Batman: Arkham Unhinged #3 (Comic)

Early last month, I took a look at the second issue of the Arkham Unhinged tie-in material for the outstanding Batman: Arkham City. While it managed to be a pretty good follow-up to the first issue, its art could have been better, since the odd penciling and inking proved to be distracting. This issue, which is very self-contained compared with the previous one, not only shows how well Derek Fridolfs can write Batman characters, but the art is also a better step in the right direction.

Before I truly begin, I want to say that I am aware of the length of time it is taking me to review the Arkham Unhinged issues. The thing is, I'd like to review them quicker, but at the same time I have other things going on and plenty of other reviews planned, be they video games or otherwise. At this point, it's the best I can do based on how I've prioritized things (the DmC comic in fact was reviewed before this because it was a collection of a completed comic, which has higher priority for review than a comic still being published).

The story of this issue, "Ruffled Feathers", deals this time with The Joker and The Penguin, more specifically their relations from the latter's point of view via narration (this is despite Joker being prominent on the cover). Basically, a deal conducted by The Penguin for supplies has gone awry, thanks to Joker's intervention. After scolding his remaining henchmen, Penguin decides to explain how his "no clowns" policy came into being. The execution of the plot in this manner creates a pattern that is obviously influenced by the book originally being in three digital parts, but it works well for separating the story into a good beginning, middle and end coupled with an effective framing device. What motivation is revealed for the aforementioned "no clowns" policy actually makes sense, since it's revealed that it has to do with Joker publicly humiliating Penguin, as Oswald Cobblepot, at the Iceberg Lounge. Based on how Penguin explains this, I can understand the animosity toward Joker and its influence on his actions. I'm not quite sure what to think of the last third of the book, since I'm not sure when during the game that could have happened, but it does end the story on an interesting note that seems to be there only to cement this animosity. Overall, the writing proves to continue being good.

Thankfully, the art is also up to par. This time, however, there are two pencilers, Simon Coleby and Bruno Redondo, whose art styles seem to better match the tone of the Arkhamverse than last issue. Gabe Eltaeb's coloring is also good, with darker colors to compliment the atmosphere nicely. The only chink in the art this time, I'd say, is the inking. I can't tell who of the three inkers, Coleby along with Santi Casas and Cliff Rathburn, did which section, but there's an odd bit of over-inking that seems to emphasize the circle around the eyes a little much, as well as making Penguin look just a little older than necessary (yeah, he's old, but come on). Still, I like the art better and I hope that this quality, with a little tweaking, persists in future issues.

Arkham Unhinged thus far hasn't been able to legitimately disappoint me in these rereads. The writing continues to be strong and the art has only gotten better (though it did hit a low last time, so it's more noticeable). The inking is a little off, but otherwise everything comes together well to create a Penguin-centirc issue that is worth reading to understand what's going through his mind during Arkham City.

Batman: Arkham Unhinged #2 (Comic)

Last month, I began reviewing the Arkham Unhinged series of tie-ins for Batman: Arkham City. The first issue left good impressions when I first read it last year, but I knew that I was going to keep buying the physical print issues no matter what. This leads me to my review of the second issue, in which I will try not to discuss how it compares to the first issue, but rather review it as a story on its own. Having reread it though, I noticed that while it did make some connections to previously reviewed material, it manages to do something different, though not entirely well.

The story this time, titled "Observations", concerns Commissioner Gordon, as seen on the cover (I didn't mention this last time, but if you notice from here on out, you can tell who will have the issue's focus based solely on the cover art). This time, there is a framing device in which Batman and Gordon are on a familiar roof discussing what they've managed to find out about Hugo Strange and his involvement with Arkham City. Since the story is laid out in this fashion, I found it to be a nice attempt at something different. The book not only manages to tell this story well, but does so without violating any previous established continuity, including a callback to the Arkham City digital material and what is basically an extension of the events of the first Arkham Unhinged issue. Derek Fridolfs manages to do a pretty good job once again within the limitations he is given.

