Post-Game Activities

Congratulations, Caped Crusader! You've navigated the treacherous streets of Arkham City and brought an end to Protocol 10. But the fight for justice doesn't end with the main storyline. Arkham City is brimming with post-game content, offering a wealth of challenges, mysteries, and collectibles to keep you immersed in Batman's world. Achieving 100% completion requires dedication, skill, and a keen eye for detail. This section will guide you through every remaining task, ensuring no criminal goes unpunished and no secret remains undiscovered.

Riddler's Revenge: The Hunt for Collectibles

The Riddler's elaborate game continues long after the credits roll. To truly defeat Edward Nigma, you must locate and solve all 440 of his devious challenges scattered across Arkham City. These include Riddler Trophies, Riddles, destructible objects (like Joker's Teeth, Penguin's Monarch Theatre Cameras, and Two-Face's Political Posters), and Catwoman's specific collectibles. The Detective Mode is your best friend here, highlighting interactive objects and question marks. Remember, some collectibles are only accessible after acquiring specific gadgets or completing certain side missions.

Riddler Trophies: These green question mark trophies are often hidden in plain sight, requiring a specific gadget or environmental interaction to retrieve. Pay close attention to your surroundings and use your Detective Vision frequently.
Riddles: To solve a riddle, you must find the object or location described by the riddle's text and scan it with your Detective Vision. The solution is rarely obvious, often requiring knowledge of Gotham's lore or careful observation of the environment.
Destructible Objects:
- Joker's Teeth: These chattering teeth are a common sight in areas controlled by the Joker. Simply destroy them with any Batarang.
- Penguin's Monarch Theatre Cameras: Found predominantly within the Monarch Theatre and surrounding areas, these cameras need to be destroyed with a Batarang.
- Two-Face's Political Posters: Located in areas frequented by Two-Face's gang, these posters can be torn down with a Batarang.
Catwoman's Collectibles: As Catwoman, you'll have your own set of unique collectibles to find, often requiring her specific agility and climbing abilities. These are typically gems or other valuable items.

Side Missions: Cleaning Up Arkham City

Several compelling side missions become available or continue after the main story. These often introduce new characters, expand on existing narratives, and provide valuable experience points and upgrades.

Identity Thief: Continue the hunt for the serial killer leaving behind bodies with their faces removed. Follow the clues and use your forensic scanner to piece together the puzzle. The final confrontation will test your detective skills.
Watcher in the Wings: This mysterious side mission involves locating Azrael, who appears in various vantage points across the city. Each encounter reveals more about his prophecy and the impending doom for Gotham. There are a total of four encounters.
Cold Call Killer: Answer the ringing payphones scattered throughout Arkham City to uncover the identity of the "Cold Call Killer." This mission involves a series of timed challenges and detective work.
Remote Hideouts: Track down and neutralize the remaining political prisoners held captive by various gangs. These often involve stealth and combat encounters in unique locations.

Challenge Mode: Test Your Skills

For players seeking to truly master Batman's combat and predator abilities, the Challenge Mode offers a rigorous test. Accessed from the main menu, these challenges are separate from the main story and focus purely on gameplay mechanics.

Combat Challenges

These challenges pit Batman (or Catwoman, Robin, Nightwing if you have the DLC) against waves of enemies in a confined arena. The goal is to achieve the highest score possible by chaining together combos, using gadgets effectively, and avoiding damage. Each challenge has three medals to earn: Bronze, Silver, and Gold, based on your score.

Strategy: Focus on maintaining your combo multiplier, using several attacks and gadgets, and performing environmental takedowns when available. Countering is crucial for survival.

Predator Challenges

Predator challenges require stealth, strategy, and precise execution. You'll be placed in an environment with armed enemies and tasked with silently taking them down, often with specific objectives. Like combat challenges, there are three medals to earn per challenge.

Strategy: use gargoyles, vents, and grates to your advantage. Plan your attacks carefully, isolating enemies and using silent takedowns. Gadgets like the Disruptor, Smoke Pellet, and Sonic Shock Batarang are invaluable.

New Game Plus: A Fresh Start with a Challenge

Once you've completed the main story, New Game Plus becomes available. This mode allows you to restart the entire campaign with all your previously unlocked gadgets, upgrades, and experience points. However, it also significantly ramps up the difficulty:

Increased Enemy Difficulty: Enemies are tougher, more numerous, and often have advanced weaponry from the start.
No Counter Icons: The visual prompts for countering enemy attacks are removed, forcing you to rely on audio cues and your own reflexes.
No Free Health Regeneration: Health does not automatically regenerate outside of combat, making every hit more impactful.

New Game Plus is the ultimate test of your Arkham City mastery and a fantastic way to experience the story again with a heightened sense of challenge.

Character Skins: Customize Your Hero

Unlock several alternate skins for Batman and other playable characters. Some are unlocked through story progression, others by completing specific challenges or purchasing DLC. These skins offer a cosmetic change to your gameplay experience.

How to Equip: Access the character selection screen in Challenge Mode or the main menu after completing the story to change skins.

Exploration and Easter Eggs

Even after completing all objectives, Arkham City holds many secrets. Take time to simply explore the vast open world. You might stumble upon:

Hidden Messages: Keep an eye out for cryptic messages from Calendar Man, Hush, and other villains.
Environmental Storytelling: The city itself tells a story, with graffiti, abandoned camps, and subtle details hinting at the lives of its inhabitants.
Character Interactions: Occasionally, you'll overhear conversations between thugs or even witness small, unscripted events that add to the atmosphere.

Achieving 100% completion in Batman: Arkham City is a rewarding endeavor that will truly test your skills as the Dark Knight. Good luck, and remember, justice never sleeps!