Whilst we're on the topic of hallucination inducing enemies we should consider the great Head of the Demon. Ra's al Ghul proves to be the ultimate villain of Arkham City in the end but even before the player discovers this there is an epic confrontation with the centuries-old warrior. Batman is in a desperate situation when he confronts Ra's. By drinking of the blood of the Demon, Batman sustains himself for a few hours more but as a consequence his will is bent to Ra's. As with Scarecrow part of what makes this confrontation is the build up as we witness the power and ability Ra's commands. The setting for this confrontation is perfect, the bright desert sand providing an Arabian feeling contrasting to the dark and gritty Gotham City. The reason this battle is so fulfilling is that it balanced everything just about right. It is not too difficult to the point of frustration, it does not force the player too far away from their comfort zone and the tactics are altered between Batman using his fists, gadgets and dodging from attacks. This fight is always memorable to me as it was accompanied by some brilliant music and dialogue between the characters. What I loved most of all was the quick flashes you'd get that would show you Batman and Ra's duelling in the real world, then flash back to Ra's world. The confrontation also felt well positioned in the game's narrative. As someone who did not really enjoy dealing with the Penguin and Solomon Grundy I felt the game grasped me more once I descended into Wonder City and confronted Ra's. Which leads me to my final entry...
