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[skit_data]

Holy shit this game is such as let down again.
I played Arkham City on release (one of my first and therefore last pre-orders). It really is the worst in the Arkham Trilogy.

I originally played this when it released because I loved the original Arkham Asylum game, it really invigorated Batman as a medium in the gaming sphere. It is a stellar first installment, but holy god is Arkham City overrated. It’s too short, you get stuck in detective mode looking for shit for like forever and Arkham Knight is sooo much better.

96 on Metacritic. It simply boggles my mind. I replayed it because I forgot most of my first playthrough (I was stoned like 90% of that playthrough) and in the back of my mind I always thought ”was Arkham City really that good? The reviews said it was crazy good” and now that I returned to I it ”No it wasn’t that good. It was slightly above average. A chore at some points”.

Has anyone replayed this recently? Does this really deserve a 96 Metacritic rating? Am I crazy? I’d say Arkham City is a 85 at best. I think its easily the weakest in the trilogy (havent played Origins, so ignore that one) and I can’t understand how the hell it got so revered as a game.

For context I replayed it on PS5 (i.e the PS4:s ”Return to Arkham” version.

 

[SkylineRKR]

Its about 10 years since I last played it, but I thought it was excellent and the best one of the lot. A patched up Origins would likely be my number one.

 

[skit_data]

Its about 10 years since I last played it, but I thought it was excellent and the best one of the lot. A patched up Origins would likely be my number one.

Gotta play Origins, my OG comic book reading friends says its really good and true to the character. Might be my next pickup.

 

[SkylineRKR]

Gotta play Origins, my OG comic book reading friends says its really good and true to the character. Might be my pickup.

best story in the arkham franchise by far. Best boss battles also, though not saying that much. Loved the twist in it. Ran worse than City though, also had more glitches. Its never been remastered for some reason.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

City was my first and still my favorite of the bunch (although I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them). I also have the Return to Arkham version sitting on my PS5, but I know trophy hunting in that game is a major pain in the ass.

 

[Sleepwalker]

I remember thinking it was fucking awesome. But I haven't revisited in a long time.

 

[skit_data]

I remember thinking it was fucking awesome. But I haven't revisited in a long time.

If it was awesome to you I’m not the one to argue but I played it at release and just now and I think it was and is underwhelming both then and now.

Its by no mean a bad game, it has some great moments but my I’m still left at a ”How the hell is this considered one of the best games of that generation?!”-feeling.

IDK, maybe I’m just overreacting. It’s just that I’ve always seen this game as one of those games that are considered the gems of the PS3/X360 gen and looking back at it I consider Arkham Asylum better and underrated in comparison to Arkham City.

 

[Camreezie]

I assume you were stoned too for your arkham knight playthrough and it being more cinematic made it better for you

 

[RavageX]

I just remember it ending rather plainly, and i was thinking, "That's it?".

But I dont recall much about the game itself.

I like the series, but felt the characters are all a bit too buff, and the combat can have batman covering distances that he shouldnt be.

 

[.Pennywise]

The best in the Arkham trilogy

 

[A.Romero]

If I understand correctly City sucks because it's short, detective mode can get you stuck and Arkham Knight is better?

I don't remember the length but I remember that I enjoyed it a lot and while Arkham was better it really took a lot from City. I enjoyed Knight a lot as well but the batmobile was a huge turn off.

Origins would be my pick for the worst. My save game dissapeared (bug) when I was almost done with the campaign.

 

[RiccochetJ]

I tend to play the 4 games once every couple years and I still think it's the best of the 4. While Asylum and Origins have a better story imo, but they don't hold up to other aspects:

Asylum's combat and traversal are hard to go back to after the mechanics City introduced such as the open(ish) world, dive gliding, grapnel boost, double takedowns, beatdowns, double blocking/counters etc

Origins is just simply not as polished. It may not be readily apparent, but you will quickly notice the grapnel can't target as many things in the world and you have to adjust quite a bit. Combat can miss inputs and it's just generally a lot more floaty. It recycled and reskinned a lot from City including Riddler trophy puzzles. However, all this is understandable due to how much time WB gave WB Montreal to make this game as a stopgap while Arkham Knights was being made.

