Batman: Arkham City vs Batman: Arkham Asylum
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.

Batman: Arkham City is an action-adventure game set in the Batman: Arkham universe. Players control Batman as he attempts to stop the villainous plans of the Joker, Penguin, and other iconic characters. The game features an open world, allowing players to explore the city and complete side quests and challenges.
Batman: Arkham Asylum is an action-adventure game based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. The game takes place in the titular Arkham Asylum where Batman must stop the Joker from taking over the asylum and use his skills to uncover the secrets behind the Joker's plan. The game features a mix of stealth, strategy, and combat, with a focus on Batman's detective skills and gadgets. The game's story is heavily focused on the Joker's plan to take over the asylum and Batman's efforts to stop him, with many other characters from the Batman universe making appearances throughout the game.
- Immersive and engaging storyline
- Deep and complex gameplay mechanics
- Richly detailed and atmospheric environment
- High replay value with multiple side quests and challenges
- Engaging storyline with a strong focus on characters and plot
- Immersive and atmospheric environments
- Deep and satisfying combat mechanics
- Variety of gadgets and abilities to use and upgrade.
- Some players may find the combat system repetitive
- Limited character customization options
- Some minor glitches and bugs reported
- Some players may find the gameplay to be too linear
- Limited replay value due to the focus on storytelling
- Some minor glitches and technical issues.
More alternatives & similar tools
Alternatives to Batman: Arkham City
View all โ
Set three years after the events of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception.
Alternatives to Batman: Arkham Asylum
View all โ
Use devastating new gadgets and abilities to take down the villains of Gotham City
The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataBatman: Arkham Asylum is the safer, slightly cheaper default with a tighter narrative focus, while Arkham City trades linearity for an open-world setting and higher replay value.
Key differences
- โขArkham Asylum features a linear gameplay structure and is set specifically within Arkham Asylum, whereas Arkham City is an open-world game set in Gotham City with multiple side quests and challenges.
- โขArkham City features smoke bombs among its gadgets and lets you take on iconic villains like Penguin and Two-Face, in addition to the Joker.
- โขArkham City has a higher Critic Score (91/100) compared to Arkham Asylum (89/100).
- โขArkham Asylum has a lower MSRP ($49.99) compared to Arkham City ($59.99).
- โขArkham City was released in October 2011, while Arkham Asylum was released in August 2009.
Gameplay & fun factor
Arkham City offers deep and complex gameplay mechanics with a vast open world and iconic villains, scoring 91/100.
Platform availability
Not specified for both products.
Price & value
Arkham Asylum is the cheaper option with an MSRP of $49.99, compared to Arkham City's $59.99.
Multiplayer / co-op
Both games are strictly single-player.
Content & replayability
Arkham City provides high replay value featuring multiple side quests and challenges, while Arkham Asylum has limited replay value.
Difficulty & accessibility
Both share identical PEGI 16 and ESRB T age ratings.
Graphics & performance
Both are developed by Rocksteady Studios, though specific graphical performance metrics are not specified.
Choose Batman: Arkham City ifโฆ
Players who want an open-world experience with high replay value, side quests, and multiple villains.
Choose Batman: Arkham Asylum ifโฆ
Players who prefer a focused, linear story and atmospheric environments within a tighter setting.
Common questions
Which game is cheaper?
Batman: Arkham Asylum is cheaper with an MSRP of $49.99, compared to Batman: Arkham City at $59.99.
Do both games feature multiplayer?
No, both Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City are single-player games.
How do the critical receptions compare?
Batman: Arkham City has a critic score of 91/100, while Batman: Arkham Asylum has a critic score of 89/100.




