This review was based on a single playthrough of the game on Normal difficulty, and as such may or may not apply to harder difficulties.
When i first purchased Arkham Asylum some time ago, the concept itself interested me, but ultimately failed to keep my interest and has lived in my own memory as, after playing Arkham City, a game i hope to play again and gain a greater appreciation of.
Arkham City certainly lives up to the reputation it has gotten recently, although i would hesitate to agree with the highest comments given to the game. I purchased this game entirely on a whim, and have not once regretted getting it since. From the very beginning, my interest is held through it's cinematic sort of beginning, leading me to great anticipation for the moment i would finally begin to experience the game in full. From there, the game does not once strike me as getting dull and uninteresting as i soar through the skies, occasionally dropping down to the streets to take on a group of enemies for fun.
Entering the game, even with my past experience playing Arkham Asylum, i was unfamiliar with the true nature of most of the villains of the series, and while this still is largely the case after finishing Arkham City, i have a much greater interest in truly getting to know them, after seeing Batman interact with each of them, from hinting at his past history with the Penguin to his comments to hostages about the Riddler.
The gameplay is largely smooth, although there was an issue with combat that bugged me in that distances between enemies when creating a fluid chain of attacks could reach truly ludicrous levels, and that's not even counting the environment at times. While most combat situations felt too quick and easy in the beginning, they soon become increasingly more challenging. Stealth segments became much more intense with the music emphasizing each takedown or imminent triumph. The enemy AI is slightly more advanced in that enemies will destroy vantage points if they realize you're using that to take them out, which i appreciate, as well as checking vents or ceilings. (In the Catwoman DLC segments.) This really emphasized caution for me, as i use vantage points a little too much.
While i enjoyed the game greatly, i felt sad by the end, as if it was over as quickly as it began. But that's what New Game Plus is for, right?
Not a 10, but certainly a 9.5
This review was based on a single playthrough of the game on Normal difficulty, and as such may or may not apply to harder difficulties.
When i first purchased Arkham Asylum some time ago, the concept itself interested me, but ultimately failed to keep my interest and has lived in my own memory as, after playing Arkham City, a game i hope to play again and gain a greater appreciation of.
Arkham City certainly lives up to the reputation it has gotten recently, although i would hesitate to agree with the highest comments given to the game. I purchased this game entirely on a whim, and have not once regretted getting it since. From the very beginning, my interest is held through it's cinematic sort of beginning, leading me to great anticipation for the moment i would finally begin to experience the game in full. From there, the game does not once strike me as getting dull and uninteresting as i soar through the skies, occasionally dropping down to the streets to take on a group of enemies for fun.
Entering the game, even with my past experience playing Arkham Asylum, i was unfamiliar with the true nature of most of the villains of the series, and while this still is largely the case after finishing Arkham City, i have a much greater interest in truly getting to know them, after seeing Batman interact with each of them, from hinting at his past history with the Penguin to his comments to hostages about the Riddler.
The gameplay is largely smooth, although there was an issue with combat that bugged me in that distances between enemies when creating a fluid chain of attacks could reach truly ludicrous levels, and that's not even counting the environment at times. While most combat situations felt too quick and easy in the beginning, they soon become increasingly more challenging. Stealth segments became much more intense with the music emphasizing each takedown or imminent triumph. The enemy AI is slightly more advanced in that enemies will destroy vantage points if they realize you're using that to take them out, which i appreciate, as well as checking vents or ceilings. (In the Catwoman DLC segments.) This really emphasized caution for me, as i use vantage points a little too much.
While i enjoyed the game greatly, i felt sad by the end, as if it was over as quickly as it began. But that's what New Game Plus is for, right?