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Riddler revealed as key baddie in Batman: Arkham City photo

In Batman: Arkham City, Riddler is done messing around. While his presence was felt in 2009's Arkham Asylum -- he left hidden clues all over the massive institution -- he's finally ready to come out of hiding.

During a demo of Arkham City at GDC a few weeks back, Rocksteady's Dax Ginn showed us the same demo our own Hamza Aziz had seen a few weeks back. It was, to put it mildly, a mind-blowing step above what we saw in Arkham Asylum. But the big news was something Hamza hadn't seen: the announcement that the brilliant Edward Nygma wouldn't just be taunting Batman this time around, but would have a physical presence in the world of Arkham City.

Our demo ended with Batman descending upon a rooftop as his Cyptogram device was picking up a strange signal. He stops in front of a large billboard, the words "Turn on and Tune in Before Someone Checks out - 275.00 325.00" crudely scrawled on its face. The Dark Knight jacks into that particular frequency and we're given our first glimpse at Arkham City's darker, twisted vision of Riddler.

While we didn't see any gameplay in action, the vignette we were shown was meant to give us "insight into The Riddler's state of mind." It's a super grimy minute worth of footage, with dark scenes of horror-like imagery, including a female struggling as she held down by a contraption that looks like something out of a SAW film. The Riddler's voice is the clip's soundtrack, taunting Batman the whole time.

How Riddler encounters and missions will play out is still very much an enigma itself; Ginn would only confirm that he'll be both physically threatening Batman and "the lives of innocent people." From the sounds of things, the critical narrative path will have you dealing with the likes of Two-Face and Joker. But Ginn was hesitant to call Riddler encounters "side missions."

"The Riddler experience is not part of the main story," he confirmed, "but you can see how much work we put into it. It seems to do them a disservice to call them 'side missions,' because we take them really, really seriously."

We hope to learn more about The Riddler's involvement in Arkham City soon. But in the meantime, glean what you will from these first images of the

LAUNCH GALLERY (3 IMAGES)
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45 comments | showing # 1 to 45
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tomothy25's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:04
tomothy25
AWESOME. I love The Riddler. Even just hearing him mocking you in the first game was great, so I can't wait to see/hear the fleshed-out version. Super excited for this. Cheers, Nick!
Jim Sterling's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:06
Jim Sterling
Boom. Riddler is awesome.
Chris Newby's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:11
Chris Newby
Fantastic news. I have two questions:

1) Riddler, Joker, Two-Face, Hugo Strange... How are all these antagonist going to be woven into the story without it suffering from Spiderman 3 syndrome?

2) I wonder if this will deter/inspire Nolan to stick Riddler in The Dark Knight Rises. I doubt Nolan would cast him as a SAW-knock off.
Fear No Darkness's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:11
Fear No Darkness
"Boom. Riddler is awesome."

+1 Concur.
Sanious's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:11
Sanious
This just keeps getting better.
Noir Trilby's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:13
Noir Trilby
Excellent. If it's one thing I wanted out of The Riddler in AA, it was rooms full of death trap puzzles you had to escpae from. Keeping my fingers crossed for a Mr Freeze appearance.
diztrukted's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:18
diztrukted
^^^^ agreed
Sanious's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:18
Sanious
@Chris Newby

Well, AA didn't suffer with Joker, Bane, Scarecrow, Killer Croc and Poison Ivy. And other random characters from the Batman series.
wickedsickzombie's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:20
wickedsickzombie
@Chris Newby

1. Spider-Man 3 had two hours to tell a whole story with 3 badguys, Batman AC has a WHOLE GAME!
2. Doubt it considering Nolan already seems to have a cast for the next Batman movie and Riddler didn't seem to make the villain cut (but never say never)

Anyway...

Riddler: "I wanna play a game..." = AWESOME
LittleBigD's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:26
LittleBigD
My mind is breaking beneath all of this Batman awesomeness. I don't know how much longer I can take this.
Darckcloud723's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:33
Darckcloud723
If this years Call of Duty out sales this, I've lost faith in gamers!
themizarkshow's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:38
themizarkshow
The Riddler stuff in the first game was one of the reasons why AA kicked so much ass. Hearing that he plays an even bigger role in AC is pure win.
World of Harvis's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:39
World of Harvis
I don't think the human mind was made for such win.