I can easily see why City is rated as high as it is.

Mind you, I absolutely love all 4 games and I could make different arguments for each one depending on my mood.

 

[N0S]

Nice nail

 

[GigaBowser]

I don't get it. This game was shit balls awesome.

 

[skit_data]

Nice nail

Hahahah, Sorry. I usually keep my nails nice and tidy but I think using my thumb to ”cut” dog candy the day before was a mistake. Also, Zinc supplements really fucks up my nail-clipping schedule.

 

[Rockman33]

I personally loved city. My favorite in the series. I liked it so much I 100% it and it’s DLC. I haven’t played since it’s release though.

 

[EverydayBeast]

They're never going to win game of the year but damn do I like Batman games.

 

[Vagswarm]

Replayed it early last year on the PC. Enjoyed it more than the first time around, from what I can recall. Excellent game. Best in the series and stands apart as one of the best games ever made.

 

[Unk Adams]

They're never going to win game of the year but damn do I like Batman games.

Batman games will never win Game of the Year, you say?

 

[skit_data]

Batman games will never win Game of the Year, you say?

The Rocksteady Arkham games are really good. I’d even go so far to say they are the best third party adventure games in the X360/PS3 era.

I just think Arkham City is overrated.

Edit: Least good in the trilogy that is.

 

[Stuart360]

Played through it again early last year, still loved it to be honest. Its my fave of the Arkham games. The order for me -

Arkham City
Arkham Asylum
Arkham Knight (would be second for me if it didnt have the Batmobile nonsense)
Arkham Origins.

 

[01011001]

the game is a fucking gem.. WTF... ???

 

[skit_data]

the game is a fucking gem.. WTF... ???

Maybe I should have posted it as s unpopular opinion…

IDK, it just seems inferior to Asylum in several ways. My main gripe is it being too short. You get what the Joker wants and then it just end with him dying. There’s just a third act that’s missing or something. The pacing of the game feels totally off.

 

[LaughingStock]

Asylum was more focused. City just throws every character and easter egg possible in a story that doesn't make much sense.
But still, I think City is the best overall.

I mean, Arkham Knight is the best Arkham game BUT the tank combat is terrible.

 

[01011001]

Maybe I should have posted it as s unpopular opinion…

IDK, it just seems inferior to Asylum in several ways. My main gripe is it being too short. You get what the Joker wants and then it just end with him dying. There’s just a third act that’s missing or something. The pacing of the game feels totally off.

I get if you think the first game is better, and it is in some ways, but come one... all 3 are excellent games with strengths and weaknesses. I liked City more because the fighting system is more dynamic (it's basically a rhythm game during fights and the more varied the better in that case) and I found the puzzles to be more varied as well as the stealth to be a bit more open ended as in the first game.

 

[bargeparty]

did you blaze through the main story only or something? in that regard it's about the same as Asylum, otherwise there's a ton of stuff to do and it's much longer than Asylum.

I haven't played it in forever but it was such a step up in terms of freedom and scope from Asylum it was jaw dropping. And the game kept delivering on how dense the world really was.

 

[Venza]

This game was great because you got to play as Catwoman in the dlc and look at her massive dump truck.

 

[Kuranghi]

Ditch the doobies and get a gram and try again.

 

[captainnapalm]

I've also never quite understood the insane love for City. I mean it's great -- I love the Arkham series -- but I'd put it third behind Asylum and Knight and ahead of Origins. And yeah, it is too short and it doesn't have enough memorable locations.

 

[WoJ]

I like it less than Asylum and Origins, but it's still a fucking amazing game. Even though I don't like it as much as others I completely understand why it gets the praise it does. The Arkham series in general kicks so much ass.

 

[Shake Your Rump]

I am in the middle of playing it for the first time. I think it is very good, although I can tell that it is pushing the limits of the PS3. I think I enjoyed Arkham Asylum more, but this one is damn good too.

The high metacritic score is accurate.

PS: How the hell can anyone say this game is short?