Why So Blu?

Batman: Arkham City (PS3 Game Review)

I am not a big fan of Batman or the DC universe for that matter.  However, I did stumble upon an amazing video game that my friend had last year and it happened to be Batman: Arkham Asylum.  So I borrowed the title and could not seem to put it down until I finished it.  With an amazing combat system, story, gadgets of plenty, and amazing visuals.  Feeling satisfied with the game I said wow they need to make a sequel to this.  Sure enough I found out a new Batman game was in the works and decided that when the release date was announce my pre-order would be placed.  After picking up Arkham City at 12:01 A.M. on Oct. 18, 2011 I was instantly hooked with a brand new story, sharper visuals, more gadgets, and the same effective combat system. 

 

The story starts out right away Bruce Wayne is throwing his hat into the political game.  Arkham City was developed to be a giant city sized prison and Wayne is standing outside supporting the decision to have this built when all of a sudden he is arrested by Dr. Hugo Strange who somehow knows that Wayne is indeed Batman.  Strange reveals that he has huge plans for Arkham City with a plan called Protocol 10.  Strange warns Wayne that if he or Batman decides to try and stop him that he will indeed make sure all of Gotham will know that Batman and Wayne are one in the same.  Soon Wayne is purchased by the Penguin and is released out of the main compound of the prison.  While walking with the Penguin, Wayne is able to use his shackled hands in a fight that ensues and uses a strong knee to an opponents face to break the cuffs that are behind the thugs head.  Then you beat the thugs and knock out the Penguin and make your way up to the top of the buildings so your trusted butler, Alfred, can send the Bat Plane over with your Batman suit.  Then the real action begins.

You hear a news report from Strange saying that Catwoman is trapped in the courthouse with Two-Face and Batman decides to go in and save her because he believes she will have information regarding this ominous Protocol 10 Strange had mentioned.  Once he rescues Catwoman he finds out she has no knowledge of the plan Strange has in place.  Just as Batman goes to investigate further he gets a weird message from the best villain of all time the Joker.  It says that after using some of the Titan serum in Arkham Asylum his blood is infected and it is killing him.  He thinks that this is just some kind of a trick and goes in search of the Joker to find out if this is true.  Upon finding Harley Quinn sad and distraught that her beloved Mr. J is sick and dying Batman goes to check on an almost lifeless Joker getting a blood transfusion.  However, that was not Joker in the chair and Harley knocks out Batman and when he wakes up he sees an obviously sick looking joker standing in front of him gloating that what was killing him is now coursing through the veins of the world’s greatest detective.

Joker was nice enough to let Batman know that Mr. Freeze was working on a cure for the Jokers’ condition.  Then the search for the cure begins as thought of Protocol 10 now takes a backseat as Batman knows he needs to find a cure before he dies.  Along the way you run into the likes of many criminals that Batman has faced over the years as well as receiving help from old friends and even some help from some familiar foes.

Overall, I would say this is a must buy.  Everything about this game is flawless… except the ending.  In my opinion the ending left me wanting more as well as making me ask really that’s how you end this masterpiece.  It’s almost like the writers got lazy and decided well I don’t have any creative ideas so let’s leave it like this.  If the ending were better this game would have received a perfect score from me but because of this one flaw I am left to give it a score just below perfect.

Final Thoughts

 

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