While my first impulse is to just say this is "more Arkham Aslyum", it really has improved and polished the formula from the first game. Combat and predator encounters are still a joy (with a few improvements), but the more open environment really showcases the various traversal abilities. Zipping and soaring around Arkham City feels so cool, and doing it well requires a surprising amount of technique. Taken together, it means pretty much everything you are doing is fun, with no obvious "chores".

The main weakness I found with the game was that it just had too much stuff: too many combo moves, too many gadgets, too many riddler puzzles everywhere you look, too many playable characters. There were so many gadgets that on multiple occasions I got stuck in some traversal section because I just didn't remember all the gadget capabilities I had at my disposal. Having put maybe 25 hours into it I'm still not fully comfortable using each of the combo moves (and remembering their inputs). I eventually learned to just tune out the Riddler puzzles, instead of trying to figure out whether I just wasn't getting it or wasn't equipped to complete it (this was much more fun to go back to after the main story, and I did collect maybe a third of them). Once you really get into the game you can start appreciating these things, but I found it frustrating most of the time.

I loved Arkham Asylum, but I only "liked" Arkham City. The deciding factor for me is what I suspect other people really love about City: the open world layout of the titular city. I actually think having an overworld to freely explore de-emphasizes a lot of the tight pacing and level design that I really appreciated in Asylum. Is it fun to be swooping around the city and suddenly find yourself drawn into a subplot involving Jarvis Teech? Sure, I suppose I won't contest that. But most of my experience of the titular city is that it's the no-man's land of video game miscellany. Some thugs to fight, some Riddler trophies to collect, mostly things for the player to distract themselves from the main plotline.

If you're into that, cool, you're probably someone who gets a ton out of what Rocksteady was going for here. If not, well, you don't have to do all that. You can just ignore all the unscripted sequences and bop on over to the next storybeat... at the opposite end of the map. For whatever reason, the game really likes placing a lot of its key locations on opposite ends of the overworld's "V" shape. And at a certain point, swinging back and forth ignoring shouts of distress, I sorta shattered the illusion the first game so meticulously set up and stopped feeling like the Caped Crusader.

Look, my point is, there are a ton of memorable moments to Arkham City, but almost none of them actually take place in the overworld.

But those subareas are quite good! The Cyrus Pinkney Natural History Institute is full of fun rooms and set-pieces. The Mr. Freeze boss fight is incredibly well-designed, even if it isn't particularly subtle ("AH SO BATMAN HAS THE ABILITY TO CRASH THROUGH WINDOWS! NOW I KNOW NOT TO WALK TOO CLOSE TO WINDOWS! YOU CAN'T FOOL ME THE SAME WAY TWICE BATMAN!"). Ra's al Ghul feels like a complete sidetrack, but it's a nice change of pace. The final area also lends itself to some good combat rooms, and the final encounter... well, I kinda think Arkham was 0 for 2 with final bosses, but I like how it ends.

Catwoman's fun, too! Her segments are over and done with pretty quickly, but they make for nice diversions. Sorta wish you could do more with her, but w/e. That fakeout bad ending is quite the shock if you actually go for it.

So, like, I got my issues with Arkham City, but I still think it's a fine enough time. I'm given to understand later Arkhams continue to move further away from what I liked about the first game (I have Arkham Knight, just need to get around to it). That's a bummer for me, but if it's what people like, who am I to say no?

...that GAME OF THE YEAR EDITION "10 OUT OF 10" boxart is still utterly ridiculous, though. Are we in agreement on that?

Batman: Arkham City is a sequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum and expands on the existing Batman mechanics. Batman investigates a new super-prison Arkham City under the direction of the mysterious Dr. Hugo Strange, who has studied the Batman in extreme detail.

Gameplay has been overhauled from Asylum, with an improved freeflow combat system, combos, combo multipliers, and different takedown styles. Open combat flows perfectly between striking and countering and easily handles special moves and gadgets in all sorts of combinations. Predator rooms have new takedown methods and new ways to use your gadgets on top of the existing system. Traveling is much better since the map is now a city with buildings, so Batman can now essentially fly across the map with ease. Old gadgets make a return along with several new ones that provide you with several new combat and predator options. In addition to combat, there are several puzzles to be solved as the Riddler makes a return with new and creative puzzles.

The narrative throughout this game deals with Batman overcoming several of his enemies in an attempt to shut down Arkham City. Obviously this includes the Joker, along with Penguin, Two-Face, and a gallery of other villains to take on and defeat. While fighting all the villains are super fun, some of these villains don't make sense in the context of the story. Some moments seem a little too convenient, but then again, the game is based off of comic book characters, so I can forgive this a little bit. In addition to the main story, there are several side missions to take on other DC villains within Arkham City. These side missions are intersting and unique. For example, a particular side mission has Batman investigate a series of murders while another mission has you answer phone calls across the city.

Visually, this game feels like watching a movie. The character models look incredible and combat runs well balancing between Batman's and the thugs' moves. Definitely a step up from the graphics in Asylum. Boss battles look incredible.

The GOTY edition adds all DLC content, including Riddler Challenge map packs, extra characters, etc. Definitely worth a pickup if on sale.

Overall, Batman: Arkham City is a fantastic sequel to a well-defined formula. With an improved story and enhanced gameplay mechanics, this is truly a must-have game, especially for Batman fans.