Where this book begins to fall apart however is the interior art. The pencils and inks for the issue were done by Brian Ching and John Livesay respectively, and while it seems like they have an idea of what they're doing, it seems their combined skill can't even match Mark S. Miller (though I didn't really expect them to). The art seems to have a sort of webcomic feel to it, since the construction of each character's heads actually feels a bit off when they aren't conveniently covered up by a mask, as with the Tyger Guards, or cowl, as with Batman. Unfortunately, the problems don't stop there. As I went through the story, and through skimming through an additional time, I couldn't help but notice that Ching seems to have a problem with drawing eyes and mouths, since I only counted about eight panels with visible eyeballs and fewer with open mouths that weren't just parted lips. It kind of gives the feeling that the characters are speaking even though their mouths are closed the whole time (try to say "They've been thorough." without opening your mouth and you'll understand), as well as how clever Ching is in trying to hide what he can't draw, since when he does draw an open mouth he's pretty bad at it. There are specific panels where a bit of structural genius shines through, but those are few and far between, especially considering that there are a couple where Gordon's cigarette seems to float between his fingers and another where the fingers appear to be broken to fit a certain position. Livesay's inks and Tony Aviña's colors do a good job of making everything look better, but they can only do so much to salvage it.

While Derek Fridolfs continues to tell a pretty interesting story, it is the art that becomes the weak link. Thanks to the pencils, the art has some noticeable patterns in demonstrating what the artist can't do, and yet it is clear that Ching can do a layout pretty well. Though this issue is overall not as good as the first, it's still worth picking up for some nice background information on the events before the start of the game.

Batman: Arkham Unhinged #1 (Comic)

Soon after reviewing the amazing Batman: Arkham City video game, I learned of the existence of a tie-in comic called Batman: Arkham Unhinged. I had already read the Batman: Arkham City comic, and later reviewed it, but I was curious enough to pick up this book, especially since I had enjoyed the game and wanted to read the expanded universe. As promised in my review of Batman: Arkham City - End Game, I'm finally going to share my opinion of the Arkham Unhinged material, though I have opted from the start to review each print issue individually. The reason for this is that even though they all have the same writer, each story is pretty self-contained and the artist, and by extension the art quality, varies between issues. Today, we'll be taking a look at Arkham Unhinged #1 to see how well it creates a first impression.

The story of this issue, titled "Inside Job", takes place before the events of the game and, according to the credits, is based on a teleplay by Marly Halpern-Graser. At this point in time, Two-Face and Catwoman are the only criminals who have not yet been taken by Tyger guards to the recently constructed prison known as Arkham City. After Selina Kyle suits up, she receives a call from Harvey Dent, who has decided that she will go to the prison instead of him. Just then, a group of Tyger guards invade her apartment in an attempt to capture her, but she manages to fight back and flee through a window before they are able to react. As she witnesses her wall safe being emptied, she encounters Batman, who plans to take her out of the city. Inside the Batmobile, she decides she'd rather get her stuff back before trying to leave with the masked vigilante.

Inside Job goes at a pretty good pace, wisely spending its 30 pages setting up the background for Catwoman's story in the game proper. As I was reading, I began to understand why Catwoman felt animosity towards Two-Face and why it was important that her side of the story play out the way it did. Though the story was conceived by Marly Halpern-Graser, Paul Crocker and Sefton Hill, Derek Fridolfs manages to channel their idea into a script that reads pretty well. Everyone's personalities worked well on each panel and I could hear the character's voice actors saying each line, at the same time mentally fitting it neatly with the game proper. In the end, I have no real complaints story-wise and don't really have any major questions about events. The only thing I will say however is that I know it collects three digital issues, and at certain points I could tell where a section might have been from those digital issues, which just gives it the effect of being slightly awkward.

Aside from the good cover art by Dave Wilkins, the interior art by Mark S. Miller, with colors by Gabe Eltaeb, really fits the art style of the games and is great to look at. However, I do have some issues with it. While the characters feel like they do in the games, there are some things that come off as a little awkward and actually feels like it was meant to be a digital comic. Miller's art is definitely meant to work for specific lighting and angles, since sometimes the texture of the lines doesn't seem quite right, like a shot of Hugo Strange where it almost feels a little too smooth. Batman also has a rather awkward pose at one point, which may be good perspective wise, but just feels plain odd with all of the elements that are in the shot; this is to say nothing of the one panel that makes it look like he might have an 8-pack chest (or maybe there are different muscles highlighted as well, I'll admit I'm not an expert when it comes to that).

