Which do you prefer: Arkham City or Arkham Asylum?

So I just completed Arkham City...and I'm sort of debating which game was better.

Personally, I sort of liked the more linear structured approach in Arkham Asylum. The levels were much more memorable, ranging from Ivy's Green House to the sewers. There was more "atmosphere" I would say overall in Arkham Asylum.

With that said though, Arkham City does alot of OTHER things better than Asylum. What grabbed me initally was how much improved the music was! The main theme isprobably the best I've heard this year (and this year was no slouch either for music in games).

Also, it might be just me but I felt the narrative was much stronger is Arkham City. It felt very comic book like in terms of narrative structure, and I simply loved the twist at the end. Also dat ending. I know some didn't like the ending, but I felt it was 100x better than the Asylum ending, and the boss fight was an improvement as well.

The boss fights, especially with Mr. Freeze was very well done and again an improvement from Asylum. An the various cameos is very nice and not TO overdone...but I would maybe shorten the number of characters appearing in future games.

Also I love the side quests, and all the various stuff to do...and..honestly..it's just FUN to glide around. At first I was very put off by the sandbox approach, but the more hours I put into the game, the more I warmed up to it..now I love it.

Still. I feel AC improved SO MUCH over asylum, but that special arkham asylum atmosphere was sorely missing. It's a toughy.

I guess I would maybe put AC a INCH over Asylum, simply because of the better narrative and the sandbox approach. What do you guys think?

hard to chose they're both are very good games hard to chose one over the other

I feel pretty much the same way. Atmosphere: Asylum > City. Gameplay: City > Asylum

City is improved, for sure, but Asylum was a little more special, since it was the first time you played a really good Batman game. With City, I just thought "cool, more Batman". It wasn't as special anymore, but really good. Too hard for me to pick a favourite.

hard to chose they're both are very good games hard to chose one over the other

almasdeathchild

This.

Also, I prefer Batman in City than I did with Asylum. Nothing wrong with his Asylum incarnation, but City's Batman was a lot quicker than before. He felt more slow, more bulky, plus his enemies in Asylum could be quicker than they were in City. In City, they were slowed down, which was a better decision to make, although they clearly got a lot more aggressive than they did in Asylum.

Yeah I agree with pretty much everything you said. I like the atmosphere in Asylum better too. AC had a great atmosphere too but it just didn't feel te same as the first one. Anyhow both are great games and deserve their scores. Oh and the ending in AC was awesome imo, just wish the story was a little longer.kweeni

Yeah. Arkham City definitely had it's moments. I personally loved the museum level and the City of Wonders level, and even Jokers Hideout level as well. Also roaming around the city, with the unique gotham decor, and neon lights with the giant moon and snow passing by is still a sight to behold.

But the think with Asylum was that from top to bottom it was soaking with atmosphere and flavor. In City, you have to go to certain spots to sort of get that asylum "kick" again.

But yeah, that's not to rag on City's atmosphere. Because it has a very nice atmosphere of it's own, but just doesn't really compare to the more tight and linear atmosphere of asylum.

I know some people want to go even bigger, and I'm sort of confused on where I'd like the series to go. On one hand the atmosphere of Asylum is something really special, and is probably something that can only be done in a more tight and linear fashion. That said, there's something really alluring to be batman in a open world city. If you mixed the atmosphere of asylum, and everything else from AC then you'll get a "game of all time" type games.

Right off the bat I tell ya I love sandbox games

Love the freedom of open world

So AC for me altho I havent even played it

I played AA and it was very good, very polished but just not my cup of tea personally.

AC for me but only just, I loved that City of Wonders bit, going down into this hidden city underground was just too awesome

There is only one right answer, Arkham City

Arkham Asylum was only dungeons, Arkham City was dungeons done with even more detail put into them plus a gigantic overworld

Hmm, I 'm not completely finished with Arkham City yet, but I will say thus far I like it even better than Asylum. My biggest thing is the combination of how detailed Arkham City is and how much more fluid movement is this time around. Just gliding and grappling around through the city is a blast in itself, and that's ignoring the great characters and story. At the end of the day, I'm delighted since both games are superb, and feature Bats, who's always been my favorite comic hero.

