The comic book character of Batman has been around since the late 1930’s and to this day continues to be a popular fictional hero with children and adults. Over the decades the Caped Crusader has undergone many different changes both in the comic book as well as how he is portrayed in various media although generally the main characteristics have stayed very much the same. It was Frank Miller however who took the character back to his rather dark roots and this has for the most part now been the core of the character. Batman has also been a part of a number of video games, not all of which have been met with critical acclaim, but now the brooding hero is becoming a part of the Telltale Games catalog.
Before getting into this review I really do want to stress that this is one of those times where there will in fact be spoilers. While I have enjoyed most of Telltales releases, I typically wait until the entire season is available for any given title. I would much rather delve into the game and play through all the episodes at once as opposed to waiting for the next to come out. This version of Batman also isn’t a continuation or have any connection to the existing media currently available but instead is its own, unique presentation.
Batman: The Telltale Series is essentially a restart for Batman. As we’re introduced to the Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego Batman we find that the familiar foes he has fought over the decades aren’t present with many coming into existence during the course of the game. Bruce has been working of help his friend Harvey Dent run for mayor of Gotham City but his involvement in the campaign is soon jeopardized. First he is visited at his mansion by local mob boss Carmine Falcone during a fund raising event and it isn’t long before it is revealed that Bruce’s father had connections to Falcone as well as the city’s corrupt Mayor Hill. Public opinion of Wayne quickly declines and his own company decides to remove him as CEO, replacing him with his friend Oswald Cobblepot who recently arrived back in Gotham and is now talking of a revolution. To complicate matters a new villain has surfaced in the form of the Children of Arkham led by the mysterious Lady Arkham who is determined to not only expose the crimes of the Wayne family but to spread chaos across the city in their quest to purge corruption from every corner of Gotham.
If you’re already familiar with Telltales Games and their style of gameplay which made them a fan favorite, there aren’t many real changes found here. I actually never go into any Telltale release expecting a huge overhaul in what is presented but instead mere modifications. The games are more story driven and based on the concept of modernized point and click with a minor dosage of quick time events. Staying true to what gamers already have experienced in past Telltale releases, during various parts of the games conversations players will be given the option to respond by selecting a multiple number of answers or, in some instances, simply not answering at all. This is designed to potentially change the direction of the narrative as well as the gameplay experience although ultimately they all led to the same outcome.
At times players will also go into combat with Batman which is presented in a few different fashions. The first is the standard quick time events where players must simply hit the correct button or move in the appropriate direction before time runs out. There are also a few instances where you must move to a required spot on the screen, generally something which is done to target an opponent. Batman also will be confronted with moments where he must fight multiple foes at once and when these occur players will be given the opportunity to choose what order to fight in as well as how they want to take their foes down. There are points during combat which can change the overall perception of Batman as well. Since he debuted the main concept is that Batman doesn’t maim or kill him enemies but here you’ll find some moments when you can; this all is up to the player. Batman is also known for his impressive detective work and this is one area where there are some minor changes. At different points players will need to put clues together to find out what might have happened at a crime scene. You can investigate different points of interest and then begin to connect them in order to get a bigger picture of what happened or even what might be on the horizon.
As this is a “starting over” point, at least in terms of the game, there are some changes to the story itself. The game sticks with the backstory of Wayne’s parents being killed in an alleyway but the connection to crime is something new which hasn’t been presented before. This isn’t the only change either and you’ll find this with a variety of characters. In the beginning of the game Batman confronts a thief which everyone will recognize as Cat Woman. Once Bruce meets the unmasked Selina Kyle who happens to be seeing his friend Harvey Dent, the two immediately know the truth about each other. During the game you are presented with the opportunity on how you want your relationship with Selina to play out. You can keep it on a more professional, friendship level or you can go from a more romantic approach.
Batman has many familiar characters as well. His longtime butler and friend Alfred is present and is often the voice of reason as well as concern while inventor and Wayne Enterprises tech expert Lucius Fox is also in the game although in this version, he knows that Bruce is really Batman and is always trying to create something new for him. Cobblepot is better known as the Penguin but the character is drastically different in the game. Instead of the short, deformed man that is usually associated with the comic books he comes across as merely a typical Brit but with a sinister movie. Harvey Dent meanwhile will eventually become Two-Face and while the character faces an attack which leaves him with minor scarring, it’s not the hideous, disfigured man that most know. At one point Wayne is institutionalized in Arkham Asylum where he meets John Doe but players will immediately know him by another name as the green hair and pale, white skin give away his true identity. Lady Arkham is a new creation for the game and as for who it really is behind the mask, that’s one of the secrets I won’t give away. It is definitely an unexpected twist concerning another of Batman’s familiar faces.
The game uses a different voice cast than what I believe many would have expected. While a variety of people have assumed the role of Batman and other characters in the game, there is a new cast here. Don’t expect to hear Kevin Conroy as Batman or Mark Hamill reprise his role as the Joker. Batman: The Telltale series actually has quite a few veteran voice actors, a number of whom have appeared in other games together with one of the most notable being Uncharted 4 while hearing the voice of Dave Fennoy as Lucius Fox will immediately have some players’ reconnection to the first season of Telltale Games The Walking Dead. It did take me an episode or two before I could fully embrace the voice cast, not that there are any issues with their performance. The look of the game meanwhile is very similar to other Telltale Games titles and this is another aspect of their games that I believe most have come to expect. They have never strayed too far from this approach and the pseudo comic book style of presentation is also what I feel has helped their games achieve critical success.
Many parents have children who love Batman and his might be a game they have their eyes on but be warned, this isn’t a game for children at all. The gameplay itself isn’t really the issue. Most can choose whatever answer they want when prompted or follow the minor button pressed during fights but that’s not really what makes the game something that isn’t for young gamers. Batman is much more of a mature game with some more adult language, a few instances of graphic violence, and some more adult themes found in virtually every episode. The language isn’t on the same level as what The Walking Dead is but there is some minor profanity present in Batman. I also feel that for a lot of younger players, they are craving action and something that they feel they can be a bigger part of. This game is very much story with only a few moment when you will be participating in the action. Initially I had picked up Batman: The Telltale Series thinking I could play it with my daughter but I found that outside of some of the more questionable content which forced me to play when she was in bed, the few times when she did see the game she asked, “Don’t you actually do anything? Is that all they are going to do is talk?”
I didn’t quite find myself as emotionally invested in Batman: The Telltale Series as I have some of their past releases. Any who have even slightly followed the games released by Telltale will probably mention that without a doubt the first season of The Walking Dead is perhaps one of the most emotional, heart-wrenching games they have released and it has been really hard to top that. Batman: The Telltales Series still isn’t a bad game and as expected it has a good narrative in story that will keep most intrigued but if you’re anticipating a game which embodies the Batman from the comic books, you’ll quickly be disillusioned as the game pushes itself to redefine what you are comfortable with and instead forge a new direction. With a second season of the game having recently started, it will be interesting to see what changes the writers make and what direction they push the Dark Knight into.
Mike is the resident reviewer for Couponing to Disney and his own site Underland Online. He has a toddler daughter and is obsessed with Haunted Mansion and all things Disney. You can read Mike’s complete bio here.