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Gamesmaster World Exclusive Review is in, and the score is...


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<EDIT> So here, as promised, is the Gamesmaster UK review in full.

 

I should point out, I take no credit for the content in this review. This is a review from Gamesmaster UK and all views expressed are from them. I'm merely bored at work so thought i'd write it up for you lucky lot ;)

 

BTW, this is 100% spoiler free, so don't threat.

 

Enjoy...

 

Batman: Arkham City

Less a Dark Knightmare, more of a comic fan's dream come true...

 

In a gaming age where consolidation seems to be key; where evolution is championed over revolution and incremental updates pervade, a certain British outfit dares to be different, dares to dream. Sefton Hill, Jamie Walker and their Rocksteady massive absolutely nailed the eclectic nature of the Dark Knight experience first time out, but despite crafting a frankly unforgettable night of action and drama for the Batman in the haunting confines of Arkham Asylum, the Kentish Town-based devs had grander plans for this inevitable sequel. Altogether grander plans, as this shattered reviewer has been having the time of his gaming life finding out...

 

First, a quicksilver plot recap. A year has passed since the seismic events on Arkham Island. Joker, infected by a nasty case of Titan poisoning, continues to lick his wounds. Meanwhile, erstwhile Asylum warden Quincy Sharp has cordoned off a whopping chunk of Arkham to pen in the increasing hordes of ne'er-do-wells causing chaos in Gotham. Plonking psychotic psychiatrist Hugo Strange and the mercenary outfit 'Tyger' in charge of his bizarre boot camp, the slum soon becomes torn into three primary factions - with Harvey 'Two Face' Dent, The Penguin and our man Joker's thugs all vying for dominion. When the grossly disfigured former attorney decides to publically execute Catwomen, our man Bats leaps into the fray. And before long the Caped Crusader is up to his utility belt in Protocol 10 - a sinister plot to condemn Gotham to oblivion - as another Judgment night begins to unfold.

 

Cape escape

Actually, that's not quite how things start...but our lips have been physically sewn shut (ouch, it stung) by Rocksteady to avoid spoiling a zinger of an opening, an intro so cool, so surprising it even beats Arkham's Joker incarceration into a cocked hat. This being the world exclusive review, we're actually sworn to secrecy about a whole swathe of stuff - yet to delve into specifics would just spoil the manifold of surprises; it's enough to hint that the various super villians revealed over the past year or so are merely the tip of the cameo iceberg, and that some killer twists permeate the tale...plus there's a shocking denouement with some truly Gotham-shaking deaths! Naturally, like Asyum, City never really ends though - and in true Rocksteady fashion both Bats and Selina have the chance to continue to prowl the mean streets to tie up the adventure's many loose ends.

 

And what mean streets they are, Akham establishing itself as a star in it's own right. Brooding, decrepit, terrifying...and bloody massive. On 360 & PS3, as you soar across it's dingy back streets and the destroyed beauty of its Unreal architecture, you'd be forgiven for thinking you're running the game off a high-end PC. Rocksteady aren't simply creative geniuses - they're technical boffins to boot. Arkham City's art design is several leagues above anything else on console...

 

Bat attack

Combat? It's near perfection. Asylum blessed gamers with the most dynamic, intuitive fighting engine in the videogame pantheon, but this sequel has somehow elevated fisicuffs to an entirely new level. Yep, really. Throw in the wealth of upgraded and fresh gadgets (smoke pellets and the line launcher FTW) and you've a system that's simple yet brutally satisfying for the uninitiated. Enemies don't simply come at you with fists, feet and firearms - but stun batons, shields, knives and body armour. Simply staying alive is a challenge, let alone bagging huge XP via chained combos. Button mashing is frowned upon;timed button presses are key and some fights are really tough - even on normal difficulty. The good news, though, is you'll only ever get a hiding because you messed up. It really is inspired stuff.

 

Asylum sneaker

Similarly, Stealth 2.0 dazzles; foes actively root the beleaguered Dark Knight out, fire-up thermal goggles to detect any Bats nestling in the rafters, detonate gargoyles with explosives, plant proximity mines to prevent any sneaky takedowns from behind...no fools, these fellas. Nevertheless, each environment also provides our hero with countless nifty ways to stalk and despatch his victims. Rocksteady have fairly riddled the various threat rooms with clever, XP-licious ways to down baddies - but they're never signposted and you will often miss them first time around. It''s gorgeous, understated design, and sweeping/ clearing a room like a true Batman is yet another reason to acquaint yourself with the wealth of Riddler's Revenge challenge maps you'll unlock throughout the adventure. Our personal stealthy highlight? The Mr Freeze boss fight, when Rocksteady (for the only time, it must be said) actively forces you to use each and every gadget, combat technique and environmental ploy at your disposal to take down your powerful foe. It's Batman personified,baby.

 

Yet another triumph is the addition of sultry Catwoman to the playable ranks. Her four short-but-sexy interludes to the main narrative are a joy - especially a later bank heist that culminates in a neat moral dilemma for the ordinarily-selfish Selina! The brooding soundtrack comes into its own here, with clever dynamic strains that really ratchet up the tension during key moments. Catwoman herself controls uniquely, has her own set of mechanics to master, her own Riddler trophies to collect and her own agenda to follow; in short, she feels anything but tacked-on. (By the way, we expect the payoff for snagging the complete set of trophies this time round to be truly epic, even if we personally didn't get close to the insane 440 on offer during our 30-hour stay in Arkham. Sorry, readers.)