Arkham City all the way for me. Everything's better in AC: graphics, music, story, sidequests, challenges...everything. Batman's more mobile and less clunky. You get a new game+ which changes up the enemy encounters. There are tons of Riddler challenges. More gadgets. A much-improved combat system. I can't see how any part of Arkham Asylum is better at all.

Also, the voice acting is waaay better in AC. Just listen to all the conversations between random thugs for a good laugh. :lol: My favourite thug is the one who wanted to "ride the Harley." He talked so much ****, I felt bad for taking him out.

I prefer Asylum, but I acknowledge that City was the better game.

I prefer Asylum though because it has things I'm completely bias towards, like Scarecrow. Loved the Scarecrow parts. I also felt City was too cluttered with Riddler ****. Every goddamn nook and cranny had another friggin Riddler puzzle to solve.

Honestly, after seeing City in action, I'm not sure what else they could to improve the series. I don't want it turned into an MMO of sorts, that's for sure!

That's a toughie. I have a special place in my heart for AA, but I'd have to give the edge to AC. Zipping and gliding around the city was just too fun.

That's a toughie. I have a special place in my heart for AA, but I'd have to give the edge to AC. Zipping and gliding around the city was just too fun.

MirkoS77

Asylum is the better of the two games.

I like City better. I liked the atmosphere, the gameplay (improvements made to it) and the over all more open feel of it better.

Arkham City is the better game. But Atmosphere is a big thing for me. Which Asylum easily had the better atmosphere, something about moving around that island and going into the sewers, the greenhouse, the prison, the medical ward and so on. It was just better in that sense. So for me they are about even, but Arkham City takes a slight edge due to the gameplay improvements and boss battles.

But like I said, Arkham City just wasn't as great to explore as Arkham Asylum was.

Arkham City, just.

I prefer Arkham Asylum.

City easily. I dont understand how anyone could rate Arkham Asylum as being more atmospheric than Arkham City. The villians alone make the world feel more alive in Arkham City. The combat is better, the story is better, the graphics are just amazing (at least on the PC).

AA is much more memorable to me. I remember much more of the plot and areas of AA.

I just completed AC yesterday and am having trouble remembering everything that happened let alone trying to figure out the confusing ending.

That said, the gameplay has been vastly improved. I can see myself sinking much more time into the AC challenge mode and new game +

Hard mode is actually do able in Asylum.chilly-chill

Batman is the easiest game to finish on Hard or extreme if you learn the combat. The lack of counters throw off some people, but as long as you vault over enemies, you should be able to finish each fight without taking a single hit. Same with the stealth sections.

[QUOTE="chilly-chill"]Hard mode is actually do able in Asylum.S0lidSnake

Batman is the easiest game to finish on Hard or extreme if you learn the combat. The lack of counters throw off some people, but as long as you vault over enemies, you should be able to finish each fight without taking a single hit. Same with the stealth sections.

Not only that, but for every fight I've been involved in, I always countered and knew who to go at first, like with those who had guns first. So far, I haven't had a problem with it. Like S0lid said, as long as you play it safe and do it right, you shouldn't have much of a problem.

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

[QUOTE="chilly-chill"]Hard mode is actually do able in Asylum.Metamania

Batman is the easiest game to finish on Hard or extreme if you learn the combat. The lack of counters throw off some people, but as long as you vault over enemies, you should be able to finish each fight without taking a single hit. Same with the stealth sections.

Not only that, but for every fight I've been involved in, I always countered and knew who to go at first, like with those who had guns first. So far, I haven't had a problem with it. Like S0lid said, as long as you play it safe and do it right, you shouldn't have much of a problem.

[QUOTE="Metamania"]

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

Batman is the easiest game to finish on Hard or extreme if you learn the combat. The lack of counters throw off some people, but as long as you vault over enemies, you should be able to finish each fight without taking a single hit. Same with the stealth sections.

chilly-chill

Not only that, but for every fight I've been involved in, I always countered and knew who to go at first, like with those who had guns first. So far, I haven't had a problem with it. Like S0lid said, as long as you play it safe and do it right, you shouldn't have much of a problem.

Kinda? What are you not understanding?

