Just around the corner of the release of the super-popular “The Dark Knight” movie in 2008, Rocksteady Studios released a new platform-based game starring the caped-crusader known as Batman and earned a nearly perfect rating from critics.

With all of the hype behind “Batman: Arkham Asylum” being considered “the greatest superhero game ever made” according to GamesRadar.com, who rated it a 9 out of 10 and made it Game of the Year 2009, it was considered pretty much impossible to top it, right? Wrong.

On Oct. 14, Rocksteady released the sequel to “Batman: Arkham Asylum,” one of the most anticipated games of all time. The sequel, called “Batman: Arkham City,” received a perfect 10, and it makes its predecessor look like a demo. As amazing as the first game was, this one has completely topped it. It is the perfect Batman game.

According to the LA Times, “Arkham City” sold two million copies in just the first week of sales. That is how much the first game sold in its first month.

Rather than talk numbers, it is time to talk about what makes this game perfect. Sure, the amount of units sold does contribute to the game’s “awesomeness,” but what really counts is the copy you have (or hopefully will soon have).

The story of “Arkham City” kicks off shortly after that

of

“Arkham Asylum.” Quincy Sharp, who was the warden of the Asylum in the first game, has taken credit for shutting down the riots that Batman single-handedly stopped and used that credit to become the new mayor of Gotham City.

Rather than keep Arkham Asylum running, Sharp fenced off an entire section of Gotham, packed it full of Arkham’s criminals and let them roam free as long as they did not leave. This section became known as “Arkham City.” Sounds like the perfect setting for a superhero game, does it not?

The supervisor of Arkham City is Doctor Hugo Strange, a man who claims to know Batman’s identity. Strange intends to unveil new plans for Arkham City before the end of the night, an operation he calls “Protocol 10,” which will make him the “supreme ruler of Gotham.”

The game begins with Bruce Wayne (spoiler alert: he is Batman) protesting the fact that half of Gotham has become a walled-off reserve for criminals. He is then kidnapped by TYGER Security guards working for Strange and thrown right into the heart of Arkham City.

With the help of his butler Alfred Pennyworth Wayne has his Batman suit air-dropped onto the roof of a building in Arkham. After fighting his way through prisoners and

guards, Wayne finally reaches the top of the building, gets the Bat-suit, and the fun begins.

I would not be able to sleep tonight if I were to give any more spoilers away, but I will say you are definitely in for some of the best surprises, character references and just all-out fun that you have ever experienced with any game.

One of the best things about “Arkham Asylum” was the huge amount of hidden messages, or “easter eggs,” throughout the game. Just like every other feature, “Arkham City” has shattered “Arkham Asylum” with hundreds of hidden messages and references to characters. I finished the story mode of the game in three days, and I have only found 30 percent of the game’s secrets.

Speaking of secrets, one of the best sidemissions in “Arkham Asylum” was collecting “Riddler trophies.” You would always seem to go out of your way to collect these little green statues shaped like question marks in order to unlock new things in the game. This time around in “Arkham City,” Batman has to not only collect trophies but also use hints from the Riddler to save innocent civilians from their deaths.

Nowadays, it seems like no game can be popular without a multiplayer feature. “Arkham City” proved that wrong with its amazing single-player mechanics. Not only can you play as the Dark Knight himself, but also if you buy the game from Best Buy, you get a free download to play as Robin. If you were to buy the game from GameStop, you can get a free download to play as Catwoman.

Each downloadable character comes with his or her own playable story-mode that ties along with the main plot of the game. For those who bought the game from Best Buy, you can buy the Catwoman add-on off Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. The Robin add-on will be available Nov. 22.

These are not the only downloads available for the game, however. As of last Tuesday, the character known as Nightwing is available to buy on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems.

Another neat thing about the downloadable content for “Arkham City” is the use of “skins.” In the near future, you will be able to download different costumes for the playable characters. Batman, for example, has seven different skins that will be available on Dec. 6. This includes the costume from “Batman Beyond,” “Batman: The Animated Series” and even the costume that Adam West wore in the early days.

Now I know this all sounds very complicated, but that is what makes this game so great; even though it so complex, it is very easy to play. The developers concentrated more on the story and game play rather than the difficulty. This makes it a great game for both hardcore and casual gamers.

You absolutely cannot go wrong with buying this game. I can pretty much guarantee that you will have a new favorite superhero after playing.

The folks at Rocksteady have definitely created a contender for the greatest video game ever made. It is packed with so many mysteries, side-missions and secrets that it could potentially take months or even years to find them all. With the incorporation of downloadable content in the game, it could possibly go on forever.

Like Christopher Nolan did with his Batman movies, Rocksteady Studios’ “Arkham” series has given a new light to superhero-based games, and thanks to a few hints and clues in the game, rumors of a third game have already started.