Title: Batman: The Enemy Within
Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Released: August 8, 2017
Platforms Available: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, iOS, Android
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 4
Article Reading Time: 7 minutes
Telltale Games is a studio that has produced a decent number of episodic adventure games like Walking Dead, Wolf Among Us, and Tales from the Borderlands over the last decade or more. As many of you will know, some of the studio’s releases have not been very well received, especially Minecraft: Story Mode or Guardians of the Galaxy, which earned the title of the worst adventure game in Telltale’s portfolio. Among these gems, however, was Batman, who returned after its relatively successful first series with a sequel subtitled “The Enemy Within.” Let’s ask an important question at the outset. Was the second Batman worth it, or was it another attempt by the studio to squeeze money out of its fans? I’m one of those who love the Dark Knight as a hero from the famous comic book publisher DC Comics. Among the top of this studio is Batman, as mentioned above, the protector of Gotham City, who hides the identity of billionaire Bruce Wayne under his mask. We met him in his first adventures from his prime, where he first met Catwoman, Penguin, Harvey Dent, Commissioner Gordon, and many others.
Gotham’s New Threats
All in all, the first series served purely to introduce you to various familiar characters that you may or may not know. It shows in the quality, as Telltale’s Gotham is only beginning to be more prominently featured along with the first threats like Oswald Cobblepot or the Children of Arkham. The writers couldn’t afford to do as much as they would have liked back then, so that’s why the plot was kept somewhat grounded in places. Plus, it was all about the portrayal of individual characters. Because of this, for example, we once again got more variations on the interpretation of who Batman really is and how he came to be, which for fans who already know the series well may be somewhat dazzling. Leaving aside the fatal fact that Tim Burton, Christopher Nolan, and even Zack Snyder have worked with this element in their own films, we are left with Batman: Arkham Origins, a title in the Batman: Arkham franchise that functions as a unified retelling of Gotham’s beginnings, along with several comic books that work with the material in various ways and adapt it in their own image. But now, let’s move on to the most important thing. What is Batman: The Enemy Within even about?
Familiar Faces, New Challenges
Our protagonist will have to protect innocent citizens again, as the criminal Edward Nygma, aka the Riddler, returned to Gotham when Bruce Wayne’s parents were still alive. But that’s not all, because as it seems, a new criminal organization is gradually beginning to coalesce with a diabolical plan that none of the civilians have a clue about. As Batman, you will have to intervene as soon as possible. But that’s not all. A particular group called the Agency has also arrived in the city, which has the Dark Knight under total surveillance and knows all the essential information about him that not everyone can know. Commissioner Gordon doesn’t like that, so it’s up to you to decide which side you’ll take and which you’ll cooperate with fully. From a story standpoint, it’s clear that season two wins hands down. We already know the old characters, so I appreciate the use of their potential and the interaction with the brand new characters, which, this time around, there are a lot of them, both positive and negative characters. In several cases, they are fleshed out more than most of the characters in the first season. This makes the various decisions that much more impactful. In many cases, there are also choices of a more minor nature, but even these can have a significant impact on the course of the plot.
Choice and Consequence
As I wrote above, you’ll have to choose whether to join the Jim Gordon-led GCPD side or the Agency, which is overseen by a very well-known figure in the comics world whose name I won’t reveal due to particular circumstances. Even the most minor choice, such as deciding who to call to rescue you in a dangerous situation, can profoundly affect your relationship with each side. Related to this is the novelty of being able to significantly influence the behavior of individual characters through your decisions. Additionally, at the end of each episode, you’ll always be presented with a spreadsheet to see the results of your current relationship. At the same time, the game will explain what decisions were made, the relationship with a specific person, what it is, and what all went into making it happen. This will make you blame yourself even more for your mistakes or tell yourself that you did an absolutely fantastic thing that you’re really proud of. This is a small but rather lovely addition. The finale in the last episode, called Same Stitch, is definitely worth mentioning as well, where the essence of your choices and the relationships between the characters are greatly amplified. Personally, I believe your choices here significantly impacted the story and the ending of several storylines, which you can greatly influence as you play. I have to give the developers a lot of credit in this regard, as there’s an apparent attempt to create an ending similar to Telltale’s Game of Thrones, an ending where not all characters remain the same as they were at the beginning and where not everyone turns out as well as one might think. Plus, it’s important to point out that you’ll get twists galore, and many will surely surprise you. One in particular, which I won’t mention, will even seem so unexpected that, at one point, you’ll wonder how such a thing could have happened in the first place. Which I don’t mean at all negatively, but quite the opposite.
Gameplay Mechanics
Now, however, comes the time for things that could be more pleasant. In terms of gameplay, once again, the miracle doesn’t happen, so once again, you get the typical Telltale gameplay elements. For the most part, you’re listening to conversations, deciding future events by influencing the story and pressing buttons at the right time during Quick-Time Events. The rest of the game comprises small adventure sections where you click your cursor around the environment, explore various trivia, and solve logic puzzles. Yes, the revolution hasn’t really come, which is something we simply have to accept. At least the typical recap at the beginning of episodes, which was quite usual for these episodic adventure games, has disappeared.
Conclusion on Another Point-and-click Batkam
Batman: The Enemy Within is definitely worth buying. It is an excellent title that captivated me as a fan of the “Dark Knight.” There are no changes, but you still get a great game with fleshed-out characters, compelling choices, and an exciting plot. Give this one a chance, as Telltale has done a quality job this time.
Where to Buy Batman: The Enemy Within
- Steam (PC, Mac): Available for $14.99 (currently on sale for $7.49). You can purchase it directly from Steam)
- PlayStation Store (PS4): Episode 1 is free, and the Season Pass (Episodes 2-5) is available for $14.99 (currently on sale for $7.49). Check it out on the PlayStation Store)
- Xbox Store (Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S): Available for $14.99. You can buy it from the Microsoft Store
- GOG (PC, Mac): Available for $14.99 (currently on sale for $7.49). Purchase it from GOG.com)
- Nintendo eShop (Switch): The complete season is available for $39.99. Purchase it from the Nintendo eShop
- App Store (iOS): Available for $4.99 per episode. Purchase it from the App Store
- Google Play (Android): Available for $4.99 per episode. Purchase it from Google Play
