Batman: Arkham City

Batman’s return to gaming in 2009 with Arkham Asylum was so damn fun a sequel was pretty much a sure bet, and this month that bet pays off. Arkham City picks up a year later from the previous game, but the gameplay, the tactics and the story should all be instantly familiar to any veteran of the first.

The story is a comics version of riot kettling, where all Arkham’s criminals are cordoned off in the slums of Gotham, free to roam so long as they don’t escape. Naturally, they decide to put a little-known villain in charge of the whole thing, so naturally, it’s all going to go just fine. Players control Batman, Catwoman and Robin, all of whom have different styles and storylines, as they try to mop up the newly-mean streets.

The game is a visual treat, and some of the rough edges from the previous game have been polished nicely. Normally I’d give the developers some guff for not changing much, but in this case it’s a matter of not messing with a good formula. All the gadgets have a few tricks, there are some new takedown options for the brawls, and the whole thing plays smooth as a rubber catsuit.

For fans of the first, this is a no-brainer. For everyone else, this is a great alternative to a brainless shoot-em-up, while still giving you the fun of kicking ass. As Batman. [Alex Cole]