The majority of my complaints are directed at Catwoman, since she gets the most screen time. Sometimes, her expressions seem a little off, though I can't quite put my finger on why. It's not that they make her unattractive, it's more like they seem a little too expressive (ex. mouth open a little too wide). Then there's her figure. I'll admit, even in this comic she's easily one of the hottest characters in the DC universe; the comic even takes every opportunity it can to show off her cleavage without being spine-breaking in posture (so props for that). Unfortunately, I have something to say that's a little hard for me to admit, but here goes: her breasts seem a little too big. I'm going to ignore that the size is a little different from her appearance in the game, it's more of an issue of practicality regarding her flexibility and stealth. There's one scene that depends on her to drop down from a corner to knock out a Tyger guard, but I think gravity would have made that feat more difficult. Big breasts can be a sign of how powerful a woman is in a fictional universe, at least according to the "Boobs of Steel" trope, but the size just doesn't seem to suit her and I'm a little surprised that no one tried to disarm her by taking advantage of that weak point. But I play stealth games, so what do I know?

Overall, this comic is a pretty good example of what a tie-in comic should do. It uses the characters rather well and gives a solid background for one of the sub-plots in the game proper. However, the art, while commendable, is a little disappointing in some areas. Still, I felt that Mark S. Miller clearly has some real talent and Derek Fridolfs proves that he can write something well for an expanded universe story without Paul Dini (the scriptwriter for both Arkhamverse games). If you've played the game and see this issue either in print or online through a reputable vendor, do yourself a favor and pick it up. I think you'll find the three dollars to be well spent.

Batman: Arkham City - End Game (Comic)

For my next Batman comic review, I'm going to take a look at Batman: Arkham City - End Game. The reason I'm doing this next and not Arkham Unhinged is because that comic is multiple issues and I plan on reviewing each of them separately, so I wanted to get the later released one-shot out of the way. While the tie-in comics reviewed on this blog are either prequels or transition between two games, End Game, the comic I'm going to review here, is actually an epilogue, taking place after the events of the Arkham City video game. This was my first time reading a comic that's meant to be placed in that part of a game's continuity, so it was a rather unique experience to see how it goes beyond the ending. Suffice it to say, I have mixed feelings on the book.

First, I'd like to get the premise out of the way. Due to the absolutely spoileriffic nature of it, I'll try to be brief and avoid discussing the ending as much as I can, but I'm still going to put that information in white text in case someone still hasn't played the game yet. After The Joker's death in Arkham City, Batman and Commissioner Gordon discuss the aftermath as they look over the body, wondering if that which is before them is truly the end. In the meantime, Harley Quinn is captured by a detective and taken to Arkham City, only to end up taking the doctors hostage and take over the steel mill once again. Batman goes to investigate, but finds out that the nightmare in Arkham City isn't quite over yet.

As for the execution, I think that Derek Fridolfs is able to showcase his writing ability rather well, since he has some creative freedom. However, there are a couple of limitations that create a couple of hiccups. For one thing, he's held back anyway by the potential for another Arkham game, so he can't go too far with his plans. The ideas that he has for an epilogue are actually really interesting and have a lot of potential, but it seems that he couldn't make that entirely work over the course of 64 pages (yes, this book is 64 pages long). He spends a good part of it recapping the ending of its parent game and when he gets the ball rolling, it just feels like there's something missing, as though he could have put some more meat on the bones. Certain sections feel a little rushed, and though that doesn't detract from the overall work, I do know that the story isn't perfect. Perhaps balancing the recap with the new material better would have made the story a little stronger.

Then there's the artwork by Jason Shawn Alexander, with colors by Lee Loughridge. Jason Alexander clearly has talent when it comes to art and I really mean that. He knows how to set up the mood and keep it consistent throughout and even makes The Joker look really creepy. However, the style that he employs in this book doesn't work the whole way. It starts out looking pretty interesting, even if it doesn't completely match the style of Arkham City that closely. In some areas though, like placing a weird effect on Harley's nose line and the very stylized approaches made to display The Joker's psychotic nature on the outside, the art seems to fall apart a little. This is also due in part to the coloring, which makes the city look more dismal than it ought to thanks to the dingy colors and gratuitous use of the color brown. If anything, I'd say this duo is suited well to illustrate a horror comic, but I'll take what I can get here and at least they did a consistent job of it. In the end, I'd say they weren't that bad as choices anyway.

