What it is
Batman: Arkham City is Rocksteady Studios’ larger, more ambitious follow-up to Batman: Arkham Asylum. It moves the action from a contained island to a fortified district in the heart of Gotham, giving Batman room to glide, investigate, brawl and stalk his way through a city controlled by some of his most dangerous enemies. The original Xbox 360 release remains one of the strongest examples of a single-player superhero game, although anyone buying it now needs to understand the difference between the original version, its Game of the Year edition and the later Return to Arkham remaster.
- UK release
- Friday, 21 October 2011
- Platforms
- Xbox 360; also released on PlayStation 3, PC and Wii U
- Developer
- Rocksteady Studios
- Publisher
- WB Games
- UK price
- No current official Xbox 360 digital price; launch standard editions were commonly listed at £39.99
- PEGI
- 16
- Genre
- Action-adventure, stealth and beat ’em up
- Game Pass/PS Plus
- No current original Xbox 360 subscription listing verified
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 3
- Online mode
- No — single-player only, including offline challenge maps
Story and setting
Several months after the events of Arkham Asylum, large parts of Gotham have been converted into Arkham City, a maximum-security prison district for the city’s criminals. Hugo Strange oversees the operation, while rival gangs led by familiar villains fight for control of the streets. Batman is drawn into the prison after Bruce Wayne is arrested and imprisoned there, setting up a story involving The Joker, Two-Face, The Penguin, Mr Freeze, Ra’s al Ghul, The Riddler and Catwoman.
The city is not a conventional open world. It is a dense, heavily themed playground built around rooftops, alleys, interiors and vertical routes rather than long stretches of empty space. Side missions regularly pull Batman away from the main plot, often giving lesser-known villains their own investigations. Riddler challenges, hostage puzzles and hidden recordings add plenty of extra detail for anyone willing to search.
How it plays
Arkham City combines third-person action, stealth, detective work, traversal and light progression. Batman’s combat remains based on timing, positioning and counters, but the larger enemy groups and wider range of weapons make encounters more demanding than in Arkham Asylum. Gadgets such as the Batarang, Batclaw, Explosive Gel and Remote Electrical Charge can be used in fights as well as during exploration.
Predator sections let Batman study an area, isolate armed enemies and use darkness, vantage points, distractions and environmental traps to dismantle a group without being seen. Detective Mode highlights clues, enemies and interactive objects, while the Grapnel Gun and cape allow Batman to move quickly between rooftops. Catwoman is also playable in four story episodes, with her own movement, combat style and equipment. Completing the main story unlocks New Game Plus, which carries over upgrades while removing combat warning indicators and increasing the challenge. Challenge maps provide separate combat and stealth tests, but they are entirely offline.
What was added after launch
The original release was expanded with Catwoman’s story content, the Nightwing Bundle, the Robin Bundle, the Arkham City Skins Pack, extra challenge maps and Harley Quinn’s Revenge. The latter is a separate story episode set after the main campaign and is the most substantial post-launch addition. Nightwing and Robin are playable in challenge maps rather than replacing Batman throughout the main story.
The Game of the Year Edition collected the main game, all previously released downloadable content and the available updates in one package. It is the most convenient original-generation version to buy, particularly on Xbox 360 where used standard copies may not include a working Catwoman access code. No online multiplayer mode was added, and the game’s leaderboards do not turn the challenge content into a multiplayer experience.
Xbox 360 performance and reception
The Xbox 360 version uses Unreal Engine 3 and was designed around a 30 frames-per-second target. It still presents Arkham City’s detailed buildings, lighting and weather effectively, but this is an original 2011 console release with no modern resolution, frame-rate or graphics options. The later Return to Arkham versions are remastered releases rather than patches that transform the Xbox 360 edition.
The critical response was exceptionally strong. Metacritic lists the Xbox 360 version at 94 out of 100 from 87 critics. Game Informer and VideoGamer both awarded it 10 out of 10, while The Guardian praised its expanded structure, atmosphere and combat and described it as the best Batman game at the time. The common reservations were that the larger map could dilute the main story and that the volume of collectibles and side content sometimes felt excessive.
UK availability now
Batman: Arkham City launched in the UK on Friday, 21 October 2011. The often-quoted Tuesday, 18 October date was the North American launch date, not the UK release. The original game was released for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, with a later Wii U version and the Return to Arkham remaster on newer consoles.
The Xbox 360 Store stopped selling new games and downloadable content on 29 July 2024, so there is no current official Xbox 360 digital price to quote. At launch, standard UK retailer listings were commonly around £39.99, while collector and retailer-exclusive editions cost more. Today, physical Xbox 360 copies are second-hand and prices vary considerably. The original Xbox 360 game is not an online service game and does not require an ongoing subscription to play its campaign.
Batman: Arkham City: your questions
When did Batman: Arkham City release in the UK?
The UK release date was Friday, 21 October 2011. Tuesday, 18 October 2011 was the North American release date.
Is Batman: Arkham City open world?
It is an open-world action-adventure game built around the enclosed Arkham City district. You can explore freely by gliding and grappling between rooftops, although some areas and equipment become available as the story progresses.
Does Batman: Arkham City have online multiplayer?
No. The game is single-player only. Its combat, predator challenges, New Game Plus and downloadable content are all designed for offline play.
Which Batman: Arkham City version includes all DLC?
The Game of the Year Edition includes the main game, Catwoman’s episodes, Harley Quinn’s Revenge, the Nightwing and Robin content, extra challenge maps and the skin packs. The later Return to Arkham release also includes the previously released DLC, but it is a separate remastered version.
Can I still buy Batman: Arkham City digitally on Xbox 360?
No. Microsoft closed the Xbox 360 Store and Marketplace to new purchases on 29 July 2024. Existing purchases remain playable, while physical copies and newer remastered versions are the practical alternatives.
