Batman: Arkham City - Game of the Year Edition: Complete Guide

Everything you need for Arkham City GOTY on PC: FreeFlow combat and Predator fundamentals, gadgets and upgrades, story outline, side missions, Riddler challenges, the included DLC, and PC setup tips.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the final Steam build (Games for Windows Live and SecuROM were removed in October 2013; no further patches since). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

Combat is rhythm, not mashing. Strike, and when you see the blue lightning icon over an enemy's head, press Counter. Keeping the combo going unlocks special takedowns.
Counter everything you can. Arkham City lets you counter multiple attackers at once (double and triple counters).
Predator rooms reward patience. In rooms with armed thugs, stay high on gargoyles and use Detective Mode to track them. Pick off isolated enemies.
Use Detective Mode to scan, then turn it off. It shows enemies, clues, and interactables, but playing entirely in it makes the game look flat.
Glide and dive. Hold glide, then dive and pull up to gain speed and height. Buy the Grapnel Boost upgrade as soon as you can; traversal becomes effortless.
Spend early upgrades on armor and combat. Armor upgrades and combat abilities keep you alive in large brawls.
Side missions come and go. Most can be done anytime, but a few can be locked out; check the side mission list before the final story act.
Riddler content is mostly for later. Many Riddler trophies need gadgets you get later. Grab obvious ones and come back.
Catwoman is part of the story in GOTY. Her episodes are included (no separate code needed, unlike the original retail release); you switch to her at set points in the campaign.

Controls and Core Mechanics

FreeFlow combat

Action	What it does
Strike	Basic attack; builds combo
Counter	Counter an attack when the warning icon appears
Stun (Cape)	Stuns an enemy; essential against shield and armored enemies
Evade / Vault	Dodge or vault over enemies
Quickfire gadgets	Batarang, Batclaw, Explosive Gel, REC and more mid-combo
Special combo takedown	Instantly takes down an enemy at a high combo
Ground takedown	Finishes a knocked-down enemy (leaves you briefly vulnerable)

Enemy types and how to beat them:

Enemy	Counter
Knife wielders	Use the blade dodge (check the in-game Combat moves list for the input), or cape-stun them first
Shield thugs	Aerial attack (jump over) or cape-stun then beat down
Armored thugs	Cape-stun and beat down repeatedly
Gunmen	Take them out first; Batclaw disarms, Batarangs stagger
Titan/big enemies	Cape stun, then strike; counter on the prompt
Riot/stun baton	Attack from behind or use aerial attacks

Combo tips: stringing different moves (gadgets, counters, special takedowns) raises your combat score in challenge maps. Three achievements test this directly: Perfect Freeflow 2.0 (one perfect combo that includes all of Batman's combat moves), Flawless Freeflow Fighter 2.0 (a combat challenge without taking damage), and Gadget Attack (5 different Quickfire gadgets in one fight).

Predator mode

Perch on gargoyles and watch patrol routes.
Inverted takedowns from a perch hang enemies up but alert others when they are found.
Silent takedowns from behind are quiet.
Glide kicks and Explosive Gel traps take enemies out fast but are loud.
Disruptor (upgraded) can sabotage guns and mines at range.
Enemies adapt: thugs may bring thermal goggles, jammers, or mine gargoyles as you use tricks. Mix tactics.

Gadgets

Gadget	Key use
Batarang	Staggers enemies, hits switches; remote control Batarang steered in flight
Grapnel Gun	Traversal; Grapnel Boost upgrade launches you into flight
Explosive Gel	Breaks weak walls, traps enemies
Batclaw	Pulls enemies, grates, and objects
Remote Electric Charge (REC)	Powers machines, moves magnetic objects, stuns in combat
Freeze Blast	Freezes enemies and creates ice platforms in water
Smoke Pellet	Escape and disorient gunmen
Line Launcher	Crosses long gaps; can be upgraded for turns
Disruptor	Disables guns and mines from a distance
Cryptographic Sequencer	Hacks security panels and radio frequencies

Upgrades

You earn WayneTech upgrades as you level up from XP. Priorities:

Armor upgrades early.
Grapnel Boost for traversal.
Combat upgrades such as special combo moves and multi-counter improvements.
Gadget upgrades (Disruptor, remote Batarang) as Predator rooms get harder.

Story Outline

Arkham City is a walled-off section of Gotham run by Hugo Strange. Batman is captured, gets inside, and pieces together Strange's plan while dealing with a poisoned Joker.

Act	Highlights
Opening	Captured as Bruce Wayne; escape and suit up
Joker's hideout	Steel mill, Harley Quinn, first reveal of Joker's condition
Mr. Freeze	Penguin's museum, freeing Freeze, a signature boss fight about using different takedowns
Ra's al Ghul	Lazarus Pit, underground sequences
Protocol 10 and the finale	Strange triggers Protocol 10 with missile strikes from Wonder Tower; the showdown with Strange, then the Joker endgame at the Monarch Theatre

Boss tips:

Solomon Grundy: keep moving, deal with the minions with counters, and attack his exposed weak points when they open up.
Mr. Freeze: he adapts to every takedown. Use each method once (drop attack, glide kick, Batclaw pull, Explosive Gel, sneak takedown from behind, and so on).
Ra's al Ghul: a vision-like sequence; follow the lighting cues and avoid clones.
Clayface: counter and dodge his attacks and clear his minions; follow the on-screen prompts in the finale.

