Batman Arkham City Week 42

I’ve decided it’s time to start talking about games that I’m playing, and what’s better than keeping a log book that I can update when I tackle these games. First up is Batman: Arkham City.

This summer my oldest got Batman for his birthday and after months of waffling, I’ve decided that I would tackle this game. After all, I do help run a pop-culture website founded on comics and toys, so it would only make sense that I play games based on the same pop culture theme. So off to the starting blocks.

I skipped through much of the opening story as I’d seen my son play through it, but I’ll touch on some points of interest: I love the animation. The graphics are really a treat and the rendering and the landscape is a joy. Arkham City is much more a free roam game like Infamous and Dark Souls, and you can spend a lot of time looking in alleys and buildings. Really amazing stuff. Like Arkham Asylum, this game has the detective mode. You could play the whole game in detective mode, at times you have to, and that adds another layer to the game.

The fighting style is interesting, if not old school — triangle, x, square and circle are your fighting friends. The left and right buttons have other uses.  The movement is pretty standard for free roam, the left and right joysticks are your movement and look options. The left pad allows you to switch devices. Once you get your head wrapped around it, you are off and running.

My first mission was beating Two-Face. Pretty simple, easy to do. Get to the courthouse and take him out and investigate. Free Catwoman. Fighting was introduced more intensely here, and there are some cool aspects. I’m not an instructions guy, so I learn as I go. There is no lock-on (that I’ve seen) and you have to aim yourself right to punch fellas. There is a counter and that is a nifty thing; when you see those little lightning bolts go off you can counter. One can button mash, but it is far more effective to learn the controls and the buttons.

After defeating Two-Face and finding the shooting clue, I headed into the basement of the courthouse. Calenderman is down there but I have to set my PS3 ahead to the 31st or wait for the 31st and come back. Should be interesting. There is a Riddler Clue down there — no idea how to open it.

And fuck the Riddler. Found a doohickey on top of a building that opened a trapdoor on a rooftop below and after multiple failed attempts to glide through, I’ve given up. For now. Tons of these riddles are all over the place. And they are a pain in the ass.

I did make it to the cathedral and I have figured out how to find Joker. And in that short span my head has exploded. There are side stories and quests and activities and more stuff to look at. My head hurts already. But I am determined to grind my way through. More thoughts and questions in future updates.

The Author

pablolobo

Paul G. Wolf is a long time collector of toys and action figures. Starting with Micronauts, MEGO, GI Joe, Transformers and Masters of the Universe in the '80s he since graduated to Marvel Legends, DC Universe Classics, S.H. Figuarts, Monsterarts, 3A Toys, Gundam and anything else that is 6 inches and fully articulated.

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  1. Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!

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