Though The Dark Knight had already served to make the caped crusader cool again, Batman: Arkham Asylum proved something else: that superhero games can actually live up to the expectations of fans and deliver incredible experiences. Given the right circumstances, that is.
Naturally, Warner Bros. isn’t about to let the series rest, but can lightning strike twice? Today, we may have a better idea, as a slew of new details about Batman: Arkham City have emerged from the bat cave.
Likely due to the events in the first game, in which Joker effectively took control of the famed Arkham Asylum for the duration of the stealth combat adventure, the asylum has been determined unfit to continue to hold inmates. Instead, former mayoral candidate Quincy Sharp has walled off a section of the Gotham City slums and designated it “Arkham City,” leaving the criminals held there to their own devices, and with the demented Hugo Strange in charge.
Who the hell would ever think that’s a good idea? Batman certainly doesn’t, and it will no doubt be up to him to deal with whatever shenanigans said ne’er-do-wells get up to. These will include a plot by the unfortunate Harvey Dent, also know as Two-Face, to assassinate Catwoman to impress the other inmates. Do you ever wish Batman would just let all his nemeses have at one another and be done with it? Of course, then we wouldn’t have another awesome game to play.
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Joker will be back, as well, and it turns out there may be more wrong with him than just his overdose of Venom in the last game. Of course, the dude is a freaking lunatic, so that shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Don’t fret, wannabe crusaders, as new gameplay details have landed, as well. For one thing, the Bat will start the game with all of his abilities and gadgets from the first game intact, including at least one new one – the smoke bomb. This may indicate a shift in focus for the gameplay in the sequel, since much of the first game centered around locating upgrades and equipment necessary to proceed, much like a Zelda game.
How will the game manage all of Batman’s existing abilities while still providing players a sense of advancement and progress? Maybe they’ll pull a Metroid; after all, all we know is that he’ll start with all those powers. No one said he would keep them.
The game will also feature more puzzles, side missions, roaming gangs for Batman to deal with, expanded Riddler challenges, and the ability for the Bat to counter two attacks at once. Look forward to it by the end of next year – hopefully.