Overall, Batman: Arkham City - End Game is a rather interesting comic. Its approach to detailing an epilogue of a video game is rather unique, at least from my own experience, and there's a very interesting idea here. However, it's marred a little by story limitations and somewhat unfitting artwork. Newcomers are advised to stay away from this comic, since playing the game is an absolute necessity and fans of Arkham City will definitely need to check it out. On the other hand, its asking price of $6.99 (seriously) is a little steep for what you get, even if being 64 pages long justifies a higher than normal price point (for comparison, an average DC comic is priced at $2.99 unless it's a popular title like Batman or Superman, in which case it's $3.99). Though I would recommend this to fans of Arkham City, you should also consider for a moment whether or not you feel it would be worth spending seven dollars on this book.

Batman: Arkham City (Comic)

In our endeavor to review comic book tie-ins to video games, I immediately knew exactly what I should be trying to talk about, only to unfortunately never get around to actually doing it until now: Batman. Batman is one of my favorite heroes and not only have I played both Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, but I've also been keeping up with the comics that tie into the latter (as well as reading Scott Snyder's run on Batman, a New 52 title that I highly recommend). While I had been planning to cover these comics for the longest time, I will now, beginning with this post, finally discuss my opinions of these works, including how well I feel they fit into the canon presented by the games (it's been a good while since I last played though, so more often than not it may get a free pass if it really doesn't fit and I'm unaware). So with this introduction out of the way, let's begin with the first Batman: Arkham City comic.

Although I own the individual issues of this comic, I will be reviewing it based on the hardback collection since I re-read it from that source.

Following the events of Batman: Arkham Asylum, The Joker is now back in his cell looking back on how Batman had defeated him. Even with Joker back in Arkham though, Batman's not done dealing with the substance known as Titan, as it is currently in use by a brother and sister duo, the Trasks, who were formerly under the command of Two-Face. Batman goes to Two-Face for information about the duo that could help him on this case, which leads him to the ground breaking ceremony of the new Gotham City Hall. While the dark knight is able to stop the Trasks from causing the desired death toll, Mayor Sharp announces the construction of Arkham City, which is to be Arkham Asylum on a larger scale to contain prisoners of both Arkham and Blackgate. Something seems fishy about this, so Batman decides to investigate, uncovering a much grander scheme at work.

This story, penned by Paul Dini, does a really good job at not only bridging the gap between Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, but also advancing a plot in itself. The time frame jumps forward a little between issues, but there is still a continuing plot that feels like a true Batman story, highlighting the caped crusader's detective skills in a good balance with his fighting prowess. I love how everyone is in character the whole time, no doubt helped by the fact that Dini had written the story for both Arkham games, so while reading the dialogue I could actually imagine the proper voices in my head (the video game cast in this case), even The Joker's. The story does seem written for the trade due to its rather quick pace, but this isn't such that you'd want to curse out the writer, since there is still a bit of story depth to make up for this.

Thankfully, the artwork by Carlos D'Anda, with colors by Gabe Eltaeb is simply fantastic. The style is very consistent and creates an atmosphere a little unique to Batman, which displays the sort of synergy that writers and artists should have more often. I also liked the consistent character designs and proportions for the fact that not only are they consistent with each issue, and for the most part the games, but they also feel more alive. The environments are also impressively detailed and have a certain touch that helps them feel more visually distinct; I know exactly where each character is because it feels like it was mapped out and they stayed true to it. Plus, the effects are applied well, assisting the atmospheric feeling and even complementing the characters that occupy them. Of particular note is a series of splash pages at the end of the final issue that each highlight a certain character, with each position and background seemingly crafted to bring out their unique personalities. The action is coordinated well and I can easily tell how each character is feeling in each scenario.

Cover art for Issue 1.

As for how the issues are laid out in the hardcover, the covers are actually present, which helps to break the action nicely. Personally I feel that for the way the story is written, taking the covers out would have created a terrible way to go between each issue, since time doesn't flow uninterrupted between them. Plus, there's an opportunity to show off the gorgeous cover art by D'Anda and Eltaeb, which are good at hinting at the events of each issue as well as putting emphasis on certain characters and traits.

