Game Time: 'Batman: Arkham City'

Batman: Arkham City X360, PS3, PC/$49.99-$59.99/Oct. 18

"Batman: Arkham Asylum" leapt from the shadows and into our collective hearts back in 2009, giving gamers a dark, action-packed adventure starring Gotham's greatest hero. With combat engines that allowed for fluid fisticuffs, an amazing story voiced by brilliant actors and enough comic cameos to keep every DC fan cheering, it was only a matter of time before the world was graced with a sequel. Now, a mere two years later, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is back, thrusting gamers once again into the demented yet delightful world of the Dark Knight with "Batman: Arkham City."

From Emmy Award-winning writer Paul Dini comes an original story that finds the criminally insane relocated to a walled district of Gotham now known as Arkham City. These diseased streets are home not just to thugs and stickup men but to the heavy hitters who have kept Batman in business for years. With so many warped personalities with thoughts of world domination and destruction in one place, it has become a breeding ground for evil that can only be subdued by the man who put them there in the first place.

"Batman: Arkham City" is a third-person action/adventure game that places you in the role of the Dark Knight as he punches, kicks and throws an army of colorful villains. Great combat aside, success is also found through forensics and stealth, giving the game the same look and feel as the comics it was pulled from. For fans hoping to catch a deeper glimpse into the personality that drives someone to self-sacrificing vigilantism, this title also includes a peek at the heroes' twisted psychology. If you're not a fan of the Bat, fear not. Catwoman is also included as a playable character, complete with her own single-player adventure, moves and gadgets.

Not to be outdone by the cast of characters in its predecessor, "Batman: Arkham City" has a cavalcade of criminals including Two-Face, Harley Quinn, Penguin, Hugo Strange, Victor Zsasz, Calendar Man, the Joker, the Riddler and many, many more.

With a pile of awards and praise from fans everywhere, "Batman: Arkham Asylum" managed to set the bar unbelievably high for any title that should choose to follow in its massive footsteps. Luckily, the improved graphics, bigger story, and larger cast of characters of "Batman: Arkham City" have proven, once again, that there isn't a bar high enough that DC Comics' Caped Crusader can't hurdle.

Media Link: "Iron Man" airs Monday, Oct. 17, on FX.