Is Batman: Arkham City worth playing in 2025?

Batman: Arkham City was released back in 2011, and it instantly became one of the best superhero games of all time in the eyes of many. The free-flow combat, storyline, and open world were improved upon from its predecessor, Arkham Asylum.

Since the game has been out for more than a decade, it is always possible for the title to show its age. Does Arkham City fall under the category of games that have become a product of their time? The answer is yes, but only from a technical standpoint, as the narrative and gameplay here are as smooth as ever.

This article will explain why Batman: Arkham City is still worth playing in 2025.

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Arkham City has an iconic storyline that still holds up

The narrative is still excellent all these years later (Image via WB Games)

The story begins with Bruce Wayne escaping Arkham Asylum to suit up as Batman and stop Hugo Strange from executing his plan of killing all the inmates inside the facility. During his investigation, he meets Joker, who infects him with a toxin that will slowly kill him if he doesn't find its cure in time. Batman now has to save not just himself, but the lives of the inmates before he becomes a victim of the toxin.

What makes the narrative still hold up are the themes of ethics and sacrifice, which keep the players on the edge of their seats for a tragic finale that nobody could have expected. Another factor that makes the storyline amazing all these years later is the incredible voice acting by the late Kevin Conroy (Batman) and Mark Hamill (Joker).

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The gameplay is still as smooth as ever

The free-flow combat is still iconic (Image via WB Games)

Batman: Arkham City's free-flow combat improved upon its predecessor, making enemy encounters smoother than ever. The gameplay here feels as smooth as ever because of how easily Batman moves from one enemy to another with seamless animation work. The encounters are based on strike, counter, and cape stun, which ultimately leads to a deadly takedown.

There are also plenty of gadgets for Batman to use, which helps prevent the combat from getting stale. These can be unlocked by progressing through the main story and side missions. Stealth is another interesting factor here, as players are free to clear out a room by hiding in the shadows and picking enemies one by one from under the vents or from the ceilings.

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Performance and visuals feel outdated

The visuals feel outdated (Image via WB Games)

The only issue that holds back Arkham City from being a must-play in 2025 is the visuals and performance. The game runs at a locked 30 FPS and 720p resolution on the PlayStation 3, which can feel outdated by modern standards. However, the remaster for the PlayStation 4 tries to fix this problem by unlocking the framerate, bumping the resolution to 1080p, and updating the character models.

While this somewhat addresses the visual setbacks, the framerate is still problematic with occasional dips down to mid-20s. This can hamper players' experience, which is why it is recommended to play the original version instead of the remaster on a PC. If players can look past the ageing character models, facial animations, and low-resolution textures, then the title is worth playing even today.

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Is it worth playing in 2025?

Batman: Arkham City is still worth playing in 2025 (Image via WB Games)

Batman: Arkham City is still worth playing in 2025. The game is a near-perfect superhero experience for fans of the Caped Crusader, with a story that involves iconic characters like the Joker, Bane, and Two-Face. The gameplay is also spectacular, with how smooth the combat feels when Batman moves from one enemy to another to strike them down.

The only issue might be the visuals and performance, but if players are okay with a title that is not as graphically enhanced as recent releases, then this is worth experiencing even today.