History Videogame / BatmanArkhamCity

* {{Cliffhanger}}: With the Catwoman DLC installed, Batman's story cuts away to Selina's exploits as soon as [[spoiler: he is captured by Joker and Harley]]. Then that episode of Catwoman's [[JustForPun tale]] also ends with a {{Cliffhanger}}.

* FiveSecondForeshadowing: Batman comes upon the realization that [[spoiler:The Joker he's been after is a fake]] just seconds before [[spoiler:the real Joker [[TheReveal reveals himself]] and shoots Talia.]]

* KickTheSonOfABitch: As the game begins, Penguin has an unconscious and handcuffed Bruce Wayne dragged to an alley so he can beat him to a pulp with brass knuckles, all as a bit of "good old-fashioned revenge" for what he claims were the Waynes ruining his family. After Bruce breaks Oswald's hand, gets free of the cuffs, and takes out all of the goons present, he can escape to the rooftops... or he can walk over to where Penguin is cringing in fear, cornered, and give him an uppercut that knocks him senseless.

** To be fair, at a certain point in the fight, mooks will still decide to travel in packs, they just don't announce it. Then again, when there are only two or three left you usually get this exchange:

* RedShirtArmy: The 13th precinct of the Gotham City Police Department. Unlike most examples of the trope, they survived and were saved by Batman (well, most of them, anyways). To be fair, you do get to learn [[NominalImportance all their names]].

** You can delay doing the Mad Hatter mission until after you've beaten the main story. [[spoiler:Despite Batman already being cured by this point, Batman still decides to foolishly [[SequenceBreaker inject the incapacitating fake 'cure' into his neck.]]]]

** You can delay doing the Mad Hatter mission until after you've beaten the main story. [[spoiler:Despite Batman already being cured by this point, he still decides to [[TooDumbTolive inject the fake 'cure' into his neck.]]

Creator/KevinConroy and Creator/MarkHamill return from the previous game to portray the roles of Franchise/{{Batman}} and [[Characters/BatmanTheJoker The Joker]] respectively. Besides the characters mentioned above, ComicBook/{{Bane}}, [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]], [[Characters/HarleyQuinnTheCharacter Harley Quinn]], Victor Zsasz, Killer Croc, and ComicBook/TheRiddler return (with Killer Croc being relegated to a cameo appearance, while The Riddler gets a much bigger role than he had in the previous game and is given a physical appearance this time around); newcomers to the series include ComicBook/{{Robin}}, ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}, [[Characters/BatmanTwoFace Two-Face]], [[Characters/BatmanThePenguin The Penguin]], ComicBook/{{Deadshot}}, [[Characters/BatmanRasAlGhul the League of Assassins]], Mr. Freeze, Hush, Mad Hatter, Calendar Man, Solomon Grundy, and Black Mask.

The sequel to the ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' video game ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'' and the second game in the ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries'' produced by Rocksteady Studios. Released in 2011.

An UpdatedRerelease called ''Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition'' was created for the UsefulNotes/WiiU. It features unique controls specially patented for that system. All DLC for the original release are featured in the game, and Catwoman's role as a character is expanded upon. Furthermore, Batman and Catwoman also sport armored costumes (justifying the game's strength-boosting "Battle Armored Tech" mode), optional touchscreen and motion controls for Batman's gadgets, and a sonar to reveal nearby villains and Riddler trophies.

* OffModel:
** In the ending, [[spoiler:from the time that Batman drinks half of the cure until the time that he gets knocked out by the explosion of the Lazarus Pit, the cure is in his left hand. When he wakes up, however, the cure is now in his right hand. This mistake has led to some [[WildMassGuessing fan theory]] that the Joker may still be alive, a theory that is later dismissed as a stupid idea by one of Harley's thugs in ''Harley Quinn's Revenge''.]]
** Harley's picture on her character bio page looks different compared to her in-game model, and a lot creepier at that.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/batman_arkham_city_5997.jpg]]

The sequel to the ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' video game ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'' and the second game in the ''[[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries Batman: Arkham]]'' series produced by Rocksteady Studios. Released in 2011.

* DoingItForTheArt: In-universe: [[spoiler:Clayface, who apparently has been using every trick up his sleeve to avoid being put in Arkham City, eventually willingly enters when given the opportunity to play "The role of a lifetime."]]