Many heads will literally explode on October 18!
Popyman's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:41
Popyman
YES.
FatPursley's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:44
FatPursley
Can't...wait...for...Arkham...City!
Thane Vickers's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 09:59
Thane Vickers
I knew about this last night.... Somehow... in a chat....
SirNinjaFace's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 10:10
SirNinjaFace
*Gasping for breath* Arkham City. Tomb Raider Reboot, Portal 2, Skyrim, Uncharted 3, Human Revolution, The Last Guardian and LA Noire! 2011 GAMEZ... Sometimes there is just too much beauty in the world.
BananaCombOver's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 10:22
BananaCombOver
Oh snap.
Nick Chester's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 10:22
Nick Chester
@Robotic:

That was a dream. You were dreaming.
cbarrentos's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 10:35
cbarrentos
as a devout Batman fanboy (so much so that i truly enjoy what Grant Morrison has done with the series), this pleases me to no end.
it's got the comic geek's seal of approval for sure. and we're not easy to please.
PhilK3nS3bb3n's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 10:41
PhilK3nS3bb3n
Holy fucking awesome Batman!
Epic-Kx's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 10:47
Epic-Kx
Two Face, Riddler, Joker....now all we need is Dr. Freeze.
AnotherRumpKicker's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 10:48
AnotherRumpKicker
Riddle me this batman, who has two thumbs and wants this game? this guy!
Xzyliac's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 11:31
Xzyliac
I am so aroused right now.
cbarrentos's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 11:36
cbarrentos
@Epic-KxDtoid:
MR. Freeze, thank you very much.
although his real name IS Dr. Victor Fries, to be fair.
Camiwaits's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 11:51
Camiwaits
Nice. This game is doing everything to come across as a must buy.
Dace Falar's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 12:07
Dace Falar
Riddler is such an excellent villain. I'm loving this game more and more
accidentprone88's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 12:12
accidentprone88
@cbarrentos

Grant Morrison has done more to damage Batman than Joel Schumacher. Rocksteady actually seems to respect the character, which is much more than can be said for Mr. Morrison.

That being said, this game looks aces and, as someone who was disappointed that the Riddler remained off-screen the entirety of Arkham Asylum, I am incredibly excited. Now to reread Hush in anticipation.
GoofierBrute's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 12:37
GoofierBrute
Oh Rocksteady, you once again did the impossible and made me excited to see Riddler. And I don't even like Riddler!
TheRedComet's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 12:41
TheRedComet
Can they get Jim Carrey for the game?
ScorPWNok's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 12:53
ScorPWNok
Ugh. Riddler is my favorite Batman character and I gotta say this is a bit disappointing. A Jigsaw killer ripoff is not what I was hoping for, here. Character design looks weak (are those JEANS?) and the voice from Arkham Asylum is gonna seem weird coming from this version.

If you really, really need to make The Riddler "dark and gritty", there are ways to do it other than making him a cliched serial killer...and a scuzzy, unshaved, disheveled looking one at that.
DAVYDOCK's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 13:00
DAVYDOCK
@Cbarrentos

WELL ACTUALLY!! Itsh Mr fweeze..

Why do you care? Lol
TJF588's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 13:01
TJF588
Pardon my simile, but this feels like my opinions on the Crimson Spheres/Crimson Squad sidequest in FINAL FANTASY X-2. That plotline was actually more impactful on its own and on the extended story of Spira itself than even the main story was (aside from, maybe, the impact of the Thunder Plains performance, but c'mon).

Yeah, I went there. Arkham City = FFX-2. Such that Riddler : AA :: Crimson Squad : X-2.
Darren Nakamura's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 13:09
Darren Nakamura
Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!
ScorPWNok's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 13:17
ScorPWNok
Actually, what am I saying. This game runs on the Unreal engine...everytone is scuzzy and unshaven. And shiny.
Occams electric toothbrush's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 13:18
Occams electric toothbrush
@accidentprone88: Grant Morrison did more to damage Batman than Joel Schumacher? I think thats a bit much. I mean all Grant Morrison did was make him even more awesome. What's wrong with that?
ShadeOfLight's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 13:44
ShadeOfLight
Cool!
Riddler was really the one thing I kind of missed in Arkham Asylum, so this is good news
The Cast's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 14:27
The Cast
I'm going to assume Riddler was sent to Arkham City after his arrest during AA...given that the vast majority of it prisoners are too dumb to compete with the Riddler, I'd guess he probably would go insane too.
Vxxyman's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 16:50
Vxxyman
Yay. More Riddler.
It is good to see him more involved in this game. Please be awesome.
extendd's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/16/2011 20:55
extendd
Most appropriate place for this, dude. Spot on!
The Tingler's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/17/2011 04:37
The Tingler
I'm hoping they get Robert Englund to do his voice. He was a great Riddler. I'm with the others who don't think Arkham Asylum's voice would work with this version.
Rappy28's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/17/2011 09:39
Rappy28
I feel like such a terrible, TERRIBLE Riddler fan for loving this.
I wanted to say "inb4 fellow Riddler fans cry about this", but we've already got one up there.
Noir Trilby's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/19/2011 10:41
Noir Trilby
I don't get the comparison of Riddler to Jigsaw. I mean Riddler was doing death traps for Batman and civilians decades before the Saw movies. Am I missing something here?
Rock Lobster's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/20/2011 22:41
Rock Lobster
Nice! The Riddler is classic, and I'm really excited to see this new spin they're putting on him.
George Eric Oliver's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/19/2011 08:25
George Eric Oliver
sounds like they are side missions.
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