The Achievement. Disease

Now that I have but a few months ago have Arkham City on the shelf and tried again and again, "warm" to be unsuccessful so now an attempt to explain why it is not the massive hit for players my variety (or rather was), the it for many others seem to be.

Certainly outstanding are atmosphere, graphics, sound and presentation in general. Arkham City and appendages are bleak, decaying, hopeless. Rocksteady cleverly plays with light and shadow effects, with soundbites and music variations. For this you realize the programmers that they are Batman fans obviously, countless locations, enemies and villains are known or act like right out the comics / movies. Kudos to this point.

At the playability it is faultless. The individual skills of the dark avenger be introduced gradually and explains the bat controls fluently and easily. Combat and slow system go well by hand. The save points are set fair. Everything seems logical and well thought out.

The game world is a "pseudo" -Open-World. And here the problems begin.

The player is almost overloaded with side missions and - activities. Constantly blinking, crying, or lights it somewhere. Constantly the bat must hurry while, sometimes it is unclear where it is needed at all. You should practice on Enhanced Reality courses flying. You should sneak, fight, climb, puzzle, using gadgets, discover. What does "Arkham City" now actually be? A kind of RPG? A GTA-waste? A beat-em-up? A stealth game? Or just an oversized adventure playground? What is actually the trend in games of each genre a little bit, but nothing to offer so right? Why are there so meaningless challenges as 200 stupid Riddler puzzles?

The main story is quite OK and offers surprising twists. But advances in the face of trillions sideline too much in the background. The result is not the adrenaline rush of a good action title, but not the curiosity and experimentation will a open world game like GTA the player. Or the acquisitiveness of a good RPG. In short, sometime lack the motivation for players who like to experience an exciting story. Or want to be surprised in each corner of the game world. Or wish to develop their character and customize. And only the 100% will - sorry, that's not good enough as a motivation.

I simply lack the driving element, which can already think of a day at the evening session matches. For me there is only a rare, "Oh, I fly today a little bit with Batman rum". By the abundance of opportunities leads to a certain arbitrariness. One wurschtelt part rum more than the playing.

In short: "Arkam City" is the classic game for the "Completionist", for the "Achievement Hunter". It is superbly presented, it is well done, easy to play and the current price for each actually worth trying.
But who is looking for a good, driving story, a profound drama, a vibrant, diverse world or the adrenaline rush that will remain at a "nice" in its judgment.

Batman fans should however loosely draufgeben 1-2 stars, because the motivation to find many hidden goodies and people, for this enormous increase.