One of the best parts of Batman: Arkham Asylum was the absurd amount of extras that just kept you playing past the main storyline. Puzzles, trophies, characters, achievements; There was a never-ending list of things to find and do. Well, the guys over at Rocksteady are ready to take that concept to the next level with Batman: Arkham City, and they’re doing so with something called “New Game Plus.”

Once you’ve beaten the game on Normal or Hard, you’ll unlock the New Game Plus mode. This will send you back to the start with all your unlocked items, gadgets, moves, and experience in tact from your previous play through. What you’ll be rewarded with is one tough secondary go at the game. There will be no counter icon above thugs so you’ll have to master the timing on your own, plus the thugs will be varied in toughness and you’ll fight some big baddies right from the start of the game. There’s no option to change the difficulty setting in New Game Plus, so you’ll have to rely on your unlocked gadgets to maintain the upper hand.

As if there was any reason for Rocksteady to make this game suck everyone in even longer. Prepare not to have friends or family for the three months following your purchase of this game, because it’s gonna be awhile before you master everything Arkham City has to offer.

[Source]