Batman Arkham City (Xbox 360)

Batman Arkham City is the sequel to the brilliant Arkham Asylum. Released in 2011 and is the best Batman experience there's been. You really feel like Batman, and that's why this series gets so much praise.

What makes the Arkham series so good, is that they are in the same setting as the Batman Animated series. The world is much bigger as you get to explore a whole city! There's more villains, more gadgets, more missions, it's a complete package.

Arkham City is a citywide prison, filled to the brim with criminals, and while imprisoned at AC, they are given free will to do whatever they please, as long as they don't attempt to escape. Bruce Wayne soon gets himself arrested and into AC to infiltrate it as Batman. AC is run by Hugo Strange, who knows Batman's identity. Joker is suffering from the effects of the titan formula he took in the previous game. Dying from his illness, Joker infects Batman and has his blood infect patients at the hospitals in Gotham. Batman now must find a cure for himself, the dying patients, and Joker?

Thankfully Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprise their roles, as there really is no one better to be Batman and Joker. There's a great cast of Batman characters too, Mr Freeze, Penguin, Two-Face, Bane and many more. Catwoman also appears and is playable through the story and has her own side story during the main game. There's so many side missions too, helping out Bane, finding Deadshot, stopping Zsasz and many more. The combat is better than anything and the fact so many games now imitate it, that's all the proof you need. Lots of gadgets including the batclaw and batarang help you get through the game and your fights. The graphics are excellent and they bring the dark city to life, and show you what a dangerous world Batman lives in.

The story is pretty short, but you'll only notice if you're strictly playing the story. The stealth is amazing, as is the gliding and detective vision to help you spot enemies. There's plenty of upgrades and gadgets to unlock too. There's a good twist or two during and you'll see plenty of your favourite Batman villians. Another thing the Arkham series does better than anyone is Easter eggs, there are so many scattered around, you'll constantly be looking out for them. One standout during the story, is the boss fight with Mr Freeze. It's so intense, and you have to use a different technique to hurt him every time, as he learns your moves and you can never do the same attack twice.

There are plenty of boss fights and all of them are enjoyable. Challenge maps are back, both combat and predator to keep you playing after the story. Costumes for Batman and Catwoman, there is so much content and it's a stellar game. The wind even blows Batman's cape, there's so much detail. Even the tears in the cape after your fights.

Batman Arkham is easily one of the best franchises, and Arkham City is the best in the series. For a game that came out only two years after the original, they knocked it out of the park. This is a game that really let's you say "I'm Batman" out loud. Rocksteady done everything right.

9.2/10