 

Ivy League

Rocksteady have also been receptive to fan feedback for Asylum, and have gone about remedying the (few) flaws present in the original. Okay, so they patently couldn't resist bringing back the Titan-imbued thugs, but they're a pleasant diversion now rather than an all-consuming pain in the arse. Detective mode becomes AR (Augmented Reality) mode, and is all the better for not being quite so empowering. And, er, that's it really. If we've one real moan, it's that arguably - arguably, mind you - the sheer, batshit bonkers genius of Asylum's psychedelic Scarecrow sections is never quite recaptured here, though one or two (unmentionable!) encounters run it rather close. Considering the billions of bits when City stomps all over Asylum's stupid face though, it seems rather churlish to complain.

 

Rocksteady as she goes

We're also flat out in awe of the way Rocksteady has gone about cramming a mental number of epic set-pieces during the course of the lengthy, 15 hour-ish core narrative. A tip: it's always worth returning to 'completed' locations later in the adventure to enjoy a bonus cutscene or moreish slice of dialogue. Cheeky highlights, like overhearing Commissioner Gordon's Strike Team arguing amongst themselves after you've rescued them, encountering a cowering Jack Ryder in gang territory, chancing upon Scarecrow's discarded mask, opting whether to endure Cobblepot's taunts or sucker punch-silence his insults, or creeping back to an extremely miffed Poison Ivy's lair as Selina after the tale (tail?) has ended...they're achingly cute touches, elevating City from 'merely' a must-have to this gen's truly standard-bearing title.

 

A belated shout out too to the cast of this grand tale, with Penguin (an unrecognisable Nolan North!), Harly Quinn (Tara String) and the Joker (the incomparable Mark Hamill) surpassing themselves. Indeed,outside of Rockstar, this is some of the best vocal delivery we've ever had the pleasure to listen to. As in Arkham Asylum, some of the barbed mockery by various villians after Bats has bought the farm almost make dying worth it. We also had the pleasure of playing through a whopping chunk of the quest in steroscopic 3D. Having not been developed specifically for the third dimension a la Killzone 3 or Motorstorm; Apocalypse, it never quite screams 'buy a new telly!', but the heighted depth of field as you swoop and soar amongst Arkham's gothic architecture is absolutely worth experiencing if you can.

 

Mighty Quinn

There's so much more to say. Waynetech is now incredibly fleshed out, from upgrades (so many upgrades!) to character biogs to unlockable anecdotes that flesh out both the cast of the Arkham-verse. Every trophy, every beatdown, every political prisoner you rescue, crime scene you scour, balloon you Batarang, supervillian you apprehend - it all contributes to a tangible sense of working towards some greater whole. One minute you're Ryu, the next Ezio, then Sherlock Holmes, or Solid Snake...but in truth Batman eclipses all of them. Indeed, Batman: Arkham City's only rival is its esteemed forbearer, yet in terms of sheer ambition- the games-in-themselves side quests, the infinity more advanced fighting system - this sequel is immeasurably the superior game.

 

So, while we've more than enough content to keep us satisfied for the time being, thoughts invariably turn to the next item on Rocksteady's agenda. What chance Batman: Gotham City, with playable villains and - whisper it - an even heftier sandbox to prowl? GM says; bet your Batmobile on it, but in the meantime slink back and revel in one of the greatest games ever conceived. Bat's entertainment, alright.

 

Verdict:

 

Brave, brutal, brilliant - the gold standard by which all future videogames should be judged.

 

97%

Edited by love_handles1987
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I don't think anyone doubted it getting flawless score =D

 

I did, i thought they had packed in way to many villains. (See Spiderman 3, although the Venom in that made me want vomit!) I thought this game was going to be about 8-10 hours long which simply wouldnt have been enough time for all characters. Then i found out its like 30 hours long and all faith was restored. I guess i should never have doubted them after how good Arkham Asylum was. ;)

 

I cant explain my excitement for this game.

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I did, i thought they had packed in way to many villains. (See Spiderman 3, although the Venom in that made me want vomit!) I thought this game was going to be about 8-10 hours long which simply wouldnt have been enough time for all characters. Then i found out its like 30 hours long and all faith was restored. I guess i should never have doubted them after how good Arkham Asylum was. ;)

 

I cant explain my excitement for this game.

 

I know this game will not dissapoint but its been stated that this game will be 30 hours long? That's awesome!

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Story is 30 hours long, not counting Riddler challenges and side missions which add about 15 more hours. So yeah, it's awesome.

 

Plus the pass that comes with every new copy adds 4 hours of missions! :)

Batman Arkham City • Online Pass Brings More Catwoman Gameplay To Arkham City.

Edited by CoolDust
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-insert sarcasm- Oh only a 97% phhh thats pretty much giving it a zero.

 

 

seriously can't wait for this!!! i am still shocked at how much bigger the world is then Arkham Asylum. i just...need to rule it..

 

Thinking now, I wonder if it will all be loaded like AC, or will it load parts of the city when you enter it. Hmmm

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