Batman: The Telltale Game (Thoughts on the First Playthrough)
Alternate title: Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na I’m Batman!
Alternate alternate title: Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na Catherine!
I’m a big fan of Telltale, having played Tales of Monkey Island, The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us and half of Game of Thrones – and that’s only because I went “nope” at deciding who to kill and who to save again. I get enough of that in Dragon Age: Inquisition and mages vs templars thank you very much.
All in all, I really enjoyed this game, both as a Telltale game and as a Batman game[note]I’ve played Lego Batman, Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, and Arkham Origins. Plus DC Universe Online which has a lot of Batman in it.[/note]. With the upgraded engine there was a lot more emphasis on combat quick-time events, but for a character like Batman it works. Plus they remembered that he’s the “Detective” part of “Detective Comics”, and have him examine crimescenes.
I would play a whole game that is just Batman solving crimes. Even if it’s a case of “which adopted son ate the last of the bagels”. Answer: Jason broke in and stole them just to annoy everyone.
In brief, things I liked:
- Young Batman at the start of his career. I played him as the young guy full of hope, and it actually worked. Well done, writing.
- A non-sexualised Selina. Seriously, well done on this. She’s still a little weak in her writing, but the camera doesn’t linger on her butt, her outfit is zipped up, and her most undressed scene is very reasonable sleepwear, and after we’ve spent a couple of minutes with Bat crotch in boxer-briefs in the middle of our screen. I really like her playful sensuality here, although early on the animal puns are terrible.
- That Telltale was willing to shake things up. Some things we knew were coming (because Harvey Dent will always become Two-Face, for example), but handled in different ways.
- New non-sexualised lady villain!
- A limited amount of Joker. I get that he’s important, but I’m in a bit of Joker fatigue at the moment. Batman has a great rogues’ gallery, let them be used.
- Renee Montoya! I am always here for Renee Montoya. Only Question is, what role will she have in future games? (And will Harvey Bullock appear?)
- In the one sex scene (or rather, lead up to a behind-closed-doors sex scene), there is a specific need for consent. Seriously, it won’t go ahead without a proper ‘yes’.
There wasn’t much I didn’t like, really. I’m only a little bit iffy on Penguin in this game. Penguin is one of my favourite rogues in the gallery, but while there was a lot to like in this game in his manner and costume – especially his hi-tech monocle in his final battle with Batman there were some things that didn’t quite fit with me. Namely, the childhood friend of Bruce’s out for revenge angle makes me wonder how that will impact a future appearance by Hush, should he appear.
I’ll save a more thorough review for when I have replayed the game, making the opposite choices to what I did this time around. Overall though I quite enjoyed the game, and look out for the next season. 😀
And in the meantime, take a look at my choices from my first run through.
My Choices (Spoiler Alert!)
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