Why We're Excited For Batman: Arkham City and Where's the Best Deal For It? (PC, PS3, 360)

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"Why We're Excited For Batman: Arkham City." By: -- Wait, we're still excited for Batman: Arkham City, aren't we? Well, I don't know about the rest of these fools but, I'm pretty dang excited for the release of this game and we're only about just under a week off and you'll be able to then get your grubby mitts on this bad boy dawning the suit of the Caped Crusader once again vanquishing evil, deception and villainous plots running a muck on the streets of Arkham City. So why should we be so pumped for this beast? Its simple all summed up in one word and that single word is 'experience.'

Now, when I mention that single word, it can actually be taken two ways. The first is that B:AC game developer Rocksteady, have been at this sequel for quite some time and have thus gotten a better feel for the Unreal Engine 3, which obviously isn't of their creation but licensed from Epic Games. There has been more time to toy around with the thing and pull out all the stops. To me, the game looks quite a bit better as the lighting has been improved and colors appear to be much deeper and less washed out than the previous. Its likely as well that the gameplay has had an overhaul to give the game a much smoother feel. Like many games, it takes until the second game to really get in the swing of things and by the third in the trilogy, things are pretty well mastered. We've seen that, especially in the case of the Unreal Engine with Gears of War as well as Naughty Dogs Engine 2.0 and newest version 3.0. Rocksteady has more experience now than they did then.

Experience also defines the overall gaming experience for the gamer. There have been a lot of additions to the game that play a key role in the success of this sequel. Everything from Batman: Arkham Asylum, in terms of gadgets will carry over to Arkham City accessible to the gamer from the get-go. This was an awesome decision by Rocksteady that doesn't necessarily mean that you won't have other gadgets to obtain further in the game because you most certainly will!

Secondly, the cast of characters has expanded and more villains are featured in this game. This means the gamer overall will be a longer game and not necessarily a bad thing. Its true, some games try to satisfy that part of the gamer that wants a long singleplayer campaign that will give them their money's worth but, the truth is that sometimes, a longer game isn't always the better. As I've stated in articles previously, I'd much rather have eight hours of pure awesome that twenty-five to forty hours of total suck! I've played both. A game is best developed when it leaves the gamer constantly wanting more at its conclusion when its story has been told. I think anyway.

Thirdly, is the overall scope of the game. How much more open the game is. My biggest gripe with Arkham Asylum, along with clumsy controls and a spastic camera at times, was how claustrophobic the game made me feel. It didn't feel so free-roaming and the fact that I was running to one area and then having to run all the way across to the other, taking out the same baddies and dealing with all the same crap just felt monotonous and drove me crazy feeling, as we'd just talked about, that perhaps it was done to make the game feel longer to complete rather than making that time meaningful to the story and gameplay.

There's still much more to talk about with Arkham City, which would include additional playable characters, and actual steroscopic 3D rather than the old school trioscopic 3D that really makes my eyes and head hurt, which can be discussed at a later day. However, what we can to you, is that it'll be the very definition of how Batman game's should have been all along.

Now, many might ask the question, where am I going to find the best deal on Arkham City? To many, this could shock you while to some, it would be a no-brainer. The simple answer believe it or not is to pick the game up at your local KMART store. I know, this is shocking to you.

At first, Walmart or Gamestop might be your first choice which, if you're particular about your bonus DLC, then Gamestop is still your best bet or, if you're searching for the Collectors Edition of the game, well, Kmart doesn't typically carry that sort of game. But, as much advertising as you may have seen on NFL Red Zone from Walmart on purchasing the game from them well, you're really only saving two pennies. While purchasing the game at Kmart is going to save you up to $40 with a bit of a catch, but hear us out first.

All you have to do, is go into your local Kmart and request a copy of Batman: Arkham City for your PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360. The associate should ask you if you have a Kmart Shop Your Way Rewards Card. If you have one, great. If you don't have one, its simple and only takes a minute or so to sign up for one. Give them your FIRST NAME, LAST NAME, ZIP CODE and either your MOBILE PHONE NUMBER or EMAIL ADDRESS and that's it. That's the catch. It doesn't cost you a single cent, only a minute of your time.

Then, after you've used your Rewards Card, a gaming coupon will print out that you can use toward the purchase of another game like Skyrim or Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception. Not bad then, eh? That sure beats out a measly two cents. But wait, didn't I say up to $40? You will also receive a $10 off a purchase of the new Lord of the Rings game as well. I'd say that's the best deal I've seen and its yours for the taking. Have at it. (Please keep in mind however this is within the United States and is not available through online purchases of the game and again requires a Shop Your Way Rewards card.) Happy gaming!