Review

Developed by:Telltale Games Published by:Telltale Games Genre(s):
  • Adventure
  • Platform:
  • Handhelds
  • Microsoft
  • Nintendo
  • PC
  • Sony
  • Cost:$24.99 (For Full Season) ESRB Rating:MATURE Players:1 Release date:August 2, 2016 Reviewed on:PC Episode Release Date:December 13, 2016
    8

    Batman: Episode 5: City of Light

    We’ve made it to the end of the road. Secrets have been uncovered, criminals have been punched, and Batman recently escaped death for umpteenth time.  The only thing left is for us to do is watch him dismantle what’s left of the Children of Arkham. And you know, set up the inevitable second season!

    “City of Light” opens with Batman on the heels of Lady Arkham. Unfortunately, all of his Wayne Tech has been compromised by the Penguin (a result of my choices from the previous episode) leaving him without his gadgets. The ante is significantly upped when Penguin’s goons start rounding up hostages in an attempt to lure Batman out into the open. Their plan is a success as it isn’t long before the bullets and batarangs start flying. Of course, this was a trap; an altered Wayne Tech device sends forth a sonic-like blast severally damaging Batman’s suit. With the help of Commissioner Grogan, he is able to subdue his enemies but not without taking a serious loss.

    This episode does a good job of revealing just who our adversaries are. I mean, we knew their names and some of their history. But here, we get to see what led to their current state. Most of these revelations are downright disturbing, to point where one could understand why certain actions were carried out; while they don’t help to garner much sympathy for the villains, they do add some needed weight to their motives. What’s really interesting though, is the old theory that puts the blame for Gotham’s villains at Batman’s feet. How his actions could have inadvertently created the super villains he hunts. Telltale plays with this notion, flipping it on its head; a lot of the issues Gotham currently face was created by Bruce’s father and to a certain extent (through association) Bruce himself.

    “City of Light” was engaging when it comes to the story. Like the rest of this season though, this episode is plagued with unruly frame rate issues. The “improved” game engine is surly the culprit, possibly requiring a significant effort to fix. Whatever the case, I would wait until all of the kinks are out before purchasing the season on PC. The story and action are the same on every platform. Chose another one…

    Gameplay:

    8

    The story and action segments, when the game is working, are entertaining.

    Graphics:

    7

    The frame rate issues persist.

    Sound:

    10

    The voice acting and sound effects are always great.

    Replay Value:

    7

    Now that entire season is available, I’m sure people will want to go back and see how each path differs. The bugs and such will send others to a wiki to read up on what happens instead.

    Final Score:

    8

    © United Front Gaming. All rights reserved. Site design by: 801red