Batman: Arkham City breaks out Oct. 18

Ordinarily, it would be difficult to describe any one part of the crime-ridden Gotham City as "the bad part of town." That's likely to change soon, as Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announced October 18 as the North American release date for Batman: Arkham City. The game will launch in Australia the following day, with a European launch October 21.

Like its predecessor, Arkham City drops Batman in the confines of an unconventional prison. But where Arkham Asylum stuck players in the halls and courtyards of a mental hospital overrun with the Joker's goons and allies, Arkham City deposits them in a sprawling neighborhood of Gotham City that has been walled off to contain the criminal element.

Under the watchful eye of "warden" Dr. Hugo Strange, who knows Batman's secret identity, inmates of Arkham City are free to do anything they want short of attempting escape. In addition to Strange, the game will feature Batman villains like Two-Face and the Joker.

For more on Arkham City, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.