Have You Played... Batman: Arkham City?
Hey... it's the bat!
If it wasn’t obvious by one of my first Have You Playeds, I am a big Batfan. I was so so so excited about the new series of dark Batman games that started way back in 2009. Yikes, that was ten years ago. I was 15. What the f--
Arkham Asylum did such an amazing job of capturing the sinister tones I’ve always loved in Batman, so Arkham City’s release in 2011 made me just as excited. Not only was the map of Arkham City way bigger than the previous game, but it also had a story that unleashed exactly what I wanted in a Batman game. With Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprising their infamous roles as Batman and the Joker, it was a dream series for this fan of Batman: The Animated Series . We’ll forget about Origins, but Asylum, City, and Knight are all games that have allowed me to live my childhood dream of being Batman, and they’re only slightly improved versions of Batman Vengeance, if we’re being real. Nothing tops that game.
There was also an album released alongside Arkham City that includes a track from Panic! At The Disco who, if you know anything about me, are one of my favourite bands. I even have a not-life-size cutout of Brendon Urie in my study (but life-size if you judge by where I stand at the back of music venues). It also includes songs by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Serj Tankian, among others. My emo heart swells.
Anyway, back to the actual game. Arkham City gave us wings, well not quite, but it allowed us to fully spread Batman’s cape and glide around the crime-filled city of Arkham. It even gave us the opportunity to play as everyone’s favourite cat burglar, Catwoman. I welcomed the idea of switching between Bruce and Selina and embracing a completely new playstyle to traverse areas and solve puzzles only she could. Shout out to Robin and Nightwing who make a playable appearance in the DLC - which I obviously bought.
Coming face to face with some of your favourite villains from the series was absolutely fantastic for me, especially when many of them weren’t set to appear in Nolan’s trilogy (which finished one year after City was released). This game, this series even, was so important to me, and will always be something I look back on fondly.