The GameOn Magazine - Free Special Editions Batman: Arkham Special Edition | Page 29

to make this game as immersive as it is: you
will be drawn into this world and will not
want to leave for a very long time. Swooping
between buildings and gliding from great
heights makes you feel like Batman, and a
force to be reckoned with, as you watch the
ground from the vantage points above like
the watchmen and protector you are meant
to be. The world of Arkham City is huge at
about five times the size of the area in the first
game so there’s a lot to explore, see and do.
Graphically Batman: Arkham City is pitch
perfect. Characters look fantastic and the city
looks stunning even as you see it over and
over again. The way Batman’s suit gets
rougher and rougher as the game
moves along is genius and the draw
distance is phenomenal with the
skyline of Gotham City providing
the backdrop. Surprisingly,
there are very, very few
graphical hiccups. There’s
screen tearing here
and there and texture
pop-in is a little too
frequent but it doesn’t
matter. When the
whole game looks
this beautiful,
small problems
like these can
be completely

29 • GameOn Magazine

forgiven.
At first, it seems like the sequel is very similar
to Mafia 2: a linear game of sorts set in a huge
open world but it quickly becomes apparent
that this is not the case. Yes, Arkham City does
have a linear storyline as you travel from
one area to the next completing objectives
but there is so much more to do. Side quests,
random encounters, hundreds of hidden
collectibles: Arkham City is a game that is
meant to stay in your console for a very long
time indeed. And you’ll want to explore every
single nook and cranny that the world has to
offer. Stray off the beaten path and you’ll
find Crime Alley, the alleyway where
Batman’s parents were killed. Veer
in another direction and you may
encounter a cameo from a villain
like Killer Croc or Calendar Man.
This all contributes to the fact
that Arkham City is very
believable and actua B