As soon as I started playing the first game in the series, I knew I would probably start playing the second one right away. So, as soon as I saved Arkham Asylum from the Joker and his evil plans, I jumped right back into the role of Batman for Batman: Arkham City.
A lot of what I liked about the first game, along with many new features, only made what was already a good experience even better. And now that I’ve unlocked the New Game Plus mode, I can’t wait to do it again in a few months. It is still 100% good in 2021, and I recommend that anyone who hasn’t played at least one Arkham game do so.
But if you’re planning to harass the streets of Arkham City soon, I think I have just what you need. I’ve put together a list of important tips and tricks I know that can help anyone enjoy this game, even if they haven’t played the first one. So, without further ado, here is how to beat Batman: Arkham City.
Grapnel Boost
The map of Arkham City is much bigger than that of the Asylum. It’s about five times bigger and one of the best-designed open worlds I’ve seen. Walking is still an option, but getting around this criminal playground on foot is hard, especially if you have to go a long way to get to the map marker you’re looking for.
If you have the Grapnel Boost, you can greatly reduce travel time. It’s an upgrade to Batman’s wrestle in his toolkit. As the name suggests, it gives you a big speed boost as you grapple to the closest vantage point and then product launch Batman into the air, establishing you up to start gliding.
I used it all the time, flying through the sky and stringing together my grapples in a way that would make Spider-Man proud. You must finish the first four side missions for AR training, and Alfred will bring you the upgrade. It saves a lot of time and is worth the small amount of work it takes to get.
Disarm and Destroy
When I thought Batman’s free-flowing combat system couldn’t get any better, Arkham City came back with improvements to what already started to feel like a perfect system. There are now a lot of combo bonuses, but my favorite is the new Special Combo Takedowns, which are more powerful than just throwing someone and killing them right away.
Without a doubt, the Disarm and Destroy combo is the best new thing. On top of being able to bring a gun to a fistfight, enemies often carry different melee weapons and shields. I would often go after these guys first, throwing a few punches to knock their weapons out of their hands so they could do much damage.
This was a good plan until another enemy came along and took the weapon for themselves, putting me back at the beginning. Disarm and Destroy does precisely what it says on the box: it destroys the weapon used so it can’t be used again. I used this a lot when I met a mob for the first time, and it made things easier.
Ground Game
The stealth gameplay we’re used to in other games got an interesting twist in Predator mode. In the first game, most players, including myself, got used to keeping an eye on their prey from a high point and then swooped down to do some damage.
In Arkham City, the enemies are much smarter than in Arkham Asylum. You won’t be able to use those vantage points as much as you want, especially as the game progresses. Certain enemies will have infrared goggles that can see you, and some might figure out your plan of attack and destroy your vantage points or put mines on them so you can’t help.
Start by learning as much as you can about playing on the ground and killing enemies while walking. Batman can move around without being seen by using the floor grates, and if he needs to get out quickly, he can use the ventilation ducts. Not to mention the super badass takedown that Batman can do through wooden walls.
Do all the side quests.
Arkham City is based on a semi-open world design, letting Batman move between Main missions. This time isn’t just spent on Riddler’s collect-a-thon because other Batman villains will show up in the City, and you can choose to take them down.
From Bane to Deadshot, these side quests will start giving you more Dark Knight action and a chance to gain some much-needed XP, especially early in the game when you’re trying to get as many tools and upgrades as possible. Most of the time, these side missions are quick or can be done while you are playing the game, so I never felt like taking a big detour when I did them.
Playing the main campaign missions wasn’t fast enough to improve Batman’s stats, and I don’t think I would have been able to get them all if I hadn’t taken the time to do those side missions. I think you should make the most of it.
Conclusion
Batman: Arkham City is the best game in the Arkham series, and it’s still fun to play, even though it came out a long time ago. This is especially true now that the first two Arkham games have been remastered for 8th-generation consoles. And with such a powerful and well-thought-out plan, there’s never been a better moment to step into the footwear of the Dark Knight and assist in putting a stop to the Joker for good.
