Batman: Arkham City has a lot riding on its shoulders. After having delivered an extremely satisfying experience, Rocksteady Studios is working at not just repeating their success from Arkham Asylum, but at taking the sequel in new directions. UK OPM was able to get one of the first hands-on plays with the game, and was able to relay some really juicy details about the Dark Knight’s new predicament.

As we told you before, Arkham City takes place in a larger fenced off area where the secretive Mayor Quincy Sharp has allowed all of the previous Asylum inmates to roam free. Not trusting any of what the mayor is trying to do, Batman continues to roam this new area in fear that any at minute something terrible could happen. Director of the game, Sefton Hill, sums up the Arkham City’s locale as:

“A mix of Tim Burton’s original Batman movie and a touch of Escape from New York,”

In the play through, UK OPM was able to confirm that all of the trademark Batman moves are back, with some new twists added in. The biggest additions assist Batman in his ability to traverse the new areas. Since Arkham City is five times as large as Asylum, Batman has been given a few new tools like dual zip lines (think Spider-Man) to allow him to get from place to place quicker. When asked if vehicles were a possibility, Hill responded by saying it is:

“Something we’ll cover at a later date.”

Combat in the game has been considerably expanded. In one particular sequence, Batman takes on up to 40 of new villain Two-Face’s goons. Batman has become more able to interact with his environment, and is therefore able to unleash attacks everywhere from windows to walls. Sure to be a favorite is Batman’s ability to spray his explosive gel on the floor as a way to stun enemies.

In a sequence where Batman is fighting alongside his nemesis/love interest Catwoman, she is seen playing eerily similar to Batman, which suggests that she may be the second playable character in the new co-op game play mode announced for Arkham City.

What do you think of the improvements being made to Arkham City? Is there something you are hoping for that still hasn’t been announced? Let us know in the comments below.

Batman: Arkham City is set for release late 2011 on the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Source: VG247