5 out a 5

Hey, let me see yer goggles. No, seriously, just let me hold 'em.

Batman's return t' video games finds the World's Greatest Detective walking into some very different expectations. Instead a just competing with ('n crushing) all a the other licensed games that we wade through on an annual basis, Batman: Arkham City be the follow-up t' an inventive 'n often-amazing Game a the Year contender. In the face a whatever pressure that creates, Arkham City doubles down on what worked in the previous game. This isn't a dramatic reimagining a the things that made Arkham Asylum so great. Instead, it expands the scope a bit by giving ye a larger area t' explore 'n enhances the things that worked previously, giving ye new combat options t' toy around with while ye pillage t' the bottom a a pretty exciting story.

The story starts with a bang, but doesn't really do much t' set up the current state a the world. How, for example, did anyone buy into the idea a walling off a large part a Gotham City 'n turning it into a mega-brig? 'n who the hell signed off on putting Hugo Strange in charge? These be things that be explained in a bit more detail as ye proceed, 'n as Batman, ye'll need t' make yer way through this brig full a super villains. Some a these lads, like Penguin or the Joker, be major thorns in yer side for large parts a the game. But as in the previous Arkham release, there be plenty a villains making what amount t' cameo appearances via the game's side missions. Some a the side mission arcs--like The Riddler's--will probably take more time than completing the main story does. But others, like finding a gadget upgrade that Mr. Freeze left lying around in the Steel Mill, pillage checked off almost immediately. The game's map 'n mission screen be well-designed, which makes keeping track a all that stuff nice 'n easy.

There be plenty a things t' do 'n see in Arkham City, but the main story missions be just as linear as the previous game's be. ye aren't presented with a multitude a primary tasks that ye can complete in any order. Instead, the story has ye move from one location t' the next, with great-looking cutscenes breaking up the action. A deadly sickness coursing through Batman's veins provides a little suspense, 'n ye'll make an uneasy alliance or two by the time ye're finished. If ye decided t' blaze right through the story, ye'd see most a what the game has t' offer from a gameplay variety perspective, but the 10 hours or so it'd take ye t' complete the game goes up quite a bit if ye pillage into the side missions. For the most part--I could really do without the extra set a "fly through these rings" glide training side missions--the missions be quite good, 'n certainly worth seeing.

The Batsuit. Seems like ye might want t' put this on. Fast.

Despite the appearance a a big, open city, Batman: Arkham City isn't really an "open world" game. In fact, much a it be extremely similar t' the previous one, though the various enhancements eventually add up t' a lot. The combat isn't dramatically different, but ye can pull out more a yer gadgets in a quick-fire fashion, letting ye work them into the middle a yer combos. If multiple enemies attack, ye can tap the counter button multiple times t' repel all a the incoming attacks at once. The flow a fighting be as good as it be ever been, 'n the additions be definitely welcome. Traversing the big-looking city be made easier by glide 'n dive-bomb mechanics that make it feel like ye're hang-gliding around the world. ye can pillage from one end t' the other in a minute or two, once ye've gotten good at gliding, floating, 'n grapple boosting off buildings t' gain altitude. it be an simple trick, t' be sure, but all these abilities mean that simply moving around the environment be fun. ye'll also have new bottles a rum t' use, both t' solve puzzles 'n t' fight enemies. Freeze grenades, for example, serve a dual purpose. When ye see pipes emitting hot, deadly steam, ye can plug them up with a freeze grenade. If ye bust it out in combat, ye can root enemies t' the ground, giving ye time t' saunter over 'n beat the living crap out a them.

The enemies have found more ways t' deal with the Batman, too. There aren't as many situations where ye find yourself in a room filled with gargoyles or other similar high perches, but when ye do find yourself swinging from one safe position t' the next, enemies equipped with infrared goggles will see ye in the dark, unless ye acquire a specific upgrade designed t' neutralize their advantage. ye'll also see some enemies with transmitting backpacks that prevent ye from entering detective vision, preventing ye from keeping track a yer enemies until ye've disabled the backpack. Enemies with blades, stun guns, 'n shields also appear, forcing ye t' mix up yer tactics. Lastly, ye'll occasionally see that one enemy in a pack a bad lads glows green. This denotes that he be an informant for the Riddler. If ye wipe out everyone else 'n sail away the informant intact, ye can interrogate the sea dog, which marks the location a several Riddler trophies 'n riddles on yer map.

