A seemingly promising DLC expansion that isn't executed to its full potential
Even though Batman: Arkham City fans enjoyed all the new characters, costumes, and challenge maps released post-launch, the one thing that everybody wanted was a long-rumored add-on to the game's story mode. Alas, that time has now come. Harley Quinn's Revenge is a two hour story addition for a price of ten dollars, and while it pretty decent, it ultimately does not leave one completely satisfied.
Set two weeks after the events of the main storyline, Robin enters Arkham City and contacts Oracle. Apparently, after the facility was emptied of prisoners, Harley Quinn and her gang re-entered and took over the entire area. Batman was set to investigate, but hasn't been heard from in two days. As you play through the game, you'll be jumping back and forth between The Caped Crusader and The Boy Wonder, as the plot details are revealed and the stakes are risen.
On the positive side of things, we finally get to play as Robin in a story-related mission, instead of being restricted to only the Challenge Maps. While he receives no upgrades from when he was released as a character, being able to stroll through the halls and bash random thugs in the head with his shield or surprising them with a zip-kick is a beautiful thing. Also, the voice cast and dialog are top-notch as usual, with Harley being especially sinister this time around... although that doesn't mean she's any smarter (one memorable moment in the game saw the villain accidentally reveal where she's been hiding, allowing Robin to find her without any trouble).
But there are also a handful of cons, unfortunately. The main issue is that the mission never really explores how Batman has been feeling after the deaths of both Talia al Ghul and The Joker. While his dialog shows that he is obviously sad and disturbed, and it is mentioned he has barely been seen as Batman within the past two weeks, we never get a good, clear image of what he's been truly thinking and feeling. Is he in a deep sadness that he'll eventually get over? Is he, dare I say, suicidal? What has he been saying to Alfred and Oracle and Robin? Even when the DLC reaches its end and Gordan asks, "Is he okay?", we're never given a clear answer. Beyond that, the content is only two hours, a relatively short time for as long as we've been waiting. Even though there are new Harley Balloons to destroy and some area to free roam, for a hefty ten dollars, it really feels like we could've gotten more.
While Harley Quinn's Revenge isn't a bad, or even mediocre, piece of add-on content, it isn't a great one either. Although the content is certainly fun, it is also surprisingly underwhelming. We're never give a clear picture as to what the deaths of Batman's love interest and greatest enemy has had on him, and for ten dollars, Harley Quinn's Revenge is quite short. To chalk it up plain and straight, while this may be the DLC we need right now, it isn't the one we deserve (see what I did there?).