* CameraScrew:
** What is your greatest enemy in the Riddler's combat challenge maps, you ask? [[FakeDifficulty The camera!]] For reasons unknown, the developers thought it'd be helpful for you if the camera automatically spins around 180 degrees whenever you do a counter or get hit from behind. It's not. Prepare to rage as your combos get broken because you attacked the wrong person thanks to the camera spinning wildly around. It doesn't help when you can't adequately control what enemy you attack either.
** This is also rant-inducing when trying for Riddler trophies that involve having to rebound off of walls during flight. Having to orient yourself several times during a trophy challenge to kick off specific targets in a row can be frustrating to say the least. Please resist the urge to throw your controller at the screen.
** This is specially bad during beatdowns. Unavoidably, the camera will slowly pan around Batman beating the mook. It's not a problem if there are no enemies left, but as soon as one comes, if you want to keep the beatdown you have to counterattack the coming mook and reposition yourself into the former, whose direction is changing constantly.
** It's also (albeit in a much smaller scale) a problem in predator challenges. Entering an air vent will always turn Batman's view to the inside, even if you enter backwards with the intention of seeing if mooks are looking at you. Grappling will always turn the camera up, which seems logical at first but it's completely unnecessary once you initiated grappling. Speaking of which... want to grapple to a certain point on the scenery? Well, make sure you rotate the camera to the ''exact'' position. Just because ''you'' can see the point you want to grapple to, doesn't mean the game does. Good luck trying to do this while moving or falling.

* ADateWithRosiePalms: Implied by Harley.
--> '''Harley:''' Mr. J's really not up to a visit right now. He's not feeling himself. Well, actually, he was earlier but that's not what I meant.

* AlwaysSaveTheGirl: [[spoiler: Protocol Ten is killing everyone in Arkham City, but Batman is willing to sacrifice all of them to go after Talia, who has been taken by the Joker. It takes both Oracle and Alfred to reason to Batman that one life isn't worth hundreds.]]

* SkewedPriorities: Played for drama. [[spoiler: Protocol Ten is killing everyone in Arkham City, but Batman is willing to sacrifice all of them to go after Talia, who has been taken by the Joker. It takes both Oracle and Alfred to reason to Batman that one life isn't worth hundreds]].

* BareYourMidriff: Poison Ivy, Harley's new outfit bares her midriff as her previous one did, and Talia al Ghul.

* BarrageOfBats: In-game, Batman can summon a swarm of bats as a special move against mook: he jumps, then comes lands on the ground with a punch, and a swarm of bats appears to encircle him and hit nearby enemies.

** The [[spoiler:Titan poisoning]] ''really'' kicks in the first time you go to [[spoiler:Wonder City]]. On top of his pale skin [[spoiler:and TaintedVeins]], there are three points where Batman is stalled by extreme nausea ([[BloodFromTheMouth he vomits blood at one point]]), he's reduced to a limp until he [[spoiler:drinks the cup of Lazarus], and Oracle says his vitals are "in free-fall." Sure enough, the player's health is gradually reduced to 25% each time a wave of nausea hits before it's restored by [[spoiler:said Lazarus]].

* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: [[spoiler: the Titan poisoning ''really'' kicks in the first time you go to Wonder City. On top of his pale skin and TaintedVeins, there are three points where Batman is stalled by extreme nausea ([[BloodFromTheMouth he vomits blood at one point]]), he's reduced to a limp until he drinks the cup of Lazarus, and Oracle says his vitals are "in free-fall." Sure enough, the player's health is gradually reduced to 25% each time a wave of nausea hits before it's restored by said Lazarus]].
** Another minor case with the upgrades: [[spoiler: the Titan poisoning won't reduce any of the health given to the player through the eight armor upgrades, only the baseline health. [[FridgeBrilliance Which makes sense]], since Batman's body and suit are two separate objects]].

* PunctuatedForEmphasis / PunctuatedPounding:
** During the "Acts of Violence" sidequest, one thug is seen beating up a political prisoner while bellowing, "Why! Didn't! You! Do! What! I! Said!"

* PuttingOnTheReich / ANaziByAnyOtherName : Hugo Strange has a very Mengele vibe about him while TYGER operates much like a SecretPolice under his rule. Gotham eventually becomes a PoliceState after Arkham City is created, and then there's [[spoiler:[[FinalSolution Protocol 10]]]].
** The Penguin has red banners with his sigil adorning his headquarters that are very reminiscent of the Nazi regime.

* PyrrhicVictory: The Joker [[spoiler:stabs Batman in the shoulder, making Bats drop the cure, dooming Joker]].
** How Penguin ended up in Arkham City in the first place; as his criminal nature was in disrepute he had been ordered to vacate the Iceberg Lounge like all other civilians living in what would become Arkham City, he refused. As a result GCPD and TYGER were sent to forcibly reclaim the building the day the perimeter wall was to be complete, Penguin had his men open fire and killed three officers; thereby confirming his criminal status and prompting the Mayor to simply allow the wall to be finished, leaving Penguin incarcerated.

* TrackingDevice: Batman plants one on an opponent during a fight, then lets her get away so he can trail her back to her hidden base. Neither she, nor any of her colleagues back at the base, notice it until he arrives and points it out, despite the [[IncrediblyObviousBug red flashing light]].