Side Missions

Most are available throughout the story and continue after the credits (you can keep playing after the ending to finish them). Highlights:

Side mission	Villain/character	Notes
Acts of Violence	Political prisoners	Rescue them from thugs in the streets
Hot and Cold	Mr. Freeze	Follow-up to the main Freeze story
Calendar Man	Calendar Man	Visit his cell on special in-game dates (tied to your system clock)
Shot in the Dark	Deadshot	Find the victims and track his shooting position
Cold Call	Victor Zsasz	Answer ringing payphones before his timer runs out
Identity Theft	Hush	Track the bodies and victims
Watcher in the Wings	Azrael	Find and follow the symbols
Fragile Alliance	Bane	Destroy TITAN containers
Mad Hatter	Mad Hatter	Hallucination sequence
Enigma Conundrum	The Riddler	Complete Riddler challenges to rescue hostages

Check the in-game mission list; if a mission shows progress but no marker, you probably need a later gadget or story beat.

Riddler Challenges

Arkham City has 440 Riddler challenges in total: trophies, riddles (scan a location), breakable objects, and hostage rescues. Forty of them are Catwoman-only items (the Sphinx' Riddle achievement), so play her episodes attentively. Informant thugs (they glow green in Detective Mode) reveal locations on your map when interrogated. Leave one alive in a brawl and interrogate him after.

Completing them unlocks challenge maps and rescues the Riddler's hostages in Enigma Conundrum. Each hostage rescue is its own achievement (Conundrum, Mastermind, Puzzler, Intellectual, Brainteaser), and freeing all of them earns Genius.

Catwoman, Robin, Nightwing and DLC

The GOTY Edition includes:

Catwoman Pack: Catwoman's story episodes, her Riddler trophies, and challenge maps.
Robin Bundle Pack and Nightwing Bundle Pack: each playable in challenge maps.
Harley Quinn's Revenge: a story expansion set two weeks after the main game, with Batman and Robin (originally released on PC in June 2012). Play it after the credits; its achievements include destroying all Harley balloons (Party's Over).
Challenge Map Pack: extra maps (including Wayne Manor, Main Hall, Freight Train, Black Mask, The Joker's Carnival, Iceberg Lounge, and Batcave).
Skins Pack: 12 alternate costumes: 1970s Batsuit, Year One Batman, The Dark Knight Returns, Earth One Batman, Batman Beyond Batman, Animated Batman, Sinestro Corps Batman, Long Halloween Catwoman, Animated Catwoman, Animated Robin, Red Robin, and Animated Nightwing.
Catwoman medals: her challenge-map achievements (Feline Revenge for all 72 medals on the original maps, Campaign Kitty for all 108 campaign medals) are among the hardest in the game.

New Game Plus

Finish the story to unlock New Game Plus. You keep your gadgets and upgrades, enemies are tougher, and counter warning icons are removed. Completing it earns Twice Nightly and is required for full completion.

PC Setup

Launch through the game's launcher to change DirectX version and settings. DX11 adds effects but some systems stutter; switch to DX9 if you have performance problems.
PhysX: high-quality PhysX settings look nice (debris, smoke) but cost performance.
Games for Windows Live and SecuROM were removed on 17 October 2013, so you can play and save without them.
Controller: full controller support; combat feels natural on a pad.
Frame rate: set V-Sync and frame limit in the launcher.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mashing strike. Timing matters.
Rushing gunmen in Predator rooms.
Leaving the Grapnel Boost unbought.
Ignoring side missions until the finale, then losing the ones that close.
Not interrogating Riddler informants.
Forgetting ground takedowns leave you exposed.

Advanced Tips

Beat-down + ground takedown chains end fights fast in challenge maps.
Quickfire Batclaw pulls shields and armored enemies off balance.
Remote Electric Charge in combat can make gunmen fire at each other.
Freeze Blast quickfire freezes a charging enemy mid-fight.
Special combos unlock with upgrades: learn the multi-ground takedown.

FAQ

Does the GOTY Edition include all the DLC? Yes: Catwoman, Robin, and Nightwing packs, Harley Quinn's Revenge, the Challenge Map Pack, and the skins pack.

Can I keep playing after the ending? Yes. You can return to Arkham City to finish side missions and Riddler challenges.

Where do I start Harley Quinn's Revenge? From the main menu after finishing the main story; it continues the plot.

What is the best order to play the Arkham games? Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, then Arkham Knight. Arkham Origins is a prequel.

Why is my game stuttering? Try DX9 in the launcher and lower PhysX settings.

Does it still need Games for Windows Live? No. GFWL was removed in October 2013.