Batman: Arkham City

Batman: Arkham City expanded the successful formula of its predecessor into a sprawling open world — entire districts of Gotham turned into a giant prison for criminals, ruled by the mysterious Protocol under the supervision of Hugo Strange. Rocksteady Studios kept the polished Freeflow combat system and Detective Mode, but added free movement between buildings via grapple line and glide flight with the cape, giving Batman's movement unprecedented fluidity and a real sense of predatory grace over the city. A dive followed by an acceleration and a new upward launch is something every player learns within a few minutes, making fast travel essentially unnecessary.

The open structure let players follow both the main story about the Protocol and a number of side missions involving iconic villains such as Two-Face, Mr. Freeze, Ra's al Ghul, or Catwoman, whose playable sections brought different movement and playstyle. Combat expanded with new gadgets usable in the middle of a combo and with larger, better-armed groups of opponents, turning brawls into short tactical puzzles. The Riddler's puzzles grew into hundreds of trophies scattered across the city, creating a vast collectible pool for completionists, whose fulfillment requires the full arsenal and a fair amount of patience.

The story culminated in an emotionally powerful finale questioning Batman's moral integrity and his relationship to his villains, with Mark Hamill's Joker carrying the entire game even when he's not on screen. The graphical rendering of rainy, gothic Arkham City ranked among the most visually striking environments of the generation, with wet asphalt reflecting neon signs and an eternal night the game never steps out of. Critics again showered the game with near-perfect scores. Arkham City is still considered by many players the pinnacle of the entire series and one of the best superhero titles ever made.