Batman: Arkham City releases in just 2 days, and the level of anticipation for it stands right alongside most of the review scores as being off the charts.
Where James Bond has tossed out the gadgets in recent years to satisfy his Jason Bourne man-crush (Turns out it was mediocrity in disguise – damn you faulty MI6 intel!), Bruce Wayne is impressed upon by no one. The Caped Crusader’s arsenal has only expanded over the years, and gadgets are an integral part of the gameplay in Arkham City. The following is a rundown of the some of the best gear Wayne Enterprises has to offer.
Line Launcher
The original line launcher in Arkham Asylum could be used to as a zipline to get Batman from point A to point B, but Batman’s not one to waste an opportunity. Now he can actually climb up and balance on the wire, providing him with a drop-down entry point for engagements. He can also use the time balancing to launch a new wire angular to the first. You can be assured that this new level of mobility won’t go unaccounted for in Arkahm City’s puzzle design.
With Mr. Freeze chilling out in Arkham City, it’s only natural that Batman would employ some of his technology. The freeze blast launches an icy projectile at high speeds that can be used in the environment to freeze enemies. Batman can also fire it into water to create a makeshift ice raft, using the Batclaw to latch onto objects and reel himself towards them.
Remote Electrical Charge
The Remote Electrical Charge gun is essentially a taser beam that Batman can deploy for multiple uses. Not only can you shock enemies during combat, but the charge used interact with objects in the environment. Throughout the game, you’ll encounter machinery that the charge gun can power as well as puzzles it can factor into solving.
In Arkham Asylum, Batman could use explosives gel as a charge to destroy walls or barricades. This time around though, Rocksteady is integrating it into the combat as well. Equipped with the gel, Batman can spray it on the floor around enemies creating a painful blast radius upon detonation. If you want to get creative, you can even sneak up on an enemy and spray it on his back before detonating it.
Smoke Pellets
Occasionally in Arkham City, combat will find Batman needing to evade enemies rather than fight them. This is where the new smoke pellets come in, creating a flash of smoke that gives you a brief window of opportunity for escape. When surrounded and outgunned, it could be your last chance to live to fight another day.
What are you looking forward to most in Batman: Arkham City? Any gadgets you feel got left out. Leave a comment or get involved on the forums!