Batman: Arkham City is a 2011 action-adventure video game developed by Rocksteady Studios. It is the sequel to the 2009 video game Batman: Arkham Asylum, based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. The game was released by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The game was officially announced during the 2009 Spike Video Game Awards and was released worldwide for consoles, beginning in North America on October 18, 2011, with the Microsoft Windows version following on November 22, 2011. A Wii U version is set to release in 2012. A spin-off iOS game, Batman: Arkham City Lockdown, was developed by NetherRealm Studios and released on December 7, 2011.
Arkham City was scripted by veteran comic book author Paul Dini, who also scripted Arkham Asylum. It features a main plot and side-missions that develop their own sub-plots. The main storyline revolves around Batman's imprisonment in Arkham City, a sprawling new super-prison five times bigger than the original asylum and enclosing a wide variety of industrial districts, iconic locations and Gotham City landmarks. He must now stop mishaps occurring around this chaotic enclosure caused by Gotham's most notorious super criminals. The game has received universal critical acclaim and was the highest rated video game of 2011.
Plot[]
At a press conference held by Bruce Wayne to declare his opposition to Arkham City, Wayne is arrested by Hugo Strange's Tyger mercenaries and is himself imprisoned in Arkham City. Strange discloses his knowledge of Wayne's dual identity as Batman before releasing him into the criminal populace. While Strange prepares for the commencement of Protocol 10, Wayne escapes from Penguin and obtains his crime-fighting equipment via airdrop by Alfred Pennyworth, allowing Wayne to become Batman. As Batman, he is first forced to save Catwoman from being executed by Two-Face who hopes to gain respect with her murder. After an assassination attempt on Catwoman by the Joker, Batman tracks the Clown Prince of Crime to his hideout in the Sionis Steelworks, believing he may know the truth behind Protocol 10.
Batman learns from Joker's doctor that the unstable properties of the Titan formula are mutating in Joker's blood, gradually eating away at his body and killing him. The Joker captures Batman and performs a blood transfusion on him infecting him with the same fatal disease. Batman is forced to find a cure for himself and Joker, or they will both perish. Batman is informed that Mr. Freeze had been developing a cure but has since been kidnapped by the Penguin.
Batman pursues Penguin to the Cyrus Pinkney National History Institute: defeating his forces, his imprisoned monster Solomon Grundy, and ultimately the Penguin himself, before liberating Mr. Freeze. Freeze tells Batman that he has already developed the cure, but its instability renders it useless. Batman deduces that the restorative properties within the blood of Rā's al Ghūl can complete the cure. Batman tracks one of Rā's al Ghūl's assassins to his lair in Wonder City, leading Batman into a confrontation with Rā's and his daughter Talia — Batman's former lover. With Rā's al Ghūl's blood, Freeze is able to develop a vial of working cure, but it is stolen by Harley Quinn before Batman can use it.
Batman returns to the Joker and finds him to be fully healed. While Batman and Joker fight, Protocol 10 is activated — A scheme to wipe out the entire population of Arkham City, destroying the criminal element of Gotham. The Tyger troops begin mass executions of prisoners, and Strange launches missile strikes from his base in Wonder Tower. A missile hits the steelworks, burying Batman under rubble. Before Joker can take advantage of the situation, Talia arrives and offers him immortality in exchange for sparing Batman's life. After he escapes with the help of Catwoman, Batman is convinced to put an end to Protocol 10 before pursuing Talia and Joker.
Batman infiltrates Wonder Tower and disables Protocol 10. Rā's al Ghūl is revealed to be the mastermind behind Arkham City, and mortally wounds Strange for failing to defeat Batman. With his dying breath, Strange activates Protocol 11 - Wonder Tower's self destruction. Batman and Rā's escape and Rā's commits suicide rather than risk capture. Joker contacts Batman, threatening to kill Talia unless Batman brings the cure to the Monarch Theater. As Batman arrives, Talia takes advantage of the Joker's momentary distraction and kills him. Talia offers Batman the cure having intercepted it from Quinn, but she is killed by the real and still dying Joker. The second Joker is revealed to be Clayface, who had been masquerading as the healed Joker at the ailing villain's request.
Batman incapacitates Clayface, but Joker blows up the theater floor, sending Batman plummeting into Wonder City below. Batman destroys Rā's rejuvenating Lazarus Pit before the Joker can use it, and drinks a portion of the antidote. Batman debates curing his foe, but is attacked by the Joker, causing the antidote vial to smash. Batman maintains that in spite of everything Joker has done, he would have saved him. Joker finally succumbs to his illness and dies. Batman carries Joker's body out of Arkham City into the winter dawn.
Catwoman subplot[]
The concurrent plot with Batman's role in Arkham involves Catwoman performing heists across the city, the first being an attempt to crack Two-Face's personal safe. After being rescued by Batman, she enlists the reluctant aid of Poison Ivy in retrieving numerous valuables seized upon her arrest (being stored inside Hugo Strange's heavily-guarded vault). Catwoman successfully infiltrates the vault and attempts to escape with the ill-gotten gains, but abandons this plan when she stops to help save Batman from the Joker. Intending to return for her belongings, she goes on to fight a rematch with Two-Face and his henchmen.
Voice Cast[]
- Kevin Conroy - Batman, Hush
- Mark Hamill - The Joker (In His Last Role as the Character)
- Grey DeLisle - Catwoman, Dr. Stacy Baker, Martha Wayne
- Corey Burton - Hugo Strange
- Tara Strong - Harley Quinn
- Maurice LaMarche - Mr. Freeze, Calendar Man, Political Prisoners
- Tom Kane - Mayor Quincy Sharp
- Steven Blum - Sickle, Inmates
- Danny Jacobs - Victor Zsasz
- Tasia Valenza - Poison Ivy
- Fred Tatasciore - Bane, Solomon Grundy, Mister Hammer, Inmates
- Wally Wingert - The Riddler
- Kimberly Brooks - Oracle, Anne Bishop
- Chris Cox - Eddie Burlow, Deadshot
- Chris Gardner - Inmates
- Roger Rose - William North, GCPD Officer Strickland, Political Prisoners
- Duane R. Shepard Sr. - Aaron Cash
- Rick D. Wasserman - Clayface, Inmates
- James Horan - Jack Ryder, Inmates, Political Prisoners
- Khary Payton - Azrael, Jon Forrester
- Martin Jarvis - Alfred Pennyworth
- Crispin Freeman - Ernest Ray, GCPD Officer Michaels, Political Prisoners
- Troy Baker - Two-Face, Robin
- Nolan North - The Penguin, Black Mask, Inmates, Political Prisoners
- Joe Holt - Elvis Jones
- Kari Wahlgren - Vicki Vale, League of Assassins Member
- Carlos Alazraqui - GCPD Officer Sanchez
- Dee Bradley Baker - Ra's al Ghul, Killer Croc, Wonder City Announcer
- Eric Bauza - Dr. Adam Hamaski, Political Prisoners
- Michael Gough - Doctor, TYGER Guard, Gotham Cop
- Stana Katic - Talia al Ghul
- David Kaye - Commissioner Gordon, TYGER Guard, Inmates
- Misty Lee - Museum Announcer, Dispatch Officer
- Peter MacNicol - Mad Hatter
- Jim Meskimen - Tom Miller
- Audrey Wasilewski - Nurse Fiona Wilson, League of Assassins Member