While I'm discussing the hardcover collection, I'd like to give my thoughts on the included Arkham City Digital Chapters, which were previously collected in a special comic that came with the video game. Since each chapter is only eight pages long, there won't be much to say on them, but I'm doing it anyway. All of them have give the story credit to Paul Dini and script to Derek Fridolfs, except for the last one with complete writing credit to Fridolfs, which helps them all tie in to the game in a way that feels canon. Each story gives the spotlight to a different character, with narration by them to help the reader get into their head: "Hugo Strange" does this for Professor Hugo Strange (obviously); "Cut and Run" with The Carpenter; "Riddle Me" for The Riddler; "Guardian Angel" for Robin (Tim Drake); and "Fall of the Titan" with Bane. I think Fridolfs did a good job in writing these characters and he seems like a good man to trust with this continuity.

But while the characterization for these chapters is all consistent thanks to having a universal writer, it is the art that is different between each of them. The artists, Dustin Nguyen, Ben Herrera, Ted Naifeh, Roger Robinson and Adam Archer for chapters one through five respectively, manage to give each one a unique and appropriate atmosphere, but it is a little more in line with a quality where you can easily say "digital comic" if you look at it. That is not to say that they are bad, it's just that they aren't quite on the same level to me as D'Anda's artwork for the main series; then again, I'm pretty sure that it wasn't supposed to be. The individual styles actually help make each story feel unique and actually showcase each artist pretty well. I can easily see them doing more digital material in the future.

In the end, Batman: Arkham City is an amazing tie-in to a perfect video game. The characters are consistent, the story is suspenseful and the art is simply fantastic. The hardcover collection is also really good at holding it all together and it's nice to have some extra content as well to make the investment feel more worthwhile. If you were to try and get the entire comic right now, I would tell you to buy the hardcover, since you'll also get the digital chapters as a nice addition. Plus, there's also a gallery of concept art for the game in the back as a bonus, which is always fun to look at. The comic is admittedly more written for people who have actually played the game, but fellow Batman fans may get a kick out of it as well; only consider a purchase if you fall into either of those groups.

2011 - The Highlights (EHeroFlareNeos)

With 2012 upon us, it's time to look forward to what we can enjoy in the new year. However, this is also the perfect time to look back at what releases made 2011 so great, as well as others that didn't quite hold up. Below is my list of the top movies, games and disappointments of the year (in no particular order), along with links to the reviews of each title on this blog for further reading.

Top Movies of 2011

Captain America: The First Avenger
Among Marvel Studio's run of contributions to comic book movies, Captain America is easily one of the best. With a great cast and a greater emphasis on the title hero's original time period, this film provides a great balance of action, comedy, and drama to stand as one which all Superhero movies should aspire to be. If other studios took notes from this, then the comic book movie would definitely blossom into a much more widespread and competent genre than it is now.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
If you're like me and have read the Harry Potter series of books since you were a child, then you were no doubt looking forward to seeing this movie for years. As an adaptation and continuation, it sticks very closely to the book and yet manages to make the final fight against the powerful Voldemort even more of a spectacle worthy of cinema. It served as a fitting conclusion to the franchise, save for perhaps the epilogue, and I'm very happy to be able to say my final goodbye to the boy who lived.


Kung Fu Panda 2
As one of the few movies from Dreamworks Animation that feels worthy of being called a movie, Kung Fu Panda 2 shows just what the studio is capable of creating without stuffing a film with dated pop cultural references. In addition it stands as a great modern martial arts flick, with plenty of over the top action and lore to keep the action fan in you satisfied, combined with a great blend of humor and character development to leave you wanting more.


The Artist
As a black & white silent film, The Artist sticks out among every other movie released in the past few decades. When viewing it as a movie in general, it is a masterpiece of cinema that lets the audience learn not only what life was like for stars during the transition from silent films to talkies in the earlier days of Hollywood, but also that sometimes a movie doesn't need to be filled to the brim with special effects and sound to be enjoyable. It is one of the few films I have ever cried at as much as I did during one especially emotional scene and also one of the few that gave me time to actually care about what happened to the characters onscreen. I would encourage anyone interested in this era of film making to watch this masterful throwback to a time where less was more.

