A Year of Holidays Unlocks Batman: Arkham City’s Most Unique Steam Achievement in a Superhero Game, 15 Years Later
A demanding completion task
Arkham City expanded the series into an open world two years after the more constrained Arkham Asylum. It also added playable Catwoman, Robin and Nightwing, while developing the earlier game’s combat and stealth challenges.
The Riddler’s Revenge challenges make unlocking every achievement more time-consuming. But the Calendar Man task stands out for a different reason: it depends on returning to the game on specific real-world holidays.
Twelve dates to remember
Players must visit Calendar Man on 12 holidays and speak with him in the courthouse basement. Some holidays fall on different dates from year to year, so players must identify the right date for each one.
At first, players could learn the next holiday by visiting on a correct date and listening to Calendar Man’s remarks or hints. More than a decade and a half after the game’s release, players can find the dates without relying on those clues.
A shortcut and a rare role
Players who do not want to wait through the calendar can change the date on their console or PC. After each interaction is autosaved, adjusting the system clock lets them move to another holiday and finish much faster.
The achievement is an unusual tribute to a villain who has a limited role across the franchise. Calendar Man appears before his planned gas-chamber execution in Arkham Origins and is otherwise referenced or represented by his calendar-decorated cells. In Arkham City, players can speak with him as both Batman and Catwoman.
Key points
- The Calendar Man achievement requires visits on 12 real-world holidays.
- Players must interact with him in the basement of Solomon Wayne Courthouse.
- Changing a console or PC clock can shorten the process.
- Arkham City lets players encounter Calendar Man as Batman and Catwoman.