playing the Bat. And, alongside the genuinely wondrous artistic detail placed into every fabric of the world's gothic composition, it is through this dedicated design towards duty-driven storytelling which allows Arkham City to inspire awe at nearly every turn.