atman - A Telltale Series is a wonderful game. I did not expect to enjoy it so much. I think at the highest level the reasons for this is the game being mistitled. In reality it is a Bruce Wayne simulator, less about Batman. I would estimate you spend about 60-70% of your time as Bruce and there are various chapters where you can even choose.
We've seen Batman 100 times; but what we've not seen a whole lot of is Bruce. I always wrote off Bruce, the philanthropist playboy as nothing more than the mask to hide his true self. But here we explore him in a way I never considered. Many of the characters this time around have been recontextualized to make Bruce's perspective more interesting, relatable and dramatic. Cobblepot is his childhood best friend; his family were friends with the Waynes. Harvey Dent is his current best friend and politician running for Mayor. As far as I'm away he's always been DA when he split into two, but this is a clever change. He's two-faced as a politician, his persona transforming long before the accident and breaking point (which we'll get to later).
Falcone is a great choice for the first villain. The local crime lord usually being Batman's first target before the super villains begin to surface. But here you can deal with him as both Batman or Bruce. He shows up to the Wayne Manor, where you're hosting an event for Dent's campaign. Choosing whether to shake his hand will send the tabloids firing; but he's also a supporter (or potential detractor) of Dent and offending him might jeopardize the long-term good you're working towards. I decided to take a keep my enemies closer approach, let the PR sort out the fallout and let Batman sort out Falcone. Selina is in a similar boat here, you actually encounter her first but I'd hardly call her a villain. More of a survivor. After the Cat narrowly escapes her first encounter with the Bat, where mercenaries are also trying to Rob Mayor Hill, you later meet her as the partner of Dent. Oh.... this isn't going to end well. She already knows, being the cunning feline she is.
Gordon and Alfred are really the same and I think this is a good thing. There's not much flexibility with these characters and can instead be a bouncing board for how they react to your Bruce and Batman. A large through line is the type of symbol you're going to be; one of justice or fear. A anti-hero or an animal. These two characters react to this more than anyone; and the villains will often praise Batman if he chooses the violent approach. The villains here are the heroes of their own story. Here to clean up Gotham top to bottom. That includes the criminal scum like Falcone, but also the corrupt wealthy like Wayne, Dent and Hill. Here is when things get interesting. In this iteration the Wayne's had a corrupt empire with the Falcone's and Hill. This is exposed by the "Penguin" in his debut with Lady Arkham and their Children of Arkham. The goons who had robbed Hill's office, likely where they found the videos of the Wayne's torturing the Cobblepots and committing them to Arkham.
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| Do you confront Hill as Bruce or Batman... |
I was in disbelief and the entire game I was waiting for the "ah huh, it was a doppleganger and the Wayne's family name was clear". But it never came and it was far more interesting for it. Especially for Bruce, who was questioning the entire purpose of Batman when he did it in the name of his parents and creating a safe Gotham. It's an interesting angle and I wish it was explored a little more. They could have built it into a suit or cowl; do we hang it up? Vicki Vale is interesting reporter and proposes an interesting alternative to Gordon and getting the truth out there. All this culminates in the Board of Wayne Enterprises kicking out Bruce and who's his replacement? Cobblepot of course. It looks good for the company considering they committed his mother to Arkham so they could take their land. It makes you no less angry and motivated to clear your name. The Children of Arkham and their leader felt very generic at the start, but by the end I was convinced. It ended up being Vicki Vale who in truth was born Victoria Arkham. After she was adopted her surrogate parents tortured her, keeping her locked away in a hole under her house and so Lady Arkham was born. Using the Bat tech to put together evidence is nothing special, but it does a good enough job to make you feel like Batman. For example crawling into Vicki's hole and scoping out the drawings on the wall to piece together her puzzle.
Throughout all this is the saga of Harvey Dent and Selina. Naturally I end up sleeping with Selina. Her character is so good her and there's something so attractive about the voice actor, it immersed me in my relationship with her and that it was special. A feeling I haven't for a while; from memory Mass Effect and Dragon Age was the last games over 10 years ago. The romance works so well and makes me want more. Harvey Dent in the other hand is very tragic. First he begins to betray Wayne for political gain. Then he has an accident with the Children and loses half his face. He wins however as they kill Hill, but its a hollow victory, likely adding to his anguish. He begins to talk to himself.... uh oh. After a tangle with Lady Arkham; Selina takes Bats back to her apartment and mends him. Of course Bruce stays the night. It's cool to explore her apartment, see her cat, stolen goods, photos, etc. Your perusing is interrupted by Harvey, who Selina had been avoiding since the accident. He discovers Bruce and snaps, going into a rage. Selina gives her a cold "I don't belong to you" and sends him on his way. I think it's extremely clever to make the players choices lead to Dent's breaking point. Not sure if it goes this way either way but my god do I not care, it's so good.
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| Some of the shots of Gotham are absolutely gorgeous. |
Bruce has his commencement speech, steps down but not before outing Cobblepot and the Children. He's not going down without a fight. Vicki Vale commends him but not before stabbing him with the serum they've been using to cause panic, which removes all inhibitions. Now we realise who Lady Arkham is but its too late as Bruce goes directly for Cobblepot. Dent commits him to Arkham and Batman is no more. The next part we're about to be prison ganked but an unlikely hero shows up to help us.
It's John Doe and he has a very familiar smile and green hair. He helps show us around Arkham and we must choose to ally with him, lie, cause havoc, John who has the favour of Arkham, or tell the truth and hope for the best. In return for his help he wants a favour from Bruce. I went with to start but when it ended with Zsasz, getting a non-consensual new mark from the joker, and going after an inmate I had to step in. Thankfully Alfred shows up and helps me out. The rest of it unfolds, as Cobblepot is taken down in Wayne Enterprises. Harvey Dent takes Wayne Manor. But Bruce comes to talk him down and appeal to Harvey. He does but in the end his alter ego wins over. He flips the coin and Bruce catches it, throwing it off the edge and Harvey goes with it. Very reminiscent of the 90s movie. There's a pretty gnarly crack but thankfully he survives. Harvey is still in there and it's heartbreaking to watch him tear himself apart. Making him a friend of Bruce makes it even more conflicting and when prompted with "he's too far gone" by multiple people you always have the choice to agree or say "nobody cannot be saved". Last but not least is Lady Arkham, after gathering evidence from her houses you find out what she's planning, and where she's taken Alfred. So off you go and the final fight takes place fighting your way through Arkham. It's a great encounter and ends in an underground labyrinth leading to a cathedral. You're given the choice to remove the mask or Alfred dies. I choose not to and Alfred gets one in but loses an eye. I defeat her but unfortunately she's buried in the collapsing rubble.
Around when Dent goes crazy, Selina decides to skip town but no before stealing a skeleton key which can unlock almost anything. If it falls in the wrong hands it could do a lot of damage. She tries to make it like it was all one con, Dent to Wayne to the Key, but I see through it, I call her on it. She asks why I believe in her and I state the obvious; a thief wouldn't have helped so many times. A great ending to a great game. I know Telltale folded so it was very sad to think this was the end and I would see no sequel. But as it turns out they released one several years ago. So I'll definitely be picking up where I left off as Bruce and his alter ego in Batman: The Enemy Within.
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