Top Video Games of 2011

Batman: Arkham City
For a studio with only two other games under their belt, it is very clear how passionate Rocksteady is about Batman. With an absolutely powerful script penned by Paul Dini, fantastic performances by Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy, improved combat, and plenty of incentive to explore the titular city, Batman: Arkham City is a game that literally no one with a gaming system should pass up. For me personally, it stands as a great contender for the best video game I have ever played, though it is safe to say I feel that way regarding Superhero games in general.


Dead Space 2
While Dead Space 2 may reside in a genre I would normally avoid, it managed to build up the right atmosphere and tension to get me sucked into the action onscreen. Having to retrain yourself to shoot the limbs instead of the head also brings out the player's more tactical side in a great effort to stay alive in space. If more games like this and Bulletstorm existed to help introduce more variety in this fashion, then there would probably be more worthy single player campaigns out there for the FPS genre today.

Portal 2
While the original Portal was a very short game, it also provided plenty of entertainment to make repeat trips into Aperture Science enjoyable every single time. For the sequel, Valve Software managed not only to retain what made the first one fun, they made the overall experience even better. From expert integration of Cross-console Co-op to wildly fun new game mechanics, there is hardly anything this game gets wrong.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
As action games continue to set the bar in video games, the Uncharted franchise will continue to vault over it. Drake's Deception not only defines what is possible to display on PS3, but also sets a new limit on how many setpiece moments you can put in a game without taking away from an outstanding plot and characters. While at least one mechanic hiccups despite improvements to combat, there is a lot to like about Uncharted 3 for PS3 owners, even if the series is just starting to feel a little formulaic at its core.

Top Disappointments of 2011

Cars 2
Right off the heels of Toy Story 3, Cars 2 is a perfect example of what happens when you make a sequel with the sole purpose of selling more merchandise. This movie is not only a drastic drop in quality from most of Pixar's earlier works, it takes a swan dive through every spy movie cliche imaginable and heads straight toward the number in the title. Hopefully their next project, Brave, will restore faith in Pixar enough to help audiences pretend this one never existed.

Green Lantern
While I hadn't been looking forward to this film as much as I did the ones coming out from Marvel Studios, I at least wanted to see if Warner Bros. could help satiate my interest in Superhero movies in between releases. Unfortunately, the overemphasis on loud visuals and constant exposition seemed to really make this the blackest night for its genre in 2011.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations
I wanted to like Assassin's Creed: Revelations after my buildup of playing every other game, really I did. But when you take the increased emphasis on Multiplayer, abysmally incorporated Den Defense, and zero incentive to take advantage of bomb crafting into account, it creates a game that, while more enjoyable than Brotherhood, almost looks like a mess when you look at the big picture. With 2012 comes a new protagonist to the Assassin's Creed franchise, and hopefully one whose story isn't nearly forgotten in the pursuit of attracting the multiplayer crowd.

Batman: Arkham City - The Best Superhero Anything Ever

Cropped PC box art, because the internet rejected the NTSC PS3 box art for some strange reason.

After playing the masterpiece known as Batman: Arkham Asylum, I wasn't really sure what to expect from Arkham City. I mean, I had a vague idea of what would happen based on tidbits provided of the story and characters to appear, but I didn't know what direction the game would go in or how it would play out. Until last week, that was all a mystery that I spent a long time solving. The finished product has turned out to be so good by its own merits and as a sequel that I really don't know where to begin.

Perhaps I should begin with the combat. While the overall system retains familiarity from Arkham Asylum, it feels much more like a rhythmic dance where you learn more steps as you go. The general flow is fantastic, and combined with the ability to quick-fire more of the Dark Knight's gadgets made it feel more natural as well. Bruce Wayne gets to show off his full strength, but you also get the opportunity to fight strategically. Not only are there more enemy types to contend with that have a specific weakness, such as stunning a shield-bearing enemy with the cape and then dropping on them from behind, but there are instances where you have to keep an enemy conscious in order to interrogate them for the locations of Riddler secrets.

Not only is combat brilliantly done, but the enemies are also a bit smarter this time around. Not only will they now check around an unconscious body for Batman's hiding spot, they will even adapt to a certain extent, eliminating gargoyles gradually should you let them. It's also fun to listen to their dialogue, as with Arkham Asylum, since they not only have their own stories to tell but they can also fill you in on minor events in the story and give a unique insight on what goes down within the walls of the city-turned-asylum. In the times where Batman is a predator in the night, the dev team really made it satisfying to outsmart a room full of armored thugs.

