Once you get past the head-scratching absurdity of a first-person shooter inspired by a character who loathes guns, playing Gotham City Impostors is an insanely silly amount of fun. A Batman game without Batman, it pits a team of gun-toting, Dark Knight–obsessed vigilantes (the Bats) against a gang of well-armed clown-faced criminals (the Jokerz) in iconic Gotham settings. Make no mistake: these aren’t sanctioned members of the Bat-family. Both side’s combatants are average schmoes dressed up in hand-made costumes with hubcap armor, goofy gadgets, and a shockingly high threshold for personal embarrassment.
What could have been a one-note gag benefits from developer Monolith’s shooter expertise. Despite the game’s intended laughs, the gameplay is no joke — the action is inventive, fast-paced, and will keep you hooked on leveling up your character to unlock new upgrades and abilities. You can choose a pre-set loadout (such as Scout, Healer, Defender, and so on) or cultivate your own unique loadouts with weapons that range from conventional (standard-issue rifles, shotguns, machine guns, and more) to fanciful slingshots and freeze rays.
The game boasts just three multiplayer modes — team deathmatch, Fumigation (think Domination with deadly gas), and Psych Warfare (capturing propaganda machines that demoralize the opposing team) — but there’s a gauntlet of solo challenges that let you accumulate experience offline and hone your skills with the game’s crazy gadgets, including a grapple gun, springy shoes, and glider wings.
Irreverent yet addictively engaging, Gotham City Impostors may not be the shooter you expected, but it’s definitely the one you deserve.
PUBLISHER: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment • DEVELOPER: Monolith Productions • ESRB: Teen • MULTIPLAYER: 12 on Xbox Live • ACHIEVEMENTS: Grueling • COST: 1,200 Microsoft Points ($15)
+ Goofy setting + Solid team shooter = Winning formula.
+ 1,000 levels of advancement keeps you playing; first DLC pack (which adds a sixth map to the five included with the game) will be free.
– Could use more multiplayer modes.
? Is Batman asleep in his cave while all this is going on?
Kool Kyle
February 15, 2012 at 11:27pm
This game is all about the wackiness. It is entertaining for hours on end because say the grappling gun isn't doing it for you, you can take to the glider and fly around or bounce on your inflatable shoes or skate and go off jumps. There is enough customization that I think, literally, every type of player was thought of in the making of this game, and then some. It's a fresh change of pace that is different from anything out there right now that it's hard not to like. It's my go to game if I only have an hour or so to play (otherwise it's Skyrim, of course) because it's fast action keeps everything moving quickly. This is the only game where, while I still try to win, I find myself not really caring if I lose because either way, it's a blast. If Batman and Joker went on vacation, I'm positive this is what would ensue. The more I play it, the more I am loving it. I agree with this 8.5 score. Sure it could use more game modes (and I bet they will come) but for $15, it's a great deal.
