Quick and dumb question about Arkham City

[Johnny Novgorod]

A friend lent me Arkham City and I'm playing it for the first time evah. He'll probably be wanting it back this weekend and I don't know whether to make a run for the ending or not. I'm about to begin the Demon Trials right now. How long would you say will it take me to finish the rest of the main campaign, considering I stick to the main missions? Can I make it?

Also: there's an endgame right? Can I do the sidequesty stuff after beating the main campaign?

EDIT: Man it's so easy to get sidetracked in this game...

EDIT 2: Yay, beat the main campaign and apparently all the sidequests are still on. The only thing I don't get is there's one optional mission which apparently I never even initiated. It's the first one on the list, left of the Bane mission.

EDIT 3: And now I beat the Harley Quinn's Revenge DLC, which I thought was really, really weak.

 

[hazabaza1]

If I remember correctly you're... fairly close to the end. Maybe 75% through if you ignore side stuff.

 

[The Madman]

It's been awhile since I played it but if you mean the bit where you're doing the trials to join that group, you're maybe... hmm... 60ish percent through the game? Maybe a bit more or less, again it's been awhile.

Honestly I'd just recommend buying the game if you're enjoying it however. Arkham City is very much a game that rewards players that take their time and explore, doing the side quests and challenges, just rushing to the ending seems like it would be a pretty poor way to play.

And yes you can continue to do stuff after the main story, although some elements of the environment will have changed drastically from before.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

After a little more playing I'm about to enter the Joker's steel mill for the 2nd time. It's just that and the whole Protocol 10 thing right? Will I be able to do the Zsasz sidequest and rescue Nora Fries after I finish the game? I read some stuff gets lost forever after the climax. I just don't have that much time.

 

[doomed89]

After a little more playing I'm about to enter the Joker's steel mill for the 2nd time. It's just that and the whole Protocol 10 thing right? Will I be able to do the Zsasz sidequest and rescue Nora Fries after I finish the game? I read some stuff gets lost forever after the climax. I just don't have that much time.

I don't remember there be anything side related that can't be done post game.

 

[Saltyk]

After a little more playing I'm about to enter the Joker's steel mill for the 2nd time. It's just that and the whole Protocol 10 thing right? Will I be able to do the Zsasz sidequest and rescue Nora Fries after I finish the game? I read some stuff gets lost forever after the climax. I just don't have that much time.

Pretty sure Zsasz can be done after the ending, if I recall correctly. Think I finished it after the finale. Not sure about the Nora Fries Side Quest, though. I actually finished more than a few of the Quests after the ending. Considering how many times I'd hear Zsasz's calls while I was running around and generally had to ignore them, that's not a surprise.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure you can finish the Assassin, Zsasz, Riddler, and mysterious symbols Side Quests after the End Game. Plus, there's a few extra things to do at that point. For example, you can freely switch between Batman and Catwoman.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

After a little more playing I'm about to enter the Joker's steel mill for the 2nd time. It's just that and the whole Protocol 10 thing right? Will I be able to do the Zsasz sidequest and rescue Nora Fries after I finish the game? I read some stuff gets lost forever after the climax. I just don't have that much time.

I don't remember there be anything side related that can't be done post game.

I read you don't get to meet Killer Croc if you don't look for him in the metro tunnels before the ending. Apparently the area is shut off after that. I figured there would be other stuff I wouldn't be able to do as well. Yahtzee complains as such in his review of the game.

 

[Neverhoodian]

If you power through the main storyline without tackling any of the side missions, you should be able to beat it in just few hours, if even that. You're basically in the home stretch when you go into the steel mill again. Tack on another few hours to that if the game has the bonus story DLC.

To be honest, I don't know when certain side missions can no longer be finished. I bought the game about six months ago (waited for the GotY Edition with all the extra content), and I've only played through the main story once (though I plan on a second go soon). The rest of the time has been spent mostly messing around in Challenge mode with all the characters.

 

[Olas]

After a little more playing I'm about to enter the Joker's steel mill for the 2nd time. It's just that and the whole Protocol 10 thing right? Will I be able to do the Zsasz sidequest and rescue Nora Fries after I finish the game? I read some stuff gets lost forever after the climax. I just don't have that much time.

I did the Zsasz sidequest after completing the main story arc, I imagine you can too. As far as I'm aware nothing will get locked if you don't complete it at the right time. You might want to at least do all the virtual flying simulators since they let you unlock cool bonus upgrades that make getting about easier. But ya, nothing wrong with doing stuff afterward.

 

[doomed89]

After a little more playing I'm about to enter the Joker's steel mill for the 2nd time. It's just that and the whole Protocol 10 thing right? Will I be able to do the Zsasz sidequest and rescue Nora Fries after I finish the game? I read some stuff gets lost forever after the climax. I just don't have that much time.