And on the subject of the gadgets, much of them are carried over from the last game along with some new additions. These are mapped well onto the d-pad, allowing one to switch between them as they see fit. Weapons such as a freeze bomb or a remote disarming tool find practical use in not only combat, but also completing Riddler challenges and finding his trophies around the entirety of the city.

Since I've mentioned Riddler challenges a couple of times already, it's about time I clarified by stating that there is a lot you can do in this game, and I mean a lot. Not only are there a staggering 440 Riddler challenges to complete in the more open world of Arkham City, but plenty of side missions where the player gets to interact with more of Batman's lengthy rogues gallery, including the lesser known Mad Hatter, Deadshot, and Calendar Man (I am not intimately familiar with Batman's history or his fanbase, so I don't know how obscure some of these enemies are to them). Those who play a game to get 100% completion may like the fact that they'll be inside the city for a long time; I must have played the game for tens of hours and I've only completed about 43% of the game so far. This was what I liked about the game, since I really felt like I was getting my money's worth, but I was a little disappointed that the stat screen didn't tell me how long I was playing (otherwise I'd be able to give a more exact time estimate).

I realize that I've gone this far without talking about the story, penned by none other than Paul Dini. I can't exactly say too much about it, as it's very twist-laden, but I can tell you this much: The game hits, or maybe even punches you, right off the bat with a killer twist. Hugo Strange already knows that Batman is Bruce Wayne. He will stop at nothing to be able to tell the world about it, to the point of capturing him in an attempt to break him psychologically. However, Bruce manages to fight his way out into the open and suit up, beginning a string of events that all build tension towards the big mystery of the game, with layers of intrigue, alliances, and rivalries, as Batman also tries to find out just what Protocol 10 is. Sadly, I can only go this far without spoiling the plot, at least on his side of the story.

It may not be a surprise to some of you, but Catwoman is now a playable character as well. Rather than give her her own story mode, the brilliant decision was made to have her part in the events be interwoven near flawlessly into the story. While it's great to see how her sections help explain minor events in the overall plot, it's even more fun to control her. Compared to Batman's powerful approach to fighting, Catwoman makes him seem slow by comparison. This is probably helped by putting less emphasis on gadgetry, since she has all the tools a cat burglar would need or be able to fit into her tight suit, and instead diverting focus to her speed in combat that more than makes up for her lack of strength. In another stark contrast to the Dark Knight's style, Catwoman's preferred method of clearing a room seems to have more of a stealth approach in mind, which made pretty good sense considering she can climb across ceilings with specific surfaces.

While I do praise the Catwoman segments, I must bring up that accessing her can only be done through an online pass. As I acknowledge that this is rather unfortunate for those who wish to purchase the game used, I would recommend those people to either try and pick up a new copy to avoid paying for her separately, or purchase a used copy at GameStop where everyone will get a Catwoman code regardless of condition. In any case, you should definitely download her to have the complete experience.

The one thing the game manages to do very well overall, besides looking absolutely gorgeous, is building and keeping a suspenseful atmosphere, with a good score to compliment the tension. When there is a lot going on at once, it's easy to get the feeling that you never know who will need saving next or where a villain will strike. It helps that the ever-twisting plot thread successfully kept me on the edge of my seat. Aside from this, there are very smartly placed symbolic imagery. It's moments like when Catwoman manages to steal from Hugo Strange only to be torn between the loot and saving Batman, with her decision symbolized by the red and green directional arrows on the ground suddenly representing her karma or finding the exact location where Bruce's parents died so he can pay his respects that really help to establish the city itself as a character in its own right.

Now, after looking back on all that went on in the game, I can say that Batman: Arkham City is not only the absolute best licensed video game on the market, but perhaps even the best video game I have ever played in my entire life. With a near perfect arrangement of elements, excellent voice acting and characters, and an ending that hits you effectively with the emotional impact of a meteor, Arkham City is a game that elevates Batman to a new high that will be hard to top for quite a good while. It is, quite simply, a game that absolutely no one with the technology in their possession with the capability to play a video game should even think about missing out on.