‘Batman: The Enemy Within – Episodes 1-4’ Review (PC)
A couple of weeks ago we posted up an article detailing the release of Telltale/Warner Bros Batman: The Enemy Within – Episode 4, which is now available for you all to go and get on all platforms. I myself had only played the first season and not really had a chance to get into the second. However I am a huge fan of these Telltale games, beginning way back when they released The Walking Dead.
Yes, I know they had a few efforts before The Walking Dead but for me this game was when the company really came into its own, crafting truly remarkable engaging stories, leaving the player with almost unimaginable choices to make and often breaking your heart with the repercussions. It’s safe to say I am a decision based gaming whore! Are these games always perfect? No they aren’t. Often glitchy, struggling with frame rates and audio not syncing with visual. However I have always been able to let the little things go in favour of brilliant storytelling and engaging character development.
Given my love of this genre and my undisputed love of all things Batman (did I ever mention my awesome Batman tattoos?) it was a no-brainer, I had to catch up. Now unfortunately I played the first season of Batman: The Telltale Series on console, so I wasn’t able to bring my experience and choices from that to the second season but that was fine.
So before I head into Episode 4 review here’s a little review of the first three episodes and everything that has come so far…
Episode 1
I got straight into the second series.. Dealing with the fallout of finding out your dad was a villain back in the day, running with the mob and Gotham City not exactly loving Bruce Wayne or Batman. Episode 1 comes out the blocks with a bang introducing new foe (well new for Bruce) The Riddler and all his cockamamie shenanigans. The action pieces are solid, the story is strong and even some of the choices are difficult for the first episode. We meet some new faces into Batmans world including Lucius Fox’s daughter Tiffany and members of The Agency (I guess they couldn’t use Argus) ran by ultimate bad bit** Amanda Waller. Oh we also have to endure a pretty heart breaking death.
Highlight: Every moment The Riddler was on Screen.
Low Point: That death.
Episode 2
Starts with a bang as you knock heads with Bane, I have to say not my favorite iteration of Bane but I did get used to him as it went on. Then the game really slows down, not in a bad way though. They really take the time to work on this story and give you some room to make some awkward choices and boy do you feel the pressure. Full disclosure, by this point I had decided I was going to play Bats as the hero and Bruce as a bit of a douchebag for reasons that become apparent upon playing. Its not easy to keep everyone happy and this game wants you to keep no one happy which at times was frustrating but added to the experience. Throw in some Harley Quinn, Mr Freeze and John Doe (we will get there) and this is shaping up nicely.
Highlight: The Pinky Swear and the portrayal of Harley
Low Point: The constant struggle with Gordon
Episode 3
Episode 3 gives us probably less action than the last but they are building up to a crescendo of an ending you can feel it. Working undercover as Bruce within The Pact (Harley, Freeze, Bane and John Doe) for The Agency and really doing very little as Batman. Here is my one and only gripe aside from the usual Telltale glitchy stuff… Apart from episode 1 we are not being Bats very often. BUT as Bruce we do have some excellent back and forth with the villains and the conversations with John Doe are hairs on the back of your neck good.
Highlight: The coffee shop conversation with John Doe (wonder who he could be)… Oh also the whole Bats and Cats relationship
Low Point: The cliff hanger **Brucsicle**
Episode 4
In a word… Fantastic… I mean ok, we left off with the cliffhanger – will Bruce die or wont he? We get out of that and go after Harley and her crew. This is the only real action set piece of the episode and its bloody gorgeous; some nice take-downs and combos which inevitably ends with everyone going there separate ways. From there its all dialogue all the way, not much detective work being done just a ton of making right or wrong choices.
This whole episode is written around the relationship between Bruce Wayne and John Doe. This is a extremely tense and fragile relationship and I actually had to second guess most of my choices. I know who he is going to become I just hoped i could stop it. The voice talent in this episode are great especially by Anthony Ingruber who has been mesmerizing as John Doe and wonderfully slow playing his descent into Mr J (shut up, if you didn’t know that by now your playing the wrong game).
We are left with a fairly satisfying end to the episode taking us into Episode 5 where Im starting to think that all bets truly are off. I for one cant wait to see how this plays out… Oh and way more Batman. Which is always a big plus!