I don't remember there be anything side related that can't be done post game.

I read you don't get to meet Killer Croc if you don't look for him in the metro tunnels before the ending. Apparently the area is shut off after that. I figured there would be other stuff I wouldn't be able to do as well. Yahtzee complains as such in his review of the game.

Killer croc is just an easter egg, I'm 90% sure I missed him and I have the 100% and the only miss-able trophy is the catch one and all side quests are required for a few trophies.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

If you power through the main storyline without tackling any of the side missions, you should be able to beat it in just few hours, if even that. You're basically in the home stretch when you go into the steel mill again. Tack on another few hours to that if the game has the bonus story DLC.

To be honest, I don't know when certain side missions can no longer be finished. I bought the game about six months ago (waited for the GotY Edition with all the extra content), and I've only played through the main story once (though I plan on a second go soon). The rest of the time has been spent mostly messing around in Challenge mode with all the characters.

I'm playing through the GotY edition as well! Apparently there's a sub-scenario called Harley Quinn's Revenge where you play as Robin, of all people.

I did the Zsasz sidequest after completing the main story arc, I imagine you can too. As far as I'm aware nothing will get locked if you don't complete it at the right time. You might want to at least do all the virtual flying simulators since they let you unlock cool bonus upgrades that make getting about easier. But ya, nothing wrong with doing stuff afterward.

I did the first round of flight simulation and got the cool grappling hook upgrade but that was it, I'm no good at flying through hoops in the air. Actually I've done a bunch of sidequests, like the Bane thing, but the game more or less walks you through it on the go. And I've rescued most of Riddler's hostages, and I'm one phone call from tracing ZsasZ. Also I did the whole Vicki Vale/Mad Hatter thing, though I'm still not sure whether that was part of the main campaign or not. Anyway, I was worried that by ending the game I'd lose all the effort and get locked out of the quests. I watched again Yahtzee's review to get a heads up and he made it a point to complain about getting locked out of quests, so I might as well ask.

 

[lacktheknack]

If you power through the main storyline without tackling any of the side missions, you should be able to beat it in just few hours, if even that. You're basically in the home stretch when you go into the steel mill again. Tack on another few hours to that if the game has the bonus story DLC.

To be honest, I don't know when certain side missions can no longer be finished. I bought the game about six months ago (waited for the GotY Edition with all the extra content), and I've only played through the main story once (though I plan on a second go soon). The rest of the time has been spent mostly messing around in Challenge mode with all the characters.

I'm playing through the GotY edition as well! Apparently there's a sub-scenario called Harley Quinn's Revenge where you play as Robin, of all people.

Don't knock him, he's more fun to play than Batman. He looks pretty badass in the game, too, if you like brooding.

You should shell out for the game, as it's the best of its kind. But you can finish the main quest this weekend, easy.

 

[DementedSheep]

If I remember right your most of the way through and you can do side quests and collectibles after so you might as well finish up the main.

I'm playing through the GotY edition as well! Apparently there's a sub-scenario called Harley Quinn's Revenge where you play as Robin, of all people.

He is actually pretty awesome in this and that dlc is fun. I recommend doing it you have time after you finish the main.

 

[Guffe]

Sidequests can be done after the main campaign.
And you don't have a lot left to finish the main questline!
GL & HF!
Go for it!

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Hmmm I'm at the Joker boss fight in the steel mill and Protocol 10 is ten minutes short of beginning. And yet the stats show "Main Story 67%". I wonder.

 

[doomed89]

Shouldn't be a problem. Three or four hours of main gameplay left, and I don't think anything of significance gets locked off. In fact, because of the gadgets required, you pretty much need to finish the main campaign before you can finish the riddler stuff, since some of the challenges require access to the higher level gadgets in order to handle.

That said, once you get out of the steel-mill, you may want to finish up Nora Fries before completing the main game.. if any of the quests might lock off, I can see it being that one.

None of them lock off, the only miss-able thing is killer croc easter egg and the catch trophy and the catch trophy isn't even missable by beating the game.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Shouldn't be a problem. Three or four hours of main gameplay left, and I don't think anything of significance gets locked off. In fact, because of the gadgets required, you pretty much need to finish the main campaign before you can finish the riddler stuff, since some of the challenges require access to the higher level gadgets in order to handle.

That said, once you get out of the steel-mill, you may want to finish up Nora Fries before completing the main game.. if any of the quests might lock off, I can see it being that one.

I already rescued Nora Fries. I'm down to the Cat Woman beating Two Face. Is Deadshot still catchable after the main campaign though? I read/heard that's not the case.

EDIT: Nope, I'm already post-epilogue and the Deadshot thing is still totally on.

 

[Glongpre]

I remember doing most of the sidequests after the main quest. Be prepared to spend awhile finding Riddler clues, it may take a while.