Batman: The Telltale Series – Episode 2: Children of Arkham Review

Title: Batman: The Telltale Series – Episode 2: Children of Arkham

Version Tested: PC

Available On: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, iOS, PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Mac

Where To Buy: Steam

Now that’s more like it. Not that Batman: The Telltale Series – Episode 1: Realm of Shadows was bad, but it did not feel like it brought anything new to the table. Episode 2: Children of Arkham absolutely nails it: it is full of surprises, but it still sticks to some of those same narrative twists we expect from a Batman story. In particular, one of the core tenets to Batman’s origin is completely flipped on its head, and it left me absolutely dying for the next episode in the series to release.

Although Realm of Shadows did a good job of differentiating gameplay styles between when players are Batman versus when they are Bruce Wayne, one of the best aspects of Children of Arkham lies in letting the player choose how to make their approach. Although it only happens once, giving players the choice between approaching a scenario as either Bruce Wayne or Batman is a brilliant move, and it does something that many Telltale products lack: it provides replay value. Most Telltale games have only one story: the options the player chooses the first time through. Going through a second time feels too “game-y,” as players will try to choose options that go against their inclinations just to see new things. It goes this same way in Batman: The Telltale Series, but it would feel like an entirely new scene rather than just a brief change in dialogue. In short, hopefully it is something that the game continues to explore.

The detective “linking” scenes stood out in Realm of Shadows, but they fell a bit short in Children of Arkham. Granted, that’s because Children of Arkham is a much more action-oriented episode, so there are not many opportunities to “detect.” This is not detrimental, as the action scenes are some of the best Telltale has released. In particular, a bar fight leads to some very satisfying animations and timed button presses, and an early battle led to a bloody demise that I was not prepared for. The familiar Telltale problems exist with these fight scenes, but they do their best through quick editing and strong animations. It would have been nice to be able to work on the “World’s Greatest Detective” mantle a bit, however.

The main place Children of Arkham succeeds is in the voice acting. While Troy Baker fell flat for me as Bruce Wayne in Realm of Shadows, he nails it in Episode Two. The character feels much more alive and much less “Troy Baker being Troy Baker.” Not only does Baker do a great job, but everyone else continues their excellent work from the first episode. Cobblepot, Catwoman, Alfred, Lieutenant Gordon: they all feel real, emotional, and alive. It provides another incentive to want to play through the game with different scenarios; I found myself wanting to make a character angry in a second playthrough who I placated in a previous one, if only to see how the actor changes their performance.

The plot of Children of Arkham moves at a much brisker pace and moves things forward much better than the previous episode, but my biggest complaint was how short the episode was. I feel like I finished up my first playthrough in right around an hour and fifteen minutes, maybe an hour and a half at most. It was a bit frustrating to have such a strong episode cut short so quickly, knowing that there is most likely going to be at least a month before the next episode releases.

Overall, Batman: The Telltale Series – Episode 2: Children of Arkham is a very strong entry in the series after an underwhelming first episode. The characters pop, the story is full of twists and turns, and, most important, it drove the action in such a way that created serious anticipation for the next episode. If Telltale can keep up the momentum, Batman should have a good adventure in store.

• Gameplay: Some intense action scenes and suspenseful dialogue trees. Interesting option of approaching a scene as Bruce or Batman.

• Graphics: Well choreographed action scenes. Typical Telltale graphics, although animation was strong in this episode.

• Sound: Excellent voice acting from all characters, but especially the leads. 

• Presentation: Much faster paced than the first episode. Immersive.

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