Batman: The Telltale Series Episode 2

The first episode of Telltale’s new Batman game was pretty solid, although the game leaned heavily on the story and was fairly light on the actual game play. While I fully understand that Telltale titles are story driven, I do expect a bit more in the action department. I hoped episode 2 would bring more action, and although the game doesn’t quite deliver on that front yet, the solid story continues and pulled me through, salivating for what was next.

Everything we said in the first episode review still stands; the graphics are phenomenal, voice acting is top notch, and how the story is delivered is some of the best work Telltale has done to date. With each game they release, Telltale seems to get better and better at that aspect; unfortunately it leads to falters in other areas, namely game play.

Let me be fair: the game play in this Batman title is not bad, it’s just not as good as I would hope. It’s a detraction when it comes to overall score, but not a big one.

In episode 2, Children of Arkham, Batman uncovers more of his families history, realizing that his mother and father may not have been the most moral of characters in Gotham. While most of the story is just a retelling of things we already know from other Batman mediums, Alfred does she light on a few tidbits of information many fans might not have been aware of. Finding those story nuggets is reason enough to give episode 2 a play.

Telltale’s emphasis on player choice is also a highlight early on for this series; although I’ve not played the chapters multiple times to see what other endings I might find, on my initial play through I feel like the decisions I’m making are having real consequences on my relationships with others, how I’m perceived, and how I might react in certain situations.

This is once again true. Although the facts of Wayne’s families past will be constant no matter how you play, the way Batman reacts and processes that information seems to be solely left up to the discretion of the player. Not only does this add to the great story telling and narrative that has begun to form, but it also might push fans to replay the title making different decisions along the way.

If you love previous Telltale titles, or have a real enjoyment of the Batman franchise, this title has been solid through the first two episodes, and definitely deserves your attention.