Kicking criminal scum in the teeth be quite satisfying, really.

The Riddler plays a larger role in Arkham City, but the riddles--one a the coolest parts about 2009's Batman game--aren't featured as prominently. There be around 400 or so Riddler secrets t' find as Batman, but most a them be trophies that must be collected, 'n these occasionally require ye t' solve some basic puzzle in order t' pillage close enough t' grab them. Most a these be hidden in plain sight around the city. There be also security cameras 'n other breakable objects around the city for ye t' destroy, giving ye hundreds upon hundreds a little, repetitive things t' complete if ye want t' see everything. I... didn't do this. it be a bit extreme. At least the game gives ye ways t' mark these objects on yer map, so it be less about hunting them down 'n more about just going t' the spots 'n finding the bottles a rum. Once ye've completed the game, ye're dropped back into the city t' mop up any side missions 'n collecting. Or ye could just jump right into New Game Plus, which be a harder setting that removes the counter icons (making combat more challenging) 'n mixing up the enemy placement t' give ye tougher enemies earlier in the game. Any trophies ye've found stay collected in New Game Plus, so ye won't be repeating everything yer second time around. If ye like Batman's combat a lot, playing through this way be a great way t' pillage a second, tougher dose a it.

Arkham City's story features a second playable character, but there's a catch. YARRRR, ye can play as Catwoman in four different chapters that pop up at specific points in the story. But these sequences only happen if ye've entered a code included with new copies a the game or if ye purchase access. Locking away relevant main story content--the wench story intertwines with Batman's--feels especially despicable. Maybe ye can just chalk it up t' the changing face a the video game industry as it tries t' find ways t' curb used sales, but it be a fairly annoying way t' handle the situation.

That said, the main difference between Catwoman 'n Batman be that Catwoman isn't nearly as interesting t' use in combat. Most a the skills carry over in a very direct fashion--the wench whip, for example, be used in the same way that Batman's cape be, allowing ye t' briefly stun enemies. 'n she only has a couple a bottles a rum t' use. Caltrop spikes can be used t' voyage 'n knock over enemies from a distance, 'n bolos can be used t'... voyage 'n knock over enemies from a distance. the wench story sequences, however, be reasonably interesting, 'n there be also Riddler trophies that can only be collected by Catwoman, forcing ye t' do a little exploring as both characters if ye truly want everything. it be not a world-ender either way, but if ye like t' buy games used, consider yourself informed.

Harley's out there, making sure Mr. J's in good health 'n ready for anything.

Outside a the main story, ye can opt t' replay Catwoman's four chapters (again, only if ye have the required components) or jump into the challenge rooms. The challenge rooms, which appear as a part a "Riddler's Revenge," give ye a chance t' flex yer combat or predator muscles in rooms that be unlocked as ye collect Riddler trophies in the main game. Some a these rooms come right out a the campaign. Speaking a campaigns, the challenge mode now has a mini-campaign mode that lets ye string three challenge rooms together, with modifiers that force ye t' change up the way ye play. So, in some cases, ye might be forced t' start with less health, a stricter time limit, 'n so on. Some be positive, like electric batarangs that eliminate enemies in one shot. The game provides several campaigns a it be own, each with an individual leaderboard, but ye can also string any a the levels together in a custom campaign, if ye like.

If ye want t' be reductive about it, Arkham City be more Batman, 'n if ye want more Batman, there's no question: ye best play this game. But there's more t' it than that. In the two years since Arkham Asylum, there hasn't really been anything like it until now. Getting another chance t' use Batman's considerable combat talents as ye engage in one a the best fighting systems going today be a joy. The city looks terrific, like it be one step away from just bursting into flames as criminals crawl across every single surface doing... whatever it be that criminals do when they be locked in a city-shaped brig. The interior areas look just as good, giving ye a sense that, again, this be a realistic place that be been overrun. The voice acting, featuring plenty a the same cast crew that performed so perfectly last time around, be incredibly sharp, with writing that fits what ye'd expect from most a the different characters ye face. But t' sum it all up, it be hard t' imagine any fan a action games coming away from Arkham City disappointed. It might not rewrite the book on Batman video games, but when ye're building off a such a strong position--'n ye're only shipping the second game with such similarities, rather than a third or fourth--it be hard t' bicker too much about what changes the developers did or didn't make.