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

[QUOTE="chilly-chill"]Hard mode is actually do able in Asylum.Metamania

Batman is the easiest game to finish on Hard or extreme if you learn the combat. The lack of counters throw off some people, but as long as you vault over enemies, you should be able to finish each fight without taking a single hit. Same with the stealth sections.

Not only that, but for every fight I've been involved in, I always countered and knew who to go at first, like with those who had guns first. So far, I haven't had a problem with it. Like S0lid said, as long as you play it safe and do it right, you shouldn't have much of a problem.

[QUOTE="Metamania"]

[QUOTE="S0lidSnake"]

Batman is the easiest game to finish on Hard or extreme if you learn the combat. The lack of counters throw off some people, but as long as you vault over enemies, you should be able to finish each fight without taking a single hit. Same with the stealth sections.

chilly-chill

Not only that, but for every fight I've been involved in, I always countered and knew who to go at first, like with those who had guns first. So far, I haven't had a problem with it. Like S0lid said, as long as you play it safe and do it right, you shouldn't have much of a problem.

Use the Square+Triangle combo to break weapons and shields, dont waste your combo takedowns on Circle+Triangle combo because other enemies will keep picking up the weapons. Also, X+Circle takedown is the best takdedown in the game, it will take out multiple enemies with one hit as long as they are on the ground, which they should be after counters and other hits.

I went through the new game plus without using those two takedowns so I know first hand how easy it is to miss some of the new additions. :P

Arkham City. The gamplay, graphics, story, dialogue, voice acting, and challenges were all taken in the right direction. I think I was more blown away with Arkham Asylum though, mainly because it was a superb game and took me completely by surprise. Asylum has the best moments between both games, the Scarecrow encounters. It's hard to choose, but Arkham City is the better game.

Arkham Asylum was CREEPY at times and I caught myself more than once saying, "I don't want to go over there." An example would be the room where Joker's face followed you on a number of different TV screens. Creepy.

Atmosphere --> AA

Execution --> AC

Hard mode is actually do able in Asylum.chilly-chill

It was easy in City too.

AA is much more memorable to me. I remember much more of the plot and areas of AA.

I just completed AC yesterday and am having trouble remembering everything that happened let alone trying to figure out the confusing ending.

That said, the gameplay has been vastly improved. I can see myself sinking much more time into the AC challenge mode and new game +

Cwagmire21

The mainplot isn't that hard to comprhend;

Batman purposly gets himself arrested due to the mumurings of activity inside Arkham City. He get's there, and soon discovers about Protocol 10. Eventually you discover what protocol 10 is, and that Raj Al Ghoul was behind it all. He wanted to create a perfect society, and eliminating Batman and Arkham City was why he teamed with Dr. Strage in the first place. In exchange Dr. Strange would be granted immortality, fortuntly his plans faltered.

Then you have the Joker side story; He had gotten ill from the titan in Arkham Asylum, and needed a cure. In the end Batman retreived the cure, but Joker stabbed him, making batman drop the cure...Joker dies.

The mainplot, and the ending are hardly to difficult to understand.

^Seriously? Spoiler tags, sir or madam. They exist for a reason.

I way more love Arkham City.

but i love Arkham Asylum.

and i am glad as hell that both exist.

That's too hard, lol, love both.

Loved both! Arkham City is just slightly better though.

I disagree about Arkham Asylum having the better atmosphere, its very good and it makes you love Batman, but Arkham City makes you FEEL like you're Batman.

I disagree about Arkham Asylum having the better atmosphere, its very good and it makes you love Batman, but Arkham City makes you FEEL like you're Batman.

crimsonman1245

City by a tiny tiny margin.

I just beat both games for the first time back to back, and I like Arkham Asylum more. Arkham City had terrible level design.

And what is the deal with them not including a mini-map? I hated having to constantly press select to check the map every 10 seconds. I had a lot of gripes about both games. They were both great games, but had a lot of annoyances.

I also thought the boss fights in AC were pretty weak. I don't know how to add one of those little spoiler things, but AC didn't have any boss fights even half as good as Ivy from AA, and AC didn't have any cool segments like the Scarecrow ones in AA.

I beat AA one day and then AC the next day, and ended up liking AA a lot more in the end.