Coulrophobes, stay away from this latest Batman: Arkham City trailer! People who don't know that “coulrophobia” means “a deep-set fear of clowns” most likely don't suffer from the condition – whose etymology, FYI, stems back to approximately the same time as Steven King's It was released – and hence can enjoy the clip's cast of terrifying clowns, malevolent carnival atmosphere, and final outing for Mark Hamill as the voice of the Joker. But seriously, if you don't like clowns, you will freaking hate this video.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the Batman/Joker rivalry forms the backbone of Arkham City's storyline from this clip, which makes the game look as close to 1988's comic, The Killing Joke – the accepted template for the Joker in most every presentation since – as you're likely to get while holding a controller. But no: Arkham City is so big that the Clown Prince and his entourage of circus-freaks are but one subplot of a much bigger narrative. Here's hoping newly-unveiled immediate fan favorite Mr. Hammer stays alive long enough to get his own spinoff.

Sep 22, 2011